WDFW "dealer" fee

[mtn muley madness]

Just bought my hunting/fishing license and special apps today for the annual small fortune of $370. I am a huge fan of the $16 "dealer fee" wdfw tacks on to the bill at the end. I did it all online, by myself and on wdfw's website so there was no third party (dealer) even involved. Is the wdfw and their website 2 different entities and the website subcontracted out by the state where non-wdfw employees are doing the work and therefore need to make a living for the work they are performing by charging a dealer fee? I know the answer to this question, just being sarcastic. And $16? Seriously??? Classic Washington state and classic wdfw. Every year I buy my hunting license it feels more and more like buying tabs for my truck. 

TABS-$30.00
-service charge fee $15
-license plate reflectivity fee $6.75
-gross vehicle weight fee $27.50
-your truck is blue fee $7
-road maintenance fee so we can build more bike lanes instead of repairing roads you actually drive on $35
-just because we can fee $12
-administration fee $5
ACTUAL COST FOR TABS----$138.25

[bobcat]

It has to cost the same, otherwise many people would not use the WDFW license dealers, and instead would buy online, if it were cheaper. That's the reason you pay the same fees online as you would at a dealer.

[vandeman17]

just another reason my bill for wa hunting/fishing has been actually declining the past few years... I have been purchasing fewer and fewer items. Soon it will be just fishing and waterfowl

[mtn muley madness]

Haven't gone to a dealer in a long time to purchase these things so I wouldn't know. I would imagine it's the same price, but it SHOULD be cheaper buying directly off wdfw's website..there is no middle man. And $16 for a dealer fee per one license, when there is no dealer? That's a lot of dough. Too bad there's probably no way to ever find out where that money is used or what 'budget' account all that excess goes in. I do know that back in the day my cousin worked at the local sports shop and I do remember getting a service charge on my licensing ONLY if I used plastic. And that was because they got charged a service charge for running plastic. And it was only $2. And he always reiterated that they as dealers made $0 off of license sales it was more a 'cost of doing business' having to have an employee tied up taking care of customers buying licenses.

[bobcat]

It's not $16 per license. You obviously got more than one. I believe the fee is $2.00 per license.

[mtn muley madness]

1 hunting license, 1 fishing license. 1 person. $16 dealer fee.
2+2=(x) where x=the sum of 4 multiplied by 4.

Whatever the case, is it fall yet? 

[Blacktail Sniper]

Not just licenses, permit apps, etc also have fees attached:

[slavenoid]

I hate paying that dealer fee online. The time it takes them to mail it to you should be the incentive to go buy from a real dealer.

[Jonathan_S]

It's a lot better than the Idaho convenience fee

[Jonathan_S]

Just bought my hunting/fishing license and special apps today for the annual small fortune of $370. I am a huge fan of the $16 "dealer fee" wdfw tacks on to the bill at the end. I did it all online, by myself and on wdfw's website so there was no third party (dealer) even involved. Is the wdfw and their website 2 different entities and the website subcontracted out by the state where non-wdfw employees are doing the work and therefore need to make a living for the work they are performing by charging a dealer fee? I know the answer to this question, just being sarcastic. And $16? Seriously??? Classic Washington state and classic wdfw. Every year I buy my hunting license it feels more and more like buying tabs for my truck. 

TABS-$30.00
-service charge fee $15
-license plate reflectivity fee $6.75
-gross vehicle weight fee $27.50
-your truck is blue fee $7
-road maintenance fee so we can build more bike lanes instead of repairing roads you actually drive on $35
-just because we can fee $12
-administration fee $5
ACTUAL COST FOR TABS----$138.25

And would you like to donate to State Parks for $5?

[JBar]

Just bought my hunting/fishing license and special apps today for the annual small fortune of $370. I am a huge fan of the $16 "dealer fee" wdfw tacks on to the bill at the end. I did it all online, by myself and on wdfw's website so there was no third party (dealer) even involved. Is the wdfw and their website 2 different entities and the website subcontracted out by the state where non-wdfw employees are doing the work and therefore need to make a living for the work they are performing by charging a dealer fee? I know the answer to this question, just being sarcastic. And $16? Seriously??? Classic Washington state and classic wdfw. Every year I buy my hunting license it feels more and more like buying tabs for my truck. 

