• Any citizen traveling past a watercraft inspection station with a watercraft or conveyance must stop.

  • Watercraft includes but is not limited to boats, kayaks, paddleboards and other devices used in water.

  • Conveyances include but are not limited to duck decoys, waders, fishing tackle, life jackets, and anything that has touched the water.

• If a watercraft or conveyance (water-related equipment) has been in a mussel infested water in the last 30 days, they are required to be inspected/decontaminated and must have proof that the inspection/decontamination has occurred.

  • Decontamination for watercraft entering and exiting the Snake River between Broken Bridge (Yingst Grade) and Pillar Falls is mandatory. Any watercraft or conveyance is required to be decontaminated prior to launch and upon exit of the river. The decontamination station is operating at Centennial Park. Call 1-877-336-8676 for more decontamination information.

• NEW - All out of state watercraft must be inspected and decontaminated at a watercraft inspection station prior to launch. Before launching a conveyance in Idaho, a nonresident watercraft owner must also purchase an invasive species sticker.  

• It is illegal to possess or carry invasive species in Idaho, and watercraft inspection stations exist to prevent the accidental introduction of invasive species that could be hitching a ride on water-related vessels and equipment.

• ISDA has the authority to establish check stations and inspect public and private property for the presence of invasive species. Watercraft and water-related equipment have been identified as the #1 vector in the transport of aquatic invasive species (AIS) and watercraft inspection station are aimed a preventing the introduction and spread of AIS.

The 2008 Idaho Invasive Species Act (and the Administrative Rules that followed) provides the statutory authority for ISDA to establish watercraft inspection stations and perform inspections and decontaminations on vectors that pose a threat to the introduction of Invasive Species in Idaho.

The Idaho Invasive Species Act of 2008

Rules Governing Invasive Species and Noxious Weeds, IDAPA 02.06.09

NEW Idaho Invasive Species Law

Idaho’s roadside inspection stations are placed on major highways at or near the Idaho state line with the goal of intercepting all watercraft traveling into Idaho. Vessels that are clean, drained, and dry are usually considered low-risk and will pass the inspection most quickly. Vessels with standing water, excessive dirt, and/or aquatic weeds will be considered high-risk and will necessitate a more thorough inspection.

As you enter into a roadside inspection station…

1. Follow signs and cone patterns to the designated inspection area.

2. For inspector safety, please put your vehicle in park and/or shut off the engine.

3. Each station employs two inspectors. One inspector will approach your vehicle and ask you questions about the history of your vessel’s activities to assess whether or not your vessel is considered low or high-risk. The other inspector will begin inspecting your watercraft to identify if there are any areas of concern they will need to address.

4. Low-risk vessels that are clean, drained and dry will receive a relatively quick inspection. If your vessel is considered high-risk, more time will be needed to ensure that all that all areas and compartments with the potential to harbor aquatic invasive species (AIS) receive a more thorough inspection. On high-risk vessels, if the inspector identifies areas with concern for AIS, hot water will be applied to decontaminate seen and unseen threats.

5. When the inspection concludes, the vessel owner will receive a certificate of inspection and/or decontamination wash and you will be free to go.

Why do I need to have my boat inspected? Aquatic invasive species seriously impact waterbodies. Species like quagga mussel “hitchhike” from one body of water to the next, primarily on boats.

Do I need to get inspected every time I pass an inspection station? Yes. Our inspectors and police who are enforcing compliance have no way of evaluating the risk of your watercraft without looking at your vessel and speaking with you.

How long will the checkpoints stay open through the season? The main time period will be from Memorial Day through Labor Day. Some stations open earlier, and will remain open longer. The map above will be updated with opening dates as the boating season gets closer.

What are the hours of operation at each station? During the season, most stations operate during daylight hours. A few stations operate at 18 hours and 24hrs.

Is there a fee to have your boat decontaminated? There is no fee to have your boat hotwashed or decontaminated. The Invasive Species Sticker covers the cost of the boat cleaning in the event an inspector determines that your vessel is “High Risk”.

