Fishing Licenses & Permits
2024 FISHING LICENSES
Annual licenses are valid from December 1, 2023, through December 31, 2024. WHILE FISHING, your license must be, either in digital or print form, upon your person and provided upon the request of an officer.
Code | Type of Fishing License or Permit | Age | Cost* |
101 | Resident (Annual) | 16-64 | $27.97 |
104 | Senior Resident (Annual) | 65 & up | $14.47 |
105 | Senior Resident (Lifetime) | 65 & up | $86.97 |
108 | 1-Day Resident (not valid March 15–April 30) | 16 & up | $14.47 |
119 | Disabled Veterans Reduced Resident License ** | 16 & up | $2.97 |
122 | Disabled Veterans Resident Annual License ** | 16-64 | $0.00 |
125 | POW Resident Annual License ** | 16-64 | $2.97 |
102 | Non-Resident (Annual) | 16 & up | $60.97 |
113 | Non-Resident PA Student (Annual) | 16 & up | $27.97 |
106 | 1-Day Tourist ***(not valid March 15–April 30) | 16 & up | $31.97 |
103 | 3-Day Tourist | 16 & up | $31.97 |
107 | 7-Day Tourist | 16 & up | $39.47 |
110 | Voluntary Youth Fishing License (Annual) | Less than 16 | $2.97 |
109 | Mentored Youth Permit | Less than 16 | $0.00 |
150 | Trout Permit | 16 & up | $14.97 |
033 | 3-Year Senior Lifetime Trout Permit | 65 & up | $40.97 |
053 | 5-Year Senior Lifetime Trout Permit | 65 & up | $66.97 |
063 | 10-Year Senior Lifetime Trout Permit | 65 & up | $131.97 |
151 | Lake Erie Permit | 16 & up | $9.97 |
151SLE | Senior Lifetime Lake Erie Permit | 65 & up | $9.97 |
| 152 | Combination Trout Lake EriePermit | 16 & up | $20.97 |
* Includes issuing agent fee of $1.00 and $0.97 transaction fee. Excludes licenses or permits issued at $0.00. ** Can only be issued if initial license was purchased at a County Treasurer or PFBC offices. *** Includes Trout and Lake Erie permits, not valid March 15–April 30. | |||
2024 MULTI-YEAR FISHING LICENSES
WHILE FISHING, your license must be, either in digital or print form, upon your person and provided upon the request of an officer.
Code | Type of Fishing License or Permit | Age | Cost* |
150 | 1-Year Trout Permit | 16 & up | $14.97 |
151 | 1-Year Lake Erie Permit | 16 & up | $9.97 |
152 | 1-Year Combo Trout Lake Erie Permit | 16 & up | $20.97 |
030 | 3-Year Resident | 16-64 | $79.97 |
031 | 3-Year Non-Resident | 16 & up | $178.97 |
032 | 3-Year Senior Resident | 65 & up | $39.47 |
033 | 3-Year Trout Permit | 16 & up | $40.97 |
034 | 3-Year Lake Erie Permit | 16 & up | $25.97 |
035 | 3-Year Combo Trout Lake Erie Permit | 16 & up | $58.97 |
050 | 5-Year Resident | 16-64 | $131.97 |
051 | 5-Year Non-Resident | 16 & up | $296.97 |
052 | 5-Year Senior Resident | 65 & up | $64.47 |
053 | 5-Year Trout Permit | 16 & up | $66.97 |
054 | 5-Year Lake Erie Permit | 16 & up | $41.97 |
055 | 5-Year Combo Trout Lake Erie Permit | 16 & up | $96.97 |
060 | 10-Year Resident | 16 & up | $261.97 |
061 | 10-Year Non-Resident | 16 & up | $591.97 |
063 | 10-Year Trout Permit | 16 & up | $131.97 |
064 | 10-Year Lake Erie Permit | 16 & up | $81.97 |
065 | 10-Year Combo Trout Lake Erie Permit | 16 & up | $191.97 |
* Includes issuing agent fee of $1.00 and $0.97 transaction fee. | |||
2024 VOLUNTARYPERMITS
Voluntary Permits are designed to help maintain funding levels for several key fishing-related programs. Revenues generated from the sale of these permits will be reinvested into their respective program.
