Locations and Hours
As of Friday, May 26, all three regional inspection stations will be open.
Until further notice, the station at Spooner Summit in Nevada will only be open Thursday through Sunday due to staffing shortages.
The Spooner Summit station will be closed Sunday, June 4th during America’s Most Beautiful Bike Ride.
Please note that decontaminations are required for all ballast boats.
Plan ahead by checking the Locations and Hours page, our social handles (@TahoeBoating), or Contact Us for the latest information.
Appointments can be scheduled now for all inspection stations.
8:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.
Inspection services end at 5:30 p.m. Depending on the queue, we may not be able to serve everyone who arrived before that time. Please consider arriving earlier to ensure there is adequate time to inspect and perhaps decontaminate your vessel.
Wakeboard and other vessels with ballast tanks will always require a decontamination because the tanks retain water and are unable to be inspected visually. In most cases, arriving by 4:30 p.m. should provide adequate time to complete your vessel.
Do I need an inspection?
If your vessel has an intact inspection seal [a wire with a numbered clip loosely connecting the boat and trailer] from the last time it was hauled out of Lake Tahoe, you do not need an inspection and can proceed straight to your preferred launch site.
In all other cases:
- All motorized vessels, including electric, require an inspection. New boats and engines are tested in water prior to leaving the factory and are still required to be inspected.
- There is no inspection or decontamination fee for vessels with electric or air-cooled trolling motors.
- Trailered non-motorized vessels are required to be inspected. All inspections are provided free of charge for non-motorized vessels.
- If you own a simple non-motorized vessel, like a canoe, kayak or paddleboard, please visit Tahoe Keepers to learn how to self-inspect and Clean, Drain, & Dry your vessel. If you would like an inspection, please visit any of our inspection locations, and we will provide one free of charge.
Lake Forest Launch Ramp
2500 Lake Forest Rd, Tahoe City, CA 96145
Oct 1 – April 30 – Open from 8 am – 6 pm daily, weather permitting
Inspections are no longer available at this location until October
*Inspections require sufficient lighting and are only offered during daylight hours
2175 Keetak St, South Lake Tahoe, CA 96150
May 4 – Sept. 30 – open from 8:30am – 5:30pm daily
NV-28 &, US-50, Carson City, NV 89703
May 12 – Sept. 30 – open from 8:30am – 5:30pm Thursday – Sunday
Until further notice, the station at Spooner Summit will only be open Thursday through Sunday due to staffing shortages.
The Spooner Summit station will be open Monday, May 29 for the Memorial Day Holiday, and will be closed Sunday, June 4th during America’s Most Beautiful Bike Ride.
Cave Rock Launch Ramp
Hwy 28, Glenbrook, NV 89413
Oct 1 – April 30 – Open from 6:00am – 4:00pm daily, weather permitting
Inspections are no longer available at this location until October
*Inspections require sufficient lighting and are only offered during daylight hours
255 Alpine Meadows Rd, Alpine Meadows, CA 96146
May 26 – Sept. 30 – open from 8:30am – 5:30pm daily
COVID-19 Precautions
For the health and safety of boaters, inspectors and the public, Centers for Disease Control COVID-19 precautions are being followed at all inspection facilities.