Georgia · Fishing license
Georgia fishing license
Do I need one?
Yes — anyone 16 or older needs one.
A year costs $15 if you live here and $50 if you don't. Just passing through? Fishing licence, one day costs $10. Mountain trout water needs the separate trout licence on top, and saltwater needs the free SIP permit.
What it costs
If you live in Georgia
| license | Price |
|---|---|
| Fishing licence, annualResidents aged 16 to 64. Covers fresh and salt water. | $15 |
| Trout licence, annualOn top of the fishing licence, and only needed for mountain trout water. | $10 |
| Trout licence, one day | $5 |
| Senior lifetime fishing (65+)Georgians born on or before 30 June 1952 get a Lifetime Sportsman's Licence free instead. | $35 |
If you're visiting
| license | Price |
|---|---|
| Fishing licence, annual | $50 |
| Fishing licence, one day | $10 |
| Each additional dayUp to ten extra consecutive days on top of the one-day licence. | $3.50 |
| Trout licence, annual | $25 |
| Trout licence, one day | $10 |
A transaction fee comes on top: 3 dollars online and at retail counters, 5 by telephone. Saltwater anglers also need the free SIP permit — a phone or internet authorisation covers you for seven days until the paper licence arrives.
How long it lasts
Georgia's annual licences run a year from purchase. The short-term ones start as a single day, and you can bolt on up to ten more consecutive days at the cheaper daily rate — eleven days in a row at most.
Who doesn't need one
- Anyone under 16 years of age, resident or not
- Fishing a private pond — but not one owned by a city, county, state or federal body
- Georgia residents and their immediate family fishing on their own land
- Georgia residents born on or before 30 June 1952, who hold a free Lifetime Sportsman's Licence
Georgia DNR words the age rule this way: Georgia DNR: "Anglers age 16 and older must have a current Georgia fishing license in their possession while fishing in fresh or salt water in Georgia." There is no free pass by age at the top — residents 65 and over buy a 35-dollar senior lifetime licence, and only those born on or before 30 June 1952 fish free.
Where to buy it
- Online at gooutdoorsgeorgia.com
- At licence agents — tackle shops, sporting goods and many retail counters
- By telephone on 1-800-366-2661 (higher transaction fee)
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
Georgia DNR 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 Georgia.
- 5 Picky Carters Lake
- 5 Picky Lake Allatoona
- 5 Picky Lake Hartwell
- 5 Picky Lake Lanier
- 5 Picky West Point Lake