Nevada Fishing License: Cost, Requirements & How to Buy
A Nevada fishing license costs $40 for a resident adult and $80 for a non-resident adult (fees verified 2026-10-30).
Nevada's fishing license works on the same one-year-from-purchase system as its hunting license, and the state's combo hunt-and-fish option is worth a look for any resident angler who also hunts even occasionally.
- Resident 1-day $9
- Non-resident 1-day $18
- Combination hunt + fish license, resident $75
Anglers 12 and older need a license. NDOW lists prices before a small processing fee. A 1-day license ($9 resident/$18 non-resident for the first day, then $3/$7 per extra day) suits a short trip, and the $75 resident combo hunt+fish license is the better deal for anyone doing both.
Fee last verified 2026-10-30.
Heading out for Nevada fishing? 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 Nevada fishing license costs
Residents pay $40 for the annual license; non-residents pay $80. A 1-day license is available for $9 resident/$18 non-resident, useful for a single day trip rather than committing to the annual. Residents who also hunt should compare the $75 combination hunt-and-fish license against buying both separately, since $40 fishing plus $38 hunting ($78) is barely more than the combo.
Who needs a license
Anglers 12 and older need a license in Nevada; those under 12 can fish without one. NDOW lists prices before a small processing fee on online transactions.
License year
Nevada fishing licenses run one year from the date of purchase, matching the hunting license structure rather than a fixed calendar year.
How to buy your Nevada fishing license
The Nevada Department of Wildlife's online system sells the license and combo options, and licenses are also available at NDOW offices, sporting goods stores and many bait and tackle shops around the state.
Fishing in Nevada: what to expect
Lake Mead and Lake Mohave in the south hold striped bass, largemouth and smallmouth bass in desert reservoir settings unlike anything else in the country, drawing both local anglers and visitors from nearby Las Vegas. Lake Tahoe, shared with California, offers world-class Mackinaw (lake trout) fishing in extraordinarily clear, deep water. Pyramid Lake north of Reno is famous for its Lahontan cutthroat trout, a species found almost nowhere else, and requires a separate tribal permit from the Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe in addition to the state license since the lake sits on tribal land.
The Pyramid Lake exception
Anyone planning to fish Pyramid Lake for its trophy cutthroat trout needs to budget for both the Nevada state fishing license and a separate tribal fishing permit sold by the Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe, since the lake and its shoreline are entirely within the Pyramid Lake Indian Reservation and outside NDOW's jurisdiction. Most of the rest of Nevada's reservoirs and rivers only require the standard state license.
How to renew a Nevada fishing license
There is no separate renewal process in Nevada. 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 Nevada 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 Nevada 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.