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.