A fishing licence fee changes in one of three ways: a legislature writes a new number into the law, a commission adopts a new schedule, or a statute tells the agency to move the price with inflation every year. All three happened for 2026. This page lists every state where we found one, with the price before and after, the date it applies and the instrument behind it, and it is sourced the hard way: the bill text where there is one, the agency’s own schedule where there is not. It also lists what is coming, what is only proposed, and what was proposed and killed, because the sites that copy each other tend to report a proposal as a done deal, or a 2025 rise as a 2026 one. Every state we found nothing for is named at the end, so that silence is not mistaken for an oversight.
At a glance
| State | What changed | From | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oregon | Recreational fees up 12–14% on average; combined angling tag up 50% | January 1, 2026 | In force |
| Maine | Resident fishing licence $25 to $30, the first rise in 15 years; nonresident season licence $64 to $83 | The 2026 licence year | In force |
| North Dakota | Resident fishing licence $16 to $25; nonresident $45 to $60 | Law effective August 1, 2025; 2026–27 is the first full licence year at the new prices | In force |
| New Mexico | Resident fishing licence $25 to $35 and nonresident $56 to $90, the first change in about twenty years | April 1, 2026 | In force |
| Nebraska | Permit fees up 14% on average for 2026, resident fees for the first time since 2017; another round already approved for 2027 | 2026 permit sales; a further rise approved for 2027 | In force |
| Missouri | Resident fishing permit $13 to $14, nonresident $53.50 to $57, and a new $40 nonresident trout permit | January 1, 2026 | In force |
| California | Annual indexing: resident licence $62.90 to $64.54, nonresident $169.82 to $174.14 | January 1, 2026 | In force |
| Colorado | Search-and-rescue surcharge on every licence $0.25 to $1.25, the first change since 1987; base fees indexed to CPI | January 1, 2026 (licence year from March 1) | In force |
| Kentucky | A small inflation adjustment in January 2026 under a new every-other-year CPI system; the exact figures are the one thing on this page we could not read | January 2026, carried into the 2026–27 licence year | In force |
| Virginia | Most licences up $5 for residents; nonresident freshwater $47 to $72 and the nonresident one-day $8 to $20 | October 1, 2026 | Scheduled |
| Iowa | Everything up 5%, the legal maximum: resident annual $22 to $23 at the counter | 2027 licences, on sale from December 15, 2026 | Scheduled |
| Washington | Licence fees up 38% from July 2025, the first rise since 2011; a new $8.75 Columbia River endorsement from 2026 | July 1, 2025; new endorsement January 1, 2026 | Carried from 2025 |
| Utah | Nonresident 365-day licence $94 to $120; resident fees unchanged | July 1, 2025 | Carried from 2025 |
| Tennessee | Commission approved a new fee structure averaging 27–29% higher; still needs legislative sign-off | Earliest July 1, 2027, if the General Assembly’s Joint Government Operations Committee approves | Proposed |
| Michigan | Governor’s FY2027 budget proposes resident annual $26 to $30 and nonresident $76 to $90; the Legislature has not approved it | Not enacted as of September 15, 2026 | Proposed |
| Wisconsin | Proposed resident annual $20 to $30 was struck by the Joint Finance Committee; $20 stands, as it has since 2005 | Removed from the 2025–27 budget, signed July 3, 2025 | Withdrawn or rejected |
| New Hampshire | Fish and Game proposed higher licence fees and a doubling of the $2.50 wildlife habitat fee, then withdrew them at the Governor’s request | Pulled in June 2026; to be revisited in 2027 | Withdrawn or rejected |
| Minnesota | The DNR’s plan to raise the resident licence from $25 to $30 was not enacted; a 2026 bill on issuing fees died in committee | No change; the 2026 bill did not move | Withdrawn or rejected |
In force for 2026
What you pay in 2026 against what you paid in 2025. Two of these, Washington and Utah, changed in mid-2025 and are here because every 2026 licence carries the new price and because they are widely misreported as 2026 changes.