TABS-$30.00
-service charge fee $15
-license plate reflectivity fee $6.75
-gross vehicle weight fee $27.50
-your truck is blue fee $7
-road maintenance fee so we can build more bike lanes instead of repairing roads you actually drive on $35
-just because we can fee $12
-administration fee $5
ACTUAL COST FOR TABS----$138.25

And would you like to donate to State Parks for $5?

Don't forget the fee fee!

[Brad Harshman]

I'm far from an expert on the matter nor am I a fan of the "dealer fee" but I've recently learned that credit card merchant systems charge the website owner a per transaction fee.  Depending on which credit card being used the fee is as high as $5.00.  I dont know how retail stores can afford this, especially when people use their credit card to purchase something less than the value of the transaction fee.

But $16.00 seems extremely excessive.

[Stein]

Wait until you pay $16 in dealer fees and they mail you the wrong stuff, someone else's or missing a few items.  All three happened to me last year.

The problem with buying local is that 90% of the time the guy operating the terminal has no idea what's going on and I used to buy pretty much all the stuff.  Online at least you can check all the boxes.

Much easier this year, for the multi-season fee I can put in for an AZ or NM tag.

[BULLBLASTER]

Isn’t the dealer fee included in the price listed in the regs? Or is it in addition?

[Stein]

Isn’t the dealer fee included in the price listed in the regs? Or is it in addition?

In addition, also you can get hit with hunting reports, crab or fish catch card fees.  I forgot them one year during a move and got slammed $40 for fishing, $40 for hunting and $40 for crab.

[BULLBLASTER]

This fee schedule states that all dealer fees are included in the listed price. 

I may get hit with the admin report penalty this year since I missed my elk report. They called me the day after the deadline and I gave them the info over the phone.

[Stein]

It depends on which fee schedule you are looking at.  The one I am looking at lists freshwater at $27.50.

If you think that's expensive, don't worry, they sell the package deal "Fish Washington License" where you can buy everything they offer with the tremendous savings of $0.32 over buying everything separate.

[mtn muley madness]

The dealer fee certainly is NOT included in ANY of the prices. It won't show up until you are ready to 'checkout' after you've added everything and want to pay. And I too started doing it online myself years ago because every year the guy or gal behind the counter punching boxes on a screen you can't see ALWAYS forgot to click on a box, forgot to add stuff I asked for on my catch card, or forgot to add your (free) transport tags even though you purchase the license for that species, etc. They just seemed to have no clue. I learned to look my license over with a comb in February before I left the store so I wouldn't get burned 6 months later. Much easier to just do it myself the first time and know. They always seemed to forget something.

[bobcat]

If you look in the hunting regulations on page 4, there is a list of all the hunting licenses, and the prices shown do include the dealer fee.

[BULLBLASTER]

If you look in the hunting regulations on page 4, there is a list of all the hunting licenses, and the prices shown do include the dealer fee.

When I get my licenses at cabelas they scan the wdfw fee amount ($6.60 for permit apps) and then the scan the dealer fee ($0.50) for that item. The total is 7.10. The same listed in the regs.

[lokidog]

Even though you are purchasing on the Wdfw website, they do not sell the licenses, it is a third party vendor that manages it, to my knowledge. The same thing with the red light cameras, lots and lots of $$ goes out of state to the vendor/managers.

This is how I understand it, but could be mistaken.

[Stein]

It depends where you look, some charts have the fee built in and some don't. 

[ASHQUACK]

WDFW's license system is managed by an outside vendor. They charge WDFW a per transaction fee which is the dealer fee. This how that company makes it's money.

[HoofsandWings]

Try going to Olympia and buying everything at the license window. Pay cash. You will save $0.50.

[Joeykon123]

While we're ranting.. When will the points we accrued  for special hunts be accurate on there site? Or do we need another fee for that too!?

[Jonathan_S]

While we're ranting.. When will the points we accrued  for special hunts be accurate on there site? Or do we need another fee for that too!?

