Quick Answer
Wyoming fishing licenses run on the calendar year and anyone 14 or older needs one. A resident annual license is $27 and a nonresident annual is $102, and both require the $21.50 Conservation Stamp (one per year, also valid for hunting), making the real annual cost $48.50 resident and $123.50 nonresident. Short-term licenses do not need the stamp: daily $6 resident / $14 nonresident, and a 5-day nonresident license is $35. Youth (14–17) annual licenses are $5 resident and $15 nonresident; residents 65+ who have lived in Wyoming 30 years get the free Pioneer license. Yellowstone National Park has its own permit instead; Grand Teton requires the Wyoming license. Buy at wgfd.wyo.gov or from license agents.
Key Takeaways
- Age: anglers 14 and over need a license; under 14 fish free (under a licensed adult’s limit for nonresident youth).
- Resident: annual $27 + $21.50 stamp = $48.50; daily $6 (no stamp); youth 14–17 annual $5 + stamp.
- Nonresident: annual $102 + $21.50 stamp = $123.50; daily $14; 5-day $35 (no stamp on short-term); youth annual $15 + stamp.
- Conservation Stamp: $21.50, required with annual licenses, valid for the calendar year and for hunting licenses too.
- Pioneer license: free annual fishing for residents 65+ with 30 years’ residency; disabled and veteran licenses available.
- Licenses expire December 31; Yellowstone needs an NPS permit; Grand Teton needs the Wyoming license.
- Buy online at the Wyoming Game and Fish Department site, at regional offices or from agents; fees are set by statute and change periodically (last major increase 2024).
Wyoming’s fishing license is simple in structure and often misquoted because of the Conservation Stamp, a separate $21.50 item that annual license holders must buy and that older guides and articles leave out. The state’s waters, from the North Platte and Green rivers to the Wind River Range lakes and the Snake, draw anglers from everywhere, and the nonresident fee reflects that. This guide gives the current fees for every license type, explains the stamp, the youth, senior and disabled options, the national park rules and how to buy. Fees are those in effect for 2026 following the 2024 increase; confirm on the Wyoming Game and Fish Department site before buying.
Wyoming Fishing License Fees (2026)
| License | Resident | Nonresident | Conservation Stamp required? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual (calendar year) | $27 | $102 | Yes ($21.50) |
| Annual total with stamp | $48.50 | $123.50 | — |
| Daily (1 day) | $6 | $14 | No |
| 5-day | $15 (where offered) | $35 | No |
| Youth annual (14–17) | $5 | $15 | Yes ($21.50) |
| Pioneer (65+, 30 years’ residency) | Free | Not available | No |
| Conservation Stamp (annual) | $21.50 | $21.50 | One per year; also covers hunting |
| Lifetime fishing (resident) | Available; price by age | Not available | Stamp still required annually |
Note: an older Wyoming Game and Fish article cites $24 resident, $92 nonresident and a $12.50 stamp; those were the pre-2024 fees. The figures above reflect the current schedule as reported for 2026. Verify at wgfd.wyo.gov.
The Conservation Stamp Explained
Wyoming requires a $21.50 Conservation Stamp with any annual fishing license (resident or nonresident, adult or youth) and with most hunting licenses. One stamp per person per calendar year covers both fishing and hunting, so a hunter who already bought one for a deer tag does not buy another to fish. Daily and 5-day licenses are exempt. The stamp funds habitat and access programs. When comparing Wyoming’s cost with neighboring states, add the stamp: the nonresident annual is effectively $123.50, which still compares reasonably with Montana and Colorado for a season of fishing, while the $14 daily and $35 5-day licenses are the economical choice for a short trip.
Who Needs a License
- Anyone 14 or older, resident or not, fishing any public or private water in Wyoming (except Yellowstone).
- Children under 14: residents fish free with their own daily limit; nonresident children under 14 fish free but their fish count toward the limit of an accompanying licensed adult (or they can buy a youth license for their own limit).
- Residents: a person who has lived in Wyoming for at least one year immediately before buying, not claiming residency elsewhere; students and military have specific provisions.
