Fishing Lincenes and Fees
Fishing and Hunting Licenses are good for the calendar year. You must purchase new licenses at the beginning of each year. All licensed anglers must carry a valid form of identification while fishing.
Resident Licenses
Conservation Stamp(Class CS) - $5.00
Required for licensed anglers except holders of Class X, X3, XP, XJ, XS, A-L, B-L, and AB-L licenses
Hunting and Trapping (Class A) - $19.00
Fishing (Class B) - $19.00
Sportsman Hunting/Fishing/Trapping (Class X) - $35.00
for ages 18 through 64
NEW Sportsman Hunting/Fishing/Trapping Plus (Class XP) - $45.00
Annual license that also includes the trout stamp
NEW Sportsman Hunting/Fishing/Trapping 3-year (Class X3) - $105.00
A three-year Sportsman license
NEW Sportsman Hunting/Fishing/Trapping Plus 3-year (Class XP3) - $135.00
A three-year Sportsman license that also includes the trout stamp
Five-day Fishing (Class L) - $8.00
Junior Sportsman Hunting/Fishing/Trapping (Class XJ) - $16.00
for ages 15 through 17
Trout Fishing Stamp (Class O) - $10.00
Required of licensed anglers fishing for trout, except holders of Class XS, XP and XP3 licenses
Apprentice Junior Hunting/Trapping/Fishing (Class AHJ) - $16.00
for ages 15-17, includes privileges of Class XJ
Nonresident Licenses
Conservation/Law Enforcement Stamp (Class CS/LE) - $13.00
Required for all licensed anglers
Fishing (Class F) - $37.00
One Day Fishing (Class LL) - $3.00
Junior Sportsman Hunting/Fishing/Trapping (Class XXJ) - $16.00
for ages 8 through 17 (not required for fishing under age 15)
National Forest Hunting/Trapping/Fishing (Class I) - $2.00
Required of licensed anglers except for holders of Class XXJ
Trout Fishing Stamp (Class OO) - $16.00
Required of licensed anglers fishing for trout
Apprentice Junior Hunting/Trapping/Fishing (Class AAHJ) - $16.00
For ages 15-17, includes privileges of Class XXJ
Resident and Nonresident Licenses
Special Hunting and Fishing License for Persons with a Life-threatening Condition (Class DT) - FREE
Issued for ages 20 or less. Requires no additional licenses or stamps.
Resident Lifetime Licenses
Resident lifetime hunting, trapping and fishing licenses serve in lieu of the equivalent annual license; applications are available at DNR offices, license agents and online at WVdnr.gov.
Resident seniors who previously have made a resident purchase through a license agent or at a DNR office may buy a senior lifetime license online at WVdnr.gov. Non-resident, full-time students of any West Virginia college or university are eligible to purchase lifetime licenses.
Combination Hunting, Trapping and Fishing (Class AB-L) - $805
Combination Hunting, Trapping and Fishing - Child (Class AB-L)*:
- Under age 1 - $322.00
- Age 1 to under 5 - $442.75
- Age 5 to under 10 - $603.75
- Age 10 to under 15 - $724.50
Senior Hunting/Trapping/Fishing License (Class XS) - $25
Required for resident hunters and anglers who have reached 65 years of age on or after January 1, 2012 (those born before Jan. 1, 1947), except holders of Class A-L and AB-L licenses, which still require other stamp purchases (for example, bear damage and trout stamps). Class XS license includes bear damage and trout stamps.
Fishing (Class B-L)* - $552.00
NEW - Fishing - Child (Class B-L)*:
- Under age 1 - $220.80
- Age 1 to under 5 - $303.60
- Age 5 to under 10 - $414.00
- Age 10 to under 15 - $496.80
Trout Fishing (Class O-L)** - $230.00
NEW - Trout Fishing - Child (Class O-L)**:
- Under age 1 - $92.00
- Age 1 to under 5 - $126.50
- Age 5 to under 10 - $172.50
- Age 10 to under 15 - $207.00
* The above lifetime license fee schedule for a child under 15 also applies to children who have been legally adopted or legally placed in foster care. Conservation Stamp not required.
** The above lifetime license fee schedule for a child under 15 also applies to children who have been legally adopted or legally placed in foster care. Valid only when accompanied by a Class B, AB-L, B-L, X, or XJ license.
