Fishing Licenses by State & Province
Almost everywhere you fish, a license is the law. It is also one of the most direct ways anglers pay for the fish they catch: license sales plus the federal Sport Fish Restoration program (an excise tax on fishing tackle and motorboat fuel) fund fish stocking, habitat restoration, boat ramps, and public access. Find your state, province, or country below and buy yours straight from the official agency.
United States
Northeast
- Connecticut Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection Official license page
- Maine Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Official license page
- Massachusetts Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife Official license page
- New Hampshire New Hampshire Fish and Game Department Official license page
- Rhode Island Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management Official license page
- Vermont Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department Official license page
Mid-Atlantic
- Delaware Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control Official license page
- District of Columbia DC Department of Energy and Environment Official license page
- Maryland Maryland Department of Natural Resources Official license page
- New Jersey New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife Official license page
- New York New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Official license page
- Pennsylvania Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission Official license page
- Virginia Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources Official license page
- West Virginia West Virginia Division of Natural Resources Official license page
Southeast
- Arkansas Arkansas Game and Fish Commission Official license page
- Florida Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission Official license page
- Georgia Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Wildlife Resources Division Official license page
- Kentucky Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources Official license page
- North Carolina North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission Official license page
- South Carolina South Carolina Department of Natural Resources Official license page
- Tennessee Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency Official license page
Gulf Coast
- Alabama Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Official license page
- Louisiana Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Official license page
- Mississippi Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks Official license page
- Texas Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Official license page
Great Lakes
- Illinois Illinois Department of Natural Resources Official license page
- Indiana Indiana Department of Natural Resources, Division of Fish and Wildlife Official license page
- Michigan Michigan Department of Natural Resources Official license page
- Minnesota Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Official license page
- Ohio Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Division of Wildlife Official license page
- Wisconsin Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Official license page
Midwest
- Iowa Iowa Department of Natural Resources Official license page
- Kansas Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks Official license page
- Missouri Missouri Department of Conservation Official license page
- Nebraska Nebraska Game and Parks Commission Official license page
- North Dakota North Dakota Game and Fish Department Official license page
- South Dakota South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks Official license page
Mountain West
- Colorado Colorado Parks and Wildlife Official license page
- Idaho Idaho Department of Fish and Game Official license page
- Montana Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks Official license page
- Nevada Nevada Department of Wildlife Official license page
- Utah Utah Division of Wildlife Resources Official license page
- Wyoming Wyoming Game and Fish Department Official license page
Southwest
Pacific Northwest
California
Alaska
Hawaii
Canada
- Alberta Alberta Environment and Protected Areas (My Wild Alberta) Official licence page
- British Columbia Province of British Columbia Tidal (saltwater) licences come from Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO). Official licence page
- Manitoba Province of Manitoba (eLicensing) Official licence page
- New Brunswick New Brunswick Department of Natural Resources and Energy Development Official licence page
- Newfoundland and Labrador NL Department of Fisheries, Forestry and Agriculture Official licence page
- Northwest Territories Government of Northwest Territories, Environment and Climate Change Official licence page
- Nova Scotia Government of Nova Scotia Official licence page
- Nunavut Government of Nunavut, Department of Environment Official licence page
- Ontario Government of Ontario Official licence page
- Prince Edward Island Government of Prince Edward Island Official licence page
- Quebec Gouvernement du Quebec Official licence page
- Saskatchewan Government of Saskatchewan Official licence page
- Yukon Government of Yukon, Department of Environment Official licence page
Mexico
Fees, rules, and exact requirements change, and many places sell separate freshwater, saltwater, trout, or short-term licenses. Children, seniors, and free-fishing days are common exceptions. Always confirm the current details on the official agency site before you fish. Every link here points to an official government agency, never a reseller.