Alaska · Fishing license
Alaska fishing license
Do I need one?
Yes — anyone 18 or older needs one, until you turn 60 as a resident.
A year costs $20 if you live here and $100 if you don't. Just passing through? One day costs $15. Keeping a king salmon needs the matching stamp, and for visitors it doubles the price of every licence length.
What it costs
If you live in Alaska
| license | Price |
|---|---|
| Annual sport fishing (18 and over) | $20 |
| Low income sport fishingFor residents whose household income is at or below the poverty guidelines. | $5 |
| Blind resident sport fishingAffidavit required. | $0.50 |
| Annual king salmon stampNeeded on top of the licence to keep a king salmon. | $10 |
If you're visiting
| license | Price |
|---|---|
| Annual sport fishing | $100 |
| 14 days | $75 |
| Seven days | $45 |
| Three days | $30 |
| One day | $15 |
| King salmon stamp, one dayThe stamp costs the same as the licence itself — a day for a king is 30 dollars, not 15. | $15 |
| King salmon stamp, three days | $30 |
| King salmon stamp, seven days | $45 |
| King salmon stamp, 14 days | $75 |
| Annual king salmon stampDoubles the cost of a year in Alaska if you want kings. | $100 |
The king salmon stamp is the item that decides the bill. For visitors it costs exactly what the matching licence costs — a day licence and a day stamp together are 30 dollars, a year with kings is 200.
How long it lasts
The non-resident annual licence runs for the calendar year in which it is bought. The short ones cover the days they name — and each needs its own king salmon stamp if you want to keep a king.
Who doesn't need one
- Alaska residents under 18
- Alaska residents of 60 and over, who hold the free ADF&G permanent identification card
ADF&G words the age rule this way: ADF&G prices its resident licence as "Alaska residents 18 and older", and residents of 60 and over hold the free permanent identification card instead of buying a licence.
Where to buy it
- Online through the ADF&G store
- At licence vendors across Alaska
- At ADF&G offices
Wondering about the big retailers? A shop like Walmart sells the state's license at the state's price — it sets none of its own.
Days you can fish without one
ADF&G publishes this as a recurring rule rather than a fixed date. Check the exact days on their free fishing page before you plan around it.
Where to use it today
Waters we read every morning in Alaska.
- 6 Biting Kenai River