Code | Type of Fishing License or Permit | Age | Cost* |
073 | Voluntary Bass Permit | Any | $11.97 |
077 | 3-Year Voluntary Bass Permit | Any | $31.97 |
081 | 5-Year Voluntary Bass Permit | Any | $51.97 |
085 | 10-Year Voluntary Bass Permit | Any | $101.97 |
071 | Voluntary Musky Permit | Any | $11.97 |
075 | 3-Year Voluntary Musky Permit | Any | $31.97 |
079 | 5-Year Voluntary Musky Permit | Any | $51.97 |
083 | 10-Year Voluntary Musky Permit | Any | $101.97 |
070 | Voluntary Habitat/Waterways Conservation Permit | Any | $11.97 |
074 | 3-Year Voluntary Habitat/Waterways Conservation Permit | Any | $31.97 |
078 | 5-Year Voluntary Habitat/Waterways Conservation Permit | Any | $51.97 |
082 | 10-Year Voluntary Habitat/Waterways Conservation Permit | Any | $101.97 |
072 | Voluntary Wild Trout & Enhanced Waters Permit | Any | $26.97 |
076 | 3-Year Voluntary Wild Trout & Enhanced Waters Permit | Any | $76.97 |
080 | 5-Year Voluntary Wild Trout & Enhanced Waters Permit | Any | $126.97 |
084 | 10-Year Voluntary Wild Trout & Enhanced Waters Permit | Any | $251.97 |
* Includes issuing agent fee of $1.00 and $0.97 transaction fee. | |||
FISHING LICENSES
Fishing licenses are sold by license issuing agents through an electronic point-of-sale (P.O.S.) system. This system brings increased efficiency, more options and easier upgrades for anglers. Fishing licenses are sold online.
A current license, on their person, is required of persons age 16 and over to fish or angle for any species of fish and to take fishbait, baitfish andspecies of amphibians and reptiles from Commonwealth waters by those legal methods described in this booklet.
FISHING is defined as the act of angling, or to catch, take, kill or remove, or the attempt to catch, take, kill or remove, from any waters or other areaswithin or bordering this Commonwealth any fish by any means or method for any purpose whatsoever. CASTING and/or RETRIEVING, whether byrod, reel and line, or by handline, for oneself or for others, requires a current license, unless specifically exempted by law. See “Assistance to Children” for specifics on when a license is required when assisting a child (15 years of age and under).
OBTAIN YOUR LICENSE:
- at more than 700 license-issuing agents
- at county treasurers
- at PFBC offices
- at HuntFish.PA.gov
Lost fishing licenses or replacements – A lost fishing license can be replaced at any issuing agent at cost or reprinted online for free. All replacement licenses include permits or privileges previously purchased by the customer. The total cost for a replacement license and previously purchased permits or privileges that were printed on the base license is $6.97.
You qualify for a RESIDENT fishing license if you are a bona fide resident of Pennsylvania. When purchasing a resident fishing license, you must show positive proof of permanent residency by presenting one of the following documents:
valid Pennsylvania driver’s license
valid non-driver photo identification card
- previous year’s Pennsylvania state income tax return showing proof of payment of personal income tax as a resident of Pennsylvania
- previous year’s local earned income tax return showing tax paid to a Pennsylvania municipality
- a current Pennsylvania voter registration card All issued resident fishing licenses will remain valid for the year or years for which issued,regardless of whether the license holder is no
longer a bona fide Pennsylvania resident.
National Guard and Armed Forces Reserve licenses are available only at the PFBC and county treasurers to those persons who provide documentation that within the previous 24 months the person was deployed overseas as a member of the reserve component of the armed forces for a period of 60consecutive days or more or was released early from service because of an injury or disease incurred in the line of duty.
POW licenses are available to persons who provide military documentation stating the person is a former Prisoner Of War. Initial licenses are availableonly at the PFBC and county treasurers. After providing verification of eligibility, annual licenses may then be obtained at any issuing agent or online.
