Oregon Paddlers Must Carry Permit August 1st

Failure to show the permit is a Class D violation with a $115 fine.

Photo by Laura Stanley, Pexels

(SALEM, Ore.) - Paddlers of non-motorized boats will need to carry a Waterway Access Permit beginning August 1. The permit is required for all non-motorized boats 10 feet and longer and replaces the Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) Prevention Permit. Failure to show the permit is a Class D violation with a $115 fine.

The permit funds two programs: One is the AIS Prevention Program which is co-managed by the Marine Board and Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW). The rest of the revenue is directed to a dedicated account for the development and improvement of non-motorized access and other services for non-motorized boaters.

The Marine Board’s Boating Facility Program administers the competitive grant program and recently accepted the first grant applications.

These programs will develop new boating access and improve facilities by adding vehicle parking spaces, non-motorized boat launches, restrooms, low-freeboard docks, etc. and will continue to fund ODFW-managed boat inspection stations for aquatic invasive species.

Grants will also be available to Oregon’s nine federally recognized Tribal governments, and public and non-governmental organizations for boating safety education, equipment and access to underserved communities.

Permits are not required on federally designated wild and scenic rivers where other permits are already required (boater pass or lottery permits) or for youth 13 and younger. Permits are transferrable to other paddlecraft. For example, if a family has two or more paddlecraft, but only one is on the water at one time, then only one permit would be required.

Three purchasing options are available: One week (valid for 7-days from the date of purchase from ODFW) for $7, one calendar year for $17, and two calendar years for $30.

Permits can be purchased through:

• ODFW Electronic Licensing System where you can print out permit or display using the ODFW App;
• Boat Oregon Store (downloadable PDF to save on mobile device or print and carry with you). If it’s your first time using the Boat Oregon Store, here’s some help getting started.

Paddlers can also comment on grant applications the agency received as part of their recent grant cycle. Visit the Boating Facility Grant Application Comment Page.

There’s nearly $900,000 in (motorized and nonmotorized) revenue available with 19 applications requesting nearly $1.5 million for a total project value of more than $2.5 million. The deadline to review applications and provide comments is August 7. Comments will be reviewed and shared with our Board prior to a special August 27 Board meeting to consider the grants.

The Marine Board is directly funded by boaters in the form of registration, title, and permit fees, as well as through marine fuel taxes. No lottery, general fund tax dollars, or local facility parking fees support the agency or its programs. Boater-paid fees support the boating public through boating safety services (on-the-water law enforcement, training, and equipment), boating safety education, grants for the construction and maintenance of boating access facilities, and environmental protection programs.

Source: Oregon State Marine Board