Licenses & Rules

In Alaska, residents 18 and older and nonresidents 16 and older need a sport fishing license. One license covers both fresh and salt water. A separate king salmon stamp is required to fish for king salmon.

Anyone 16 or older needs a fishing license in Alabama. Kids under 16 fish free. Freshwater and saltwater are separate licenses, with a combined all-water option if you fish both.

Anyone 16 or older needs a fishing license in Arkansas. Kids under 16 fish free. Fishing for trout also needs an added trout permit.

Anyone 10 or older needs a fishing license in Arizona. Kids under 10 fish free. Arizona is landlocked, so it is freshwater only and one license covers all public waters.

Anyone 16 or older needs a sport fishing license in California. One license covers both freshwater and ocean fishing, though some ocean areas need an added validation. Kids under 16 fish free.

Anyone 16 or older needs a fishing license in Colorado. Youth 15 and under fish free. Colorado is landlocked, so it is freshwater only with one license.

Anyone 16 or older needs a fishing license in Connecticut. Under 16 fish free. Freshwater (inland) and marine (saltwater) are separate licenses, and an All Waters license covers both.

Anyone 16 or older needs a fishing license in Delaware. One general fishing license covers both freshwater and saltwater, including crabbing and clamming. Saltwater anglers also register for a free FIN number.

Anyone 16 or older needs a fishing license in Florida. Kids under 16 fish free. Freshwater and saltwater are separate licenses, so buy the one for where you fish.

Anyone 16 or older needs a fishing license in Georgia. Kids under 16 fish free. One license covers fresh and salt water, though saltwater also needs a free Saltwater Information Permit.

In Hawaii, a freshwater fishing license is required for anyone over age 9. For ocean fishing, residents need no license, but nonresidents 15 and older need a recreational marine fishing license. Freshwater and marine licenses are separate.

Residents and nonresidents 16 or older need a fishing license in Iowa. A separate trout fee is required to fish for or keep trout. Iowa is landlocked, so it is freshwater only.

Anyone 14 or older needs a fishing license in Idaho. Kids under 14 fish free. Idaho is landlocked, so it is freshwater only with one license.

Anyone 16 or older needs a fishing license in Illinois. Under 16 fish free. Illinois is landlocked (freshwater only) and one license covers it, with a separate stamp needed for Lake Michigan salmon and trout.

Anyone 18 or older needs a fishing license in Indiana, whether resident or visitor. Anglers under 18 fish free. Indiana is landlocked, so it is freshwater only with one license covering public waters.

Resident anglers 16 through 74 need a Kansas fishing license, and nonresidents 16 and older need one too. Kids 15 and under fish free. Kansas is landlocked, so it is freshwater only.

Anyone 16 or older needs a fishing license in Kentucky. Kids under 16 fish free. Kentucky is inland, so there is one freshwater license.

You need a fishing license in Louisiana once you turn 18. Kids 17 and under fish free. Freshwater uses the Basic license, and saltwater needs a separate Saltwater license.

Anyone 15 or older needs a freshwater fishing license in Massachusetts. It is free for residents 15 to 17 and residents 70 and older. Freshwater and saltwater are separate: MassWildlife handles freshwater and the Division of Marine Fisheries handles the saltwater permit, both sold through MassFishHunt.

Anyone 16 or older needs a license to fish in Maryland, and those under 16 fish free. Freshwater and saltwater are separate: a Non-Tidal license for inland waters and a Chesapeake Bay & Coastal Sport Fish license for tidal waters. Some tidal anglers can instead use the free Saltwater Angler Registration.

Anyone 16 or older needs a fishing license in Maine. Kids under 16 fish free. Inland (freshwater) fishing is what the department licenses; there is no separate saltwater recreational license, though a free saltwater registration applies to some coastal fishing.

Anyone 17 or older needs a fishing license in Michigan. Kids under 17 fish free, and an optional youth license is available. One all-species license covers both the Great Lakes and inland waters, so freshwater fishing is not split.

Minnesota residents 16 through 89 need a fishing license, and all nonresidents need one regardless of age. Residents under 16 and 90 or older fish free. Minnesota is landlocked, so it is freshwater only.

Anglers 16 through 64 need a fishing permit in Missouri, whether resident or nonresident. Anyone 15 or younger fishes free, and Missouri residents 65 and older are exempt. Missouri is landlocked, so it is freshwater only.

Anyone 16 to 64 needs a fishing license in Mississippi. Kids under 16 fish free. Freshwater and saltwater are separate licenses, so pick the one for where you fish.

