A Four-Year Bicycle Registration costs only $10.00 and is a good way to help protect your important means of transportation, recreation and exercise!

• Bicycle Identification. If a bike is stolen from the street, a car or home, the owner needs the serial number to report the theft to the police. Most people don't keep this number handy. However, when a bicycle is registered the police can recall information quickly from the computer. The registration records are cross-referenced by name as well as by serial number and registration number.


• Theft Deterrence. Thieves are less likely to steal a registered bike since its owner can easily be identified. Theft reports in Madison's computer are also posted on statewide and national crime computers. Bicycles can be recovered anywhere in the US and traced back to you.


• Recovered Bikes Returned to Owners. Registering your bike greatly increases the likelihood it will be returned to you if recovered. Bicycles that are registered have a much greater chance of being returned to you if they are lost or stolen and then recovered; bicycles that are not registered have a limited chance of being returned to you if they are recovered.


• Identification of Rider. Bicycle Registration also aids in the identification of the bicycle owner in case of a crash. Many bicyclists don't carry identification with them - this is especially true for children. Most children do not carry identification. What would happen if you child is involved in a bike crash? It could take hours for emergency personnel to make positive identification and contact a parent. If your child's bicycle is registered, you can be contacted quickly. Do your child and yourself a favor - register your children's bicycles today.


• Registration Helps With Planning. Bicycle Registration also provides valuable data to City planners, which helps in the design of facilities and educational programs aimed at making bicycling safer in Madison.


• Registration Is The Law. Although the City of Madison does not wish to stress this point as the major focus of the program, Madison City Ordinance 12.78(1) requires all bicycles used by Madison residents to be registered. Bicycles must be registered with the City of Madison, unless they have a current registration in another municipality.