License Information

New regulations appear in red.

Recreational Fishing and Hunting Licenses and WMA Access and Camping Permits may be purchased online at LouisianaOutdoors.com. The license can be printed using your home printer for immediate use or saved to a mobile friendly device. Methods of payment are Visa, MasterCard, Discover. A convenience fee is assessed. Durable, waterproof paper is no longer available. All licenses will be on 8.5 x 11 paper and will be available in the LA Wallet App (may not be applicable for some permits).

About the License

Licensing

• Some licenses and permits are valid for one year from the day of purchase.
• To obtain licenses at resident rates, proof of residency is required. Valid forms of I.D. include (*NOTE: valid ID must be held for 6 months before buying license):
  • Louisiana driver’s license
  • Louisiana ID card (issued by the Department of Public Safety)
• Recreational Licenses that are purchased at www.wlf.la.gov/page/recreational-fishing-licenses-and-permits via mobile device (smart phone, laptop, tablet, etc.) will not receive a license in the mail. You can choose to receive an email with the license attached that can be saved and/or printed.
• Effective Aug. 1, 2019, a Louisiana Resident who was honorably discharged from the armed forces of the United States or a reserve component of the armed forces of the United States, including the National Guard, for the purposes of purchasing a fishing/hunting license will be considered a bona fide resident of Louisiana once he/she possess a Louisiana driver’s license, or, if not licensed to drive, is in possession of a special identification card issued by the Department of Public Safety and Corrections under the provisions of R.S. 40:1321

Who Needs a License

Anglers 18 years of age or older who engage in an activity that involves fishing or accessing property owned by LDWF for which a license is required.

Who Does Not Need a License

Children under the age of 18 do not need a fishing license (17 and under).

Activities that Require a License

A valid Recreational Fishing License is required to possess fish in Louisiana waters OR to use the following gears in pursuit of fish:

• Bow and arrow
• A barbed or barbless spear
• Frog gig/catcher
• Scuba gear
• Hook and Line
• Cast net with a radius not to exceed 8 feet, 6 inches
• Crabbing, to include state refuges or wildlife management areas (WMAs)
• Crab Traps¹
• Trawl¹
• Oyster tongs (must have a tonging permit to fish oysters by hand)
• Crawfish Traps (limit of 35)

¹ A Basic Fishing License includes crab traps, trawls and/or oyster tongs. If a person wishes to utilize these gear types in the defined saltwater area, one must also possess a Saltwater License.

Fishing in Saltwater

Title 56 requires that all recreational anglers fishing south of the “saltwater line” (see General Information) for saltwater species have in their possession a Louisiana saltwater angler’s license IN ADDITION TO a basic Louisiana fishing license EXCEPT those persons otherwise exempted. All regulations apply regardless of where the fish is taken

NOTE: Persons fishing and/or possessing saltwater fish in these areas are required to have a saltwater fishing license in addition to the basic fishing license. Persons fishing for and/or possessing freshwater fish in saltwater areas are not required to hold a saltwater license.

Recreational Offshore Landing Permit (ROLP)

Recreational anglers who are 18 years of age or older and charter captains are required to obtain this no-fee permit to possess tunas, billfish, swordfish, amberjacks, groupers, hinds, snappers, dolphinfish, wahoo, cobia and gray triggerfish. Anglers wishing to obtain or renew a permit must register or login at www.wlf.la.gov/page/rolp. More details on this program are also available on this site. Anglers going on a charter trip are not required to have a ROLP; instead, it is required that the charter captain have a valid Charter Recreational Offshore Landing Permit in his/her possession.

Recreational Saltwater Bowfishing Permit

A Bowfishing Permit is required for anglers aged 18 years and older taking or attempting to take saltwater recreational fish with bowfishing gear or engaging in bowfishing activity south of the designated saltwater line (www.wlf.louisiana.gov/page/boundaries). Anglers under the age of 18 years and anglers on a charter boat as clients are not required to have a Bowfishing Permit. There is no fee for the permit.

Charter captains, including those fishing from vessels with a valid federal charter/headboat permit, are required to have a valid Charter Bowfishing Permit to take clients on bowfishing trips. A Charter Bowfishing Permit covers all paying anglers on a charter trip. A Charter Bowfishing Permit is also valid for the captain on any private, recreational bowfishing trips he may take. Charter captains should only register for a Charter Bowfishing Permit if they take clients on bowfishing trips. Charter captains who only go on private bowfishing trips (trips on which they are not acting as a captain/guide) should register for a private recreational Bowfishing Permit using their recreational fishing license. No person should have both a private recreational and Charter Bowfishing Permit at the same time.

• Active-duty members of the United States armed forces, including National Guard, are eligible to purchase annual licenses for the same fee that Louisiana residents pay for annual licenses.
• An active-duty military member’s spouse and/or any dependents may obtain any recreational license at the Louisiana resident rate.
• In order to obtain Louisiana resident rate licenses the active-duty member of the military, spouse or dependents must present a valid active duty military ID card at the time of the license purchase.
• A Louisiana resident or native born retired member of the United States armed forces, including Louisiana National Guard, is eligible to purchase a combination license to hunt and fish for $20. (Application for this license can be mailed to the Baton Rouge office or presented to the Baton Rouge office in person).
• A Louisiana resident who is a surviving spouse of a member of the United States armed forces, including Louisiana National Guard, who was killed in action while in a combat zone, is eligible to purchase a recreational fishing license for $4. (Application for this license can be mailed to the Baton Rouge office or presented to the Baton Rouge office in person).

• Louisiana and Texas residents who hold resident licenses from their resident state or who are exempted from holding resident licenses in their state may fish the border waters between Texas and Louisiana without additional licenses. Boundary waters include:
  • Caddo Lake
  • Toledo Bend Reservoir
  • Sabine River
  • Sabine Lake
  • Sabine Pass
• Louisiana residents who are 65 years old or older may fish in Texas public waters (both freshwater and saltwater) as long as they possess valid Louisiana resident licenses and comply with Texas law.
• Louisiana residents born prior to June 1, 1940 will now require a Resident No-Fee Senior Hunt/Fish License to fish border waters. It is a no-fee license for residents only, but is required have in possession when hunting or fishing.
• Louisiana residents who are 17 to 64 years of age must purchase Texas non-resident fishing license(s) when fishing in Texas, except when fishing in border waters.
• Texas residents who are 65 years old or older may fish in Louisiana public waters (both freshwater and saltwater) as long as they possess valid Texas resident license(s) and comply with Louisiana law.

• A person who is a veteran who has a permanent service-connected disability classification of 50% or more can be issued no-fee recreational basic and saltwater fishing license(s).
• Residents who are blind, paraplegic or multiple amputee must purchase a recreational fishing license for $4.
• Residents who are totally and permanently disabled and receiving federal social security disability benefits or disability retirement income from a retirement system whose members are exempt from social security pursuant to the Railroad Retirement Insurance Act or employees of the state or a political subdivision of the state that has not voluntarily agreed to participate in federal social security may qualify for reduced rate basic and saltwater fishing licenses. The fee is $4. (This exemption does not apply to Supplemental Security Income benefits).
• Residents required to use one or more artificial limbs or permanent braces for mobility or a single amputee must purchase a recreational fishing license for $4.
• Mobility impaired persons that are bona fide residents of Louisiana in possession of valid identification, and over 60 years of age, must purchase the applicable license.
• Applications for these licenses can be mailed to the Baton Rouge office or presented to the Baton Rouge office in person.
• Application forms are available at www.wlf.la.gov/page/forms. For more information contact Sports License at 225-765-2887.