Most Candlewood Lake boaters still treat their Connecticut vessel registration and the state's AIS Stamp like one thing. As of October 1, 2024, they are not. If you only renewed your boat registration this year, you are missing a piece.
The change came from Public Act 23-154. The Aquatic Invasive Species Stamp is no longer bundled with your vessel registration. It is now tied to the operator, sold separately through a different state system, and required for any registered vessel operating on Connecticut's inland waters. That includes Candlewood.
What Actually Changed
Before October 1, 2024, the AIS fee was added to your annual boat registration. You paid it once a year through the DMV and never thought about it.
The Connecticut DMV's vessel registration page now states clearly that the AIS fee "will no longer be attached to Connecticut vessel registrations." It moved to the state's Online Sportsmen Licensing System, the same platform used for fishing and hunting licenses.
The stamp is also no longer tied to the boat. It is tied to the person operating it, or in the case of the vessel decal option, to a specific hull.
Who Needs It
According to the official CT DEEP AIS Stamp FAQ, any person who operates a vessel required to display a Connecticut registration decal on the state's inland waters must have an AIS Stamp. That includes:
- Connecticut residents operating their own boats on Candlewood.
- Out-of-state boaters launching on any Connecticut inland water.
- Anyone driving a friend's or family member's registered boat, unless that boat already has a vessel decal.
Candlewood Lake qualifies as inland water under state definitions. If your boat is registered and powered, this rule applies.
Two Options, Two Prices
DEEP allows two ways to comply, and the choice depends on how the boat is used:
- Individual AIS Stamp: $7. Tied to the operator. Proof is your Conservation License from the Online Sportsmen Licensing System, which can be printed or pulled up on a phone. Covers the operator on any registered vessel. Valid only for the calendar year.
- Vessel AIS Decal: $25. ($20 plus a $5 processing fee.) Tied to a specific vessel. Anyone operating that vessel is covered. The decal must be affixed to the boat.
If you have one boat and one operator, the $7 individual stamp is usually the simpler buy. If several people drive the same boat, the $25 vessel decal is cleaner.
Where to Buy It
Both options are sold through the Connecticut Online Sportsmen Licensing System. Bait shops, town halls, and DEEP processing offices can also sell it in person.
The DMV does not sell it. That was the whole point of the 2024 change.
Validity and Penalty
The AIS Stamp is good only for the calendar year in which it was purchased. A 2026 stamp expires December 31, 2026. There is no rolling 12-month version.
According to DEEP's FAQ, operating without a required stamp is an infraction subject to a fine of $85.
Why This Matters on Candlewood
Candlewood is one of the most-trafficked inland waters in Connecticut, drawing boats from across New York and Connecticut every weekend in season. The Candlewood Lake Authority runs prevention and education programs at the lake's main access points and has been pushing the new stamp requirement to boaters since the change took effect.
AIS prevention on Candlewood is not abstract. Zebra mussels were first confirmed in the lake in 2020. Hydrilla in other Connecticut waterbodies has shaped legislation passed in 2026. The stamp is one of the few mechanisms the state uses to fund control work on lakes like this one.
The bigger reason the rule changed is reach. Tying the stamp to operators rather than to Connecticut DMV registrations brings out-of-state boats and trailered boats into the program. If your boat moves between Candlewood and any other waterbody, you are exactly who this rule was written for.
What the 2026 Boaters Guide says, in its own words
The state's 2026 Connecticut Boaters Guide, published by the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, is the current official statement of the rule and it matches the FAQ above. On who needs it: "Any person who operates a vessel on Connecticut's inland waters and is required to display a registration decal, issued by this state or another state, must have a Connecticut Aquatic Invasive Species Stamp." Out of state boats are named directly: "For vessels registered out-of-state, the Aquatic Invasive Species Stamp must be purchased through the Online Sportsmen Licensing System." The inland waters line "is the same used for inland fishing licenses," and Candlewood is inside it. The stamp "will be valid for the calendar year it was issued" and "expires at the end of the calendar year (December 31)."
