Mussel stickers

May 19, 2022

Question: I went to renew my boat registration for an upcoming fishing trip on the Delta and found out I had to pay an extra $16 for a new invasive mussel sticker. What gives?

Answer: Neither the sticker nor the fee is new. What is new is the process for acquiring the Mussel Fee Sticker to place on your boat.

Prior to September 2021, boat owners simply purchased their Mussel Fee Sticker either from the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) or a third party and within the same transaction as their boat registration renewal. Beginning in September 2021, the Mussel Fee Sticker must be purchased directly from DMV and through a separate transaction. This process was changed to align with federal requirements. Boat owners can purchase the Mussel Fee Sticker directly from DMV’s website at dmv.ca.gov/musselfee(opens in new tab) or through their local DMV office.

The Mussel Fee Sticker – also known as the Quagga Sticker – funds statewide quagga and zebra mussel prevention efforts. Recreational boat owners are required to purchase and display a current sticker if their boat will be used in fresh water. This includes inland waterways, rivers, lakes, reservoirs, wetlands and the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta. DMV will provide two stickers at the time of purchase, one for each side of the boat’s hull. Unless used exclusively in marine (salt) waters or specifically exempted by law, owners of motorized recreational vessels used in freshwater are mandated to display a current sticker.

Quagga and zebra mussels pose serious risks and costs to you as a recreational boat owner. The mussels can block your boat’s engine and cause overheating, increase the drag on the bottom of your boat and jam your boat’s steering equipment. The spread of these invasive freshwater mussels also threatens aquatic ecosystems and the fisheries so many anglers enjoy.

In addition to purchasing the Mussel Fee Sticker, boaters can contribute to prevention efforts by making sure to clean, drain and dry their vessels. For more information, please see CDFW’s news release on boat registration and mussel stickers(opens in new tab). California State Parks’ Division of Boating and Waterways has a helpful Frequently Asked Questions document(opens in new tab) online about the new process.