Nonresident Lifetime Licenses
Fishing License (Class F-L) - $1,150
Fishing License - Child (Class F-L)
- Under age 1 - $460
- Age 1 to under 5 - $632.50
- Age 5 to under 10 - $862.50
- Age 10 to under 15 - $1,035
Trout Stamp (Class OO-L)* - $368
Trout Stamp - Child (Class OO-L)*:
- Under age 1 - $147.20
- Age 1 to under 5 - $202.40
- Age 5 to under 10 - $276
- Age 10 to under 15 - $331.20
National Forest Stamp (Class I-L)** - $46
National Forest Stamp - Child (Class I-L)**:
- Under age 1 - $18.40
- Age 1 to under 5 - $25.30
- Age 5 to under 10 - $34.50
- Age 10 to under 15 - $41.40
* Requires Class F or Class F-L license
** Requires Class E-L, Class EE-L or Class F-L license
NOTE: WVDNR also offers a variety of lifetime hunting and trapping licenses for nonresidents. For more information, go to WVdnr.gov.
Definition of Resident
A person who has been a domiciled resident continuously in West Virginia for 30 consecutive days or more immediately prior to the date of application for a license or permit. This includes members of the U.S. armed forces stationed outside the state who were West Virginia residents at the time of entry into the service and any full- time student of a college or university of this state. Non- resident, full-time students of any West Virginia college oruniversity are eligible to purchase lifetime licenses.
Trout Stamp Requirements
Lifetime license holders who turned 65 after December 31, 2011, must purchase a trout stamp or the Senior Lifetime License which includes that privilege.
Individual in the Following Groups do not Need a Trout Stamp:
- residents who turned 65 years of age before January 1, 2012
- resident and nonresident youth under 15 years of age
- residents who are disabled veterans receiving 100% permanent service-connected disability, or those who are former POWs
- residents on active duty in the U. S. armed forces while on military leave. Leave number shall be carried while fishing.
- senior lifetime license (XS) holders
Fishing License NOT Required for
- Residents who are totally blind. A physician’s statement or certificate must be carried while fishing. A trout stamp is not needed to fish for trout.
- Residents who turned 65 years of age before 1/1/12. A WV driver’s license or WV photo ID card issued by the Division of Motor Vehicles shall becarried while fishing.
- Nonresidents or residents under 15 years of age.
- Residents on active duty in the U. S. armed forces while on military leave. Leave number shall be carried while fishing.
- Resident landowners or their resident children, resident parents, or bona fide resident tenants of such land may fish on their own land during open seasons in accordance with the laws and regulations applying to such fishing.
- Residents honorably discharged from the U. S. armed forces receiving total permanent service-connected disability benefits or former prisoners of war as determined by the Veterans Administration or resident disabled veterans who qualify under West Virginia Code 17A-10-8 and are exempted from payment of any motor vehicle registration fee by the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles. Such persons must carry a card issued by the DNR.
- Residents or in-patients of any state mental hospital, health or benevolent institution. Such persons must be under proper supervision and carry a written statement or certificate signed by the superintendent of the institution or facility.
- Developmentally disabled residents. A DDFL card issued by the DNR must be carried while fishing. A trout stamp is not needed to fish for trout.
Definition of Resident
A person who has been a domiciled resident continuously in West Virginia for 30 consecutive days or more immediately prior to the date of application for a license or permit. This includes members of the U.S. armed forces stationed outside the state who were West Virginia residents at the time of entry into the service and any full-time student of a college or university of this state. Non-resident, full-time students of any West Virginia college or university are eligible to purchase lifetime licenses.
Federal Welfare Reform Legislation
The WVDNR has the authority under Federal Welfare Reform Legislation (Title 42 of the U.S. Code Section 666 (a) (13) to collect the Social Security Number from an applicant for a recreational license such as a fishing and hunting license. This facilitates collection of child support payments. States failing to collect a SSN could face loss of federal welfare funds. The DNR takes every precaution including encryption and masking to protect your SSN.
Violations
Point System for Fishing Violations:
Persons making false application for a license will have their license privileges suspended for one year.
