Purpose

This bill changes Minnesota’s watercraft licensing structure. It aims to reduce or eliminate license fees for certain nonmotorized watercraft and to add a new surcharge to fund efforts to prevent and control aquatic invasive species (AIS) in public waters and wetlands.

Key Provisions

• For watercraft 19 feet or less

  • The basic watercraft license fee remains at $59.
  • Several category-specific fees apply to smaller watercraft, including:
  • watercraft other than personal watercraft offered for rent or lease
  • sailboats 19 feet or less
  • watercraft used by a nonprofit corporation for teaching boating and water safety
  • watercraft owned by a dealer under a dealer’s license
  • personal watercraft (including those offered for rent or lease)
  • motorized watercraft under 17 feet not listed in other categories

• For watercraft over 19 feet

  • New tiered fees:
  • 19 to under 26 feet: $113
  • 26 to under 40 feet: $164
  • 40 feet or longer: $209

• Watercraft surcharge (new)

  • A surcharge is added to each watercraft license to support AIS control, public awareness, law enforcement, monitoring, and research.
  • The surcharge applies to various watercraft categories and sizes, with specific amounts set for categories like small craft, rental craft, sailboats, nonprofit safety instructors, dealers, personal watercraft, and larger or commercial vessels.

• Repeal of existing nonmotorized craft fee (subdivision 1a)

  • The bill repeals the older separate fee for nonmotorized watercraft (canoes, kayaks, sailboards, paddleboards, paddleboats, rowing shells over ten feet) that previously carried a $23 license fee.

• Appendix reference

  • The prior 86B.415 Subd. 1a fee schedule (for the listed nonmotorized craft) is repealed.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

• Unification and adjustment of fees

  • Replaces the old separate nonmotorized craft fee with a coordinated schedule under the general watercraft license framework.
  • Keeps a base fee for small craft but adds category-specific small fees and a separate AIS surcharge.

• AIS funding mechanism

  • Institutes a dedicated surcharge on watercraft licenses to fund control, public awareness, enforcement, monitoring, and AIS research (e.g., zebra mussel, purple loosestrife, Eurasian watermilfoil).

• Expanded and clarified categorization

  • Establishes distinct license categories by watercraft length (≤19 ft vs. >19 ft) and by use (rental/lease, nonprofit safety instruction, dealer ownership, personal watercraft, etc.), with corresponding fees and surcharges.

• Elimination of a specific nonmotorized craft fee

  • Removes the $23 fee that previously applied to canoes, kayaks, sailboards, paddleboards, paddleboats, and rowing shells over ten feet in length.

Potential Impacts

• For many small, nonmotorized craft users, the old separate $23 fee is removed, but new category-based fees and the AIS surcharge may alter total costs depending on usage.
• Boaters and operators of larger or commercial vessels face higher base fees as craft length increases.
• Additional funding for AIS-related activities may improve prevention and control of invasive species in Minnesota waters.

Relevant terms - watercraft license fee - nonmotorized watercraft - motorized watercraft - watercraft 19 feet or less - watercraft over 19 feet - personal watercraft - sailboat - nonprofit corporation - teaching boat and water safety - dealer license - rent or lease - watercraft surcharge - aquatic invasive species (AIS) - zebra mussel - purple loosestrife - Eurasian watermilfoil - public waters - public wetlands - charter fishing - commercial fishing - commercial operation - repeal - 86B.415 Subdivision 1a (old nonmotorized craft fee)