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.
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.