Oregon
Recreational fees up 12–14% on average; combined angling tag up 50%.
| Licence | Before | Now | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Resident annual angling | $44.00 | $50.00 | +14% |
| Nonresident annual angling | $110.50 | $138.00 | +25% |
| Resident senior angling | $29.00 | $34.00 | +17% |
| One-day angling and shellfish | $23.00 | $29.00 | +26% |
| Two-day | $42.00 | $48.00 | +14% |
| Three-day | $59.50 | $68.00 | +14% |
| Nonresident 7-day | $93.50 | $117.00 | +25% |
| Annual combined angling tag (salmon, steelhead, sturgeon, halibut) | $46.00 | $69.00 | +50% |
| Nonresident combined angling tag | $66.00 | $89.00 | +35% |
| Hatchery harvest tag | $33.00 | $43.00 | +30% |
| Two-rod validation | $28.00 | $34.00 | +21% |
| Resident annual shellfish | $10.00 | $13.00 | +30% |
| Nonresident annual shellfish | $28.00 | $37.00 | +32% |
| Nonresident 3-day shellfish | $19.00 | $25.00 | +32% |
| Sports Pac | $196.50 | $253.00 | +29% |
| Pioneer licence | $6.00 | $10.00 | +67% |
| Youth licence | $10.00 | $10.00 | same |
| Ocean Endorsement, annual (new) | — | $9.00 | new |
| Ocean Endorsement, daily (new) | — | $4.00 | new |
Prices include the agent fee, as the ODFW schedule prints them.
Instrument: House Bill 2342 (2025 session), with the fee schedule set by the Fish and Wildlife Commission.
The first rise since 2020 and, by ODFW’s own account, still short of inflation over the period. The number that matters for most people is not the licence but the combined angling tag, which is what you need for salmon and steelhead: it went from $46 to $69. A new Ocean Endorsement applies to ocean fishing other than salmon, steelhead and shellfish; the youth licence now includes it.
Next: Two more steps are already in the schedule: the resident annual goes to $53 on January 1, 2028 and $56 on January 1, 2030, with the rest of the table moving in proportion.
Sources: ODFW recreational fee schedule (PDF) (read 2026-09-15); ODFW: What’s New for 2026 (read 2026-09-15). Full fee table: Oregon fishing licence.
Maine
Resident fishing licence $25 to $30, the first rise in 15 years; nonresident season licence $64 to $83.
| Licence | Before | Now | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Resident season fishing | $25.00 | $30.00 | +20% |
| Nonresident season fishing | $64.00 | $83.00 | +30% |
| One-day (resident or nonresident) | $11.00 | $18.00 | +64% |
| Three-day | $23.00 | $30.00 | +30% |
| Nonresident 7-day | $43.00 | $62.00 | +44% |
| Nonresident 15-day | $47.00 | $66.00 | +40% |
| Resident combination fishing and hunting | $43.00 | $48.00 | +12% |
| Nonresident combination fishing and hunting | $150.00 | $169.00 | +13% |
| Super Pack | $207.00 | $212.00 | +2% |
The $2 agent fee is charged on top and did not change.
Instrument: Public Law 2025, chapter 388, Part NNN (the biennial budget), amending 12 MRS §12501.
The resident rise is $5 and the department has said the whole $5 goes to its fisheries division. The short-term licences moved more: the one-day went from $11 to $18, and a visitor’s week from $43 to $62. Our own Maine licence page carried the 2025 figures until this page was researched; it has been corrected and the error is logged.
Sources: 12 MRS §12501, General fishing license, with the c. 388 Pt. NNN amendment (read 2026-09-15); MDIFW licence requirements and fees (read 2026-09-15); 2025 edition of the official Maine fishing law book (previous fees) (read 2026-09-11). Full fee table: Maine fishing licence.
North Dakota
Resident fishing licence $16 to $25; nonresident $45 to $60.
| Licence | Before | Now | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Resident fishing | $16.00 | $25.00 | +56% |
| Resident 65+, disabled, or 50% disabled veteran | $5.00 | $10.00 | +100% |
| Resident husband and wife | $22.00 | $40.00 | +82% |
| Nonresident fishing | $45.00 | $60.00 | +33% |
| Nonresident husband and wife | $60.00 | $100.00 | +67% |
| Nonresident 3-day | $25.00 | $40.00 | +60% |
| Nonresident 10-day | $35.00 | $50.00 | +43% |
| Resident paddlefish tag | $10.00 | $15.00 | +50% |
| Nonresident paddlefish tag | $25.50 | $35.00 | +37% |
Statutory fees. The $2 resident certificate ($5 for nonresidents) is charged on top, so the agency lists the resident licence at $27.
