How Much Is a Fishing License? Cost by State

A fishing license costs between $6 (Hawaii) and $64.54 (California) a year for a resident, and the median state charges $25. Non-residents pay $20 to $174.14, median $60. That spread is why "how much is a fishing license" has no single answer: it depends on which state you buy it in, whether you live there, and whether you need it for a year or a weekend.

The table lists all 50 states alphabetically with the base annual fee for residents and non-residents and the cheapest short-term license we have on file, all taken from the state agency's own fee page. Click a state for the full breakdown: who needs one, age exemptions, trout or saltwater add-ons, and the official link to buy.

Base annual fishing license fee in all 50 states, from each state agency's fee page. Short-term is the cheapest 1 to 10 day license on file, usually non-resident only.
State Resident Non-resident Short-term Source (checked)
Alabama $17.45 $68.20 $38.05 Agency page
Alaska $20 $100 $15 Agency page
Arizona $37 $55 - Agency page
Arkansas $10.50 $60 $15 Agency page
California $64.54 $174.14 - Agency page
Colorado $44.87 $124.01 - Agency page
Connecticut $28 $55 $8 Agency page
Delaware $8.50 $20 $12.50 Agency page
Florida $17 $47 $17 Agency page
Georgia $15 $50 - Agency page
Hawaii $6 $26 $6 Agency page
Idaho $30.50 $108 $22.75 Agency page
Illinois $15 $31.50 - Agency page
Indiana $23 $60 - Agency page
Iowa $22 $48 $12 Agency page
Kansas $27.50 $77.50 $12.50 Agency page
Kentucky $24.31 $58.14 - Agency page
Louisiana $17 $68 $17 Agency page
Maine $30 $83 - Agency page
Maryland $32 $55 $35 Agency page
Massachusetts $40 $50 $30.50 Agency page
Michigan $26 $76 - Agency page
Minnesota $25 $51 $14 Agency page
Mississippi $17 $60 $30 Agency page
Missouri $14 $57 - Agency page
Montana $21 $100 - Agency page
Nebraska $23 $77.50 - Agency page
Nevada $40 $80 $18 Agency page
New Hampshire $45 $63 - Agency page
New Jersey $22.50 $34 $9 Agency page
New Mexico $25 $56 $12 Agency page
New York $25 $50 - Agency page
North Carolina $51 $56 - Agency page
North Dakota $18 $55 $25 Agency page
Ohio $25 $76.96 - Agency page
Oklahoma $31 $81 $26 Agency page
Oregon $50 $138 - Agency page
Pennsylvania $27.97 $60.97 $31.97 Agency page
Rhode Island $24 $41 $20 Agency page
South Carolina $10 $35 $11 Agency page
South Dakota $31 $80 $26 Agency page
Tennessee $39 $98 - Agency page
Texas $30 $58 - Agency page
Utah $40 $120 $44 Agency page
Vermont $28 $54 $22 Agency page
Virginia $23 $47 - Agency page
Washington $39.95 $115.85 $27.05 Agency page
West Virginia $19 $37 $3 Agency page
Wisconsin $20 $55 - Agency page
Wyoming $27 $102 $14 Agency page

What the annual fee does and does not include

The fee in the table is the basic annual fishing license, the one that lets an adult legally fish public fresh water. In many states that is the whole cost. In others it is the starting point: Pennsylvania adds a trout permit, Texas sells freshwater and saltwater endorsements separately, and several coastal states (Florida, Alabama, Louisiana, Texas) price saltwater as its own license. Each state page spells out which add-ons apply and what they cost, so the number here is the floor for a freshwater angler, not the ceiling for everyone.

The cheapest resident licenses are Hawaii ($6), Delaware ($8.50), South Carolina ($10), Arkansas ($10.50), Missouri ($14). The most expensive are California ($64.54), North Carolina ($51), Oregon ($50), New Hampshire ($45), Colorado ($44.87). A high fee usually reflects how the state funds its fisheries: states with no general-fund money for hatcheries lean harder on license sales, and states with big trout or salmon programs charge more because stocking is expensive.

