Kansas · Fishing license
Do I need a fishing license in Kansas?
Yes — anyone 16 or older needs one, until you turn 75 as a resident.
A year costs $25 if you live here and $75 if you don't. Just passing through? Calendar day fishing licence costs $10.
What it costs
If you live in Kansas
| license | Price |
|---|---|
| Fishing licence, one year | $25 |
| Fishing licence, five yearsFive years for the price of four. | $100 |
| Senior fishing licence, one year, ages 65 to 74Half price. At 75 the licence stops being needed at all. | $12.50 |
| Senior fishing licence, five years, ages 65 to 74Worth checking against your 75th birthday before buying. | $50 |
| Youth fishing licence, ages 16 to 20Bought once and valid from 16 through 20 — five years of fishing for less than two annual licences. | $40 |
| Calendar day fishing licenceThe cheapest day of fishing in this whole silo. The annual pays for itself on the eighth day. | $3.50 |
| Lifetime fishing licenceOr eight quarterly instalments of $67.50, which comes to $540. | $500 |
If you're visiting
| license | Price |
|---|---|
| Fishing licence, one yearThree times the resident rate. | $75 |
| Fishing licence, five days | $25 |
| Calendar day fishing licenceFrom the eighth day the annual licence is cheaper. | $10 |
How long it lasts
Kansas counts from the day of purchase: the annual licences are "valid for one year from date of purchase", and the five-year versions for five. Only the calendar day licence is tied to a named day.
Who doesn't need one
- Anyone under 16 — though a trout permit is still needed for trout
- Kansas residents 75 and over
- Landowners and tenants fishing on land they own, lease or rent for agricultural purposes, and the immediate family living with them
- Anyone fishing a private water impoundment
- Residents of licensed adult care homes
- Facility-sponsored group outings, up to 20 people at a time
- Participants in department-sponsored fishing clinics, for the duration of the clinic
- Everyone on the two free fishing days the secretary designates each calendar year
KDWP words the age rule this way: K.S.A. 32-906: "A valid Kansas fishing license is required to fish or to take any bullfrog in this state," with exemptions for "a person who is less than 16 years of age" and for "a resident of this state who is 75 years of age or older". Between 65 and 74 a resident pays half — $12.50 instead of $25 — so Kansas discounts for ten years and then stops charging altogether.
Where to buy it
- Online through KDWP
- At licence vendors across the state
- At KDWP 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
KDWP 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 Kansas.
- 9 On fire Cheney Reservoir
- 6 Decent Milford Lake