Michigan · Fishing license
Do I need a fishing license in Michigan?
Yes — anyone 17 or older needs one.
A year costs $26 if you live here and $76 if you don't.
There is a free option: Underwater spearfishing. No cost. A DNR Sportcard may be needed.
What it costs
If you live in Michigan
| license | Price |
|---|---|
| All-species, annualCovers every species on any Michigan lake or stream, inland water and Great Lakes alike. The DNR mentions a $1 surcharge on top — see the note on fees. | $26 |
| All-species, annual, 65 and up or legally blindMichigan residents only. | $11 |
| All-species, 24 hoursYou pick the start time when you buy. | $10 |
| All-species, under 17 (optional)Voluntary — under-17s may fish without any license. | $2 |
| Underwater spearfishingNo cost. A DNR Sportcard may be needed. | Free |
If you're visiting
| license | Price |
|---|---|
| All-species, annualThere is no senior rate for visitors at any age. | $76 |
| All-species, 24 hoursMichigan charges visitors the same as residents for a day. | $10 |
| All-species, under 17 (optional)Voluntary, open to visiting children too. | $2 |
| Underwater spearfishingNo cost, visitors included. | Free |
The DNR's March 2026 announcement says the annual licenses carry an additional $1 surcharge, but the fee list repeats the same headline figures without breaking it out — so expect up to a dollar more at checkout on the annual products. A DNR Sportcard costs $1 and may be needed if the state has no driving licence on file for you. Replacing a lost license costs $3. Michigan needs no trout or salmon stamp; the all-species license covers them. The Recreation Passport is a separate matter: it is not needed to fish, only to park a vehicle at a state park or boating access site, and it is waived during free fishing weekends.
How long it lasts
The annual license runs from March 1 through March 31 of the following year. The 2026 license is valid through March 31, 2027, and the new regulation season started on April 1, 2026.
Who doesn't need one
- Anyone under 17 — though every rule and limit still applies
- Michigan resident veterans rated permanently and totally disabled, or individually unemployable, by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, carrying their documentation
- Full-time active-duty U.S. military who have kept Michigan resident status; the waiver does not extend to non-residents
- During free fishing weekends nobody needs a license, and the Recreation Passport is waived for park and boat-ramp entry
DNR words the age rule this way: Michigan DNR: "You must purchase a fishing license if you are 17 years of age or older to fish public waters in Michigan. If you are under 17, you may fish without a license, but you are required to observe all fishing rules and regulations. Any adult actively assisting a minor must have a fishing license." Note the threshold is 17 here, a year later than in most states. There is no upper age exemption — residents 65 and over get the discounted rate instead.
Where to buy it
- Online through the DNR eLicense portal
- In the Michigan DNR Hunt Fish app, which also does auto-renewal
- At licence agents and retailers across the state
- At DNR Operations Service Centers
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
Where to use it today
Waters we read every morning in Michigan.
- 8 Good Lake St. Clair