Instrument: House Bill 1470 (2025), signed April 18, 2025, amending NDCC 20.1-03-12.
A 56% rise on the resident licence, but from one of the lowest starting points in the country: at $25 it is still cheaper than most of its neighbours. The Legislature wrote the new numbers straight into the Century Code, which is why this entry can quote them from the bill rather than from an announcement.
Sources: HB 1470, enrolled text (PDF) (read 2026-09-15); HB 1470 bill overview and actions (read 2026-09-15); Game and Fish resident licences (read 2026-09-15); Game and Fish nonresident licences (read 2026-09-15). Full fee table: North Dakota fishing licence.
New Mexico
Resident fishing licence $25 to $35 and nonresident $56 to $90, the first change in about twenty years.
| Licence | Before | Now | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Resident annual fishing | $25.00 | $35.00 | +40% |
| Nonresident annual fishing | $56.00 | $90.00 | +61% |
| Habitat Management and Access Validation | $4.00 | $4.00 | same |
| Habitat Stamp | $10.00 | $10.00 | same |
Licence only. The $4 Habitat Management and Access Validation and the $10 Habitat Stamp for federal land are unchanged, so a resident fishing national forest water pays $49 in total.
Instrument: Senate Bill 5 (2025), which also renames the agency the Department of Wildlife and lets the commission index fees to inflation from 2026.
The bill text sits behind a web application firewall that refused every request we made, so the legal citation here rests on press reporting and the prices on the agency’s own licence system. The nonresident rise is 61%. From April 2026 the new State Wildlife Commission may adjust fees annually for inflation, so this is unlikely to be the last change.
Sources: NMDOW fishing licences and permits (prices in the licence system, read 2026-09-11) (read 2026-09-11); Official New Mexico fishing rules and information, 2023 edition (previous fees) (read 2026-09-15); Albuquerque Journal, February 28, 2026, on SB 5 and the April 1 fee change (press) (read 2026-09-15). Full fee table: New Mexico fishing licence.
Nebraska
Permit fees up 14% on average for 2026, resident fees for the first time since 2017; another round already approved for 2027.
| Licence | Before | Now | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Resident annual fish | $38.00 | $41.00 | +8% |
| Resident 1-day | $10.00 | $12.00 | +20% |
| Resident 3-day | $31.00 | $33.00 | +6% |
| Resident 3-year | $90.50 | $98.50 | +9% |
| Resident 5-year | $132.00 | $146.00 | +11% |
| Nonresident annual fish | $84.00 | $95.50 | +14% |
| Resident paddlefish permit | $33.00 | $35.00 | +6% |
Prices as paid: the $3 issue fee and the Aquatic Habitat Stamp are included, which is how the agency lists them. The Commission’s base fee for the resident annual is $23.
Instrument: Game and Parks Commission decisions of August 22, 2025 (2026 fees) and August 14, 2026 (2027 fees), within the 18% statutory cap.
Two changes in two years, both approved in August for the following January. The 2027 list adds something that did not exist before, a $7 trout tag, which is worth knowing if you fish the stocked winter waters. Our Nebraska licence page carried the 2025 figures until this page was researched; corrected and logged.
Next: For 2027, pending state approval: resident annual base fee $23 to $24, nonresident $77.50 to $82, the issue fee $3 to $4, nonresident 1-day $13.50 to $14 and 3-day $22 to $23, and a new $7 trout tag.
Sources: Commission approves increase to 2026 hunt, fish permit fees (read 2026-09-15); Commission approves increase to 2027 permit fees (August 14, 2026) (read 2026-09-15); Game and Parks permit pricing (2026, stamp and issue fee included) (read 2026-09-15); 2025 edition of the official Nebraska fishing guide (previous fees) (read 2026-09-11). Full fee table: Nebraska fishing licence.
