Fishing License

Do I need a freshwater or saltwater fishing license or both?

In general, you need a freshwater license to take freshwater fish and a saltwater license to take saltwater fish, unless one of the exemptions applies to your situation. If you are fishing in pure fresh water where no saltwater species live, you need a freshwater license and likewise if you are fishing in the ocean, you need a saltwater license.

However, when you get into estuarine type areas where salt and fresh water commingle, and fish of both types can be found the issue becomes less clear. The interpretation of the rule is:

• You need either a freshwater, saltwater or combination license (or appropriate exemption) to take fish (take is legally defined as taking, attempting to take, pursuing, molesting, capturing or killing any fish, or their nests or eggs by any means whether such actions result in obtaining possession of such fish or their nests or eggs)
• If you are using species-specific gear, your license should be appropriate (e.g., freshwater or saltwater) to the species you are targeting and
• Otherwise, you need an appropriate type of license to keep your catch and must immediately release any species for which you are not licensed. License requirements follow the species of fish, regardless of where they are caught. In other words, if you only have a freshwater license and are primarily fishing for largemouth bass or bream (freshwater species) in a river but happen to catch a red drum (a saltwater species), you must immediately release the red drum

Annual recreational hunting and fishing licenses expire one year from the date issued. The expiration date is printed on all the licenses.

 To view your current Florida recreational hunting and fishing licenses:

• Go to the FWC Recreational Licensing Issuance Services (RLIS) online license sales site at GoOutdoorsFlorida.com
• Enter your identification information and click "Continue"
• Your current licenses will be listed. Click "Show License History" to see your expired licenses

A fishing or hunting license is required to be with you when you are engaged in the licensed activity. If your license is not listed there, it is expired. At this point, you may continue and purchase a replacement or new license, or close out to end the session.

Lifetime licenses can be purchased at online at GoOutdoorsFlorida.com or in person at our public service office. The following documentation is required:

 For children under 13 years of age:

• Certified copy of the child's birth certificate
• Social Security card and
• Copy of the Florida driver's license of one parent whose name appears on the birth certificate

Youth between the ages of 13 and 18:

• Student ID (from a Florida school) and
• Parent's proof of residency (child must be accompanied by the parent at the time of purchase)

Residents age 16 and older:

• Florida driver's license or identification card with residency verified by the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles

Lifetime License Designations

 Lifetime Gold Sportsman’s Licenses - Includes hunting, freshwater fishing and saltwater fishing licenses, deer, wildlife management area, archery, muzzleloading gun, crossbow, turkey, Florida waterfowl, snook and lobster permits.

 Lifetime Saltwater Fishing Licenses - Includes a saltwater fishing license, snook and lobster permits.

Lifetime Freshwater Fishing Licenses - Includes a freshwater fishing license.

Lifetime license holders can now have designations for hunting, freshwater fishing, saltwater fishing or gold sportsman’s licenses, as well as boating safety certifications added to a Florida driver’s license. Learn more information about these DHSMV designations.

For more information, please visit myfwc.com/license/recreational/lifetime-licenses/.

Florida residents aged 65 or older only need a Florida driver’s license or identification card to prove residency and age. They are not required to purchase the following recreational licenses and permits:

• Saltwater fishing, freshwater fishing and hunting licenses
• Snook, lobster, deer, management area, muzzleloading, turkey, archery, crossbow, *Florida waterfowl and migratory bird permits

The Resident 65+ Hunt/Fish certificate is available, at no cost, online at GoOutdoorsFlorida.com, or in person at our public service office, but it is not a required item. While a license is not required for resident seniors, they should keep proof of age and residency in their possession while participating in these activities.

* The exemption does not apply to the federal duck stamp or tarpon tags.

A recreational fishing or hunting license is required to be in your possession when you are engaged in the licensed activity.

To replace a lost or stolen license or permit, you may reprint it at any time online GoOutdoorsFlorida.com at no cost, or visit a license agent or our public service office to have it reprinted for a $2.50 fee. A lost or stolen hard card can be replaced for $5 for annual and five-year licenses and $10 for a lifetime license card. 

Licenses can also be downloaded electronically with the FWC’s Fish|Hunt FL App on Apple or Android smart phones or tablets. Renew, purchase and store your licenses and permits on the app, as it does count as personal possession of your license. Simply search for FWC in your app store to download the Fish|Hunt FL App today.

Disability Licenses

Replacement of your persons with disabilities hunt/fish license can also be done online at GoOutdoorsFlorida.com. Replacement of a persons with disabilities crossbow permit can be done online at myfwc.com.

A Charter Captain or Boat License is required to carry paying customers (where a fee is paid directly or indirectly) for the purpose of taking, attempting to take or possessing saltwater fish or organisms. To be a saltwater fishing guide in Florida, you must comply with U.S. Coast Guard (USGC) requirements. The U.S. Coast Guard (USGC) requires all operators of for-hire vessels to have a captain license/Merchant Mariner Credential. Charter, head boat and saltwater fishing guide operations must have an FWC charter captain or boat license to cover their passengers who are not required to hold a recreational saltwater fishing license. Customers authorized to fish under the vessel license are not required to hold a recreational saltwater fishing license.

Dive charters: Scuba divers engaged in fishing or lobstering must have an individual saltwater fishing license and all necessary permits if the vessel they are on does not have the necessary vessel license.

