Idaho rewards loyalty with a price lock: renew without a gap and you keep a lower rate year after year, thirty dollars fifty falling to twenty-five seventy-five. What the headline hides is the Access and Depredation fee, a compulsory five dollars for residents and ten for visitors on annual and three-year licences. Daily licences skip it, which matters for a week on the Henrys Fork.
What it costs you
Set your situation and the figure below is the one you will actually pay at checkout.
Every Idaho fishing fee
Licences are valid through 31 December.
| Licence | Who | Length | Fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily fishing, first day, 14 and over Each consecutive day adds $6.00. | Resident | 1 day | $13.50 |
| Daily fishing, first day, 14 and over Each consecutive day adds $7.00. | Visitor | 1 day | $22.75 |
| Three-day salmon and steelhead | Visitor | 3 days | $44.75 |
| Disabled fishing | Resident | Annual | $5.75 |
| Senior combination hunting and fishing | Resident | Annual | $13.75 |
| Military furlough fishing | Resident | Annual | $20.50 |
| Junior fishing, ages 14-17 | Visitor | Annual | $23.75 |
| Fishing, annual Renewing without a break locks a lower $25.75 rate. | Resident | Annual | $30.50 |
| Combination hunting and fishing | Resident | Annual | $38.75 |
| Fishing, annual, 18 and over | Visitor | Annual | $108.00 |
| Sportsman's package | Resident | Annual | $144.60 |
| Combination hunting and fishing | Visitor | Annual | $264.00 |
| Fishing, three years | Resident | 3 years | $73.75 |
| Fishing, three years | Visitor | 3 years | $291.25 |
Idaho runs a price lock: renew without a gap and you keep the lower rate year after year.
Passing through? A visitor pays $22.75 for one day here, and the annual works out cheaper after 6 days. Compare every state's day licence.
Do you need a fishing licence in Idaho?
Yes, from age 14. Residents and visitors both need one from that birthday. What changes is the price, not the requirement.
$35.50 a year if you live in Idaho, $118.00 if you are visiting.
Who does not need one
- Anglers under 14, who must fish with an adult Idaho licence holder and whose catch counts against that adultβs limit.
- Everyone on the state free fishing day.
Nobody needs a licence on Idahoβs free fishing days: the dates for this year, and what the day does not waive.
How to buy it
Idaho Department of Fish and Game sells online, by phone and through licence agents: tackle shops, sporting goods stores and county offices.
Official IDFG 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 26 Idaho waters daily, with live flow, tides and conditions. A sample of what your licence covers:
- Clearwater River β Nez Perce County
- Henrys Fork β Madison County
- Lake Pend Oreille β Bonner County
- Snake River (South Fork) β Bonneville County
- Boise River β Ada County
- Silver Creek β Blaine County
- Henrys Lake β Fremont County
- South Fork Boise River β Elmore County
- Blackfoot Reservoir β Caribou County
- South Fork Clearwater River β Idaho County
- North Fork Clearwater River β Clearwater County
- Dworshak Reservoir β Clearwater County
Questions
How much is a fishing licence in Idaho?
$35.50 for a resident annual all waters licence and $118.00 for a non-resident. Short-term licences cost less and are listed in full above.
Do you need a fishing license in Idaho?
Yes, from age 14, and it makes no difference whether you live there: residents and visitors both need one, they just pay different prices. $35.50 for a resident annual licence, $118.00 for a visitor. 2 exemptions apply, listed on this page.
What age do you need a fishing licence in Idaho?
From age 14. Anglers under 14 fish without one, though the other rules, bag limits and catch record cards included, still apply to them.
Can I buy a Idaho fishing licence online?
Yes. Idaho Department of Fish and Game sells online and through licence agents.
What is the Idaho price lock?
A lower rate for anglers who renew without a break: $25.75 instead of $30.50 for a resident annual. Let it lapse and you go back to the full price.
Do Idaho daily licences carry the access fee?
No. The Access and Depredation fee applies only to annual and three-year licences, so short trips avoid it entirely.