Missouri
Resident fishing permit $13 to $14, nonresident $53.50 to $57, and a new $40 nonresident trout permit.
| Licence | Before | Now | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Resident fishing | $13.00 | $14.00 | +8% |
| Nonresident annual fishing | $53.50 | $57.00 | +7% |
| Daily fishing (resident or nonresident) | $9.00 | $9.00 | same |
| Trout permit | $12.00 | $12.00 | same |
| Nonresident trout permit (new) | — | $40.00 | new |
| Resident hunting and fishing | $20.50 | $22.50 | +10% |
Permit prices as MDC lists them.
Instrument: Conservation Commission, initial approval May 16, 2025, final approval October 3, 2025.
MDC indexed these to the Consumer Price Index since its last adjustment and compared them with surrounding states, where the average resident licence is $23. The new nonresident trout permit is the item to notice: a visitor fishing the trout parks or the Lake Taneycomo tailwater now needs $57 plus $40. One compiled licence site gives the new permit as $24; the agency’s figure is $40.
Sources: MDC newsroom: proposed price adjustments for 2026, with current and proposed prices (read 2026-09-15); MDC fishing permits (prices in force, read 2026-09-11) (read 2026-09-11). Full fee table: Missouri fishing licence.
California
Annual indexing: resident licence $62.90 to $64.54, nonresident $169.82 to $174.14.
| Licence | Before | Now | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Resident sport fishing (365-day) | $62.90 | $64.54 | +3% |
| Nonresident sport fishing (365-day) | $169.82 | $174.14 | +3% |
| Reduced-fee licence | $10.29 | $10.54 | +2% |
| One-day | $20.52 | $21.09 | +3% |
| Two-day | $31.58 | $32.40 | +3% |
CDFW list prices; agents may add a fee.
Instrument: Fish and Game Code §713, which adjusts fees each year by the Implicit Price Deflator.
California changes every year by law, about 2–3% in a normal year, so its entry is here to answer the question rather than to flag a decision. 2.6% this time. The licence remains the most expensive in the country for residents by a wide margin.
Sources: 2026 California sport fishing regulations, licence fee page (PDF) (read 2026-09-15); 2025 California supplemental sport fishing regulations, licence fee page (PDF) (read 2026-09-15); CDFW fishing licences (read 2026-09-15). Full fee table: California fishing licence.
Colorado
Search-and-rescue surcharge on every licence $0.25 to $1.25, the first change since 1987; base fees indexed to CPI.
| Licence | Before | Now | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Backcountry Search and Rescue surcharge (in every licence) | $0.25 | $1.25 | +400% |
| Resident annual (2026–27) | — | $44.87 | new |
| Nonresident annual (2026–27) | — | $124.01 | new |
| Resident 1-day | — | $18.07 | new |
| Nonresident 1-day | — | $21.90 | new |
| Nonresident 5-day | — | $41.04 | new |
| Senior and youth annual | — | $12.96 | new |
| Annual Habitat Stamp | — | $12.76 | new |
Only the surcharge change is shown old-to-new. We could not read the 2025–26 base prices on an agency page, so the current prices are given without a comparison rather than with one copied from elsewhere.
Instrument: Senate Bill 22-168 (surcharge), Parks and Wildlife Commission regulation of November 13–14, 2025; annual CPI adjustment under Senate Bill 18-143.
A dollar on every licence sounds small; CPW sells more than a million fishing licences a year, and the money goes to county search-and-rescue teams that are entirely volunteer. Colorado’s base fees also move each year with the Consumer Price Index under a 2018 law, so expect small rises every March.
Sources: CPW: Backcountry Search and Rescue surcharge (read 2026-09-15); CPW fishing licences and dates, 2026–27 prices (read 2026-09-15); SB 18-143, Parks and Wildlife measures to increase revenue (read 2026-09-15). Full fee table: Colorado fishing licence.
Kentucky
A small inflation adjustment in January 2026 under a new every-other-year CPI system; the exact figures are the one thing on this page we could not read.
Instrument: 301 KAR 5:022, finalised after the Interim Joint Committee on Natural Resources and Energy meeting of November 6, 2025.
