Where to buy your Fishing License

Fishing licenses are a means of regulating and managing recreational fishing in the United States. The requirement to purchase a fishing license for recreational fishing can be traced back to the early 20th century when many states began to recognize the need for regulations to prevent overfishing, protect fish populations, and conserve aquatic habitats.

In 1902, New York became the first state to require a fishing license, followed by other states in the following years. The revenue from the sale of fishing licenses was used to fund fish stocking, habitat restoration, and enforcement of regulations. Today, all states in the US require recreational anglers to purchase a fishing license before fishing in public waters.

The money generated from the sale of fishing licenses is used by state fish and wildlife agencies to support conservation efforts. These funds are typically used to manage fish populations, maintain and enhance fish habitats, and enforce fishing regulations. Additionally, funds from the sale of fishing licenses may be used to support research and education programs related to fish and wildlife conservation.

In summary, fishing licenses were established to help regulate recreational fishing and protect fish populations and aquatic habitats. The revenue generated from the sale of licenses is used by state fish and wildlife agencies to support a wide range of conservation efforts related to fish and wildlife management, habitat restoration, and research and education programs.

Here is a list of where to get your fishing license in all 50 States.

1. Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources
   Address: 64 N Union St, Montgomery, AL 36130
   Phone: (334) 242-3486
   Website: https://www.outdooralabama.com/fishing
   
2. Alaska Department of Fish and Game
   Address: 1255 W 8th St, Juneau, AK 99811
   Phone: (907) 465-4100
   Website: http://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=fishingSport.main
   
3. Arizona Game and Fish Department
   Address: 5000 W Carefree Hwy, Phoenix, AZ 85086
   Phone: (602) 942-3000
   Website: https://www.azgfd.com/fishing/
   
4. Arkansas Game and Fish Commission
   Address: 2 Natural Resources Dr, Little Rock, AR 72205
   Phone: (800) 364-4263
   Website: https://www.agfc.com/en/fishing/
   
5. California Department of Fish and Wildlife
   Address: 1416 9th St, Sacramento, CA 95814
   Phone: (916) 445-0411
   Website: https://wildlife.ca.gov/Fishing
   
6. Colorado Parks and Wildlife
   Address: 6060 Broadway, Denver, CO 80216
   Phone: (303) 297-1192
   Website: https://cpw.state.co.us/thingstodo/Pages/Fishing.aspx
   
7. Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection
   Address: 79 Elm St, Hartford, CT 06106
   Phone: (860) 424-3000
   Website: https://portal.ct.gov/DEEP/Fishing
   
8. Delaware Division of Fish and Wildlife
   Address: 89 Kings Hwy, Dover, DE 19901
   Phone: (302) 739-9914
   Website: https://dnrec.alpha.delaware.gov/fish-wildlife/fishing/
   
9. Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
   Address: 620 S Meridian St, Tallahassee, FL 32399
   Phone: (850) 488-4676
   Website: https://myfwc.com/fishing/
   
10. Georgia Department of Natural Resources Wildlife Resources Division
    Address: 2065 US-278, Social Circle, GA 30025
    Phone: (770) 918-6400
    Website: https://georgiawildlife.com/fishing/
    
11. Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources Division of Aquatic Resources
    Address: 1151 Punchbowl St, Honolulu, HI 96813
    Phone: (808) 587-0109
    Website: https://dlnr.hawaii.gov/dar/fishing/
    
12. Idaho Fish and Game
    Address: 600 S Walnut St, Boise, ID 83712
    Phone: (208) 334-3700
    Website: https://idfg.idaho.gov/fish
    
13. Illinois Department of Natural Resources
    Address: One Natural Resources Way, Springfield, IL 62702
    Phone: (217) 782-6302
    Website: https://www2.illinois.gov/dnr/Fishing/Pages/default.aspx
    