A mandatory hot wash is required for any watercraft or conveyance entering and exiting the Snake River between Broken Bridge (Yingst Grade) and Pillar Falls. This applies to all watercraft that launches anywhere in this defined area. Watercraft launched at any access points between Broken Bridge (Yingst Grade) and Pillar Falls (i.e. Auger Falls Park and Jerome County north shoreline access) must be decontaminated at Centennial Park.

• Watercraft includes but is not limited to boats, kayaks, paddleboards and other devices used in water.

• Conveyances including duck decoys, waders, fishing tackle, life jackets, and anything that has touched the water must also be decontaminated.

Click Here To View Mandatory Decontamination Area Map

DO NOT attempt to decontaminate watercraft yourself. Call 1-844-311-4873 for hot wash information. ISDA watercraft inspections and decontaminations are free to the public.

Decontamination Stations are located at:

Centennial Waterfront Park
Canyon Springs Rd
Twin Falls, ID 83301
6a.m. to 10p.m. *weather dependent

Call 1-877-336-8676 for more information.

As you enter into a decontamination inspection station…

1. Follow signs and cone patterns to the designated inspection area.

2. For inspector safety, please put your vehicle in park and/or shut off the engine.

3. Inspection prior to launch…

   1. Each station employs two inspectors. One inspector will approach your vehicle and ask you questions about the history of your vessel’s activities to assess whether or not your vessel is considered low or high-risk. The other inspector will begin inspecting your watercraft to identify if there are any areas of concern they will need to address.

   2. Low-risk vessels that are clean, drained and dry will receive a relatively quick inspection. If your vessel is considered high-risk, more time will be needed to ensure that all that all areas and compartments with the potential to harbor aquatic invasive species (AIS) receive a more thorough inspection. On high-risk vessels, if the inspector identifies areas with concern for AIS, hot water will be applied to decontaminate seen and unseen threats.

   3. When the inspection concludes, the vessel owner will receive a certificate of inspection and/or decontamination wash and you will be free to launch.

4. Inspection upon exiting the waterbody…

   1. Approach the station as indicated previously.

   2. Inspectors will apply hot water to decontaminate all areas of the watercraft that came in contact with any invasive mussel or AIS impacted water. This will include the motor, exterior and all interior compartments capable of holding water like the bilge, storage compartments, ballast tanks or bags, and all water related equipment (fishing gear, lifejackets, wading gear, decoys, etc.).

   3. When the decontamination concludes, the vessel owner will receive a certificate of decontamination and you will be free to go.

   4. Ensure your vessel is cleaned, drained and dried before launching in another waterbody.

Why do I need to have my boat inspected? Aquatic invasive species seriously impact waterbodies. Species like quagga mussel “hitchhike” from one body of water to the next, primarily on boats.

Do I need to get inspected every time I pass an inspection station? Yes. Our inspectors and police who are enforcing compliance have no way of evaluating the risk of your watercraft without looking at your vessel and speaking with you.

How long will the checkpoints stay open through the season? The main time period will be from Memorial Day through Labor Day. Some stations open earlier, and will remain open longer. The map above will be updated with opening dates as the boating season gets closer.

What are the hours of operation at each station? During the season, most stations operate during daylight hours. A few stations operate at 18 hours and 24hrs.

Is there a fee to have your boat decontaminated? There is no fee to have your boat hot washed or decontaminated. The Invasive Species Sticker covers the cost of the boat cleaning in the event an inspector determines that your vessel is “High Risk”.

As long as you always remember to Clean, Drain, and Dry, it doesn’t matter what kind of water-related equipment you own.

1. CLEAN Before leaving any waterbody, always inspect equipment (boats, planes, trailers, decoy anchors, scuba gear, and lures) for visible plants and animals. Remove this material on site. Carefully check places that are still damp. Dispose of the removed material in a trash receptacle or on high, dry ground where there is no danger of it washing into a waterbody.

2. DRAIN Eliminate water from all equipment, including motors, live wells, wakeboard ballast tanks, boat hulls, scuba gear, bait buckets, waders, and boots.