Anyone 12 or older needs a fishing license in Montana. Kids 11 and under fish free. A Conservation License and an AIS Prevention Pass are also required alongside it. Montana is landlocked, so it is freshwater only.

Anyone 16 or older needs a fishing license to fish public waters in North Carolina. Kids under 16 fish free. One Inland/Coastal license covers you statewide, fresh and salt.

Anyone 16 or older needs a fishing license in North Dakota, and kids under 16 fish free. North Dakota is landlocked, so it is freshwater only. Licenses run April 1 through March 31 and also require the Fishing, Hunting, Furbearer Certificate.

Anyone 16 or older needs a fishing permit in Nebraska. Kids under 16 fish free. Nebraska is landlocked, so it is freshwater only, and the permit includes the required Aquatic Habitat Stamp.

Anyone 16 or older needs a fishing license in New Hampshire. Freshwater and saltwater are separate: freshwater anglers buy a freshwater license, and coastal anglers 16 and older need a separate Saltwater Recreational Fishing License.

Anyone 16 or older needs a license to fish New Jersey's fresh waters. Freshwater and saltwater are separate: saltwater is handled through the free New Jersey Saltwater Recreational Registry rather than a paid license.

Anglers 12 and older need a fishing license in New Mexico, and residents 70 and older fish free. New Mexico is landlocked, so it is freshwater only. Licenses run April 1 through March 31.

Anglers 12 and older need a fishing license in Nevada. Children under 12 fish free but still follow size and bag limits. Nevada is landlocked, so it is freshwater only.

Most anglers 16 or older need a freshwater fishing license in New York, and children under 16 fish free. Freshwater and saltwater are separate: marine anglers 16 and older instead need the free Recreational Marine Fishing Registry.

Anyone 16 or older needs a fishing license in Ohio, and kids under 16 fish free. One license covers all Ohio waters, including Lake Erie, so there is no separate saltwater license.

In Oklahoma anyone 18 or older needs a fishing license, and residents under 18 are exempt. Oklahoma is landlocked, so it is freshwater only. The license age here is 18, higher than most states.

Anyone 18 or older needs a fishing license in Oregon. Youth ages 12 to 17 need a low-cost youth license, and kids under 12 fish free. One angling license covers both freshwater and saltwater, though certain species need added tags or endorsements.

Anyone 16 or older needs a fishing license in Pennsylvania. Kids under 16 fish without one. Pennsylvania fishing is freshwater, with a separate Trout Permit and a Lake Erie Permit needed for those waters.

A freshwater fishing license is required for anyone 15 or older in Rhode Island. Saltwater fishing uses a separate recreational saltwater license, generally required at 16 and older. The two are not combined.

Anyone 16 or older needs a license to fish public waters in South Carolina. Kids under 16 fish free. Freshwater and saltwater are separate licenses, so pick the one for where you're fishing.

Residents 16 or older need a fishing license in South Dakota, and kids under 16 fish free. South Dakota is landlocked, so this is freshwater only. Nonresident age rules differ, so nonresidents should check before fishing.

Anyone 13 or older needs a fishing license in Tennessee. Kids under 13 fish free anywhere in the state.

You need a fishing license in Texas once you turn 17. Kids under 17 fish free. Texas uses one license where you pick freshwater, saltwater, or all-water.

Anyone 12 or older needs a fishing license in Utah, and kids under 12 fish free. Utah is landlocked, so licenses are freshwater only.

Anyone 16 or older needs a freshwater fishing license to fish inland waters in Virginia. Kids under 16 fish free. Tidal (saltwater) waters use a separate saltwater license.

Anyone 15 or older needs a fishing license in Vermont, and kids under 15 fish free. Vermont is landlocked, so licenses are freshwater only.

Anyone 16 or older needs a fishing license in Washington, and those under 16 fish without one (a catch record card is still needed for salmon, steelhead, sturgeon, halibut, and Puget Sound Dungeness crab). Freshwater and saltwater are sold separately, and a combination license covers both.

Anyone 16 or older needs a fishing license in Wisconsin. Kids 15 and under fish free, as do people born before 1927. Wisconsin fishing is freshwater, with a separate Great Lakes trout and salmon stamp for those waters.

Anyone 15 or older needs a fishing license in West Virginia. Kids under 15 fish free. Fishing for trout also needs an added trout stamp.

A fishing license is required for anyone 14 or older in Wyoming. Nonresidents under 14 can fish without one if with an adult who holds a valid Wyoming license. Wyoming is landlocked, so licenses are freshwater only, and a conservation stamp is also required.