Tennessee Fishing License: Cost, Requirements & How to Buy
A Tennessee fishing license costs $39 for a resident adult and $98 for a non-resident adult (fees verified 2026-09-11).
Tennessee's fishing license splits into a no-trout and all-species tier, a distinction that matters given the state's genuinely strong trout fishing in its Appalachian tailwaters, which isn't covered by the cheaper base package.
Resident General Fishing Package ($39, no trout) shown; Avid Angler (all species incl. trout) is $60. Non-resident annual all-species (incl. trout) is $98; no-trout annual is $49.
Fee last verified 2026-09-11.
Heading out for Tennessee 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 Tennessee fishing regulations: statewide daily bag limits, size limits and seasons by species.
What a Tennessee fishing license costs
The resident General Fishing Package (no trout) is $39; the Avid Angler Package, which adds trout, is $60. Residents can also use a $10 county-of-residence no-trout license for natural bait fishing limited to their home county.
Non-resident pricing
Non-residents pay $49 for the annual no-trout license or $98 for the all-species version including trout. Shorter options exist too: 3-day ($20 no-trout / $40 all-species) and 10-day ($30 no-trout / $61 all-species) licenses for visiting anglers.
How to buy your Tennessee fishing license
Go Outdoors Tennessee is TWRA's official online licensing provider, with licenses also available through regional TWRA offices and authorized agents statewide.
Fishing in Tennessee: what to expect
Tennessee's tailwater trout fisheries below dams like Norris and Center Hill are among the best in the Southeast, cold enough year-round to support serious trout populations despite the state's otherwise warm-water climate. Reelfoot Lake in the northwest corner of the state (formed by the 1811-12 New Madrid earthquakes) is one of the more unusual fisheries in the country, a shallow cypress-studded lake known for crappie fishing. The state's reservoir system, particularly Chickamauga and Kentucky Lake, adds strong bass and catfish opportunities within easy reach of most of the state's population.
Best times to fish in Tennessee
Tailwater trout fishing below TVA dams stays productive year-round since the cold, oxygen-rich water released from the bottom of each reservoir keeps temperatures stable even in summer, but flows depend on power generation schedules, so checking TVA's release schedule before a trip matters as much as checking the weather. Reelfoot Lake's crappie fishing peaks in early spring as fish move into the cypress shallows to spawn, drawing anglers from across the region for a few intense weeks. Kentucky Lake and Chickamauga both fish best for bass during the spring spawn and again in fall, with summer's heat pushing fish into deeper, more temperature-stable water on both reservoirs.
Avid Angler, trout and the $49 no-trout non-resident
The $39 resident General Fishing Package does not include trout. Avid Angler at $60 covers all species including trout. Non-resident annual all-species (including trout) is $98; a no-trout annual is $49. If you will fish the South Holston or the Clinch tailwater, buy the trout-inclusive option. If you will only fish bass on Kentucky Lake, the cheaper package is enough.
TWRA agents check tailwater lots on winter weekends when the trout fishing is the whole reason for the drive. A digital license on the Go Outdoors Tennessee app is enough if it will load. Screenshot it. Reelfoot, Kentucky Lake and the Tennessee River oxbows are the warmwater destinations; they do not need the trout package unless you detour to a tailwater on the way home.
A one-day or three-day non-resident license is the right product if you are towing a bass boat to Kentucky Lake for a long weekend and will not fish trout. Buy it on gooutdoorstennessee.com before you launch; ramp checks on holiday weekends are routine. Residents who fish both warmwater and tailwater trout every year should default to Avid Angler rather than stacking a General package with a later trout add-on, because the second trip to the portal is how people end up on the Clinch in January with the wrong receipt. Keep a paper copy in the boat bag. Cell service in a hollow below a dam is not a plan. TWRA posts current tailwater generation schedules separately from the license; a legal license does not make a blown-out Clinch fishable, so check generation before you drive. Avid Angler is the resident default if trout is even an occasional plan.
How to renew a Tennessee fishing license
There is no separate renewal process in Tennessee. 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 Tennessee 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 Tennessee 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.