14. Indiana Department of Natural Resources
    Address: 402 W Washington St, Indianapolis, IN 46204
    Phone: (317) 232-4200
    Website: https://www.in.gov/dnr/fishwild/2344.htm
    
15. Iowa Department of Natural Resources
    Address: Wallace State Office Building, 502 E. 9th Street, Des Moines, IA 50319-0034
    Phone: (515) 725-8200
    Website: https://www.iowadnr.gov/Fishing/
    
16. Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism
    Address: 1020 S Kansas Ave, Topeka, KS 66612
    Phone: (785) 296-2281
    Website: https://ksoutdoors.com/Fishing
    
17. Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources
    Address: #1 Sportsman’s Ln, Frankfort, KY 40601
    Phone: (800) 858-1549
    Website: https://fw.ky.gov/Fish/Pages/default.aspx
    
18. Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries
    Address: 2000 Quail Dr, Baton Rouge, LA 70808
    Phone: (225) 765-2800
    Website: https://www.wlf.louisiana.gov/fishing
    
19. Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife
    Address: 284 State St, Augusta, ME 04333
    Phone: (207) 287-8000
    Website: https://www.maine.gov/ifw/fishing-boating/index.html
    
20. Maryland Department of Natural Resources
    Address: 580 Taylor Ave, Annapolis, MD 21401
    Phone: (877) 620-8367
    Website: https://dnr.maryland.gov/fisheries/Pages/default.aspx
    
21. Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife
    Address: 1 Rabbit Hill Rd, Westborough, MA 01581
    Phone: (508) 389-6300
    Website: https://www.mass.gov/fishing-in-massachusetts
    
22. Michigan Department of Natural Resources
    Address: 525 W Allegan St, Lansing, MI 48933
    Phone: (517) 284-9453
    Website: https://www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,4570,7-350-79119_79147_82184—,00.html
    
23. Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
    Address: 500 Lafayette Rd, St Paul, MN 55155
    Phone: (888) 646-6367
    Website: https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/fishing/index.html
    
24. Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks
    Address: 1505 Eastover Dr, Jackson, MS 39211
    Phone: (601) 432-2400
    Website: https://www.mdwfp.com/fishing-boating/
    
25. Missouri Department of Conservation
    Address: 2901 W Truman Blvd, Jefferson City, MO 65109
    Phone: (573) 751-4115
    Website: https://huntfish.mdc.mo.gov/fishing
    
26. Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks
    Address: 1420 E 6th Ave, Helena, MT 59620
    Phone: (406) 444-2535
    Website: https://fwp.mt.gov/fish/
    
27. Nebraska Game and Parks Commission
    Address: 2200 N 33rd St, Lincoln, NE 68503
    Phone: (402) 471-0641
    Website: http://outdoornebraska.gov/fishing/
    
28. Nevada Department of Wildlife
    Address: 1100 Valley Rd, Reno, NV 89512
    Phone: (775) 688-1500
    Website: https://www.ndow.org/Fishing/
    
29. New Hampshire Fish and Game Department
    Address: 11 Hazen Dr, Concord, NH 03301
    Phone: (603) 271-3421
    Website: https://www.wildlife.state.nh.us/fishing/
    
30. New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection
    Address: 401 E State St, Trenton, NJ 08625
    Phone: (609) 292-2965
    Website: https://www.state.nj.us/dep/fgw/index.html
    
31. New Mexico Department of Game and Fish
    Address: 1 Wildlife Way, Santa Fe, NM 87507
    Phone: (888) 248-6866
    Website: http://www.wildlife.state.nm.us/fishing/
    
32. New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
    Address: 625 Broadway, Albany, NY 12233
    Phone: (518) 402-8920
    Website: https://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/fishing.html
    
33. North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission
    Address: 1751 Varsity Dr, Raleigh, NC 27606
    Phone: (919) 707-0010
    Website: https://www.ncwildlife.org/Fishing.aspx
    
