Licenses & Fees
HUNTING LICENSE INFORMATION
- All residents and non-residents will need an applicable base hunting • Every person holding a hunting license shall have it, including all
license, unless noted as exempt in the table below. - Additional licenses, permits and stamps required to hunt or trap particular species are listed in sections covering those species in this digest.
- Annual hunting licenses and state stamps go on sale 1 March and are valid through 31 March of the following year.
- For online license sales, please visit www.exploremoreil.com
- Every person holding a hunting license shall have it, including all appropriate stamps, in his/her possession for immediate presentation for inspection to any authorized law enforcement officer while hunting.
- For Residency restrictions see definition.
- For license necessity see (520 ILCS 5/3.1) (from Ch. 61, par. 3.1) in Wildlife Code.
Base Hunting Licenses (does not include vendor or transaction fees) | ||||
License Type | Fee | Online | Vendors | Specifications |
Resident | $12.00 | X | X | |
Resident Senior | $6.00 | X | X | Only available to hunters age 65 to 74 (inclusive). |
Resident Super Senior | $1.00 | X | X | Only available to hunters age 75 or older. |
Illinois Veteran | $6.00 | X | X | Illinois veterans who served overseas or were mobilized by the President ofthe United States and have a form DD214 can submit their form to IDNR’sSpringfield office at [email protected] and ask to be certified asqualifying for half priced licenses. Please redact your SSN before emailingyour DD214. |
Apprentice | $7.00 | X | X | Apprentice hunters must be supervised by a validly licensed Illinois residentor non-resident hunter who is 21 years of age or older. A hunter safetycourse is not required to purchase this license. |
Youth Hunt/Trap | $7.00 | X | X | Any hunter/trapper under 18 years of age may purchase this license.Hunters/ trappers with this license must be supervised by an adult who is 21years of age or older and has the appropriate Illinois hunting or trappinglicense. The youth hunter shall not hunt or trap or carry a hunting device,unless the youth is accompanied by and under close personalsupervision of that adult. |
Resident Lifetime | $360.00 | X | X | |
| Resident Sportsman | $25.50 | X | X | |
| Illinois Veteran Sportsman | $12.75 | X | X | See specification on veteran license above. |
Resident Senior Sportsman Combination Hunt/Fish | $12.75 | X | X | Only available to hunters age 65 to 74 (inclusive). |
Resident Super Senior Sportsman Combination Hunt/Fish | $2.00 | X | X | Only available to hunters age 75+ |
Resident Lifetime Sportsman Combination Hunt/Fish | $765.00 | X | X | |
| Non-resident | $57.00 | X | X | |
| Non-resident (5 day) | $35.00 | X | X | |
| Disabled | See specifications | Illinois residents with a disability may hunt without a license if they have an Illinois Driver’s License or Illinois Disability Identification Card indicatingthat they have a Type 1 or Type 4, Class 2 disability. Veterans with a disability (both resident and nonresident) may hunt without a license if theypossess an Affidavit of Disability Card (resident) from the IL Department of Veteran’s Affairs or documentation (non-resident) that they are at least 10% disabled with service-related disabilities. Certain stamps are still required. | ||
| See specifications | A person on active duty in the Armed Forces, who entered the service fromIllinois and is an Illinois resident, may, while on ordinary or emergency leave,hunt without a license. Illinois resident military, guard or reserve memberswho served overseas within the last 2 years may be eligible for the IllinoisResident Armed Forces Special Pass, which waives fees for fishing, huntingand camping. See details at dnr.illinois.gov or call (217) 782-2965. | |||
Resident License/Stamps Guidelines (X = Applicable) | ||||||||||
License/Stamp | Under 16 | 16-17 | 18-64 | 65-74 | 75+ | Disabled | Disabled Veteran | Former POW | Active Duty - Armed Forces* | Landowner |
Resident | X | X | X | See footnote | ||||||
Senior | X | See footnote | ||||||||
Super Senior | X | |||||||||
Apprentice | X | X | X | X | X | X | ||||
Sportsman Combo | X | X | X | |||||||
Senior Sportsman Combo | X | X | ||||||||
Super Senior Sportsman Combo | X | |||||||||
Lifetime | X | X | X | X | X | |||||
Youth Hunting & Trapping | X | X | ||||||||
Trapping | X | X | X | X | X | |||||
Federal Migratory Waterfowl Stamp | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | |
State Migratory Waterfowl Stamp | X | X | X | See footnote | ||||||
State Habitat Stamp | X | X | X | X | X | X | ||||
HIP Certification | X | X | X | X | X | See footnote | ||||
*A person on active duty who entered the service from Illinois and is an Illinois resident, may, while on ordinary or emergency leave, hunt without alicense. Illinois resident military, guard or reserve members who served overseas within the last 2 years may be eligible for the Illinois Resident ArmedForces Special Pass, which waives fees for fishing, hunting and camping. See details at dnr.illinois.gov or call (217) 782-2965.
