How Old Do You Have To Be To Have a Fishing License?
You must have known about driving license, but did you know there is a fishing license as well? If you want to fish for food, recreation, or for commercial purposes, you need to have an official permit for it from the state where you want to perform the activity.
A fishing license allows governments to reimburse the damages that happen to nature. In the USA, the amount of account from fishing license sales goes straight toward protection efforts. You can also call it a tax you pay for the right to fish in a given state or a country.
Well, you should consider that fishing license requirements significantly differ from state to state, including the lowest age, since this is the subject matter of this post, overview of the state-by-state age rations below.
How Old Do You Have To Be To Have a Fishing License?
In most states, teenagers do not need an angling permit until they reach 16 or 17 years of age. But by then, they must have either a drivers license or learners permit for sure.
The first reason for showing identity when acquiring a fishing license is to prove citizenship so that you can pay the lesser resident rate. There are probably other ways to establish residency if you do not have a driver’s license. Ideally, using your in-state address is usually enough.
Correspondingly, the majority of states now have an alternative for the traditional process of getting a fishing license, now the service of online fishing license purchases is also available for the ease of the people.
There is no need to show ID for online purchases. As long as you have an in-state address, you are good to go. You may have to check a box affirming that everything on the application is right, but that is it.
| State | Required Age |
| Alabama
Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware Florida Georgia Hawaii
Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming | 16
18 10 16 16 16 16 16 16 16 No requirements for non-commercial fishing 14 16 18 16 16 12 16 16 16 15 17 16 16 16 12 16 12 16 12 16 16 16 16 16 16 12 16 16 16 16 13 17 12 15 16 15 15 16 14 |
You must have noticed that the minimum required age required for obtaining a fishing license varies from state to state. The least age requirements for residents go from 10 in Arizona to a maximum of 18 in Alaska. In Hawaii, you are not in debt to have a fishing license if you are doing fishing for recreation.
The minimum age is not the only thing that you will need to consider while going for an angling license. There are many other demands that each state may enforce on anglers irrespective of age. The licensing requirements differ that writing all of them here would take too many words yet a lot of your time as well.
If you want to gain some extra knowledge about the rules, regulations, and more requirements about the fishing, you must go and check out the local licensing website where all the detailed information provided to the readers. Moreover, below, we will give the synopsis of the critical things that require your attention.
Keys to Keep in Mind With Fishing License Age Requirements
There are a few more significant points that may bring variations in the minimum age requirements for an angling license in your state. Not only that, but there are more or fewer restrictions, or you can say some perks as well, which are obligatory on young or older adults.
Resident Vs. Non-Resident Licenses
At the outset, the age restrictions may vary for citizens and non-residents. Usually, non-residents are required to acquire an angling license at a younger age, though in some states, there are no such differences between the license requirements.
Well, a non-resident license is more expensive than the resident ones. And if you are the resident of a given state, then all the rights of a resident will apply to you as well.
Maximum Age Of License Requirement
On the side from minimum age restrictions, there can also be maximum age rule. In a small number of states, persons who are aged older than 65 years are not mandatory to own a fishing license.
In Minnesota, people who are not minor and fall between the range of 16-89 are obligatory to have a fishing license. In some of the states, there are no upper limits on age as well, and for that reason, we recommend you to check all the local requirements that apply to you.
Exceptions To License Owning
All states have some kind of immunities for fishing license possessing that apply irrespective of your age. Among those who have excused from permits could be:
- Residents born before a specific date. For case in point, in a few states, for the individuals who are born before April 1, 1943, a fishing license is not required. Still, they may be required to carry their driver’s licenses or other forms of identification.
- Residents who are lawfully declared blind by the state, exempted!
- Residents who have are physically disabled and are declared by the government.
- Residents who are serving in the military or indirectly engaged in military services are also exempted.
- Residents who are going through specific treatments in a state-owned rehabilitation facility are also exempted!
- The family whose income is lower than the poverty line set by the government is also exempted.
The exemptions are not definite to the list we made above. More or less, every state has fewer exceptions in effect, and some have more.
Private Property & State Parks
- It is not obligatory to have a fishing permit on your property.
- There is no restriction on performing fishing activities in state-owned parks. But it is for a few states.
Free Fishing Day
A few states in America also have “free fishing” days, and these days, people can freely do their fishing activities; they will not be accountable for having fishing licenses. Amongst other things, free fishing days are deliberate to promote fishing and teach anglers on fishing ethics and practices.
Restrictions For Underage Individuals
Though juvenile people are not compulsory to have a fishing license, there may be some that are imposed on them, which includes:
- Restrictions on fish species that may be caught.
- Restrictions on fishing techniques that may be used are imposed.
- Restrictions on areas where an individual may fish are restricted to be used. For instance, angling for juveniles may be limited to lakes and ponds for safety purposes.
- They need to undergo training or certification before fishing.
- They need supervision from adults.
Another time, please check local codes of conduct to see whether or not there are any restrictions or particular demands that apply to underage fishers.
How To Get Fishing Licence
The process of getting an angling license is straightforward and fast. Each state has its application process.
There are two ways of getting a fishing license in any of the states.
Obtaining A License Online
The most suitable option is ordering a fishing license “online.” You can find instructions for your present state of residence through the website of the United States’ Fish and Wildlife Service.
You Just have to click on your country on the United States’ map, and you will be pass on to the page where you may buy an online license.
Department Offices/Through Mail
In some occurrences, you may not be able to acquire a license through online sources. Still, it usually happens for lifetime fishing licenses. Some Fish & Wildlife departments may need you to buy a lifetime license at the department’s main office.
As for postal, it is not the most suitable option, but it is a possibility even so. You will be required to follow the directions provided by your state.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I Use A State’s Fishing License In Another State?
Well, not really! An angling license bought in one state will be valid in that state only. If you are a citizen of California but you are aiming to fish somewhere else, you will be required to obtain a non-resident fishing license in the state as well where you want to go fishing. The bifurcation resident and non-resident permits are there for a cause.
Final Words
There are a lot of critical points you need to know about fishing. Your state’s demands may apply to fish species, fishing techniques, fishing tools, and many other areas associated with angling as well.
You should be very alert to read all the requirements and limitations imposed by your state’s wildlife department.
