Maine § 13058. - Lake and river protection sticker required

§ 13058.. Lake and river protection sticker required

1.  Prohibition.  A person exempt from the certificate of number requirement pursuant to section 13056, subsection 2, paragraph B may not place or operate a motorboat, personal watercraft or seaplane on the inland waters of the State unless a valid lake and river protection sticker issued annually under subsection 3 is permanently affixed to:

A. Each side of the bow of a motorboat or personal watercraft above the water line and approximately 3 inches behind the validation sticker required under section 13056; and   [PL 2009, c. 213, Pt. OO, §16 (NEW).]

B. Each outside edge of a seaplane’s pontoons so that the entire sticker is visible above the water line when the seaplane is resting on the water.   [PL 2009, c. 213, Pt. OO, §16 (NEW).]

This sticker is nontransferable.  

2.  Violation.  A person who violates subsection 1 is subject to the provisions of this subsection.

A. A person who violates subsection 1 commits a civil violation for which a fine of not less than $100 and not more than $250 per violation may be adjudged. A fine imposed under this subsection may not be suspended by the court.   [PL 2005, c. 397, Pt. E, §14 (RPR).]

B. A person who violates subsection 1 after having been adjudicated as having committed 3 or more civil violations under this Part within the previous 5-year period commits a Class E crime.   [PL 2005, c. 397, Pt. E, §14 (RPR).]

2-A.  Class E crime.  A person who violates subsection 1 after having been adjudicated of having committed 3 or more civil violations under this Part within the previous 5-year period commits a Class E crime.

3.  Nonresident motorboat and personal watercraft lake and river protection sticker and resident and nonresident seaplane lake and river protection sticker; fee.  No later than January 1st of each year, the commissioner shall provide the agents authorized to register watercraft or issue licenses with a sufficient quantity of lake and river protection stickers for motorboats and personal watercraft not registered in the State and for all seaplanes, whether or not registered in the State, for that boating season. The sticker must be in 2 parts so that one part of the sticker can be affixed to each side of the bow of a motorboat or personal watercraft or to each outside edge of a seaplane's pontoons. Prior to January 1, 2020, the fee for a sticker issued under this subsection is $20, $1 of which is retained by the agent who sold the sticker. Beginning January 1, 2020, the fee for a sticker issued under this subsection is $35, $1 of which is retained by the agent who sold the sticker. Beginning January 1, 2022, the fee for a sticker issued under this subsection is $45, $1 of which is retained by the agent who sold the sticker. Beginning January 1, 2025, the fee for a sticker issued under this subsection is $60, $1 of which is retained by the agent who sold the sticker. Beginning January 1, 2028, the fee for a sticker issued under this subsection is $75, $1 of which is retained by the agent who sold the sticker.

The remainder of the fee is disposed of as follows:  

A. Prior to January 1, 2025, 80% must be credited to the Invasive Aquatic Plant and Nuisance Species Fund. Beginning January 1, 2025, 70% must be credited to the Invasive Aquatic Plant and Nuisance Species Fund; and   [PL 2023, c. 612, §4 (AMD).]

B. Prior to January 1, 2025, 20% must be credited to the Lake and River Protection Fund established within the department under section 10257. Beginning January 1, 2025, 30% must be credited to the Lake and River Protection Fund.   [PL 2023, c. 612, §4 (AMD).]

A motorboat, personal watercraft or seaplane owned by the Federal Government, a state government or a municipality is exempt from the fee established in this subsection.  

4.  Exemption.  A motorboat, personal watercraft or seaplane operating on interstate waters shared with the State of New Hampshire is exempt from subsection 3 if it is displaying a lake and river protection sticker issued by the State of New Hampshire that is equivalent to the lake and river protection sticker issued by the State as long as the State of New Hampshire enacts legislation with substantially the same lake and river protection sticker requirements under this section giving a reciprocal exemption to a motorboat, personal watercraft or seaplane displaying the State's lake and river protection sticker.

The Legislature shall appropriate to the department in each fiscal year an amount equal to the administrative costs incurred by the department in collecting revenue under this section.   [PL 2003, c. 414, Pt. A, §2 (NEW); PL 2003, c. 614, §9 (AFF).]