The agency says fees “were increased slightly across the board in January 2026” under the new CPI system and that 2026–27 prices are the same as the adjusted ones. Both the agency site and the regulation on the Legislative Research Commission site block every reader we have, so we cannot print the new resident and nonresident figures with a source. Compiled sites give $24.31 and $58.14, which is exactly 5.7% on the previous $23 and $55; we are not publishing them as fact until we can read them on the agency page, and our Kentucky licence page says so. The next adjustment is due in January 2028.
Sources: KDFWR release on 2026–27 licences (reprinted in full by The Lake News; the agency site refuses automated readers) (read 2026-09-15); KDFWR release, original (could not be read). Full fee table: Kentucky fishing licence.
Washington
Licence fees up 38% from July 2025, the first rise since 2011; a new $8.75 Columbia River endorsement from 2026.
| Licence | Before | Now | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Resident freshwater | $25.00 | $34.50 | +38% |
| Nonresident freshwater | $75.00 | $103.50 | +38% |
| Resident saltwater | $25.50 | $35.19 | +38% |
| Nonresident saltwater | $52.50 | $72.45 | +38% |
| Resident combination | $45.50 | $62.79 | +38% |
| Nonresident combination | $108.50 | $149.73 | +38% |
| 1-day combination, resident / nonresident | $8 / $16 | $11.73 / $22.77 | |
| 2-day combination | $12 / $24 | $17.25 / $33.81 | |
| 3-day combination | $15 / $30 | $21.39 / $42.09 | |
| Columbia River Salmon and Steelhead Endorsement (new, Jan 1, 2026) | — | $8.75 | new |
Statutory base fees, before the dealer and transaction fees WDFW adds at the counter. The old saltwater and combination figures include the 50-cent rockfish surcharge the bill folded in.
What WDFW actually charges once its fees are added: freshwater $39.95 resident and $115.85 nonresident, saltwater $40.71 and $81.70, combination $74.37 and $170.00.
Instrument: Substitute Senate Bill 5583 (2025), signed May 17, 2025, amending RCW 77.32.470.
Compiled lists say Washington’s 38% rise took effect on January 1, 2026. It did not: the bill and WDFW both give July 1, 2025. What is new for 2026 is the endorsement, required from January 1 for anyone fishing salmon or steelhead in the Columbia and its Washington tributaries. Every 2026 licence carries the 2025 increase, which is why Washington is on this page.
Sources: Session law, SSB 5583 (PDF), section 11 and fee table (read 2026-09-15); WDFW fee increase bulletin, June 18, 2025 (read 2026-09-15); WDFW fishing licence types and fees (read 2026-09-15). Full fee table: Washington fishing licence.
Utah
Nonresident 365-day licence $94 to $120; resident fees unchanged.
| Licence | Before | Now | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nonresident 365-day fishing, 18 and over | $94.00 | $120.00 | +28% |
| Nonresident 365-day fishing, 14–17 | $34.00 | $44.00 | +29% |
| Resident 365-day fishing | $40.00 | $40.00 | same |
DWR list prices; a 2.2% card transaction fee applies.
Instrument: Senate Bill 8 (2025), State Agency Fees and Internal Service Fund Rate Authorization and Appropriations.
A 2025 change that is the price for all of 2026. The Legislature raised only nonresident fees and directed the money to buying winter range and access. The 2026 guidebook confirms $120 for a nonresident adult and $40 for a resident.
Sources: DWR: nonresident licence fee increases and other laws passed in the 2025 session (read 2026-09-15); 2026 Utah fishing guidebook, licence fees (PDF) (read 2026-09-15). Full fee table: Utah fishing licence.
Approved, taking effect later
Decided, dated, not yet charged. If you fish either state as a visitor, the date is worth planning around.
