Quick Answer
Every US state sells fishing licenses online through its wildlife or natural resources agency, usually in five minutes with a driver’s license number, date of birth and a credit card; many states run on the Go Outdoors (Brandt) platform, others on their own systems, and most now accept a digital license on your phone. Resident annual licenses run roughly $10–$55 and nonresident annuals $30–$150, with 1-, 3- and 7-day licenses for travelers. Always buy from the agency’s own site (.gov, or the agency’s Go Outdoors page) rather than third-party sites that add fees; the table below gives the official site for each state.
Key Takeaways
- Buy only from the state agency’s site or its official vendor (Go Outdoors / Brandt pages); third-party ‘license’ sites charge markups and sometimes sell nothing.
- You will need: driver’s license or state ID number (or SSN in some states), date of birth, address and a card; nonresidents use their home-state ID.
- Most states accept a digital license on a phone; a few (and some species tags) still require a printed copy.
- Saltwater often needs a separate license or registration (Alabama, Florida, Texas, the Carolinas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Georgia, the Northeast coastal states and the Pacific coast).
- Short-term licenses (1, 3, 7 days) are cheaper for visitors than annuals; license years vary (calendar year, July–June, September–August, March–February).
- Free fishing days (usually one or two per year per state) require no license; seniors, youth, disabled and veterans get discounts in most states.
Buying a fishing license used to mean a trip to a bait shop; now every state sells them online, and the only difficulty is finding the right site among the look-alike pages that charge convenience fees. This guide links the official licensing system for each state, gives typical fees so you know what to expect, explains the information you need and how digital licenses work, and covers saltwater registrations, short-term licenses and discounts. Fees are approximate annual figures for 2026 and change yearly; the agency site shows the exact current price.
Official Fishing License Sites and Typical Fees by State
| State | Where to buy online | Resident annual (approx.) | Nonresident annual (approx.) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | outdooralabama.com (Go Outdoors) | $17 fresh / $31 salt | $68 fresh / $67 salt | Separate fresh and salt; Sept–Aug year |
| Alaska | adfg.alaska.gov store | $20 | $100 (1-day $15, 3-day $30, 7-day $45, 14-day $75) | King salmon stamp extra |
| Arizona | azgfd.com | $37 | $55 | Combo hunt/fish available |
| Arkansas | agfc.com | $10.50 | $50 (3-day $16, 7-day $25) | Trout permit extra |
| California | wildlife.ca.gov (CDFW online) | ~$62 | ~$168 | 365-day license since 2023; ocean enhancement and report cards |
| Colorado | cpw.state.co.us (CPW shop) | ~$41 + habitat stamp | ~$117 | 1-day and 5-day options |
| Connecticut | portal.ct.gov/DEEP (online sportsmen) | $28 inland / $10 marine | $55 inland / $15 marine | Marine registration |
| Delaware | dnrec.delaware.gov (ePermitting) | $8.50 + FIN | $20 | FIN number for saltwater |
| Florida | GoOutdoorsFlorida.com | $17 fresh / $17 salt | $47 fresh / $47 salt | Shoreline saltwater free for residents (registration) |
| Georgia | GoOutdoorsGeorgia.com | $15 | $50 | SIP saltwater permit free |
| Hawaii | dlnr.hawaii.gov (freshwater only) | $6 freshwater | $26 freshwater | No saltwater license required |
| Idaho | idfg.idaho.gov (Go Outdoors Idaho) | ~$31 | ~$108 (daily options) | Salmon/steelhead permits extra |
| Illinois | dnr.illinois.gov (license portal) | $15 | $31.50 | Inland trout stamp extra |
| Indiana | in.gov/dnr (Fish & Wildlife online) | $23 | $60 | Trout/salmon stamp extra |
| Iowa | GoOutdoorsIowa.com | $22 | $48 | Trout fee extra |
| Kansas | ksoutdoors.com (Go Outdoors Kansas) | $27.50 | $52.50 | 5-day options |
