Freshwater Fishing Licenses

FREQUENTLY ASKED FRESHWATER FISHING
LICENSING QUESTIONS

Who sets license fees?  License fees are set by the Florida Legislature for hunting and fishing (both freshwater and saltwater) and are subject to change, along with stipulations on exemptions. In addition to the cost of a license or permit given in this section, an issuance fee of $0.50 may be charged by the subagent selling the license or permit.  The 2007 Legislature, for the first time since 1989, agreed to moderate fee increases effective October 1, 2007.  The new fee increase was actually less than the impact that the consumer price index had during the intervening years, and is below the midway price for fishing licenses in the 50 states.  Given Florida's year round fishing season, great diversity of fishes and abundant locations to go fishing near you, this is still one of the best recreational values around.

What will my license cost?  There are many options based on where you fish, where you buy your license, whether you are a resident and if any exemptions apply.  The links in the index at the top of this page will help you find the license fee for your needs.

Where do I get a license?  The least expensive place to buy is at your tax collectors office.  For added convenience, many bait-and-tackle shops and sports retailers (e.g., Wal-Mart, K-Mart, Sports Authority) sell licenses, for a small additional fee.  Instant licenses are also available via the Internet or a toll free call to credit card users, for an additional convenience fee.

What are my fees used for?  Except for the fees charged by the tax collector ($1.00) or agent ($0.50), and processing surcharges listed above, all of the money spent on fishing and licenses goes to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) to provide optimum sustained use of Florida's fish and wildlife resources. In addition, each license holder that buys a license, helps the FWC to recover excise taxes from the Federal government, which you spend on items such as fishing tackle, boats, and for motor boat fuel taxes, through the Federal Aid in Sportfish Restoration program.

What special incentives are there?  At various times the Division of Freshwater Fisheries Management arranges special bonus offers and incentives to encourage anglers to purchase a fishing license and support conservation.  Although youth under 16 and seniors over 65, or anglers fishing in their county of residence with a cane pole do not need licenses, by buying one they contribute to conservation, and help the state recover more of your Federal tax money for sport fish restoration. 

Do I need a freshwater or saltwater fishing license or both?  In general, you need a freshwater license to take freshwater fish and a saltwater license to take saltwater fish, unless one of the exemptions specified on this Web site applies to your situation. Obviously if you are fishing in pure fresh water where no saltwater species live, you need a freshwater license and likewise if you are fishing in the ocean you need a saltwater license.
However, when you get into estuarine type areas where salt and fresh water commingle and fish of both types can be found the issue becomes less clear. The interpretation of the rule is:

1. You need either a freshwater, saltwater or combination license (or appropriate exemption) to take fish (take is legally defined as taking, attempting to take, pursuing, molesting, capturing, or killing any fish, or their nests or eggs by any means whether or not such actions result in obtaining possession of such fish or their nests or eggs).
2. If you are using species specific gear, your license should be appropriate (e.g., freshwater or saltwater) to the species you are targeting, and
3. Otherwise you need an appropriate type license to keep your catch and must immediately release any species for which you are not licensed. License requirements follow the species of fish, regardless of where they are caught. In other words, if you only have a freshwater license and are primarily fishing for largemouth bass or bream (freshwater species) in a river, but happen to catch a red drum (a saltwater species), you must immediately release the red drum.

Does everyone on board a recreational fishing boat need a license?  No. Anyone onboard that is not fishing does not need a fishing license - even if they are on a vessel which has people fishing. However, you should not be surprised if an officer asks a few questions to ensure the people who are fishing are in fact properly licensed. The officer may have more questions should there, for instance, be more fishing lines in the water than there are licensed (or legally exempt) anglers. Also remember you may only keep the daily bag limit (of species with bag limits) for those persons with a current license (or who are legally exempt). Also non-anglers should not in any way help with fishing, such as attaching lures, netting fish or removing fish from the hooks.

What does a senior license certificate cover and where do I get it?  A resident permanent senior license for those 65 years old and older, authorizes the holder to take or attempt to take or possess freshwater fish and game consistent with state and federal regulations and the rules of the Commission at the time of taking. The holder of this license may engage in all activities authorized by a management area permit, a muzzle-loading gun permit, a turkey permit, an archery permit, crossbow, and a Florida waterfowl permit.  Although these certificates are available, all a senior needs is proof of age and residency to fish for free.  Many seniors, however, choose to buy a resident license in order to contribute to conservation.  This is one of the simplest ways to help ensure the future of fishing in Florida and is encouraged by the agency.  These licenses should be issued by the Tax Collector's offices only.

What does a youth need to do to fish legally?  Youth under the age of 16 do not need a fishing license, although they must abide by all other fishing regulations such as gear type, bag and size limits. They may, however, be asked to provide proof of age.

How do I get a replacement license?   A replacement license or permit may be obtained at any location that sells hunting and fishing licenses and permits, including on line.