Boat registration information
Every boater is required
- To complete a Vessel Registration Declaration form before launching.
- To present current original registration issued by the California Department of Motor Vehicles (CA DMV).
- To have purchased a current mussel sticker from the CA DMV.
- To carry your California Boater card.
Vessel Registration Declaration form
- Park and Inspection staff will have a copy of this form available for you when you arrive at the reservoir or lake.
- This form is required in addition to a visual or physical inspection before launching. Failure to comply with these policies may result in a vessel being temporarily banned from launch.
Current vessel registration
- All boat owners must present current original registration issued by the CA DMV to park staff before proceeding to an inspection station.
- Please note: No photocopies or digital copies will be accepted.
- For more information on how to get your boat registered in California visit the CA DMV boat and vessel registration page.
Current mussel sticker
- The mussel sticker (also called a quagga sticker) must be purchased for motorized recreational vehicles that will operate in freshwater.
- As of 2021, the mussel sticker must be purchased separately from your vessel registration and will be mailed separately
- The mussel sticker must be purchased annually and expires with your vessel registration.
- You may purchase a mussel sticker from the CA DMV Mussel Sticker Page.
California Boater Card
- Starting in 2025 you are required to carry your CA Boater Card in order to operate boats on any waterway.
- The California Boater Card shows that its holder is approved to operate a motorized vessel.
- The Boater Card does not need to be renewed annually.
- Please visit the CA Boater card website for more information.
Vessels purchased out-of-state
- In addition to the requirements listed above, all vessels purchased out-of-state, including paddleboards, kayaks, and all motorized vessels, must have a valid California vessel registration and be quarantined for 30 days before attempting to launch on Santa Clara County lakes and reservoirs.
Restricted Vessels
- Boats registered out-of-state will not be allowed to launch.
- Restricted Counties are California Counties that have an active Quagga and Zebra Mussel infestation in lakes and reservoirs.
- Vessels registered in restricted Counties will not be able to use Santa Clara County waterways.
- To prevent the spread of Quagga and Zebra mussels, boats must be registered in a permissible California county that's north of the Tehachapi Mountain Range.
- Boats registered in San Luis Obispo, Kern, San Bernardino, Santa Barbara, Ventura, Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Diego, and Imperial counties are banned from Santa Clara County waterways.
- Active military personnel living in an unrestricted County do not need to re-register their boat in their current County. Provide documentation of your military status and current address along with proof that your boat is registered in your name.
Kayaks, canoes, and small sailboats
Small boats without engines—kayaks, canoes, or sailboats 8 feet or less in length—do not require registration with the State. We use the registration of the vehicle that brought the boat to determine if it's eligible to use County waterways. You'll need to present the vehicle's registration before inspection.