Higher fees will support inspections, decontamination and other efforts aimed at preventing invasive mussels from reaching additional waterways.
SACRAMENTO — California boaters who operate registered recreational vessels in freshwater will pay more for the state’s Mussel Fee Sticker under a new fee structure intended to expand invasive mussel prevention efforts.
Effective Oct. 22, 2026, the Mussel Fee Sticker costs $21 when first purchased during an even-numbered calendar year and $42 when first purchased during an odd-numbered year, according to California State Parks’ Division of Boating and Waterways. The $42 fee covers the full two-year sticker cycle.
For a boater purchasing a sticker for a full two-year cycle, the cost increases from $16 to $42.
California established the Mussel Fee Sticker program in 2012 to help prevent the spread of quagga and zebra mussels. Assembly Bill 149, passed in 2025, expanded the program to address all invasive mussel species and directed changes to the fee structure beginning in 2026.
The expansion comes as California responds to golden mussels, which were first detected in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta in October 2024 and have since been detected in additional waterways and water infrastructure.
Golden mussels can reproduce rapidly and form dense colonies on hard surfaces. They can also be transported between waterways on boats, trailers and in residual water. Invasive mussels can clog water intakes and pipes, damage infrastructure, affect aquatic ecosystems and fisheries, attach to boat hulls and engines and contribute to boating restrictions.
Revenue from the Mussel Fee Sticker supports prevention programs, including grants administered by DBW to eligible waterbody managers that provide boating and fishing recreation. Funding can be used for watercraft inspections and decontamination, early-detection monitoring, prevention planning, and public education.
California law requires registered recreational vessels operating in freshwater to carry and display current Mussel Fee Stickers. The fee is separate from vessel registration, and boaters receive two stickers that must be placed on opposite sides of the hull next to and in line with the vessel’s CF numbers and registration stickers.
Vessels operated exclusively in marine or salt water remain exempt. However, boaters must purchase the stickers before taking an otherwise exempt vessel into freshwater, including lakes, reservoirs, rivers, inland waterways, and portions of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta east of Chipps Island.
DBW is also reminding boaters to “Clean, Drain, and Dry” their vessels, trailers, and equipment before leaving a waterbody and launching elsewhere, and to comply with local inspection, quarantine and decontamination requirements.
Mussel Fee Stickers can be purchased through the California Department of Motor Vehicles online, at DMV field offices, and at participating AAA offices for members.