Virginia
Most licences up $5 for residents; nonresident freshwater $47 to $72 and the nonresident one-day $8 to $20.
| Licence | Before | Now | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Resident one-year freshwater | $23.00 | $28.00 | +22% |
| Resident two-year freshwater | $44.00 | $54.00 | +23% |
| Resident three-year freshwater | $65.00 | $80.00 | +23% |
| Resident four-year freshwater | $86.00 | $106.00 | +23% |
| County or city resident | $16.00 | $21.00 | +31% |
| Resident designated trout waters | $23.00 | $28.00 | +22% |
| Resident freshwater and saltwater | $39.50 | $44.50 | +13% |
| Resident five-day freshwater | $14.00 | $19.00 | +36% |
| Resident five-day freshwater and saltwater | $24.00 | $28.00 | +17% |
| Resident senior 65+ | $9.00 | $9.00 | same |
| Nonresident annual freshwater | $47.00 | $72.00 | +53% |
| Nonresident trout waters | $23.00 | $48.00 | +109% |
| Nonresident freshwater and saltwater | $71.00 | $96.00 | +35% |
| Nonresident one-day freshwater | $8.00 | $20.00 | +150% |
| Nonresident five-day freshwater | $21.00 | $36.00 | +71% |
| Nonresident five-day freshwater and saltwater | $31.00 | $46.00 | +48% |
Issuance fee included, as DWR prints them.
Instrument: Amendment to 4VAC15-20-65, approved by the Board of Wildlife Resources on August 20, 2026 after a comment period that drew 1,835 responses.
The first increase since 2012. Residents get a flat $5; visitors get the real change, with the annual freshwater licence up 53% and the one-day licence up 150%. Youth, apprentice, disabled and disabled-veteran licences are exempt. If you fish Virginia as a visitor and can buy before October 1, do.
Sources: DWR fishing licence information and fees (both price columns) (read 2026-09-15); DWR 2026 proposed regulations and fee increases (read 2026-09-15). Full fee table: Virginia fishing licence.
Iowa
Everything up 5%, the legal maximum: resident annual $22 to $23 at the counter.
| Licence | Before | Now | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Resident annual fishing (rule) | $20.00 | $21.00 | +5% |
| Resident 3-year | $60.00 | $63.00 | +5% |
| Resident 7-day | $13.50 | $14.00 | +4% |
| Resident 1-day | $8.50 | $8.75 | +3% |
| Trout fee, resident | $12.50 | $13.00 | +4% |
| Lifetime fishing, 65 and over | $59.50 | $62.00 | +4% |
| Paddlefish, resident | $23.50 | $24.50 | +4% |
| Nonresident annual fishing (rule) | $46.00 | $48.00 | +4% |
| Nonresident 7-day | $35.50 | $37.00 | +4% |
| Nonresident 3-day | $18.50 | $19.00 | +3% |
| Nonresident 1-day | $10.00 | $10.50 | +5% |
| Trout fee, nonresident | $15.50 | $16.00 | +3% |
Figures as written in the rule. Iowa adds administrative fees at the point of sale, so the counter price is about $2 higher: the DNR lists the resident annual at $22 today and says it rises by $1.
Instrument: Amendment to 571 IAC 15.10, approved by the Natural Resource Commission on February 12, 2026 and finally on April 9, 2026.
Iowa law caps any single rise at 5% and this is the first since 2019, so the amounts are small by design. The date to note is December 15: 2027 licences go on sale then at the new price, and a 2026 licence bought before it is valid through January 10, 2027.
Sources: Regulatory analysis of the fee rule, Iowa Administrative Bulletin, January 7, 2026 (PDF) (read 2026-09-15); DNR: comments invited on proposed fee increase (March 6, 2026) (read 2026-09-15); DNR fishing licences and fees (current) (read 2026-09-15). Full fee table: Iowa fishing licence.
Proposed and not yet decided
Proposals that still need a vote. Nothing here changes what you pay today.
Tennessee
Commission approved a new fee structure averaging 27–29% higher; still needs legislative sign-off.
| Licence | Before | Proposed | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Resident annual hunt and fish combination | $33.00 | $42.00 | +27% |
| Sportsman licence | $165.00 | $189.00 | +15% |
The two examples the agency gave.
Instrument: Tennessee Fish and Wildlife Commission, August 21, 2026, with the FY2028 budget.
Tennessee’s last increase was in 2015 and the agency says its costs are up at least 40% since. Nothing changes for 2026 or for the 2026–27 licence year; the structure goes to the legislative committee late in 2026, and if it passes, the new prices would start July 1, 2027. We will move this entry when that vote happens.
