West Virginia Fishing License: Cost, Requirements & How to Buy
A West Virginia fishing license costs $19 for a resident adult and $37 for a non-resident adult (fees verified 2026-09-12).
West Virginia layers a Conservation Stamp onto every fishing license, resident or not, and a separate trout stamp for anyone fishing the state's popular stocked trout waters, so the base license price alone understates what most anglers actually pay at checkout.
- Non-resident 1-day $3
- Non-resident 3-day $10
- Non-resident 7-day $20
Resident (Class B) annual shown. Residents also need a $5 Conservation Stamp and non-residents a $13 Conservation/Law Enforcement Stamp on top of the base license. A trout stamp ($10 resident/$16 non-resident) is required to fish any trout water. Non-resident short-term options are $3 for 1 day, $10 for 3 days, or $20 for 7 days. Required for anglers 15 and older.
Fee last verified 2026-09-12.
Heading out for West Virginia 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 West Virginia fishing license costs
Residents pay $19 for the annual Class B license; non-residents pay $37. Residents also need a $5 Conservation Stamp and non-residents a $13 Conservation/Law Enforcement Stamp on top of the base license. A trout stamp, $10 resident/$16 non-resident, is required to fish any trout water.
Who needs a license
Anglers 15 and older need a West Virginia fishing license. Younger anglers are generally exempt, and standard reciprocal agreements may apply for anglers fishing boundary waters shared with neighboring states.
License year and deadlines
West Virginia fishing licenses expire December 31 each year, matching the hunting license cycle, regardless of when during the year they were purchased.
How to buy your West Virginia fishing license
WVDNR's online system at wvhunt.com sells the base license, Conservation Stamp and trout stamp together, and licenses are also available at authorized license agents statewide.
Fishing in West Virginia: what to expect
The New River Gorge is West Virginia's most famous fishery, holding smallmouth bass and muskellunge in a dramatic whitewater canyon setting that draws anglers as much for the scenery as the fishing. The state's stocked trout program covers hundreds of streams across the Potomac Highlands and Allegheny Mountains, with the Elk River and Cranberry River among the best-known destinations for wild and stocked trout alike. The Ohio River along the state's western border adds catfish and sauger fishing in classic big-river current.
The stamp stack and trout stocking
A West Virginia angler planning to fish only warmwater species can skip the $10 trout stamp entirely, but anyone hitting one of the state's spring-stocked streams needs it in addition to the base license and Conservation Stamp. Non-residents should budget for the full stack: $37 base license, $13 CS/LE stamp, and $16 trout stamp if targeting trout, a total meaningfully higher than the $37 headline license price.
How to renew a West Virginia fishing license
There is no separate renewal process in West Virginia. 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 West Virginia 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 West Virginia 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.