I haven't heard of anybody not having correct points  are you missing some? Doubt you would complain if you had too many I guess

[Joeykon123]

I just purchased my big game tags for this year and noticed that I had Mtn goat points (3) and I have never applied... Also shows I have disabled quality points and I'm not disabled,(well my wife would probably disagree with me ) nor have I ever had a disabled permit

[HighlandLofts]

I quit buying washington state hunting and fishing licenses because of the cost and the amount of game in this state. It is a total rip off. I take three weeks off every year and fly to New York to hunt deer. The non-resident smallgame/bidgame license is only $100 and doe tags are bought at the sporting goods store for $10 apiece. The round trip flight i can buy for $250 most ofvthe time. The yearly deer take in New York is over 200,000 deer a year. What is Washington State deer take 25,000?


Pennsylvania cost the same $100 and their average deer take is colse to 350,000 deer a year.
Both states have excellent state game lands to hunt on plus lots of private land that is open for hunting.

I wont waste a dime on this state game department.

[bobcat]

I just purchased my big game tags for this year and noticed that I had Mtn goat points (3) and I have never applied... Also shows I have disabled quality points and I'm not disabled,(well my wife would probably disagree with me ) nor have I ever had a disabled permit

I don't know about your mountain goat points- if you've really never applied then you shouldn't have any points.

But the disabled hunter points are from when they created all the additional categories several years ago (I think in 2010). You must have had one deer point at that time, so with the new categories you got one point in ALL deer permit categories. There is Quality, Buck, Antlerless, Youth, 2nd deer, Youth, and Disabled Hunter.

[Antlershed]

If any of you have Cabelas credit cards, you can use points to pay for fishing and hunting licenses. You can also use gift cards, and you can buy discounted Cabela’s gift cards to save around 10% off.

[BULLBLASTER]

If any of you have Cabelas credit cards, you can use points to pay for fishing and hunting licenses. You can also use gift cards, and you can buy discounted Cabela’s gift cards to save around 10% off.

I just cashed in points on my Washington tags and apps last week. Cabelas even paid my admin tag reporting fee. 

[Antlershed]

If any of you have Cabelas credit cards, you can use points to pay for fishing and hunting licenses. You can also use gift cards, and you can buy discounted Cabela’s gift cards to save around 10% off.

I just cashed in points on my Washington tags and apps last week. Cabelas even paid my admin tag reporting fee. 

[mtn muley madness]

If any of you have Cabelas credit cards, you can use points to pay for fishing and hunting licenses. You can also use gift cards, and you can buy discounted Cabela’s gift cards to save around 10% off.

I just cashed in points on my Washington tags and apps last week. Cabelas even paid my admin tag reporting fee. 

Thanks for the tip! 14-16 points in every category except multi season and spring bear...fingers crossed but not holding my breath.

[Muleyslyr]

If any of you have Cabelas credit cards, you can use points to pay for fishing and hunting licenses. You can also use gift cards, and you can buy discounted Cabela’s gift cards to save around 10% off.

I just cashed in points on my Washington tags and apps last week. Cabelas even paid my admin tag reporting fee. 

What do you mean you cashed them in? Got rid of them and reimbursed for the points you had?🤔

[Blacktail Sniper]

If any of you have Cabelas credit cards, you can use points to pay for fishing and hunting licenses. You can also use gift cards, and you can buy discounted Cabela’s gift cards to save around 10% off.

I just cashed in points on my Washington tags and apps last week. Cabelas even paid my admin tag reporting fee. 

What do you mean you cashed them in? Got rid of them and reimbursed for the points you had?🤔

Cabela's bonus points...

[ian_padron]

straight up retarded. The fact that it costs $500 to hunt/fish AS A RESIDENT in WA state is pretty insane. My sister lives in Montana, and it's like $80 for deer/elk/bear/cougar/5 wolf tags/small game and fishing license...oh and the hunting is way better over there and seasons are 12 weeks long...

[gee_unit360]

Word

[Pegasus]

You will pay your dealer fees and you will like it.

[dreadi]

Dealer fee....seems like a credit/debit card processing fee collection. Someone has to pay it, so why not collect that percentage from the person wanting the service?

[Stein]

WA farms out the processing to a private company and that fee is what pays them.  Many other (smaller) states are able to do it in house and thus don't have to charge their residents the fee.  There are separate fees sometimes for the actual processing of a credit card which and those are usually 2.5% give or take and are separate from the dealer fee.