Bringing Your Boat To Maine? You’ll Need This

Variable-leaf Milfoil are known to be invasive and can have significant ecological impact. They can grow up to 15 feet long and often forms dense mats which can degrade the habitat for fish and other wildlife. Photo/Maine Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife.

The sticker helps fund programs to prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species. Image/Maine Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife.

Maine officials are reminding visiting boaters from out of state that they need a Land and River Protection Sticker to boat on inland waterways.

Hydrocharis morsus-ranae, commonly known as European frog-bit, which is an invasive aquatic plant found in Maine. It is characterized by small, floating leaves and a small white flower with a yellow center. Photo/Maine Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife.

The Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife recently stated in a release that all motorized watercraft on Maine inland waters must display the sticker, which is also referred to as a “milfoil” sticker.

A sticker is not required under Maine boat laws to operate a vessel in tidal waters.

“Motorized watercraft” includes any boat with any type of motor, including canoes with electric motors and personal watercraft.

in-person sticker purchases can be made at many authorized agents throughout the state. Click here for a list of participating agents.

If visiting an agent is not possible, boaters may complete and submit a form to request a sticker by mail. Click here for the form.

Once the transaction is processed, a confirmation email will be sent. Boaters should keep a copy of this confirmation with them until their sticker arrives and is affixed to their watercraft. Boaters should plan for at least two weeks for stickers to arrive once the transaction is processed.

Revenue from Lake and River Protection Sticker sales supports efforts to prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species in Maine. Funds are used for education, monitoring, enforcement, and management programs targeting invasive aquatic plants, fish, and other wildlife.