Licenses are not needed on Fish for Free days, see Question 9 for more about fish for free days, all other fishing regulations still apply on fish for free days....go to Question 9.

Saltwater Anglers

If an angler has a valid Pennsylvania fishing license they are not required to register with NOAA to fish Pennsylvania’s tidal portion of the Delaware River. The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC) entered into an agreement with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) exempting anglers who hold a valid Pennsylvania fishing license from being required to register with the National Saltwater Angler Registry. The exemption will remain in effect while the PFBC establishes its own free registration system for applicable anglers.

Beginning January 1, 2012, the PFBC intends to give anglers, 16 years and older, the option to either register at no cost with the PFBC or to register, for a fee, via the federal system online registry, at www.countmyfish.noaa.gov/register, or by calling toll-free 1-888-MRIP-411 (888-674-7411).

Please note that anglers should contact the applicable state agency when fishing the tidal waters outside of Pennsylvania to be sure they are in compliance with the states own saltwater registration requirements.

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• Licenses and permits can be purchased at License Issuing Agents, County Treasurer offices, or Fish & Boat Commission offices....go to a list of our agents.
• You can buy online with a credit card....go to the Outdoor Shop.
• You can complete a license application online, print it, and then send it to the address listed along with a check or money order....go to the online application (multi-year application).
• The application is also available in HTML format, best if you want to print, complete, and then send it in with a check or money order....go to the HTML version of the application (multi-year HTML application).

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* Licenses are only available at Commission and county treasurer offices. Locations are contained within our complete agent listing, county treasurers are generally located at county court offices....go to a list of our agents.

Prices listed include all agent and transaction fees.

Visit the fishing licenses section of our Summary Book for more about PA fishing license requirements....go to the fishing licenses page.

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This also means the license is valid for the month of December in the prior year. You actually get 13 months of fishing for any one license.

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• Takes, kills, or possesses, while in the act of fishing, a trout or salmon from any PA or boundary waters.
• Fishes in waters under special trout-salmon regulations....view trout special regulation areas.
• Fishes in any Class A Wild Trout Waters or Wilderness Trout Streams or their tributaries....view Class A wild trout waters, or view Wilderness Trout streams.
• Fishes in streams and rivers designated as approved trout waters on March 1 through May 31....view approved trout waters.

Collector quality stamps were printed from 1991 through 2006. Starting in 2007, the Commission switched to an electronic Point-of-Sale licensing system (POS). POS licenses indicate if a permit was purchased, this eliminated the need for printed stamps. The Commission does not sell past year stamps, they may be available on secondary markets....view stamps from 1991-2006.

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COMBINATION TROUT-SALMON/LAKE ERIE PERMIT — In many cases an angler may need both a trout/salmon permit and a Lake Erie permit to fish in waters in the Erie area. Rather than purchasing these individually, a Combination Trout-Salmon/Lake Erie permit may be purchased.

As with the trout/salmon permit and Lake Erie permit, the combo permit must be signed and affixed to the fishing license at the place indicated.

A separate Lake Erie stamp program was conducted during the mid 1990’s to provide funding for the removal of gill net fishing operations from Lake Erie. That program no longer exists - the Lake Erie stamps issued from it are no longer valid and cannot be used as a substitute for the current Lake Erie permit. The current program is designed to provide funding for new and improved fishing access to Lake Erie and its watersheds.

If you are the holder of a lifetime fishing license with a valid trout/salmon permit, there is no need to buy a Combination Trout-Salmon Permit to fish Lake Erie and its tributaries.  Instead, you need only to buy a Lake Erie Permit.  See question 23 on this page to find out more about Senior Lifetime Licenses and the Lake Erie and Combination Trout-Salmon/Lake Erie permits.

...view regulations for permits.

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• seasons/sizes/creel limits
• listings of special regulation areas and approved trout waters
• tips on fish and fishing
• fish consumption advisories
• reptile & amphibian seasons and limits
• Commission property regulations
• and much more!...go to the online copy of the summary book.

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An online version is available on this web site....go to the online copy of the summary book.

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Opening days, seasons and Fish-for-Free days are listed on our calendar.....view calendar....view Fish-for-Free page.

It is also possible to figure out dates for future years....view how dates are determined.

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Anglers should be aware they are required to carry another positive means of identification, a valid driver's license, for example, to establish their identity if requested by a Conservation Officer.

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The "welfare reform" legislation contains hundreds of provisions. Out of this massive law, a handful of the new federal requirements affect purchasers and holders of recreational licenses, including hunting and fishing licenses.

One provision requires states to deny hunting and fishing licenses to certain persons in arrears on child support when a court issues an order revoking or denying such licenses. Another requires government agencies to obtain Social Security numbers from applicants for recreational licenses, including fishing licenses....go to the fact sheet.

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...view fishing license information from our Summary Book.

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The "permanent home address" measure is a good litmus test for most residency questions. For example: a student from Pittsburgh who attends college eight months a year in Virginia is a considered a resident as long as Pennsylvania remains the student's permanent home address. Conversely, a student whose home is outside the state is not a resident even though they attend a Pennsylvania university.

