OBTAIN YOUR LICENSE
- at more than 700 fishing license issuing agents
- at county treasurers offices (listed with agents)
- at Fish & Boat Commission offices
- online at hunfish.pa.gov.
Lost Fishing License or Replacements - All replacement licenses include permits or privileges previously
purchased by the customer. The total cost for a replacement license and previously purchased permits or privileges that were printed on the base license is $6.97.
You qualify for a RESIDENT Fishing License if you are a bona fide resident of Pennsylvania. When
purchasing a resident fishing license, you must show proof of permanent residency by
presenting one of the following documents:
- valid PA driver’s license
- a valid non-driver photo identification card
- a previous year’s PA state income tax return showing proof of payment of personal income tax as a resident of PA
- a previous year’s local earned income tax return showing tax paid to a PA municipality
- a current PA voter registration card.
All issued resident fishing licenses will remain valid for the year or years for which they are issued, regardless of whether the license holder is no longer a bona fide Pennsylvania resident.
National Guard & Armed Forces Reserve Licenses and Prisoner of War (POW) Licenses are available only at Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission and county treasurer offices.
National Guard & Armed Forces Reserve Licenses are available to those persons who provide documentation that within the previous 24 months the person was deployed overseas as a member of the reserve component of the armed forces for a period of 60 consecutive days or more or was released early from service because of an injury or disease incurred in the line of duty.
POW Licenses are available to persons who provide military documentation stating the person is a former Prisoner Of War.
Senior Resident and Senior Lifetime Licenses are available to those persons at anytime during the year in which they will become age 65.
- Persons who possess a Resident Senior Lifetime license dated before January 1, 1991, are not required to purchase
a trout permit.
- A Senior Resident Lifetime license holder who purchased a trout permit or a Combination trout/Lake Erie permit before Jan. 1, 2015, remains exempt from the requirement to purchase a trout permit annually
Disabled Veterans Licenses – Any disabled veteran who has a disability incurred in any war
or armed conflict that consists of the loss of one or more limbs or the loss of use of one or more limbs, or total
blindness, or who is 100 percent disabled as certified by the United States Veterans Administration and is a resident
of this Commonwealth may obtain a free resident fishing license upon application to the Commission or county treasurer.
Reduced Disabled Veterans Licenses – Any disabled veteran who has a disability incurred in any war or armed conflict that consists of the loss of one or more limbs or the loss of use of one or more limbs, or total blindness, or who is between 60 and 99 percent disabled as certified by the United States Veterans Administration and is a resident of this Commonwealth may obtain a reduced fee resident fishing license upon application to the Fish & Boat Commission or county treasurer.
Military personnel are required to purchase a fishing license. Those who are stationed in Pennsylvania
under permanent change of station orders (PCS) for a duration of 6 months or more, who produce documentation
proving same, qualify for a resident fishing license. All others must obtain a tourist or non-resident
license.
Certain active duty military personnel are exempt from Pennsylvania’s fishing license requirement. To be eligible for the military waiver, an angler must:
- be a bona fide Pennsylvania resident,
- be on active duty,
- be stationed outside Pennsylvania, and
- be here on authorized leave.
While in the act of fishing, the military personnel must carry proof of each of these requirements, such as a PA driver’s license, a military ID and valid military orders showing the place of assignment and leave status.
Under the law, a qualifying soldier, sailor, airman or Marine does not receive a free Pennsylvania fishing license. Instead, eligible active duty military personnel can legally fish without a license under the limited circumstances outlined in the law. They shall have on their person while fishing evidence of Commonwealth residency, proof of their assignment to a facility outside this Commonwealth and a copy of their orders assigning them to temporary leave..
The law does not exempt military personnel on leave from any other requirements of fishing or boating laws and regulations.
Students from out of state who are attending school in Pennsylvania but who have not become residents
of Pennsylvania are not eligible to purchase a resident fishing license and must obtain a tourist or Non-Resident
PA Student fishing license.
Social Security Number Requirements - Since 1998, federal and state laws require purchasers of a
Pennsylvania fishing license to provide their social security number when applying to purchase a fishing
license.
Vouchers– A voucher may be purchased as a gift for another individual that can be redeemed for
a license and/or stamp or privilege. A voucher may be redeemed at any issuing agent.
The voucher is non-refundable and expires as noted. A voucher is not a fishing license and individuals using
a voucher to fish are in violation of the Fish and Boat Code and may be subject to legal action. Individuals
wishing to purchase vouchers for Christmas presents need to wait until December 1 of that year before purchasing
a voucher.
1-Day Tourist and 1-Day Resident Licenses – 1-Day Tourist and 1-Day Resident licenses are not valid for fishing
during the period from March 15th to April 30th of any year. 1-Day Tourist or 1-Day Resident licenses
issued to be used on March 14 will expire at 11:59 p.m. on March 14 regardless of what time the license
begins.
POSSESSION AND DISPLAY OF LICENSES
The license shall be kept about the person while fishing and shown upon the request of any waterways patrolman or other officer designated by the Commission. In addition to showing the license to the officer, the holder thereof shall, upon demand, establish his further identity to the satisfaction of the officer by producing some other positive means of identification. |