Sources: TWRA: Commission approves FY28 operational budget and licence structure fees (read 2026-09-15). Full fee table: Tennessee fishing licence.
Michigan
Governor’s FY2027 budget proposes resident annual $26 to $30 and nonresident $76 to $90; the Legislature has not approved it.
| Licence | Before | Proposed | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Resident annual fishing | $26.00 | $30.00 | +15% |
| Nonresident annual fishing | $76.00 | $90.00 | +18% |
Proposed figures as reported; current prices from the DNR.
Instrument: Executive budget recommendation for fiscal year 2027; passed the Senate in its budget, not acted on by the House at our last read.
Michigan’s fees were last raised in 2014 and the same proposal failed in the 2026 budget a year earlier. Until a budget with the increase is signed, the price is $26. If that changes we will move Michigan to the top of this page.
Sources: Michigan DNR fishing licence information (current prices) (read 2026-09-07); Outdoor News, May 1, 2026, on the status of the proposal (press) (read 2026-09-15). Full fee table: Michigan fishing licence.
Proposed and withdrawn, or not enacted
Rises that were asked for and did not happen. They are listed because they are still being reported as if they had.
Wisconsin
Proposed resident annual $20 to $30 was struck by the Joint Finance Committee; $20 stands, as it has since 2005.
| Licence | Before | Proposed | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Resident annual fishing (proposed, not enacted) | $20.00 | $30.00 | +50% |
The proposal, not a change.
Instrument: 2025 Wisconsin Act 15 (the biennial budget), which did not include the Governor’s fee proposals.
The DNR’s fish and wildlife account is forecast to run a deficit and the Governor asked for the first resident rise in twenty years. The Legislature instead moved $30 million from the forestry account. The Legislature’s own budget documents were unreachable from here at the time of writing, so the account of the committee vote rests on press reporting; the price itself, $20, is on the official regulations.
Sources: Outdoor News, July 18, 2025: Joint Finance Committee eliminates licence fee hikes (press) (read 2026-09-15); Official Wisconsin fishing regulations, licences and fees (current) (read 2026-09-11). Full fee table: Wisconsin fishing licence.
New Hampshire
Fish and Game proposed higher licence fees and a doubling of the $2.50 wildlife habitat fee, then withdrew them at the Governor’s request.
Instrument: Fee amendments introduced at the April 21, 2026 Fish and Game Commission meeting; public sessions May 12–18, 2026.
The proposal, as reported, added about $2 to annual licences and doubled the wildlife habitat fee that rides on each one; the agency’s own release does not print the figures, so we do not. The department withdrew the rules in June 2026 and says it will return to them in 2027. New Hampshire’s last fee change was in 2016.
Sources: NH Fish and Game: public input sessions on proposed fee amendments (April 28, 2026) (read 2026-09-15); NHPR, June 17, 2026: Governor not on board with higher fees (press) (read 2026-09-15). Full fee table: New Hampshire fishing licence.
Minnesota
The DNR’s plan to raise the resident licence from $25 to $30 was not enacted; a 2026 bill on issuing fees died in committee.
| Licence | Before | Proposed | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Resident annual angling | $25.00 | $25.00 | same |
| Nonresident annual angling | $46.00 | $46.00 | same |
Current statutory prices; the proposal is in the note.
Instrument: HF 4285 (2026), “Issuing fees for hunting and fishing licenses increased”, introduced March 12, 2026 and referred to committee, no further action.
Minnesota last raised fishing licences in 2017. The 2026 bill would have raised the issuing fee agents charge, not the licence itself, and it never left committee before adjournment. The statute still says $25.
Sources: HF 4285, Minnesota Legislature bill status (read 2026-09-15); Minnesota Statutes 97A.475, licence fees (current) (read 2026-09-07). Full fee table: Minnesota fishing licence.
No change for 2026
States where we checked and found the price standing, with the reason it stands:
- Pennsylvania — Last changed for 2024 (+$2.50 on the resident licence and trout permit, under Act 56 of 2020); $27.97 in 2026.
