(2) A salmon charter license designating a vessel is required to operate a charter boat from which persons may, for a fee, fish for salmon, other fish, and shellfish. The director may issue a salmon charter license only to a person who meets the qualifications of RCW 77.70.050 .
RCW 77.70.060
in effect(3) A nonsalmon charter license designating a vessel is required to operate a charter boat from which persons may, for a fee, fish for shellfish and fish other than salmon or albacore tuna.
(4)(a) "Charter boat" means a vessel from which persons may, for a fee, fish for food fish or shellfish for personal use in those state waters set forth in (b) of this subsection. "Charter boat" also means a vessel from which persons may, for a fee, fish for fish or shellfish for personal use in offshore waters or in the waters of other states. The director may specify by rule when a vessel is a "charter boat" within this definition.
(b) A person may not operate a vessel from which persons may, for a fee, fish for food fish or shellfish in Puget Sound, Grays Harbor, Willapa Bay, Pacific Ocean waters, Lake Washington, or the Columbia river below the bridge at Longview unless the vessel is designated on a charter boat license.
(5) A charter boat licensed in Oregon may fish without a Washington charter license under the same rules as Washington charter boat operators in ocean waters within the jurisdiction of Washington state from the southern border of the state of Washington to Leadbetter Point, as long as the Oregon vessel does not take on or discharge passengers for any purpose from any Washington port, the Washington shore, or a dock, landing, or other point in Washington. The provisions of this subsection shall be in effect as long as the state of Oregon has reciprocal laws and regulations.
(6) A salmon charter license under subsection (1)(b) of this section may be renewed if the license holder notifies the department by May 1st of that year that he or she will not participate in the fishery during that calendar year. The license holder must pay the one hundred dollar enhancement surcharge, a thirty-five dollar surcharge to be deposited in the rockfish research account created in RCW 77.12.702 , plus a one hundred five dollar application fee, in order to be considered a valid renewal and eligible to renew the license the following year.
Source: WA Statutes (Official Site)URL: https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=77.65&full=trueFetched: 6/29/2026