2025 Winnebago County boat launch use permits will be available for purchase online in January.
The Winnebago County Board of Supervisors approved modifications to Chapter 19.24(11) "Boat Landing Trailer Parking Permit Fees" to Include the proposed modifications by replacing Boat Landing Trailer Parking Permits with Boat Launch Use Permit fees. All permits that have been previously purchased are good through their current expiration date.
All users launching a boat (motor boats, jet skis, canoes, kayaks, etc.) at Winnebago County Boat Landings are required to pay the launch use fee.
2025 fees will remain the same.
WINNEBAGO COUNTY BOAT LANDING PAY STATION INFORMATION:
- All seven Winnebago County boat landings have a pay station.
- Pay stations accept cash or credit card for daily, annual, and multi-year permits.
- Resident permits are for Winnebago County residents only. If you live outside Winnebago County, you are considered a non-resident.
- If purchasing an annual or multi-year permit, you must bring your receipt to the Winnebago County Parks office within 14 days of purchase to receive your permit sticker.
- Winnebago County Boat Landings include: Asylum Point, Black Wolf, Boom Bay, Grundman, Lake Butte des Morts, Eureka, and Lake Poygan. View locations.
ABOUT WINNEBAGO COUNTY BOAT LANDINGS
The Winnebago County Parks Department collects Winnebago County Boat Launch Use Permit fees from mid-April through early-November. Likewise, the Parks Department will start issuing warnings and citations for violations of the program rules during this time. Boat landing users can either purchase an annual/three-year permit or pay the daily fee.
Winnebago County permits do not apply to all landings located in Winnebago County. The Winnebago County Parks Department owns seven boat landings, to which Winnebago County permits apply. All other boat landing permits should be purchased at the municipality of the jurisdiction for the area you are launching.
The Boat Launch Use Permit fees provide the county with a stable source of funding thereby allowing it to continue to provide a high standard of care for the boat landing properties. In order to facilitate this process, all revenue derived from the program is directed towards an account reserved for the maintenance and improvement of Winnebago County boat landings. Ordinance No. 19.24(1). The last fee increase at Winnebago County boat landings was in 2018.
WHY THE BOAT LAUNCH USE FEE? WHY NOW?
In 2023, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources contacted the Winnebago County Parks Department in regard to our Boat Trailer Parking Fee. They informed staff that per state code NR 1.91, the County could not charge for parking but could charge for launching a boat. After doing additional research, staff recommend modifying the language in the code to charge a Boat Launch Use Fee. This would require all users that launch their boat at a Winnebago County Boat Launch to pay the user fee, not just the trucks and trailers parked within the parking lot.
On Sept. 17, 2024, The Winnebago County Board of Supervisors approved modifications to Chapter 19.24(11) "Boat Landing Trailer Parking Permit Fees" to Include the proposed modifications by replacing Boat Landing Trailer Parking Permits with Boat Launch Use Permit fees. All users launching a boat (motor boats, jet skis, canoes, kayaks, etc.) at Winnebago County Boat Landings are required to pay the launch use fee.
DO I HAVE TO PAY THE BOAT LAUNCH USE FEE IN THE WINTER?
At this time, there is no charge for using Winnebago County boat landings during the winter season (typically mid-November to mid-March). There is a big difference in terms of cost in the winter compared to the summer. If the Parks Dept. were to begin charging in the winter for winter sports, we would need to consider providing more year-round services. In the summer we pay to mow the lawn, place the portable bathrooms, clean the permanent bathrooms, install/remove the floating piers, install/remove the kayak launches, monitor the launches with a ranger, install/remove buoys, etc. In the winter we only clear a portion of the parking lot for emergency services (police and fire) access to the water. That is the extent of our maintenance in winter.