Resident vs non-resident

Every state charges visitors more, but the markup varies from roughly double to more than five times the resident price. Residents already fund the wildlife agency through state taxes; the non-resident fee is how visitors pay their share. Residency usually means a fixed address in the state for six to twelve months, and most states check it against your driver's license at purchase. Military members stationed in a state, and students at its universities, often qualify for the resident rate. Check the state page before assuming you have to pay the visitor price.

Delaware has the cheapest non-resident annual at $20; California the dearest at $174.14. Our separate non-resident fishing license comparison sorts every state by visitor price and shows the resident multiplier.

When a 1-day or 3-day license is the better buy

29 states in the table sell a short-term license, typically one, three or seven days, and for a single trip it is almost always cheaper than the annual. The trade-off is that short-term licenses are usually sold to non-residents only, sometimes exclude trout or saltwater, and cost more per day: three or four separate day licenses can add up to more than a year. If you will fish on more than two or three occasions in a license year, buy the annual.

Watch the license year, too. Some states run a calendar year (January through December), others a fixed season year (Texas is September through August) and a growing number sell a 365-day license from the purchase date. An annual bought in November on a calendar-year state expires in six weeks.

Who does not need a fishing license

Children are exempt everywhere, with the cutoff at 16 in most states and 12, 13, 14, 15 or 17 in a few. Seniors get a free or discounted license in many states, usually from 65. Every state also runs one or more free fishing days a year when no license is required for anyone. Landowners fishing their own ponds, disabled veterans, and residents fishing on a licensed private pay lake are exempt in some states but not others. The state pages list the exemptions that actually apply.

What is never exempt is the add-on stamps once you do need a license: a resident senior with a free license in a trout state typically still needs the trout permit.

Where the money goes

Fishing license revenue is legally restricted in every state to the fish and wildlife agency, and it is matched by federal Dingell-Johnson money raised from an excise tax on fishing tackle and motorboat fuel. That match is proportional to how many licenses a state sells, which is one reason agencies push the annual license so hard: a $25 license can bring in several more dollars of federal funds for hatcheries, boat ramps and access sites.

Open a state above for the full guide, sort visitors' prices on the non-resident fishing license comparison, or use the license cost calculator to total up the license and permits for a specific trip.

Frequently asked questions

How much is a fishing license for a resident?

Between $6 and $64.54 a year depending on the state; the median is $25. Most states fall between $15 and $35.

How much is a non-resident fishing license?

From $20 (Delaware) to $174.14 (California) a year; the median state charges $60.

How much is a one-day fishing license?

Typically $5 to $20 for residents and $10 to $30 for non-residents where a day license is sold. The table shows the cheapest short-term license on file for each state.

Do I need a fishing license to fish from shore or a pier?

Usually yes for fresh water. Several coastal states exempt shore and public-pier fishing in salt water, or sell a separate cheaper shoreline license. Check the state page.

At what age do you need a fishing license?

Under 16 is free in most states; a few set the cutoff at 12, 14, 15 or 17. Seniors are often discounted or free from 65.

Is a fishing license valid in other states?

No. A license is valid only in the state that issued it, with a handful of reciprocal exceptions on boundary waters such as shared rivers and lakes.

Does a fishing license cover saltwater?

Not always. Florida, Texas, Alabama, Louisiana, California and others sell saltwater as a separate license or endorsement. Inland-only states have one license.

Can I buy a fishing license online?

Yes, every state sells licenses through its wildlife agency website and most through a phone app; the state pages link to the official buy page. Retailers such as Walmart and bait shops sell them too, sometimes with a small vendor fee.

What happens if I fish without a license?

A citation with a fine that ranges from about $50 to several hundred dollars, plus court costs, and in some states restitution per fish. Repeat offences can bring license suspension.

Do I need a license to fish on private property?

Many states exempt landowners and their immediate family fishing their own private pond with no public inlet or outlet. Guests usually still need a license.

When is free fishing day?

Every state holds at least one free fishing day or weekend a year, usually in June around National Fishing and Boating Week, when no license is needed.

How long is a fishing license good for?

One year, but the year is defined differently: calendar year, a fixed license year, or 365 days from purchase. The state page says which applies.

Are fishing license fees going up?

Most states adjust fees every few years through the legislature or agency commission; several states now index fees to inflation. We record the date each fee was last checked against the official source.