34. North Dakota Game and Fish Department
    Address: 100 N Bismarck Expressway, Bismarck, ND 58501
    Phone: (701) 328-6300
    Website: https://gf.nd.gov/fishing
    
35. Ohio Department of Natural Resources
    Address: 2045 Morse Rd, Columbus, OH 43229
    Phone: (614) 265-6565
    Website: https://ohiodnr.gov/wps/portal/gov/odnr/go-and-do/plan-a-visit/find-a-property/fishing
    
36. Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation
    Address: 1801 N Lincoln Blvd, Oklahoma City, OK 73105
    Phone: (405) 521-3851
    Website: https://wildlifedepartment.com/fishing
    
37. Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife
    Address: 4034 Fairview Industrial Dr SE, Salem, OR 97302
    Phone: (503) 947-6100
    Website: https://myodfw.com/articles/fishing
    
38. Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission
    Address: 1601 Elmerton Ave, Harrisburg, PA 17110
    Phone: (717) 705-7800
    Website: https://www.fishandboat.com/Fish/Fishing/Pages/default.aspx
    
39. Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management
    Address: 235 Promenade St, Providence, RI 02908
    Phone: (401) 222-3070
    Website: https://dem.ri.gov/programs/fish-wildlife/fishing/
    
40. South Carolina Department of Natural Resources
    Address: 1000 Assembly St, Columbia, SC 29201
    Phone: (803) 734-3886
    Website: https://www.dnr.sc.gov/fish.html
    
41. South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks
    Address: 523 E Capitol Ave, Pierre, SD 57501
    Phone: (605) 223-7660
    Website: https://gfp.sd.gov/fishing/
    
42. Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency
    Address: 5107 Edmondson Pike, Nashville, TN 37211
    Phone: (615) 781-6500
    Website: https://www.tn.gov/twra/fishing.html
    
43. Texas Parks and Wildlife Department
    Address: 4200 Smith School Rd, Austin, TX 78744
    Phone: (512) 389-4800
    Website: https://tpwd.texas.gov/fishboat/fish/
    
44. Utah Division of Wildlife Resources
    Address: 1594 W North Temple, Salt Lake City, UT 84116
    Phone: (801) 538-4700
    Website: https://wildlife.utah.gov/licenses/where-to-buy.html
    
45. Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department
    Address: 1 National Life Dr, Davis 2, Montpelier, VT 05620
    Phone: (802) 828-1000
    Website: https://vtfishandwildlife.com/fish
    
46. Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources
    Address: 7870 Villa Park Dr, Henrico, VA 23228
    Phone: (804) 367-1000
    Website: https://dwr.virginia.gov/fishing/
    
47. Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
    Address: Natural Resources Building, 1111 Washington St SE, Olympia, WA 98501
    Phone: (360) 902-2200
    Website: https://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing
    
48. West Virginia Division of Natural Resources
    Address: 324 4th Ave, South Charleston, WV 25303
    Phone: (304) 558-2771
    Website: https://www.wvdnr.gov/fishing/fishing.shtm
    
49. Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
    Address: 101 S Webster St, Madison, WI 53703
    Phone: (608) 266-2621
    Website: https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/topic/fishing
    
50. Wyoming Game and Fish Department
    Address: 5400 Bishop Blvd, Cheyenne, WY 82006
    Phone: (307) 777-4600
    Website: https://wgfd.wyo.gov/fishing-and-boatng

Sources:

• National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. (2018). Fishing and Hunting License Laws and Regulations. https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/national/laws/fishing-and-hunting-license-laws-and-regulations
• American Fisheries Society. (2012). The Origins of Fishing License Systems. https://fisheries.org/2012/10/the-origins-of-fishing-license-systems/
• Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. (n.d.). Fishing License Information. https://myfwc.com/license/recreational/fishing/
• U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. (2020). 2020 National Survey of Fishing, Hunting, and Wildlife-Associated Recreation. https://www.fws.gov/southeast/economicimpact/pdf/National-Report.pdf