Vermont keeps its pricing flat and its structure simple: one licence covers everything that swims, with no trout stamp, no salmon card and no separate water classes. The state licenses from fifteen, and the permanent licence at sixty-six is a one-off sixty dollars that ends the annual purchase for good. Visitors pay roughly double a resident, which is mild by New England standards.
What it costs you
Set your situation and the figure below is the one you will actually pay at checkout.
Every Vermont fishing fee
Licences run by calendar year.
| Licence | Who | Length | Fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| One day | Visitor | 1 day | $21.00 |
| Three days | Resident | 3 days | $11.00 |
| Three days | Visitor | 3 days | $23.00 |
| Seven days | Visitor | 7 days | $31.00 |
| Youth fishing, ages 15-17 | Resident | Annual | $8.00 |
| Youth combination, 17 and under | Resident | Annual | $12.00 |
| Youth fishing, ages 15-17 | Visitor | Annual | $15.00 |
| Fishing, ages 18-65 | Resident | Annual | $28.00 |
| Youth combination, 17 and under | Visitor | Annual | $30.00 |
| Combination fishing and hunting | Resident | Annual | $47.00 |
| Fishing, annual | Visitor | Annual | $54.00 |
| Combination fishing and hunting | Visitor | Annual | $143.00 |
| Five-year fishing | Resident | 5 years | $134.00 |
| Five-year fishing | Visitor | 5 years | $264.00 |
| Permanent licence, residents 66 and over | Resident | Lifetime | $60.00 |
Passing through? A visitor pays $21 for one day here, and the annual works out cheaper after 3 days. Compare every state's day licence.
Do you need a fishing licence in Vermont?
Yes, from age 15. Residents and visitors both need one from that birthday. What changes is the price, not the requirement.
$28.00 a year if you live in Vermont, $54.00 if you are visiting.
Who does not need one
- Anglers under 15.
- Everyone on the state free fishing days.
Nobody needs a licence on Vermontβs free fishing days: the dates for this year, and what the day does not waive.
How to buy it
Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department sells online, by phone and through licence agents: tackle shops, sporting goods stores and county offices.
Official VTFW 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 Vermont waters daily, with live flow, tides and conditions. A sample of what your licence covers:
- Lake Champlain β Grand Isle County
- Lake Willoughby β Orleans County
- Clyde River β Orleans County
- Battenkill β Bennington County
- Lake Memphremagog β Orleans County
- White River β Windsor County
- Somerset Reservoir β Windham County
- Waterbury Reservoir β Washington County
- Seymour Lake β Orleans County
- Winooski River β Chittenden County
- Missisquoi River β Franklin County
- Otter Creek β Addison County
Questions
How much is a fishing licence in Vermont?
$28.00 for a resident annual all waters licence and $54.00 for a non-resident. Short-term licences cost less and are listed in full above.
Do you need a fishing license in Vermont?
Yes, from age 15, and it makes no difference whether you live there: residents and visitors both need one, they just pay different prices. $28.00 for a resident annual licence, $54.00 for a visitor. 2 exemptions apply, listed on this page.
What age do you need a fishing licence in Vermont?
From age 15. Anglers under 15 fish without one, though the other rules, bag limits and catch record cards included, still apply to them.
Can I buy a Vermont fishing licence online?
Yes. Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department sells online and through licence agents.
Do I need a trout stamp in Vermont?
No. Vermont folds every species into the base licence, so trout, salmon and bass are all covered by one purchase.
What is the Vermont permanent licence?
A one-off sixty-dollar licence for residents aged 66 and over that never needs renewing.