Maryland Fishing License: Cost, Requirements & How to Buy

A Maryland fishing license costs $32 for a resident adult and $55 for a non-resident adult (fees verified 2026-09-12).

Maryland splits its fishing licenses by water type rather than selling one that covers everything: freshwater anglers buy the Non-tidal license, while anyone fishing the Chesapeake Bay or coastal waters needs the separate, cheaper Bay & Coastal Sport license instead.

What a Maryland fishing license costs

Residents pay $32 for the annual Non-tidal (freshwater) Sport Fishing License; non-residents pay $55, or more if their home state charges Maryland anglers a higher reciprocal rate. The separate Chesapeake Bay & Coastal Sport Fishing License, needed for tidal water, is $15 resident/$22.50 non-resident annually. Anglers who fish both freshwater lakes and the Bay in the same season need both licenses.

Who needs a license, and the trout stamp

Anyone 16 or older fishing Maryland's non-tidal waters needs the Non-tidal license; anglers under 16 fish free. A trout stamp, $20 resident/$30 non-resident, is required on top of the base license to keep or possess trout anywhere in the state, including the popular put-and-take streams in western Maryland stocked each spring.

License year and deadlines

Maryland fishing licenses run 365 days from the date of purchase rather than a fixed calendar year, so there's no rush to buy on a specific date, the coverage window simply starts the day you check out.

How to buy your Maryland fishing license

Maryland DNR's online licensing system sells both the Non-tidal and Bay & Coastal licenses along with the trout stamp in one transaction, and licenses are also available at bait and tackle shops and sporting goods stores statewide.

Fishing in Maryland: what to expect

The Chesapeake Bay is Maryland's signature fishery, drawing anglers after striped bass (locally called rockfish), especially during the spring trophy season and the fall migration when big fish stage near the Bay Bridge and the mouth of the Susquehanna Flats. Western Maryland's mountain streams, including the Savage River and the North Branch Potomac, hold wild and stocked trout in a setting closer to Appalachian freestone fishing than anything else in the state. The tidal Potomac and its tributaries add largemouth bass and blue catfish to the mix for anglers who don't want to drive to the mountains or the Bay.

Trout stocking and short-term options

Maryland's Put-and-Take trout program stocks hundreds of public waters each spring and fall, and the $20 resident trout stamp is worth it for anyone planning to fish those stockings even once or twice a season. Visitors who only need a few days can buy a 7-day non-resident Non-tidal license for $45 rather than the full annual, which makes more sense for a weekend trip than the $55 year-round option.

How to renew a Maryland fishing license

There is no separate renewal process in Maryland. 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. Valid 365 days from the date of purchase.

The fastest route is the official Maryland 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 Maryland 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.