Senior resident and senior lifetime licenses are available to those persons at anytime during the year in which they will become age 65.
- Persons who possess a SENIOR RESIDENT LIFETIME license dated before January 1, 1991 are not required to purchase a trout permit. However,a Senior Resident Lifetime license holder who purchased a trout permit or a Combination trout/ Lake Erie permit before January 1, 2015, remains exempt fromthe requirement to purchase a trout permit annually.
Disabled Veterans Licenses – Any disabled veteran who has a disability incurred in any war or armed conflict that consists of the loss of one or more limbs or the loss of use of one or more limbs, or total blindness, or who is 100 percent disabled as certified by the United States Veterans Administration andi s a resident of this Commonwealth may obtain a free resident fishing license upon application to the Commission or county treasurers. After providingverification of eligibility, annual licenses may then be obtained at any issuing agent or online.
Disabled Veterans Reduced Licenses – Any disabled veteran who has a disability incurred in any war or armed conflict who is between 60 and 99 percentdisabled as certified by the United States Veterans Administration and is a resident of this Commonwealth may initially obtain a reduced fee resident fishinglicense upon application to the PFBC or county treasurers. After providing verification of eligibility, annual licenses may then be obtained at any issuingagent or online.
Military personnel are required to purchase a fishing license. Those who are stationed in Pennsylvania under permanent change of station (PCS)orders for a duration of 6 months or more, who produce documentation proving the same, qualify for a resident fishing license. All others must obtain a touristor non-resident license.
Certain active duty military personnel are exempt from Pennsylvania’s fishing license requirement. To be eligible for the military waiver, an angler must be abona fide Pennsylvania resident, be on active duty, be stationed outside Pennsylvania and be here on authorized leave. While in the act of fishing, the military personnel must carry proof of each of these requirements, such as a Penn-sylvania driver’s license, a military ID, and valid military orders showing the place of assignment and leave status.
Under the law, a qualifying soldier, sailor, airman or Marine does not receive a free Pennsylvania fishing license. Instead, eligible active duty military personnel can legally fish without a license under the limited circumstances outlined in the law. They must have on their person while fishing evidence of Commonwealth residency, proof of their assignment to a facility outside this Commonwealth and a copy of their orders assigning them to temporary leave.
The law does not exempt military personnel on leave from any other requirements of fishing or boating laws and regulations.
Students from out of state who are attending school in Pennsylvania but who have not become residents of Pennsylvania are not eligible to purchase a resident license and must obtain a tourist or Non-Resident PA Student fishing license.
Social Security Number requirements – Since 1998, federal and state laws require purchasers of a Pennsylvania fishing license to provide their Social Security Number when applying to purchase a fishing license.
Vouchers - A voucher may be purchased as a gift for another individual that can be redeemed for a license and/or permit. A voucher may be redeemed at any issuing agent. The voucher is nonrefundable and expires as noted. A voucher is not a fishing license and individuals using a voucher to fish are in violation of the Fish and Boat Code and may be subject to legal action. Individuals wishing to purchase vouchers for Christmas presents need to wait until December 1 of that year before purchasing a voucher.
1-Day Tourist and 1-Day Resident licenses – 1-Day Tourist and 1-Day Resident licenses are not valid for fishing during the period from March 15 to April 30 of any year. 1-Day Tourist or 1-Day Resident licenses issued to be used on March 14 will expire at 11:59 p.m. on March 14, regardless of what time the license begins.
POSSESSION AND DISPLAY OF LICENSES
The license shall be kept about the person while fishing and shown upon the request of any waterways or other officer designated by the Commission. In addition to showing the license to the officer, the holder thereof shall, upon demand, establish further identification to the satisfaction of the officer by producing some other positive means of identification.
TROUT PERMIT
A current Pennsylvania trout permit is required to fish for trout in Pennsylvania waters. Permits are printed on the license. An angler “fishes for trout” when the angler:
- Takes, kills or possesses, while in the act of fishing, a trout from any Pennsylvania or boundary waters.
