Louisiana Fishing License: Cost, Requirements & How to Buy

A Louisiana fishing license costs $17 for a resident adult and $68 for a non-resident adult (fees verified 2026-09-12).

Louisiana's Basic Fishing License covers freshwater gear only; saltwater fishing, a huge part of the state's appeal given its Gulf Coast access, needs a separate license that visiting anglers heading offshore or into the marsh for redfish and speckled trout have to add.

Once you have the license, check the Louisiana fishing regulations: statewide daily bag limits, size limits and seasons by species.

What a Louisiana fishing license costs

The Basic Fishing License, covering all legal recreational freshwater gear, is $17 for residents and $68 for non-residents, valid 365 days from purchase. Non-residents can also buy shorter options: $30 for 5 days or $17 for 10 days. A Saltwater License is a separate purchase on top of the Basic license: $15 for residents, $60 for non-residents.

Freshwater vs saltwater licensing

The base license is freshwater-only. Anyone fishing Louisiana's coastal marshes, bays or Gulf waters, or simply keeping redfish, speckled trout or other saltwater species, needs the Saltwater License in addition to the Basic Fishing License. Given how much of Louisiana's fishing draw is coastal, many visiting anglers end up needing both licenses rather than just one.

Who is exempt

Residents and non-residents under 18 do not need a Basic or Saltwater Fishing License at all, a broader youth exemption than many states offer.

How to buy your Louisiana fishing license

LouisianaOutdoors.com sells the basic and saltwater licenses as e-licenses, and the state's LA Wallet app stores a digital copy for anglers who don't want to carry a printout on a boat.

Fishing in Louisiana: what to expect

Louisiana's coastal marshes around Venice, Delacroix and Grand Isle are among the best redfish and speckled trout fisheries in the country, with the Mississippi River delta's marsh complex creating an almost endless network of bayous, ponds and bays to fish. Freshwater fishing centers on the Atchafalaya Basin, the largest river swamp in the country, holding bass, crappie and catfish in a genuinely unique flooded-forest environment, along with lakes like Toledo Bend and Caddo on the Texas border known for strong bass fisheries.

Best times to fish in Louisiana

Redfish fishing in the coastal marsh is productive nearly year-round, but fall (September through November) is famously strong as bull redfish move into the passes and marsh to feed heavily before winter. Speckled trout fishing peaks in spring and fall, with summer offering a different pattern around deeper structure and passes. Bass fishing in the Atchafalaya Basin and Toledo Bend is best during the spring spawn, typically February into April given Louisiana's mild winters, well ahead of most of the rest of the country.

Marsh access and the freshwater/saltwater split

Louisiana's coastal geography means the line between fresh and saltwater fishing isn't always obvious on the water: brackish marsh where redfish and largemouth bass both show up can require both licenses depending on exactly which species end up in the cooler. A charter captain fishing clients out of Venice or Delacroix typically handles the license question for guided trips, but a self-guided angler running their own boat into the marsh should buy both the Basic and Saltwater licenses before launching rather than sorting it out after the first fish hits the deck.

How to renew a Louisiana fishing license

There is no separate renewal process in Louisiana. A fishing 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.

The fastest route is the official Louisiana 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 Louisiana hunting license page too, see how much a fishing license costs in every state, compare non-resident fishing fees across states, browse every state, or use the state license finder.