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

3. DRY Clean and dry anything that came in contact with water (boats, decoys, trailers, equipment, clothing, dogs, etc.).

CEAN - DRAIN - DRY

Idaho Invasive species stickers are required for all motorized and non-motorized vessels and that launch in Idaho. Sticker revenue collected by IDPR is deposited in the Idaho Invasive Species Fund (IISF), which is administered by ISDA where funds are used for prevention (primarily), survey, and education.

*Before launching a conveyance in Idaho, a nonresident watercraft owner must also purchase an invasive species sticker.  

For additional information, please use the link below.

More Information: Invasive Species Sticker

Any vessel that has been in a known mussel impacted waterbody in the past 30 days must have their vessel inspected and/or decontaminated.

If you or someone you know needs to schedule a vessel inspection and/or decontamination, call our hotline at 1-877-336-8676 or use the link below to submit an online request for service.

Watercraft Inspection/Decontamination Request

If you would like reach out to your local ISDA Invasive Species Specialist to arrange an appointment directly, use the below link to find the individual servicing your region.

ISDA Invasive Species Staff

The Call Before You Haul program was created to help prevent delays during the transport of watercraft to the states of Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and Montana. In addition, this program helps ensure that boat transporters will not violate state or federal laws pertaining to the unlawful transport of aquatic invasive species.

BOAT TRANSPORTERS: Call 1-844-311-4873 to receive information which will facilitate and expedite the inspection and, if necessary, decontamination of the watercraft being transported. Taking this step can help prevent costly and timely delays.

Additional Info: Call Before you Haul

Link to Regional Station Location Map

Out of State Watercraft Inspection Contacts
*** requires a State-specific AIS watercraft sticker/fee before launching.

Alaska:
Department of Fish & Game
(907) 465-6183
www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=invasive.main

Alberta
(855) 336-BOAT (2628)
http://aep.alberta.ca

Arizona:
Game and Fish Department
(623) 236-7608 www.azgfd.gov/ais

British Columbia
(877) 952-7277
www.gov.bc.ca/invasivemussels

California:
Department of Fish and Wildlife
(866) 440-9530
www.wildlife.ca.gov/mussels

Colorado:
Parks & Wildlife***
(303) 291-7295
www.cpw.state.co.us

Kansas:
Department of Wildlife, Parks & Tourism
(620) 342-0658
www.protectKSwaters.org

Lake Tahoe:
AIS Program
(888) 824-6267
www.TahoeBoatInspections.com

Manitoba:
87-STOP AIS-0
(877) 867-2470
www.Manitoba.ca/StopAIS

Montana:
Department of Fish, Wildlife & Parks***
(406) 444-2449
http://fwp.mt.gov/fishAndWildlife/species/ais

Nebraska:
Invasive Species Program
(402) 472-3133
http://neinvasives.com/

Nevada:
Department of Wildlife
(775) 688-1314
www.ndow.org

New Mexico:
Department of Game and Fish
(888) 248-6866
www.wildlife.state.nm.us/ais North

North Dakota:
Game and Fish Department
(701) 328-6300
http://gf.nd.gov/ans

Oregon:
Dept. of Fish &Wildlife, State Marine Board
(503) 947-6000
www.boatoregon.com

Saskatchewan
(800) 667-7561
www.environment.gov.sk.ca/invasivespecies

South Dakota:
Game, Fish & Parks
(605) 223-7706
www.sdleastwanted.com

Texas:
Parks and Wildlife Department
(254) 867-7974
(512) 552-3465
http://texasinvasives.org/zebramussels/

Utah:
Division of Wildlife Resources
(385) 239-0861
www.wildlife.utah.gov/dwr/invasive-mussels.html

Washington:
Department of Fish and Wildlife***
(888) WDFW-AIS
https://wdfw.wa.gov/species-habitats/invasive

Wyoming:
Game & Fish Department
(877) WGFD-AIS
http://wgfd.wyo.gov/ais