Positive proof of legal residency, usually a valid PA drivers license, will be required by the issuing agent when purchasing a Resident, Senior Resident or Senior Resident Lifetime fishing license.

....view the fishing licenses page of our Summary Book for acceptable proofs of identification.

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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 Pennsylvania 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. The Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission recommends that anyone taking advantage of this provision display a military ID while in the act of fishing in much the same way as one would display a conventional fishing license.

Persons who are exempt from license requirements are similarly exempt from the requirements for a trout/salmon permit (58 Pa. Code section 63.20(e)) and a Lake Erie permit (30 Pa. C.S. section 2907.2(c)).

The law does not exempt military personnel on leave from any other requirements of fishing or boating laws and regulations.

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 180 consecutive days or more or was released early from service because of an injury or disease incurred in the line of duty. This license is only available at Commission and county treasurer offices. Locations are contained within our complete agent listing, county treasurers are generally located at county court offices....go to a list of our agents.

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A voucher is not and cannot be used as a fishing license. Vouchers can be redeemed at any issuing agent. The voucher is non-refundable and expires as noted.

For individuals wishing to purchase vouchers as Christmas presents—vouchers to be redeemed as a license or permit for the following year can be purchased beginning December 1 of the current year (vouchers can be redeemed anytime after being purchased–gift recipients do NOT need to wait until the new year).

....go to our licensing page for purchasing options.

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Other fishing license questions can be submitted via our web form or you can call our Fishing License help line during business hours, toll-free at 877-707-4085....go to the web form.

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Be a bona fide resident of Pennsylvania;
And qualify as one of the following:

(1) Have a disability incurred in any war or armed conflict consisting of

OR

(2) Be 100% disabled as certified by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).

We have a separate fact sheet that discusses free licenses for disabled veterans....go to fact sheet.

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• the person is totally blind, or has such severe physical or mental impairments that they are unable to cast or retrieve a line or bait hooks and remove fish if only one legal device is used and the person who is blind or has physical or mental impairments is within 10 feet of the device being used.

The attendant of the blind or impaired person also does not need a license while assisting in using the device.

In 2001, the Commission submitted a report on the subject of licenses for persons with disabilities to the House Game and Fisheries Committee....click here to see the report (PDF format).

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New DAV licenses (lifetime and annual) will be issued with a Combination Trout-Salmon/Lake Erie Permit.

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An adult may assist a child by baiting hooks, removing fish from the line, netting fish, preparing the fishing rod for use and untangling the line without possessing a valid fishing license.

There are a number of Pennsylvania waters that are available to fishing exclusively for children 12 years of age and younger and persons who have certain physical or mental impairments....view the listing.

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The law provides that no person 16 years of age or older shall fish in any of the waters of Pennsylvania or in any boundary waters without first procuring a license. However, there is an exemption in the law. The exemption allows landowners who reside on their land throughout the year and members of their families residing thereon to fish on their land in waters wholly within said land without a license. This exemption does not apply to any person temporarily residing upon the land or any tenant who is not a member of the family of the owner.  The exemption also does not apply to any servant or employee of the owner.

A pond or lake that is wholly within land owned by a homeowners association or a private club does not exempt the individual homeowners or club members from having a fishing license.

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Senior Resident Lifetime license can be purchased at License Issuing Agents, County Treasurer offices, or Fish & Boat Commission offices....go to a list of our agents.

Or you can complete a license application online, print it, and then send it to the address listed along with a check or money order. A photocopy of a valid PA driver's license must be sent in with the application....go to the online application.

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This "grandfather" exemption is not applicable for a Lake Erie permit.  

If fishing in Lake Erie or its tributaries, senior lifetime license holders need to purchase (one time) either a Lake Erie permit or a Combination Trout-Salmon/Lake Erie Permit. If you are not fishing for trout/salmon, already posses a valid trout-salmon permit or are exempt from the requirements for a trout-salmon permit, the Lake Erie Permit is the way to go.  If you intend to fish for trout/salmon, but do not yet have a trout/salmon permit, the Combination Trout-Salmon/Lake Erie permit is recommended.

See question 6 above to find out more about the Lake Erie and Combination Trout-Salmon/Lake Erie permits.

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Pennsylvania does not have a non-resident lifetime fishing license.

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Also, when you buy a multi-year license, you become eligible to receive numerous rewards, including a free online subscription to our flagship publication, Pennsylvania Angler and Boater magazine, along with various offers from popular retailers, including fishing equipment and several discount coupons which can be used at sporting goods stores. Multi-year licenses are also convenient. When you buy a license for three or five years, you can focus more on fishing and not have to worry whether your license is current.

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Licenses are sold by more than 900 issuing agents across the Commonwealth, at county treasurers’ offices, at Fish and Boat Commission offices, and online at www.pa.wildlifelicense.com. Agents include most sporting goods and outdoor stores.

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