Delaware Hunting License: Cost, Requirements & How to Buy
A Delaware hunting license costs $39.50 for a resident adult and $199.50 for a non-resident adult (fees verified 2026-09-12).
Delaware is a small state with a hunting license priced closer to a mid-Atlantic average than its size might suggest, and it enforces one of the stricter hunter safety mandates in the country: a full 10-hour course for anyone born after a fixed cutoff date, not just first-time buyers.
- Non-resident 3-day small game $75
Figures shown cover ages 16-64. Junior license (13-15) is $5 resident / $50 non-resident. Deer and turkey need separate tags. Hunters and trappers born on or after Jan 1, 1967 must complete a 10-hour hunter safety course before a license will be issued. Non-resident 3-day small-game license is $75.
Fee last verified 2026-09-12.
Heading out for Delaware hunting? Game wardens require carrying physical or digital license proof and valid tags. Equip yourself with a waterproof license and tag pouch, rechargeable wide-beam LED headlamp, and corrosion-resistant multi-tool pliers before your trip.
What a Delaware hunting license costs
Residents ages 16-64 pay $39.50 for the annual hunting license; non-residents pay $199.50. A Junior Hunting License for ages 13-15 is $5 for residents or $50 for non-residents. Deer and turkey each require separate tags on top of the base license. A non-resident 3-day small-game license is available for $75 for a shorter visit.
The 10-hour hunter safety course
Delaware requires anyone born on or after January 1, 1967 to complete a 10-hour hunter safety course before a license will be issued, a longer course than many neighboring states require and one that effectively covers most adult hunters today. The course is offered through DNREC-approved instructors and typically runs as a multi-session class rather than a single afternoon.
License year
Delaware's hunting license year runs July 1 through June 30, matching the state's hunting season calendar. Buying right at the start of that window in July covers the entire fall and winter season ahead.
How to buy your Delaware hunting license
Digital DNREC (de.gov/DigitalDNREC) is the state's online ePermitting portal for hunting licenses, stamps and hunter education records. Licenses are also sold in person at the DNREC Richardson and Robbins Building in Dover and at authorized license agents statewide.
Hunting in Delaware: what to expect
Delaware's small size concentrates its hunting into a few distinct zones: the agricultural fields of Kent and Sussex counties in the south hold most of the state's deer and turkey hunting on private farmland accessed by permission, while the extensive tidal marshes along the Delaware Bay and Delaware River are a genuine East Coast waterfowl destination for Canada geese and puddle ducks. New Castle County in the north is the most developed part of the state and offers the least hunting access, mostly limited to a handful of state wildlife areas.
Public land and waterfowl on the Bay
Delaware's state wildlife areas, including Prime Hook, Woodland Beach and Ted Harvey, provide public hunting access concentrated in the southern half of the state, with waterfowl hunting on the managed marsh impoundments being the standout draw. Because Delaware is small and much of its huntable land is private farmland, building landowner relationships or joining a local hunt club matters more here than in states with large blocks of public forest. First-time visitors should expect a tighter, more competitive access landscape than a Midwest or Southern state of similar deer density.
How to renew a Delaware hunting license
There is no separate renewal process in Delaware. A hunting license is not extended in place; when it expires you buy a new one for the next license year through the same system you used the first time, and your customer profile, hunter or angler ID and any saved payment details carry over so the second purchase takes a couple of minutes. License year runs July 1 through June 30.
The fastest route is the official Delaware online licensing portal, which also lets you print or download the new license and add any stamps, tags or endorsements in one transaction. In-person license agents (sporting goods stores, bait shops and, in many states, county clerks) sell the same license at the same price, so use whichever is closer. Buying before the old license lapses is not required, but it avoids an accidental gap if a season opens before you get round to it.
Planning more than one? See the Delaware fishing license page too, see how much a hunting license costs in every state, compare non-resident hunting fees across states, browse every state, or use the state license finder.