Points assigned for other fishing violations:
10 points for use of explosives or poison material in taking fish
6 points for taking fish by illegal method, exceeding daily creel limit, and using bait in a restricted area
4 points for all other violations
When a violator accumulates 10 or more fishing or hunting points combined, his/her license(s) will be revoked for a period of two years.
Points will be removed on their second anniversary or upon restoration of the license(s). License revocations may be made for cause, pursuant to statutory authority, or through an accumulation of points. Not all instances leading to revocation are listed herein. For more information, please see the W.Va. Code and the State Code of State Rules.
Reporting Boating, Fishing And Hunting Law Violations:
In progress: dial 911
Not in progress: call your DNR District Law Enforcement Office during normal operating hours or report online at WVdnr.gov/law-enforcement/report-a-natural-resourcescrime/.
You may also report on Facebook.com/DNRpolice.
- Observe and write down all of the information concerning the violation.
- Don’t confront violator.
- Contact a local Natural Resources Police Officer or county communication center as soon as possible.
Become involved in protecting your sport. Be willing to testify in court.
Stream Pollution or Fish Kills
Call 1-800-642-3074.
Purchasing a License
Licenses may be obtained as follows:
- At more than 160 retail agent locations throughout the state and designated county clerks offices. ($3 issuing fee for first purchase and $1 for
subsequent purchases.) - wvfish.com (Official DNR Web site – $2 fee per transaction.)
- Directly from the Hunting and Fishing License Unit by phoning (304) 558-2758. ($2 fee per transaction.)
For additional information please contact:
Hunting and Fishing License Unit
West Virginia Division of Natural Resources
324 4th Avenue • South Charleston, West Virginia 25303 • (304) 558-2758 • [email protected]
Reciprocal Fishing
Ohio River
Anglers with a valid Ohio resident or West Virginia resident fishing license may fish on the Ohio River, its embayments or from either bank. The embayment and tributary reciprocal boundaries for each state are available at wvdnr.gov/wpcontent/uploads/2021/10/2021.10.21-Ohio-River-Reciprocal-Agreement-Chart.pdf. Ohio and West Virginia anglers may travel and fish embayments and tributaries to the landmark locations listed in this document. These locations are also defined by distance from the mouth of the tributary and GPS coordinates for convenience.
Current West Virginia fishing laws shall apply while fishing on the Ohio River proper or from West Virginia banks or in West Virginia embayments. The tributaries of the Ohio River above embayments, in both states, are not included as part of this agreement.
Ohio fishing laws and Ohio River fishing regulations for the Eastern Unit, which cover the West Virginia/Ohio border, must be followed while fishing from Ohio banks or on embayments or tributaries that are within the boundaries of Ohio.
Potomac River
West Virginia residents who possess valid West Virginia fishing licenses may fish by angling in the waters of the Potomac River, including the North Branch and Jennings
Randolph Lake which are opposite both the West Virginia and the Maryland shores, and they may fish from the Maryland shore, without obtaining a Maryland fishing license,
subject, however, to all other Maryland laws, rules and regulations applicable to fishing.
Maryland residents who possess valid Maryland fishing licenses may fish by angling in the waters of Jennings Randolph Lake which are opposite both the Maryland and West Virginia shores, and they may fish from the West Virginia shore of the Potomac River, including the North Branch and Jennings Randolph Lake, without obtaining a West Virginia fishing license, subject, however, to all other West Virginia fishing laws, rules and regulations applicable to fishing. This agreement is limited to the Potomac River, including the North Branch and Jennings Randolph Lake and does not extend to any of their tributaries.
The State of West Virginia and the State of Maryland have joint law enforcement jurisdiction on Jennings Randolph Lake.
Big Sandy and Tug Fork Rivers
West Virginia or Kentucky residents with a valid resident fishing license may fish the entire main stem of the Big Sandy and Tug Fork rivers from the confluence of the Ohio and Big
Sandy rivers upstream to the Virginia state line. West Virginia or Kentucky residents with a valid fishing license from their respective state of residence can fish from a boat or from
either bank of the sections previously defined.
If fishing from a watercraft, fishing license holders shall abide by the laws, rules and regulations of the state in which he or she is licensed. If fishing from the bank, fishing license holders shall abide by the laws, rules and regulations of the state in which he or she is fishing.
