California State Parks increased the Mussel Fee Sticker price Thursday, Oct. 22, raising the cost of a full two-year sticker cycle from $16 to $42. The fee is $21 when a sticker is first purchased in an even-numbered year and $42 when it is first purchased in an odd-numbered year. The fee is separate from vessel registration. The Division of Boating and Waterways said the higher fee will fund more inspections, decontamination, early-detection monitoring and public education to prevent invasive mussels from spreading. California created the sticker program in 2012 to help stop quagga and zebra mussels. State Parks said the program expanded after the state detected golden mussels in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta in October 2024; the mussels have since been found in other waterways and water infrastructure.

Related:

• The Sacramento Bee (Calif.): California’s mussel sticker fee just went up. Here’s what boaters need to know
• California State Parks: News release: California State Parks announces strengthened mussel sticker program to protect California waterways