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Lake and River Protection ("Preserve Maine Waters") Stickers
All motorized watercraft on inland waters must display the lake and river protection sticker ("Preserve Maine Waters" sticker). The lake and river protection sticker is also referred to as a "Milfoil" sticker.
"Motorized watercraft" includes any boat with any type of motor, including canoes with electric motors and personal watercraft. A sticker is not required to operate a watercraft in tidal waters. Contact your regional Warden Service headquarters for the exact boundary between tidal and inland waters on specific rivers.
Maine Registered Watercraft
The purchase of a new sticker for owners of Maine-registered watercraft is automatically combined with the watercraft registration fee. The sticker is physically attached to the Maine watercraft registration.
Non-Maine Registered Watercraft
Owners of non-Maine registered boats are required to purchase and affix a lake and river protection sticker.
A new lake and river protection sticker must be purchased every year and is required to be permanently affixed to each side of the bow of all motorized watercraft when operating on inland waters.
How much are the stickers and where can I buy them?
If you register your boat in Maine, the stickers are included as part of the Maine watercraft registration, and the $25 cost is combined with the watercraft registration fee - see boat registration fees. Also see where you can register your boat.
The cost of a sticker for a non-Maine registered watercraft is $59. Stickers are available at select agents throughout the state, click here for a list of agents who sell the stickers. For more information, please contact MDIFW at (207) 287-8000.
Display of Registration Number & Stickers
- The registration number and validation stickers must be legibly displayed on each side of the bow of the boat; painted or permanently attached in a contrasting color to provide the highest degree of visibility.
- The number must read from left to right, be not less than 3 inches high, and be vertical block character capital letters and Arabic numerals.
- The registration number should be displayed on both sides of the bow as shown below.
A person may not place or operate a motorboat or personal watercraft (PWC) on the inland waters of this state unless a valid lake and river protection sticker, issued annually, is permanently affixed to each side of the bow, above the waterline and approximately 3 inches behind the validation sticker. These stickers are nontransferable. (Title 12, Section 13058)
Please be aware, it is unlawful to place a watercraft that is contaminated with an invasive aquatic plant upon the inland waters of the state. (Title 12, Section 13068-A).
Lake and River Protection Program
Funds from the sale of the Lake and River Protection stickers are credited to the Department of Environmental Protection and the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife and must be used to conduct programs dedicated to preventing the spread of aquatic invasive species, enforcement of relevant laws, education & outreach, monitoring, and management for aquatic invasive plants, fish, and other wildlife.