South Carolina Fishing License: Cost, Requirements & How to Buy
A South Carolina fishing license costs $10 for a resident adult and $35 for a non-resident adult (fees verified 2026-09-12).
South Carolina's freshwater fishing license is about as cheap as they come at $10 for residents, and the state splits saltwater into its own license the way several Southeastern states do, so coastal anglers need to budget for a second purchase.
- Non-resident 14-day $11
Freshwater license shown. Saltwater fishing needs a separate license: $15 resident annual, $75 non-resident annual (or $35 for 7 days, $10 for 1 day). Non-resident freshwater short-term options are $11 for 14 consecutive days or $105 for 3 years.
Fee last verified 2026-09-12.
Heading out for South Carolina 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.
Once you have the license, check the South Carolina fishing regulations: statewide daily bag limits, size limits and seasons by species.
What a South Carolina fishing license costs
Residents pay $10 for the annual freshwater license; non-residents pay $35, or $11 for 14 consecutive days, or $105 for a 3-year license. Saltwater fishing needs a separate license: $15 for residents annually, and for non-residents $75 annually, $35 for 7 days, or $10 for a single day.
Who needs a license
Most anglers fishing South Carolina's freshwater or coastal waters need the applicable license, with standard age exemptions for younger anglers. Freshwater and saltwater are licensed separately, so an angler fishing both in the same season needs both.
License year and deadlines
South Carolina's fishing license year is fixed and expires every June 30, the same cycle as hunting licenses, rather than running a set number of days from purchase.
How to buy your South Carolina fishing license
Go Outdoors South Carolina sells both freshwater and saltwater licenses online, and licenses are also available at SCDNR offices and authorized retail agents statewide, including many bait and tackle shops along the coast.
Fishing in South Carolina: what to expect
The Santee Cooper lakes, Marion and Moultrie, are South Carolina's marquee freshwater fishery, known for catfish and largemouth bass in a sprawling reservoir system built in the 1940s. The coast around Charleston and Myrtle Beach supports strong redfish and spotted seatrout fishing in the marshes and inlets, and the state's long coastline makes a saltwater license worth the extra cost for anyone spending real time near the water.
Short-term options for visitors
A non-resident angler on a short coastal trip is usually better off with the $10 one-day or $35 seven-day saltwater license than the $75 annual, unless the trip is part of a longer or repeat visit. Freshwater visitors have a similar option in the 14-day non-resident license at $11, a fraction of the $35 annual for anyone only fishing a lake for a week or two.
How to renew a South Carolina fishing license
There is no separate renewal process in South Carolina. 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 South Carolina 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 South Carolina 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.