On the two options, the guide adds one detail the FAQ leaves out: the $25.00 vessel decal "also serves as an Individual AIS Stamp for the individual purchasing the stamp," so the buyer of a vessel decal is covered on other boats as well. The decal "must be placed amidship on the port side of your vessel," on the hull or at the operator's station, and "any person who operates a vessel on the inland waters of the state without the proper stamp or decal may be fined up to $85." On where to buy: "Beginning October 1, 2024, you must obtain your Aquatic Invasive Species Stamp on either the Online Sportsmen Licensing System," at your town clerk's office, "or retailer where you can purchase a fishing license," and the guide asks buyers to make sure the mailing address on their Conservation Identification number is correct, because the decal is mailed.
Source: 2026 Connecticut Boaters Guide (DEEP), Aquatic Invasive Species Stamp section, read September 4, 2026. Fees are as printed in the 2026 guide and change by year.
Bottom Line
- The AIS Stamp is no longer included in your Connecticut vessel registration.
- You buy it separately through the Online Sportsmen Licensing System.
- $7 for an individual stamp, $25 for a vessel decal.
- Required for any registered vessel on Candlewood Lake and any other Connecticut inland water.
- Valid only for the calendar year.
- $85 infraction for operating without one.
Sources
- Connecticut DEEP: FAQ AIS Stamp
- Connecticut DMV: Renew your vessel registration
- Candlewood Lake Authority: Invasive Species
- Candlewood Lake Authority: Zebra Mussels
- Connecticut Online Sportsmen Licensing System
License / Representation Note
Connor Kostyra is a Real Estate Salesperson with RE/MAX RISE. This post is informational and based on publicly available sources from CT DEEP, CT DMV, and the Candlewood Lake Authority.
More on boating Candlewood: registration timing and the key 2026 dates, what the DUI and BUI law changed, and why clean, drain, dry actually matters here.
Common questions about the Connecticut AIS Stamp
Is the AIS Stamp still included in my Connecticut boat registration?
No, not since October 1, 2024. Public Act 23-154 unbundled it. The Connecticut DMV's vessel registration page now states that the AIS fee "will no longer be attached to Connecticut vessel registrations." It moved to the state's Online Sportsmen Licensing System, the same platform used for fishing and hunting licenses. The stamp is also no longer tied to the boat: it is tied to the person operating it, or in the case of the vessel decal option, to a specific hull. If you only renewed your boat registration this year, you are missing a piece.
Who actually needs an AIS Stamp on Candlewood?
According to the CT DEEP AIS Stamp FAQ, any person who operates a vessel required to display a Connecticut registration decal on the state's inland waters. Candlewood Lake qualifies as inland water under state definitions, so if your boat is registered and powered, the rule applies. That covers Connecticut residents operating their own boats, out of state boaters launching on any Connecticut inland water, and anyone driving a friend's or a family member's registered boat, unless that boat already carries a vessel decal.
What does it cost, and which option should I buy?
There are two ways to comply. The individual AIS Stamp is $7, tied to the operator, and your proof is the Conservation License from the Online Sportsmen Licensing System, which you can print or pull up on a phone. It covers you on any registered vessel. The vessel AIS decal is $25, which is $20 plus a $5 processing fee, tied to one specific vessel and affixed to the boat, and it covers anyone operating that vessel. One boat and one operator, the $7 individual stamp is usually the simpler buy. Several people driving the same boat, the $25 vessel decal is cleaner.
How long is it valid, and what is the penalty for skipping it?
The AIS Stamp is good only for the calendar year in which it was purchased, so a 2026 stamp expires December 31, 2026. There is no rolling twelve month version, which catches people who buy late in the season and assume they are covered into the following summer. According to DEEP's FAQ, operating without a required stamp is an infraction subject to a fine of $85.
Where do I buy one?
Both options are sold through the Connecticut Online Sportsmen Licensing System. Bait shops, town halls and DEEP processing offices can also sell it in person. The DMV does not sell it, and that was the whole point of the 2024 change: tying the stamp to operators rather than to Connecticut DMV registrations brings out of state boats and trailered boats into the program, which is the reach the state was after.
Connor Kostyra, Licensed Real Estate Salesperson, CT Lic. RES.0836348.
Connor CT Homes is a marketing brand. Real estate services are provided through RE/MAX Rise, 1297 Main Street, Watertown, CT 06795.
This article is general information, not legal advice. Details change; confirm current facts with the town, the community and the relevant agency before relying on anything here.
