Watercraft inspection stations open across Idaho

The following is a news release from the Idaho State Department of Agriculture.

BOISE — The Idaho State Department of Agriculture (ISDA) watercraft inspection stations have begun inspecting watercraft for the 2026 season.

The ISDA Invasive Species Program reminds boaters to take precautions to avoid transporting invasive species, such as quagga and zebra mussels. All boat owners must stop for mandatory inspection when traveling past an Idaho watercraft inspection station during operating hours.

“Stopping at watercraft inspection stations is a critical step in protecting Idaho from invasive species,” said ISDA Director Chanel Tewalt. “Idaho’s waters are essential to our recreation, economy and way of life. Whether coming from out of state or visiting a local waterway, we all share a responsibility to stop at inspection stations. Making the effort to clean, drain and dry all watercraft is essential to protecting Idaho.”

Idaho law requires all out-of-state watercraft to be inspected and decontaminated at a watercraft inspection station prior to launch. Before launching a watercraft in Idaho, nonresident owners must also purchase an invasive species sticker.

Before transporting any watercraft, Idaho law requires operators to remove the drain plug and drain all water, including from internal compartments such as ballasts, bilges, live wells and motors. All bilge and ballast plugs and other barriers that prevent water drainage must be removed and remain open while a watercraft is transported by land within the state.

Watercraft owners can help prevent the spread of invasive species by following three simple steps:

• Clean all equipment before leaving any water body, removing visible plants and animals.
• Drain water from all compartments, including motors, live wells and boats. Pull the boat’s bilge plug and allow water to drain.
• Dry all equipment thoroughly before using the watercraft in a different waterbody.

When entering the state, boat owners should look for road signage and electronic message boards directing them to inspection stations. All watercraft and water-related equipment, regardless of size or propulsion, motorized or non-motorized, are required to stop.

In 2025, the program performed more than 173,000 watercraft inspections. Since the detection of quagga mussels in the Snake River in 2023, ISDA has increased statewide watercraft inspections by 67 percent.

Watercraft inspection stations are Idaho’s first line of defense against the introduction and spread of aquatic invasive species like quagga mussels. Established quagga mussel infestations have major impacts on fish populations, wildlife habitat, and infrastructure, costing hundreds of millions of dollars in actual and indirect costs.

Boaters can contact the ISDA Invasive Species Hotline for further information or a free decontamination wash for watercraft: (877) 336-8676. More information on the operation and location of inspection stations is available on the Invasive Species of Idaho website www.invasivespecies.idaho.gov.