2025 Program Update: All motorized watercraft will be decontaminated following inspection to protect Lake Tahoe from invasive golden mussels. Decontamination fees are listed below. Learn more about golden mussels here.

Stickers and Fees

After your mandatory inspection and decontamination, you will receive a Tahoe inspection sticker (good for calendar year purchased) and a Tahoe, Fallen Leaf, or Echo wire seal which attaches your boat to your trailer.

Notes:

Only Visa and Mastercard are accepted at the inspection stations.
For vessels transported by a commercial hauler, call the AIS hotline: 888-824-6267.

Tahoe In and Out Sticker Fees

$70 — Personal Watercraft (PWC) and Vessels up to 17′
$115 — Vessels 17’1″ and up

Tahoe In & Out stickers include unlimited inspections during the calendar year purchased. These are ideal for boaters looking to boat on waters outside the basin in addition to Lake Tahoe. They are only available at roadside inspection stations. Additional decontamination fees still apply.

Tahoe-Only Sticker Fees

$50 — All sealed vessels

Tahoe Only stickers are reserved for Tahoe, Fallen Leaf, or Echo inspection sealed boats from previous seasons that will only launch in those lakes.

If your boat has its Tahoe region wire seal still intact from a previous season, AND you plan to boat in Lake Tahoe, Fallen Leaf, or Echo Lakes ONLY, you may purchase a Tahoe Only sticker from an inspection station, or directly from a Lake Tahoe launch facility of your choice.
Boats with Tahoe Only stickers that DO NOT have an intact Tahoe region wire seal will be required to visit one of the roadside inspection stations for an inspection and will be required to upgrade their sticker to a Tahoe In & Out for the difference of the fee at that time; decontamination fees apply.

** A boat owner can upgrade from a Tahoe Only Sticker to a Tahoe In and Out sticker by paying the difference between the two stickers.

Single Inspection Fees

$65 — Personal Watercraft (PWC) and Vessels up to 17′
$95 — Vessels 17’1″ and up

Single Inspection pass is only available at roadside inspection stations. The pass is eligible for 1 inspection and 7 consecutive days of wire sealing/unsealing at launch facilities on Lake Tahoe, Fallen leaf, or Echo Lakes. Additional decontamination fees apply.

Vessels destined for waterbodies outside of the Tahoe Basin will be charged for single inspection, applicable decontamination fees, and receive a gray TAHOE DECON seal. Please confirm your destination accepts TAHOE DECON seals prior to arriving.

Electric

FREE

Electric stickers are for vessels with electric motors.

There is no sticker fee for electric powered watercraft.
Electric vessels, like other motorized vessels, require decontamination. Fees apply.
Arrive Clean, Drained, and Dry to avoid additional decontamination fees.

Hand-Launched Electric

FREE

Electric stickers are required for hand-launched electric watercraft, including electric hydrofoils (eFoils), eSUPs, and trolling motors attached to otherwise non-motorized watercraft.

There is no sticker fee for electric powered watercraft.
Hand-launched electric watercraft MUST be inspected at least once annually.
All motorized watercraft will be decontaminated. Hand-launched electric watercraft receive free decontamination.
Clean, Drain, and Dry your hand-launched electric watercraft between every launch.

Trailered Non-Motorized

FREE

Trailered non-motorized stickers are for trailered non-motorized watercraft, such as sailboats, that launch from marinas and ramps.

There is no sticker fee for trailered non-motorized watercraft.
Trailered non-motorized vessels require decontamination. Fees apply.
Arrive Clean, Drained, and Dry to avoid additional decontamination fees.

Hand-launched non-motorized watercraft, such as kayaks and paddleboards, can be inspected and decontaminated for free at any watercraft inspection station. We encourage all paddlers, anglers, kayakers, and boaters to become a Tahoe Keeper and earn a free Tahoe Keepers decal.

Decontamination Fees

All trailered watercraft will be decontaminated following every inspection.

Total decontamination fee is the sum of water intake system fees and affected area fees. Use this guide to estimate the total decontamination fee for your watercraft.

Water Intake System Fees: A water intake system is an element of a watercraft that uses water from the lake. This includes the engine, live wells, generators, etc. Ballasts are automatically $60.

$0 — 0 Water Intake Systems

$30 — 1 to 2 Water Intake Systems

$60 — 3+ Water Intake Systems OR Ballasts

Affected Area Fees: An affected area is anywhere mud, water, plants, or animals are found. These fees are in addition to any water intake system fees. Arrive Clean, Drained, Dry to avoid additional fees.

$0 — 1 area not Clean, Drain, Dry

$30 — 2 to 3 areas not Clean, Drain, Dry

$60 — 4+ areas not Clean, Drain, Dry

Mussel Encrusted Boat Fee:

$350 — Decontaminations with Mussels Attached – Includes all decontamination processes

Need a decontamination for other lakes?

Vessels destined for waterbodies outside of the Tahoe Basin will be charged for single inspection pass and applicable decontamination fees. These vessels will receive a gray TAHOE DECON seal.

Please note that watercraft destined to boat in Lake Tahoe will be prioritized and our decontamination services may not be available for vessels destined for other waterbodies.

Please confirm your destination accepts TAHOE DECON seals prior to arriving. Waterbody contacts can be found at dbw.parks.ca.gov/inspections.

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