- Pioneer license holders: residents 65+ who have lived in Wyoming for 30 or more consecutive years get a free lifetime fishing license (apply once).
- Disabled residents and veterans: free or reduced licenses for qualifying disabled residents and disabled veterans; apply through Game and Fish.
- Private water: a license is still required; only the landowner’s permission is additional.
Yellowstone and Grand Teton
Yellowstone National Park does not honor Wyoming (or Montana or Idaho) licenses; it issues its own fishing permit through the National Park Service (3-day, 7-day and season options for anglers 16 and over; under-16s fish free with a permitted adult or a free youth permit), with park-specific rules including lead-free tackle, barbless hooks, catch-and-release of native cutthroat and mandatory killing of invasive lake trout in Yellowstone Lake. Grand Teton National Park requires a Wyoming fishing license and follows Wyoming regulations with some park additions. Anglers fishing both parks need both documents.
How to Buy
- Online at wgfd.wyo.gov: create an account, buy the license and the Conservation Stamp together (the system prompts for the stamp with annual licenses), pay, and print or save the license. Wyoming allows an electronic license on a phone.
- At Game and Fish regional offices (Cheyenne, Casper, Cody, Green River, Jackson, Lander, Laramie, Pinedale, Sheridan) and the Cheyenne headquarters.
- From license agents: fly shops, sporting goods stores, some gas stations and general stores across the state.
Short-term licenses specify the start date at purchase; annual licenses expire December 31 whenever bought, so a late-season purchase is poor value and a daily or 5-day license is better.
Rules That Come With the License
Wyoming’s fishing regulations divide the state into drainage areas with their own creel limits, seasons and special regulations; the general trout limit is six per day with no more than one over 20 inches in many areas, but many waters are more restrictive, with artificial-fly-and-lure-only and catch-and-release sections on blue-ribbon streams. Live baitfish rules, felt-sole restrictions (currently not banned statewide but discouraged), aquatic invasive species (AIS) decal requirements for boats, and the prohibition on transporting live fish are the common issues. The annual Wyoming Fishing Regulations booklet is free online and from agents.
Is the Annual License Worth It for Visitors?
A nonresident fishing three days or fewer should buy daily licenses ($14 each) or the 5-day license ($35); the break-even against the annual plus stamp ($123.50) is about nine days of fishing in the calendar year. Anglers who return several times a year, or who also hunt in Wyoming (and therefore buy the stamp anyway), come out ahead with the annual. Residents should almost always buy the annual: at $48.50 with the stamp it pays for itself in eight fishing days.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is a Wyoming fishing license?
Resident annual $27 and nonresident annual $102, each plus the required $21.50 Conservation Stamp ($48.50 and $123.50 total). Daily licenses are $6 resident and $14 nonresident, and a nonresident 5-day is $35; short-term licenses do not need the stamp.
What is the Wyoming Conservation Stamp?
A $21.50 annual stamp required with every annual fishing license (and most hunting licenses), one per person per calendar year, funding habitat and access. Daily and 5-day licenses are exempt.
At what age do you need a fishing license in Wyoming?
Age 14. Anglers 14 and older need a license; children under 14 fish free, with nonresident children’s fish counting toward an accompanying adult’s limit unless they hold their own youth license.
Do I need a Wyoming license to fish in Yellowstone?
No. Yellowstone National Park issues its own fishing permit and does not honor state licenses. Grand Teton National Park does require a Wyoming fishing license.
When does a Wyoming fishing license expire?
December 31. All annual licenses run on the calendar year regardless of purchase date, so late-season buyers should consider a daily or 5-day license instead.
Conclusion
Wyoming’s license is $27 for residents and $102 for nonresidents, but the $21.50 Conservation Stamp makes the real annual cost $48.50 and $123.50, and the daily and 5-day licenses without the stamp are the sensible buy for a short trip. Anglers 14 and up need one, it expires December 31, Yellowstone needs its own permit, and the regional creel rules deserve a read before the first cast. Confirm the current fees on the Game and Fish site; the schedule changed in 2024 and older figures still circulate.
