North Dakota · Fishing license
North Dakota fishing license
Do I need one?
Yes — anyone 16 or older needs one.
A year costs $27 if you live here and $68 if you don't. Just passing through? Three days costs $48. Add the compulsory certificate — 2 dollars for residents, 5 for visitors — to every licence price.
What it costs
If you live in North Dakota
| license | Price |
|---|---|
| Individual season fishing (16 and over) | $27 |
| Senior citizen fishing (65+) | $10 |
| Fishing, hunting, furbearer certificateCompulsory alongside the licence — one per year per person. | $2 |
If you're visiting
| license | Price |
|---|---|
| Individual season fishing (16 and over) | $68 |
| Married couple season fishingCovers both spouses. | $108 |
| Ten days | $58 |
| Three daysOnly ten dollars less than the ten-day licence. | $48 |
| Fishing, hunting, furbearer certificateCompulsory alongside the licence — one per year per person. | $5 |
Every angler also needs the fishing, hunting and furbearer certificate: 2 dollars for residents, 5 for visitors, once a year. The general game and habitat licence is a hunting item and is not needed for fishing alone.
How long it lasts
NDGF: fishing licences are annual and run 1 April to 31 March. A licence bought in March is worth days.
Who doesn't need one
- Anglers 15 years old and younger — no licence fee, though a certificate is still needed for paddlefish snagging
- Non-resident youth of 15 and under, when fishing with a licensed adult
NDGF words the age rule this way: NDGF: anyone aged 16 and older fishing in North Dakota needs a licence. Anglers of 15 and under fish without a licence fee; for paddlefish snagging the 2-dollar certificate is still needed.
Where to buy it
- Online through NDGF's buy-and-apply system
- At licence vendors across North Dakota
- At NDGF 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
NDGF 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 North Dakota.
- 4 Picky Devils Lake