| Kentucky | fw.ky.gov | $23 | $55 | Trout permit extra |
| Louisiana | wlf.louisiana.gov (LA Outdoors) | $17 basic + $15 salt | $68 basic + $60 salt | Separate saltwater |
| Maine | maine.gov/ifw (MOSES) | $25 | $64 (1-, 3-, 7-, 15-day) | Saltwater registry free |
| Maryland | dnr.maryland.gov (COMPASS) | $20.50 fresh / $15 bay | $30.50 fresh / $22.50 bay | Chesapeake Bay license separate; trout stamp |
| Massachusetts | mass.gov/masswildlife (MassFishHunt) | $27.50 fresh / $10 salt | $37.50 fresh / $10 salt | Saltwater permit |
| Michigan | michigan.gov/dnr (eLicense) | $26 | $76 | Daily $10; license year Apr–Mar |
| Minnesota | dnr.state.mn.us (license center) | $25 | $51 | Trout stamp extra; Mar–Feb year |
| Mississippi | mdwfp.com | $10 fresh | $60 fresh | Saltwater separate via MDMR |
| Missouri | mdc.mo.gov (e-Permits) | $12 | $49 | Trout permit extra |
| Montana | fwp.mt.gov (MyFWP) | $21 + conservation license | $100 + conservation | 2-day and 10-day options |
| Nebraska | outdoornebraska.gov | $38 | $84 | Aquatic habitat stamp included |
| Nevada | ndow.org | $40 | $80 | Trout stamp extra |
| New Hampshire | wildlife.nh.gov (online licenses) | $45 | $63 | Saltwater registration |
| New Jersey | nj.gov/dep/fgw (NJ licenses) | $22.50 | $34 | Trout stamp; saltwater registry free |
| New Mexico | wildlife.dgf.nm.gov | $25 | $56 | Habitat stamp extra |
| New York | dec.ny.gov (DECALS) | $25 | $50 | Marine registry free |
| North Carolina | ncwildlife.org (Go Outdoors NC) | $25 inland / $16 coastal | $45 inland / $32 coastal | Separate coastal license |
| North Dakota | gf.nd.gov | $16 + certificate | $45 | Apr–Mar year |
| Ohio | HuntFishOH / ohiodnr.gov | $25 | $50 | 1-day and 3-day options; Mar–Feb year |
| Oklahoma | GoOutdoorsOklahoma.com | $25 | $55 | — |
| Oregon | myodfw.com (ODFW licensing) | $44 | $110.50 | Combined angling tag for salmon/steelhead |
| Pennsylvania | pa.wildlifelicense.com (HuntFishPA) | $27.97 | $60.97 | Trout permit extra |
| Rhode Island | ri.gov/DEM (RIDEM online) | $21 fresh / $7 salt | $38 fresh / $10 salt | Saltwater license |
| South Carolina | dnr.sc.gov (Go Outdoors SC) | $10 fresh / $10 salt | $35 fresh / $35 salt | Separate fresh and salt |
| South Dakota | gfp.sd.gov (GoOutdoorsSD) | $28 | $67 | 1-day and 3-day options |
| Tennessee | GoOutdoorsTennessee.com (TWRA) | $34 | $50 (10-day $30) | Trout license extra |
| Texas | tpwd.texas.gov (TPWD online) | $30 fresh / $35 salt / $40 all-water | $58 fresh / $63 salt / $68 all-water | Sept–Aug year; stamps included |
| Utah | wildlife.utah.gov | $34 | $85 | 365-day license |
| Vermont | vtfishandwildlife.com | $28 | $54 | — |
| Virginia | GoOutdoorsVirginia.com | $23 | $47 | Trout and saltwater licenses separate |
| Washington | fishhunt.dfw.wa.gov | $30 fresh / $30 salt / $56 combo | $85 / $60 / $125 | Apr–Mar year; catch record cards |
| West Virginia | wvhunt.com / wvdnr.gov | $19 + $5 stamp | $37 + stamp | Trout stamp extra |
| Wisconsin | GoWild.wi.gov | $20 | $50 | Trout stamp extra; Apr–Mar year |
| Wyoming | wgfd.wyo.gov | $27 + $21.50 stamp | $102 + stamp | Daily and 5-day options; calendar year |
Fees are approximate 2026 annual figures from state schedules and are shown to set expectations; add trout stamps, habitat stamps and saltwater endorsements where noted, and confirm the exact price on the linked site.
What You Need to Buy Online
- Identification: a driver’s license or state ID number is standard; some states ask for the last four digits of your Social Security number (required by federal child-support enforcement law for license issuance) or a passport number for foreign visitors.
- Personal details: full legal name, date of birth, physical address (residency is checked against the ID), height, weight, eye color in some states.
- Residency proof: usually the in-state ID; students, military and new residents may need to upload documents or buy in person.
