Delaware has the cheapest resident licence of any state we have verified: eight dollars fifty. It also sells something most states do not, an optional boat licence that covers everyone fishing from that boat, forty dollars for craft up to twenty feet. For a family or a regular group of four, that is cheaper than individual licences and worth the arithmetic.
What it costs you
Set your situation and the figure below is the one you will actually pay at checkout.
Every Delaware fishing fee
Licences run by calendar year.
| Licence | Who | Length | Fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seven-day tourist fishing | Visitor | 7 days | $12.50 |
| General fishing licence | Resident | Annual | $8.50 |
| General fishing licence | Visitor | Annual | $20.00 |
| Boat fishing licence, 20 ft or less Optional. Covers everyone fishing from that boat. | Either | Annual | $40.00 |
| Boat fishing licence, over 20 ft Optional. Covers everyone fishing from that boat. | Either | Annual | $50.00 |
At $8.50 the Delaware resident licence is the cheapest of every state we have verified. The optional boat licence covers everyone fishing from the boat, which can beat individual licences for a group.
Passing through? Delaware sells no one-day licence. The shortest option for a visitor is 7 days at $12.50. Compare every state's day licence.
Stamps and add-ons
The base licence is often not the whole ticket. These are the Delaware extras on top of the base licence, as DNREC lists them.
| Add-on | When you need it | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Trout stamp, adult 16-64 | Residents aged 12-15 pay $2.10. Visitors pay $6.20 at any age from 12, and residents 65 and over are exempt. | $4.20 |
A trout stamp is an endorsement, not a licence: it is useless without the licence above it. What it costs in every state, and the 26 that require none.
Do you need a fishing licence in Delaware?
Yes, from age 16. Residents and visitors both need one from that birthday. What changes is the price, not the requirement.
$8.50 a year if you live in Delaware, $20.00 if you are visiting.
Who does not need one
- Anglers under 16.
- Everyone on the state free fishing days.
Nobody needs a licence on Delawareβs free fishing days: the dates for this year, and what the day does not waive.
How to buy it
Delaware Division of Fish and Wildlife sells online, by phone and through licence agents: tackle shops, sporting goods stores and county offices.
Official DNREC licensing page β
We link the agency and never resell licences. If a site charges you a "processing fee" on top of the state fee, you are not on the state's own system.
Where to use it
We track 13 Delaware waters daily, with live flow, tides and conditions. A sample of what your licence covers:
- Indian River Inlet β Sussex County
- Nanticoke River β Sussex County
- Lums Pond β New Castle County
- Rehoboth Bay β Sussex County
- Delaware Bay β Kent County
- Broadkill River β Sussex County
- Christina River β New Castle County
- Brandywine Creek β New Castle County
- Silver Lake β Kent County
- Killens Pond β Kent County
- Noxontown Pond β New Castle County
- White Clay Creek β New Castle County
Questions
How much is a fishing licence in Delaware?
$8.50 for a resident annual all waters licence and $20.00 for a non-resident. Stamps and endorsements cost extra where the species or water calls for one.
Do you need a fishing license in Delaware?
Yes, from age 16, and it makes no difference whether you live there: residents and visitors both need one, they just pay different prices. $8.50 for a resident annual licence, $20.00 for a visitor. 2 exemptions apply, listed on this page.
What age do you need a fishing licence in Delaware?
From age 16. Anglers under 16 fish without one, though the other rules, bag limits and catch record cards included, still apply to them.
Can I buy a Delaware fishing licence online?
Yes. Delaware Division of Fish and Wildlife sells online and through licence agents.
How much is a Delaware fishing licence?
$8.50 for a resident and $20.00 for a visitor, the cheapest we have verified anywhere. A seven-day tourist licence is $12.50.
What is the Delaware boat fishing licence?
An optional licence covering everyone who fishes from that boat: $40.00 up to 20 feet, $50.00 above. For a group it can beat buying individual licences.