- Indiana — Last changed in 2022; the DNR’s fee-changes page lists nothing newer.
- Texas — Freshwater package $30, all-water $40, unchanged on the Outdoor Annual.
- Montana — The 2025 Legislature raised hunting fees for the 2026 licence year; fishing licences were not touched.
- Idaho — No general increase; Price Lock holds 2017 prices for residents who buy every year.
- Wyoming — Nonresident fishing last rose in 2018; nothing for 2026.
- Kansas — The bill that would have raised fee caps did not become law; $25 resident, $75 nonresident.
- South Dakota — Raised for the 2025 season ($31 resident, $80 nonresident, on the official handbook); no further change for 2026.
And 24 states where we found no announced change on the agency’s site or anywhere else as of 2026-09-15: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Vermont, West Virginia. Their licence pages carry the fees we last read and the date we read them. Absence of an announcement is not proof of no change, so if you know of one we missed, tell us and we will read the source.
How we checked
We started from the compiled lists only to know where to look, then read the primary source for each state between September 12 and 15, 2026. Where a legislature set the price, that is a bill: Washington’s SSB 5583 and North Dakota’s HB 1470 both show the old number struck through and the new one beside it, which is the best evidence a fee change can have. Where a commission set it, that is the commission’s schedule or minutes: Oregon’s fee table, Nebraska’s and Missouri’s decisions. Where an agency indexes prices by law, we compared its two annual booklets. Previous prices come from the previous edition of the official guide where the agency no longer shows them.
The compiled lists were wrong in ways worth recording. Washington’s 38% rise is given as effective January 1, 2026; it was July 1, 2025. Missouri’s new nonresident trout permit appears as $24; the agency’s figure is $40. Kentucky’s new prices appear to two decimal places on sites that cannot have read them anywhere the agency publishes, and we could not read them either, so that entry says so rather than borrowing. The exercise also caught two errors of our own: our Maine and Nebraska licence pages were still showing 2025 prices. Both are corrected and both are in the verification log.
This page is revised when a decision changes: Michigan’s budget, Tennessee’s committee vote, Nebraska’s 2027 approval, Kentucky’s figures when they can be read. The date at the top of each source is the date we read it, not the date the page was published.
Questions
Which states raised fishing licence fees in 2026?
Fees are higher in 2026 than in 2025 in Oregon, Maine, North Dakota, New Mexico, Nebraska, Missouri, California, Colorado, Kentucky, Washington, Utah. In some the change is a decision taken for 2026 (Oregon, Maine, North Dakota, New Mexico, Nebraska, Missouri); in others it is an annual inflation adjustment (California, Colorado, Kentucky) or a 2025 rise that every 2026 licence carries (Washington, Utah).
Which fee increases are still to come?
Virginia on October 1, 2026; Iowa on 2027 licences, on sale from December 15, 2026. Nebraska has also approved a further rise for 2027 permits. Tennessee’s new structure needs a legislative committee vote before it can start, at the earliest on July 1, 2027.
Did Michigan or Wisconsin raise fishing licence fees?
No. Wisconsin’s proposed rise from $20 to $30 was struck from the 2025–27 budget and the resident licence is still $20, as it has been since 2005. Michigan’s Governor proposed $26 to $30 for the 2027 budget; the Senate included it, the House did not act, and nothing had been signed when we last checked. Both entries will move if that changes.
Why do fees rise in some states every year without any announcement?
Because the law tells the agency to index them. California adjusts every licence each January by the Implicit Price Deflator under Fish and Game Code §713. Colorado’s commission may apply a Consumer Price Index adjustment each year under a 2018 statute. Kentucky adopted a similar every-other-year CPI rule in 2025. Those states do not announce a “fee increase”; the price simply moves, which is why they are on this page with the ones that did.
Where do these figures come from?
Each entry lists its sources with the date we read them. Where a legislature wrote the new prices into law, we quote the bill or the statute, which shows the old figure struck through and the new one beside it. Where an agency sets prices by regulation, we quote the agency’s own schedule. We do not take figures from other websites’ lists, and one entry, Kentucky, says plainly that we could not read the agency’s numbers.