- Previous customer number: if you have bought before, your conservation ID speeds the process.
- Payment: credit or debit card; a small convenience fee ($1–$5) applies in most systems.
- Hunter or boater education: not required for fishing licenses in any state.
Digital Licenses and Carrying Proof
Most states now accept an electronic license displayed on a phone, either as a PDF, an email, or in the agency’s app (Go Outdoors apps, Fish|Hunt FL, Outdoor AL, Texas Outdoor Annual, MyODFW, Fish & Wildlife apps in several states). Exceptions exist: some states require a printed license for certain tags or stamps (physical trout stamps in a few, printed carcass tags for hunting), and some officers in remote areas cannot verify a screen without signal, so a printed copy in the tackle box is prudent. The license must be in your possession while fishing; a photo of someone else’s license or a receipt does not count.
Saltwater Licenses and Registrations
Many coastal states separate saltwater from freshwater: Alabama, Florida, Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Georgia (free SIP), North and South Carolina, Virginia, Maryland (Chesapeake Bay), Rhode Island, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Washington, Oregon (combined angling tag) and California (ocean enhancement stamp). Others use a free federal-compliant saltwater angler registry (New York, New Jersey, Maine, New Hampshire, Delaware’s FIN). Federal law requires saltwater anglers to be registered somewhere; the state license or registry satisfies it. Buy the saltwater license in the same online session.
Short-Term Licenses for Travelers
Nearly every state sells 1-day licenses (typically $6–$20 for nonresidents), and most sell 3-day, 5-day or 7-day licenses at $15–$45, which beat the annual for a single trip. Watch the license year: an annual license bought in August in Alabama or Texas expires August 31, in Michigan, Wisconsin and Washington on March 31, in Ohio and Minnesota at the end of February; California and Utah now sell 365-day licenses from the purchase date. Some states offer family or group short-term licenses (Alabama’s family trip, Alaska’s), and charter passengers are often covered by the vessel’s license.
Discounts and Free Fishing
Residents 65 and over receive free or reduced licenses in most states (free in Alabama, Mississippi, Texas’s senior combo, Virginia’s lifetime for $9, and many others); youth under 16 (sometimes 12, 15 or 17) fish free nearly everywhere; disabled residents and disabled veterans have free or nominal licenses in most states; active-duty military often pay resident rates. Every state holds one or more free fishing days or weekends each year, usually in June, when no license is required (other regulations still apply). Lifetime licenses, offered by about half the states, suit anglers who fish every year.
Avoiding Fake and Markup Sites
Search results for ‘fishing license’ are crowded with third-party sites that charge $5–$30 to ‘process’ a purchase on the state site, or that sell nothing at all. Buy only on the agency domain (.gov, or the agency’s named Go Outdoors / Brandt page listed above), or from a licensed agent in person. The official site never asks for payment through a separate processor before showing the license price, and the license it issues carries the state seal and a verifiable number.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I buy a fishing license online?
Yes, in every state, through the state wildlife agency’s website or its official licensing platform (often Go Outdoors or Brandt). It takes a few minutes with an ID number, date of birth and a card, and most states issue a digital license immediately.
What do I need to buy a fishing license online?
A driver’s license or state ID number (sometimes the last four digits of your SSN or a passport number for foreign visitors), your date of birth and address, and a credit or debit card. No education course is required for fishing.
Can I show my fishing license on my phone?
In most states, yes, as a PDF, email or in the agency’s app. A few states or specific stamps and tags require a printed copy, so carrying a paper copy as well is a safe habit.
How much does a fishing license cost?
Resident annual licenses are roughly $10–$55 and nonresident annuals $30–$150 in 2026, with 1-day licenses from about $6 to $20 for visitors. Saltwater, trout and habitat stamps add to the base price in many states.
Which fishing license website is legitimate?
Only the state agency’s own site (.gov) or its named Go Outdoors / Brandt page, listed in the table above, or a licensed agent in person. Third-party sites that offer to buy the license for you add fees and are sometimes fraudulent.
Conclusion
A fishing license is a few minutes and a few dollars away in every state if you go to the agency’s own site, bring your ID number and buy the saltwater or trout add-ons in the same session. Visitors should buy the short-term license that matches the trip rather than an annual that expires on the state’s license year, seniors and youth should check the free categories, and everyone should skip the look-alike sites that charge to do what the state does for free.
