Vehicle
Use Permit
Did you know that Washington citizens own about 800,000
acres of prime wildlife habitat and about 680 water access
sites? These lands provide wildlife protection throughout
the state while affording unique wildlife viewing, hiking,
water sports, hunting, fishing, and other compatible recreation.
Managed by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife,
a Vehicle Use Permit is all that is needed to use these
recreation sites. New income from Vehicle Use Permits
sales is dedicated to keeping these areas clean, repaired,
and safe.
That is one of the challenges faced each
year by the single employee who maintains access sites
in just one of Washington's six Fish and Wildlife
regions. And the problem is getting worse. The Department's
access sites are also becoming targets for illegal
dumping. In the summer of 1998, freezers, couches,
tires, roofing, boats, mattresses, brush, and lawn
waste added to the pile of garbage in this same region.
In addition, growing vandalism of toilets, signs,
and other facilities means the people and budgets
available to do normal maintenance, like pumping toilets,
cutting brush, etc., is stretched too thin. Current
funding remains at 1980 levels and now covers only
34 percent of the needed maintenance.
Even though Washington is the smallest of the eleven
western states, it is second highest in population.
This translates into a lot of recreationists impacting
available sites. At risk is quality recreation access.
After providing for the needs of fish and wildlife,
many kinds of outdoor recreation are available: fishing,
horseback riding, swimming, hiking, hunting, wind
surfing, bird watching, nature study and much more.
Each dollar from Vehicle Use Permit sales is earmarked
to keep access sites maintained in good shape for
enjoyable recreation.
Vehicle Use Permit cost is $10.95 for the year. A
single Vehicle Use Permit is good at all sites. Youth
groups need to have only one vehicle in their party
with a Vehicle Use Permit when using a site. Hunters
and fishers get a Vehicle Use Permit without additional
cost, as part of their license purchase. Additional
Vehicle Use Permits for your other vehicles cost $5.48
each. Prominent red and white regulatory signs will
be placed at sites where a Vehicle Use Permit is required.
Each vehicle parked at a signed access site will need
a Vehicle Use Permit (except youth groups).
Vehicle Use Permits can be bought wherever hunting
and fishing licenses are sold. It is as easy as going
to your local sporting goods store (See here for a
list
of license Vendors). They are also available over
the telephone (1-866-246-9453), or on the Internet
(fishhunt.dfw.wa.gov).
Permits are no longer sold
at WDFW offices.
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The
Problem
