Texas does not sell a bare fishing licence: it sells packages. Freshwater, Saltwater or All-Water, and the All-Water package costs forty dollars against seventy-five for the other two bought separately, so anyone who might touch both should not hesitate. The state also licenses from seventeen rather than sixteen, and the Year-from-Purchase option is the fix for the 31 August expiry that otherwise punishes a summer buy.
What it costs you
Set your situation and the figure below is the one you will actually pay at checkout.
Every Texas fishing fee
Most packages run to 31 August whatever date you buy.
| Licence | Who | Length | Fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-day all-water licence | Resident | 1 day | $11.00 |
| One-day all-water licence | Visitor | 1 day | $16.00 |
| Special resident all-water, legally blind | Resident | Annual | $7.00 |
| Senior freshwater package, 65 and over | Resident | Annual | $12.00 |
| Senior saltwater package, 65 and over | Resident | Annual | $17.00 |
| Senior all-water package, 65 and over | Resident | Annual | $22.00 |
| Resident freshwater package | Resident | Annual | $30.00 |
| Resident saltwater package | Resident | Annual | $35.00 |
| Resident all-water package Cheaper than buying the freshwater and saltwater packages separately. | Resident | Annual | $40.00 |
| Year-from-purchase all-water package Runs 365 days from purchase instead of expiring on 31 August. | Resident | Annual | $47.00 |
| Non-resident freshwater package | Visitor | Annual | $58.00 |
| Non-resident saltwater package | Visitor | Annual | $63.00 |
| Non-resident all-water package | Visitor | Annual | $68.00 |
Texas sells packages rather than a bare licence, and the all-water package costs less than the freshwater and saltwater packages bought separately.
Passing through? A visitor pays $16 for one day here, and the annual works out cheaper after 4 days. Compare every state's day licence.
Do you need a fishing licence in Texas?
Yes, from age 17. Residents and visitors both need one from that birthday. What changes is the price, not the requirement.
$30.00 a year if you live in Texas, $58.00 if you are visiting, for fresh water. Texas licenses fresh and salt water separately, so check which one your trip needs.
Who does not need one
- Anglers under 17. Texas sets the threshold at 17, not 16.
- Everyone on the state free fishing day.
Nobody needs a licence on Texasβs free fishing days: the dates for this year, and what the day does not waive.
How to buy it
Texas Parks and Wildlife Department sells online, by phone and through licence agents: tackle shops, sporting goods stores and county offices.
Official TPWD 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 76 Texas waters daily, with live flow, tides and conditions. A sample of what your licence covers:
- Lake Conroe β Montgomery County
- Sam Rayburn Reservoir β Angelina County
- Lake Fork β Wood County
- Lake Palestine β Henderson County
- Toledo Bend Reservoir β Sabine County
- Lake Livingston β San Jacinto County
- Lake Tawakoni β Hunt County
- Lake Buchanan β Llano County
- Lake Whitney β Hill County
- Richland-Chambers Reservoir β Navarro County
- Lake Amistad β Val Verde County
- Falcon Lake β Starr County
Questions
How much is a fishing licence in Texas?
$30.00 for a resident annual freshwater licence and $58.00 for a non-resident. Short-term licences cost less and are listed in full above.
Do you need a fishing license in Texas?
Yes, from age 17, and it makes no difference whether you live there: residents and visitors both need one, they just pay different prices. $30.00 for a resident annual freshwater licence, $58.00 for a visitor. 2 exemptions apply, listed on this page.
What age do you need a fishing licence in Texas?
From age 17. Anglers under 17 fish without one, though the other rules, bag limits and catch record cards included, still apply to them.
Can I buy a Texas fishing licence online?
Yes. Texas Parks and Wildlife Department sells online and through licence agents.
Do I need separate freshwater and saltwater licences in Texas?
Yes. Texas sells them separately, so fishing both sides means either two licences or the combined option listed in the fee table.
Should I buy the Texas all-water package?
If you might fish both sides, yes: $40.00 for a resident against $65.00 for the freshwater and saltwater packages bought separately.
When does a Texas fishing licence expire?
Most packages expire on 31 August whatever date you buy. The Year-from-Purchase all-water package, at $47.00, runs a full 365 days instead.