There is no national US fishing license — every state sets its own. We compiled the current resident and non-resident annual price for all 50 states directly from their fish and wildlife agencies. The average resident annual license costs $27.58 (median $26.50), ranging from $5.00 in Hawaii to $64.54 in California.
✅ Prices verified September 2026 from state agencies · Resident annual, freshwater where a state splits fresh/salt.
$26.50
Median resident license
across 50 states
$27.58
Average resident license
annual, 2026
$5.00
Cheapest
Hawaii
$64.54
Most expensive
California
Non-resident annual licenses cost far more — averaging about $69.62 and reaching $174.14 at the top end, typically two to five times the resident price in the same state.
Free to reference with attribution. Suggested citation:
“US Fishing License Cost by State (2026),” MyFishingBuds. https://myfishingbuds.com/learn/licenses/cost-by-state
Cheapest to most expensive resident annual license. Tap a state for full license types, exemptions & the official buy link.
| # | State | Resident / yr | Non-resident / yr |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hawaii | $5.00 | $25.00 |
| 2 | Delaware | $8.50 | $20.00 |
| 3 | South Carolina | $10.00 | $35.00 |
| 4 | Arkansas | $10.50 | $60.00 |
| 5 | Mississippi | $13.49 | $73.49 |
| 6 | Missouri | $14.00 | $57.00 |
| 7 | Georgia | $15.00 | $50.00 |
| 8 | Illinois | $15.00 | $31.50 |
| 9 | Alabama | $17.00 | $66.25 |
| 10 | Florida | $17.00 | $47.00 |
| 11 | Louisiana | $17.00 | $68.00 |
| 12 | West Virginia | $19.00 | $50.00 |
| 13 | Alaska | $20.00 | $100.00 |
| 14 | Wisconsin | $20.00 | $55.00 |
| 15 | Iowa | $22.00 | $48.00 |
| 16 | New Jersey | $22.50 | $34.00 |
| 17 | Indiana | $23.00 | $60.00 |
| 18 | Virginia | $23.00 | $47.00 |
| 19 | Rhode Island | $24.00 | $41.00 |
| 20 | Kentucky | $24.31 | $58.14 |
| 21 | New Mexico | $25.00 | $56.00 |
| 22 | New York | $25.00 | $50.00 |
| 23 | Ohio | $25.00 | $76.96 |
| 24 | Michigan | $26.00 | $76.00 |
| 25 | Minnesota | $26.00 | $52.00 |
| 26 | Wyoming | $27.00 | $102.00 |
| 27 | Kansas | $27.50 | $77.50 |
| 28 | Pennsylvania | $27.97 | $60.97 |
| 29 | Connecticut | $28.00 | $55.00 |
| 30 | Vermont | $28.00 | $54.00 |
| 31 | North Dakota | $29.00 | $73.00 |
| 32 | Maine | $30.00 | $83.00 |
| 33 | North Carolina | $30.00 | $54.00 |
| 34 | Texas | $30.00 | $58.00 |
| 35 | Oklahoma | $31.00 | $81.00 |
| 36 | South Dakota | $31.00 | $80.00 |
| 37 | Maryland | $32.00 | $55.00 |
| 38 | Idaho | $33.50 | $103.75 |
| 39 | Montana | $33.50 | $117.50 |
| 40 | Arizona | $37.00 | $55.00 |
| 41 | Nebraska | $38.00 | $84.00 |
| 42 | Washington | $39.95 | $115.85 |
| 43 | Nevada | $40.00 | $80.00 |
| 44 | Utah | $40.00 | $120.00 |
| 45 | Colorado | $44.87 | $124.01 |
| 46 | Massachusetts | $45.00 | $55.00 |
| 47 | New Hampshire | $45.00 | $63.00 |
| 48 | Tennessee | $49.00 | $80.00 |
| 49 | Oregon | $50.00 | $138.00 |
| 50 | California | $64.54 | $174.14 |
The average resident annual fishing license in the US costs about $27.58, with a median of $26.50 across 50 states. Non-resident annual licenses average roughly $69.62 and can run up to $174.14. Figures are 2026 prices pulled from each state's fish and wildlife agency.
Hawaii has the cheapest resident annual fishing license at $5.00, followed by Delaware ($8.50) and South Carolina ($10.00).
California has the most expensive resident annual fishing license at $64.54, followed by Oregon ($50.00). Non-resident licenses are higher everywhere — typically two to five times the resident price.
Each state sets and funds its own fishing program through a fish and wildlife agency, so prices reflect local funding models, license structures (some bundle freshwater and saltwater, others charge separate stamps), and resident vs. non-resident policy. That is why there is no single national fishing license and no single national price.
Prices were last verified in September 2026, sourced directly from each state's fish and wildlife agency. Each state also has its own page with the full license breakdown, exemptions, and the official purchase link.
Pick your state for current prices, license types, exemptions, and the official purchase link — then use MyFishingBuds to match with anglers near you and plan a trip.