- Fishes in waters under special trout regulations.
- Fishes in any Class A Wild Trout Waters or Wilderness Trout Streams or their tributaries.
- Fishes in streams and rivers designated as stocked troutwaters on February 19 through May 31.
PERMIT EXEMPTIONS: The following persons are NOT required to possess a trout permit or Lake Erie permit:
- Persons under 16 years of age.
- Disabled persons and other individuals who are exempt from fishing license requirements, or who are authorized to fish using an institutional license.
- Persons who possess a 1-Day Tourist license.
LAKE ERIE PERMIT
All anglers fishing in the waters of Lake Erie, Presque Isle Bay and their tributaries including waters that flow into those tributaries are required to possess a valid Lake Erie permit or Combination trout/Lake Erie permit.
COMBINATION TROUT LAKE ERIE PERMIT
In many cases, an angler may need both a trout permit and a Lake Erie permit to fish in waters in the Erie area. Rather than purchasing these individually, a combination Trout Lake Erie permit may be purchased.
CHARTER BOAT/ FISHING GUIDE PERMITS
Charter boat operators and fishing guides are required to obtain a permit when conducting business on the waters of the Commonwealth including the boundary waters. The annual fee for the permit is $101.97 for residents and $401.97 for non-residents. Pricing includes issuing agent fee of $1.00and $0.97 transaction fee.
For additional information about Charter Boat/ Fishing Guide permits, contact the Bureau of Law Enforcement at 717-705-7861.
ANGLERS:
To find a charter boat operator or fishing guide for a fish species or location you wish to fish, go to the Commission’s website.
MULTI-YEAR FISHING LICENSES
A 3-year fishing license is valid through 2026, a 5-year fishing license is valid through 2028, and a 10-year fishing license is valid through 2033. Customers who buy multi-year licenses save money by not having to pay agent/transaction fees each year. Anglers can also purchase multi-year trout, Lake Erie, and combo permits and experience similar savings or purchase single year trout, Lake Erie, and combo permits.
VOLUNTARY PERMITS
Voluntary Permits are designed to help maintain funding levels for several key fishing-related programs. Revenues generated from the sale of these permits will be reinvested into the Habitat/Waterways Conservation, Musky, Wild Trout & Enhanced Waters or Bass programs. The Wild Trout & Enhanced WatersPermit does not meet the requirement to fish for trout in Pennsylvania waters.
VOLUNTARY YOUTH FISHING LICENSE
To participate in a Mentored Youth Fishing Day, anglers 16 years of age or older (adult anglers) must possess a valid Pennsylvania fishing license and be accompanied by a youth (less than 16 years of age) who has obtained a Mentored Youth Permit OR a Voluntary Youth Fishing License. In addition to a valid fishing license, the adult angler (mentor) must posses a valid trout permit when the Mentored Youth Fishing Day relates to trout. While mentors will be permitted to fish for trout, they are not permitted to harvest trout and must release them unharmed. Youth may harvest up to two trout (combined species) with a minimum size of 7 inches. All other Commonwealth Inland Water Regulations apply.
- The Mentored Youth Permit is free, and the Voluntary Youth Fishing License is $2.97 ($1.00 cost plus $1.97 in agent/transaction fee).
- While both the permit and the Voluntary Youth Fishing License provide the opportunity for youth to fish on Mentored Youth Fishing Days, theVoluntary Youth Fishing License provides an extended return for both Pennsylvania’s youth and the Commission. For each license purchased for$2.97, the Commission receives $5 back in funding as a federal reimbursement. The same applies for each Voluntary Youth Fishing License Voucher, once it is redeemed. The Commission receives no federal reimbursement for Mentored Youth Permits.
- The funds received from the sales of the license reimbursement are then dedicated toward investment in youth outreach and education programs.
- While both the permit and the license provide the opportunity to participate in Mentored Youth Fishing Days, the Commission encourages anglers to purchase either a Voluntary Youth Fishing License or a Voluntary Youth Fishing License Voucher—for the future of fishing!
