Is a fishing license cheaper at Walmart?

No. Licence prices are set in state law, so no retailer can undercut another. What can differ is the agent fee, and some states charge less when you buy direct from their own website.

Can I buy a fishing license at any Walmart?

Only at stores that are registered licence agents for that state, and usually only at the sporting goods counter during its opening hours. Not every store is an agent, and a store in one state cannot sell another state's licence.

Buying a license

How much is a fishing license at Walmart?

Q: How much is a fishing license at Walmart?

Walmart charges whatever the state charges. It acts as a licence agent, so the price is the state price plus any agent or transaction fee the state sets. Among the states covered here, a resident annual runs $10 to $64.54.

Whatever your state charges — Walmart sets no price of its own.

Walmart is a licence agent, not a seller with its own pricing. It hands over the state's licence at the state's price, plus whatever agent or transaction fee that state adds. So the real question is which state you're fishing in. Among the states below, a resident year runs $10 to $64.54.

What you'll actually pay, by state

State	Resident, year	Visitor, year
Alabama ADCNR	$17	$66.25
Alaska ADF&G	$20	$100
Arizona AZGFD	$37	$55
Arkansas AGFC	$10.50	$60
California CDFW	$64.54	$174.14
Colorado CPW	$44.87	$124.01
Connecticut DEEP	$32	$63
Florida FWC	$17	$47
Georgia Georgia DNR	$15	$50
Illinois IDNR	$15	$31.50
Indiana Indiana DNR	$23	$60
Iowa Iowa DNR	$22	$48
Kansas KDWP	$25	$75
Kentucky KDFWR	$24.31	$58.14
Louisiana LDWF	$17	$68
Maryland Maryland DNR	$32	$55
Massachusetts MassWildlife	$40	$50
Michigan DNR	$26	$76
Minnesota DNR	$25	$51
Mississippi MDWFP	$25	$68
Missouri MDC	$14	$57
Montana FWP	$21	$100
Nebraska NGPC	$23	$77.50
Nevada NDOW	$40	$80
New Jersey NJDEP Fish & Wildlife	$22.50	$34
New Mexico NMDOW	$35	$90
New York DEC	$25	$50
North Carolina NCWRC	$32	$56
North Dakota NDGF	$27	$68
Ohio ODNR	$25	$76.96
Oklahoma ODWC	$31	$81
Oregon ODFW	$50	$138
Pennsylvania PFBC	$27.97	$60.97
South Carolina SCDNR	$10	$35
South Dakota SDGFP	$31	$80
Tennessee TWRA	$33	$49
Texas TPWD	$30	$58
Utah DWR	$40	$120
Virginia DWR	$23	$47
West Virginia WVDNR	$19	$37
Wisconsin Wisconsin DNR	$20	$55
Wyoming WGFD	$27	$92

More states as we write them up. Each figure was read from that state's own agency — the date and the source sit on the state's page.

Three things worth knowing before you go

It isn't cheaper there

Licence prices are set in state law, so no shop can undercut another. What differs is the agent fee. Some states charge less when you buy from their own website, and a few add a bigger surcharge for phone orders than for either.

Not every store sells them

Only stores registered as licence agents for that state, and usually only at the sporting goods counter while it is staffed. That counter often closes earlier than the store. Worth a call before a 6 a.m. start.

A store sells its own state's licence

A Walmart in one state cannot sell you the neighbouring state's licence. If you are driving to fish across a state line, buy that state's licence online before you leave.

Buying direct instead

Every state here runs its own sales site, and buying there is usually the same price or less. The licence is emailed or shown in the state's app, which is accepted as proof in each of these states.

These go straight to the state. We sell no licences and earn nothing from these links.