What the FWC saltwater charter license authorizes:

• The vessel license holder is to carry up to the number of fishing passengers specified on the license
• The number of customers specified on the FWC vessel license to take, attempt to take or possess a limit of saltwater fish or organisms for non-commercial purposes without purchasing a recreational saltwater fishing license
• A person who holds the Charter Captain License does not need to purchase his own recreational saltwater fishing license to fish recreationally from a vessel. He may use his Charter Captain because it’s tied to him, this does not apply to a Charter Boat/Vessel License

What the FWC saltwater charter license DOES NOT authorize:

• Harvest in commercial quantities or the sale of fish
• Passengers (whether licensed, not licensed or exempt from licensure) more than the number specified on the FWC vessel license to take, attempt to take or possess a limit of saltwater fish or organisms (even if licensed by the USCG to carry more paying passengers)
• The captain and crew to take, attempt to take or possess a limit of fish or organisms under the vessel license
• Freshwater fishing guides

For more information, please visit https://myfwc.com/license/commercial/saltwater/charter/.

Florida residents and visitors are required to possess a Florida hunting, freshwater fishing or saltwater fishing license when engaged in fishing and hunting activities. 

• A license is required to attempt to catch fish. If you cast a line or catch and release, you need a fishing license
• A saltwater fishing license is required to attempt to take any native or nonnative marine organisms, such as crabs, lobsters and marine plants
• Licenses and permits are required to help or assist in the take. Someone who is passively participating (setting decoys, calling birds or baiting hooks), whether actively fishing or hunting or not, must have a license and appropriate permits
• Persons who are listed on the National Saltwater Angler Registry are required to have a Florida recreational fishing license unless exempt as listed below

Pursuant to Florida Statute 379.353, the following individuals are EXEMPT from recreational hunting, freshwater fishing or saltwater fishing licenses as well as Florida waterfowl, migratory bird, deer, turkey, snook, spiny lobster, archery, crossbow, muzzleloading and management area permit requirements (unless noted, these exemptions do not apply to federal duck stamp requirements)

• Youth under 16 years of age (also exempt from federal duck stamp requirements)
• Resident seniors age 65 or older with proof of age or residency (such as a valid Florida driver's license or ID card) or possessing an optional Resident 65+ Hunt/Fish Certificate (available at no cost online at GoOutdoorsFlorida.com or in person at our public service office)
• Freshwater fishing or hunting in your County of residence on your homestead (or the homestead of your spouse or minor child), or if you are a minor child freshwater fishing or hunting on the homestead of your parent
• Florida residents certified as totally and permanently disabled who possess a Florida Resident Disabled Person's Hunting and Fishing License
• Florida residents who are members of the Armed Forces of the United States, who are not stationed in this state, and who are home on leave for 30 days or less upon submission of orders
• Individuals who are observing or filming someone else who is fishing or hunting and who are not assisting (baiting hooks, reeling, setting decoys, calling birds, etc.) in the take in any way
• Disabled veterans or active or reserve duty military service members and their immediate family members and assistants who are participating in a permitted outdoor recreational event for which the Commission has issued a Military/Disabled Veteran Event License Exemption Permit to the event organizer
• Customers or patrons (residents and nonresidents) hunting on a hunting preserve that has a Blanket Hunt Preserve License are exempt from individual license requirements of a Hunting License, Deer Permit, Florida Waterfowl Permit, Archery Season Permit, Crossbow Season Permit, Muzzleloading Gun Season Permit and/or Turkey Permit (pursuant to Florida Statute 379.3712)

In addition, the following are exempt from a freshwater fishing license:

• Florida residents accepted as clients for developmental disabilities services by the Agency for Persons with Disabilities. The agency must furnish proof to such clients
• Those fishing in a fishpond of 20 acres or less which is located entirely within the private property of its owner. A fishpond is a man-made pond constructed for the primary purpose of fishing, entirely within the property lines of the owner and with no surface water connection to public waters
• Individuals fishing in a fish pond of 20 acres or more, whose owner has purchased a fish pond license at a fee of $3 per surface acre
• Individuals who possess a Resident Freshwater Commercial Fishing License
• Those fishing in the St. Mary's River or Lake Seminole (but not including tributary creeks in Florida) and have a valid Georgia fishing license
• Those freshwater fishing during free freshwater fishing days
• Florida residents fishing with live or natural bait, using poles or lines that are not equipped with a fishing-line-retrieval mechanism, and fishing for noncommercial purposes in their home County (does not include fish management areas within the home County)

In addition, the following are exempt from a saltwater fishing license and snook or spiny lobster permits:

• Florida residents accepted as a client for developmental disabilities services by the Agency for Persons with Disabilities. The agency must provide proof to such clients
• Individuals saltwater fishing from a for-hire vessel (guide, charter or party boat) that has a valid charter license
• Those saltwater fishing from a vessel whose operator has a valid recreational saltwater vessel license issued in the name of the operator of the vessel
• Those saltwater fishing during a free saltwater fishing day
• Individuals saltwater fishing from a pier with a valid saltwater pier license
• Individuals who hold a valid saltwater products license or FWC charter captain license (does not apply to charter boat license or U.S. Coast Guard license or to the crew operating under any charter license or Vessel or Individual Crew SPL)
• Florida residents who are fishing for mullet in freshwater who hold valid Florida resident freshwater fishing licenses
• Florida residents saltwater fishing from land or a structure fixed to land which has been determined eligible for the food stamp, temporary cash assistance or Medicaid Program by the Department of Children and Families (DCF). Proof of identification and a benefit issuance or program identification card issued by DCF or the Agency for Health Care Administration must be in possession when fishing. A license is required when fishing from a vessel or when swimming or diving, and this exemption does not apply to freshwater fishing
• Florida residents’ saltwater fishing with live or natural bait, using poles or lines that are not equipped with a fishing-line-retrieval mechanism, for noncommercial purposes in their home County (does not include fish management areas within the home County)