Permits and invasive species stickers for paddlecraft

Some states skip registration and ask paddlers for a small annual permit instead. Here is who needs one, what it costs according to the agency, and which boats are exempt.

Why a kayak needs a sticker at all

Zebra and quagga mussels, and plants such as Eurasian watermilfoil, travel between lakes on hulls, in bilge water and on wet gear. Western states in particular fund boat inspection stations and cleaning programs with small annual fees, and they collect those fees from paddlers as well as from motorboat owners. “AIS” on these permits stands for aquatic invasive species.

Five states, five systems

Oregon
Waterway Access Permit
Oregon does not register paddlecraft but requires a Waterway Access Permit for every non-motorized boat, whatever its length — the former 10-foot threshold was removed for 2026. The Marine Board lists $6 for seven days, $20 for one year and $35 for two years, plus a small portal fee. Operators aged 14 and older need one; the permit can be moved between boats. Surfboards, sailboards and kiteboards are exempt.
Visitors need the permit as well. Not showing one is a Class D violation with a $115 fine.
Source: Oregon State Marine Board — Waterway Access Permit FAQs
Idaho
Invasive species sticker
Idaho requires an invasive species sticker on watercraft of every kind — canoes, kayaks, paddleboards and rafts included. The sticker for a non-motorized boat costs $7 and expires on December 31 each year. Inflatable, non-motorized craft under 10 feet are exempt.
Boats arriving from other states need the sticker before launching.
Source: Invasive Species of Idaho — Sticker FAQs
Wyoming
AIS decal
Wyoming does not register canoes, kayaks or drift boats, but every watercraft on Wyoming waters must display an aquatic invasive species decal, valid for the calendar year ($5 to $30 depending on the craft and where its owner lives). Non-motorized inflatables 10 feet or less and all paddleboards are exempt from the decal — though not from inspection.
Watercraft last used in another state must be inspected before launching.
Source: Wyoming Game and Fish — AIS decal information
Montana
AIS Prevention Pass
Montana asks nonresidents to buy a Vessel AIS Prevention Pass before launching: $10 for a non-motorized boat, valid until December 31 and tied to one vessel. There is no decal; a receipt on your phone is enough.
Every watercraft entering Montana must be inspected before it launches. Inspections done in Idaho or Wyoming count if you pass no Montana station.
Source: Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks — AIS prevention passes
Pennsylvania
Launch permit
Pennsylvania does not require unpowered boats to be registered. To launch at a Fish and Boat Commission access or lake, or at a state park or state forest access, the boat must either be registered or display a launch permit. A Pennsylvania State Parks launch permit is accepted at Commission sites too.
Launch permits from other states are not recognized.
Source: Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission — Unpowered boats

Minnesota takes a different route: it folds a $20 invasive species surcharge into the three-year registration of boats longer than 10 feet, so there is no separate sticker.

Inspection stations

A permit does not replace an inspection. Montana requires every watercraft entering the state to be inspected before it launches and asks boaters to stop at each open station they pass; an inspection in Idaho or Wyoming is accepted if you pass no Montana station. Wyoming requires inspection for watercraft last used in another state — including the small inflatables and paddleboards that are exempt from its decal.

Clean, drain, dry

Every program rests on the same three steps, and they take a few minutes at the ramp:

Clean plants, mud and animals off the hull, paddle, skeg, rudder and footwear.
Drain all water from the cockpit, hatches and any gear that holds it.
Dry the boat and gear completely before the next lake or river.

Inflatable boats and paddleboards deserve an extra look: seams and valve recesses hold water long after the surface feels dry.