If you are 10 or older and plan to fish any public water in Arizona, you need an Arizona fishing license from the Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD). A standard annual license costs $37 for residents and $55 for nonresidents, and it must be on you while you fish.1Arizona Legislature. Arizona Code 17-331 – License or Proof of Purchase Required
Who Needs One
Arizona law prohibits taking any wildlife, fish included, without a valid license or commission-approved proof of purchase. You must carry that proof while fishing and show it to a game ranger or peace officer on request.1Arizona Legislature. Arizona Code 17-331 – License or Proof of Purchase Required The rule covers lakes, rivers, streams, and designated community fishing waters statewide.
Children under 10 and blind residents are exempt. Everyone else, including teenagers, needs a license.2eRegulations. Arizona Fishing – License and Fee Structure
You also do not need a license to fish an artificial pond, tank, or lake that sits entirely on private land, is not open to the public, and is not managed by AZGFD. If the water connects to public waterways or AZGFD stocks it, a license is required.3Legal Information Institute. Arizona Admin Code R12-4-311 – Exemptions from Requirement to Purchase a License
Once a year, Arizona holds a Free Fishing Day when anyone can fish public waters without a license. In 2025 it fell on June 7, and AZGFD typically announces the date each spring, usually the first Saturday in June.4Arizona Game and Fish Department. Arizona’s Free Fishing Day is June 7 Bag limits and every other fishing regulation still apply.
Active-duty military stationed in Arizona, their spouses, and service members stationed elsewhere who list Arizona as their home of record qualify for resident pricing.5Arizona Game and Fish Department. New Customer – AZGFD License6eLaws. Arizona Code 17-336 – Complimentary and Honorary Youth Licenses7Legal Information Institute. Arizona Admin Code R12-4-202 – Complimentary and Reduced-Fee Disabled Veterans License
Resident or Nonresident
Residency decides what you pay. Arizona treats you as a resident if you have been domiciled in the state for at least six consecutive months before applying and do not claim residency anywhere else.5Arizona Game and Fish Department. New Customer – AZGFD License You will need an Arizona driver’s license, military ID, or other state-issued identification when purchasing.
If you have been in the state fewer than six months or still hold legal residency elsewhere, you pay nonresident rates. Being enrolled at an Arizona university is not, by itself, enough; a student who has lived in-state six months and dropped residency ties elsewhere can qualify under the standard rule.
License Types and Fees
Every Arizona fishing license includes trout privileges and lets you fish with two poles at once, so there is no separate trout stamp.2eRegulations. Arizona Fishing – License and Fee Structure The main options:
- General Fishing. $37 resident, $55 nonresident. Covers all fish species statewide, including community fishing waters.
- Combination Hunt and Fish. $57 resident, $160 nonresident. Adds small game, upland game birds, and other hunting privileges to a full fishing license.
- Youth Combination Hunt and Fish, ages 10 to 17. $5 for residents and nonresidents, with the same hunting and fishing privileges as the adult combination license.
- Short-term Combination Hunt and Fish. $15 per day resident, $20 per day nonresident. You pick your dates at purchase, and the days do not need to be consecutive.
These licenses also cover shore and boat fishing on the Arizona portions of the Colorado River and its impounded waters, including Lake Mead, Lake Mohave, and Lake Havasu.2eRegulations. Arizona Fishing – License and Fee Structure
How to Buy and Renew
Three ways to buy:
- Online at license.azgfd.com, with an immediate printout.
- In person at AZGFD offices or any of roughly 150 authorized dealers, including sporting goods stores, bait and tackle shops, and major retailers.2eRegulations. Arizona Fishing – License and Fee Structure
- By phone through AZGFD customer service.
Every Arizona fishing license is good for one year from the date of purchase, not on a calendar-year basis.2eRegulations. Arizona Fishing – License and Fee Structure Renewal costs the same as the original purchase.
Tribal and Federal Waters
Your Arizona license does not cover tribal waters. Each tribe runs its own permit system. The Navajo Nation requires anyone 12 or older to carry a valid Navajo fishing permit on Navajo waters,8Navajo Nation Department of Fish and Wildlife. Navajo Nation Fishing and Boating Regulations and the San Carlos Apache, White Mountain Apache, and other tribes have their own permits. Fishing tribal water without the correct tribal permit can bring fines and equipment confiscation on top of any state consequences.
National parks and other federal lands in Arizona generally follow state fishing regulations, so your state license is valid there. Where a National Park Service rule conflicts with a state rule, the NPS regulation controls.9National Park Service. Fishing in Parks Check the specific park before you go, since some add restrictions on tackle, bait, or catch-and-release.
Penalties for Fishing Without a License
Fishing without a valid license, exceeding bag limits, or otherwise violating Arizona’s game and fish laws is a Class 2 misdemeanor.10Arizona Legislature. Arizona Revised Statutes Title 17 Game and Fish 17-309 That carries a fine of up to $750, plus surcharges and court fees that commonly push the total well above the base fine.11Arizona Legislature. Arizona Code 13-802 – Fines for Misdemeanors Using fraud or misrepresentation to obtain a license, such as lying about residency or using someone else’s identity, is also a Class 2 misdemeanor and voids the license from the date of issuance.12Arizona Legislature. Arizona Code 17-341 – Violation Classification
If your license has been suspended or revoked and you fish anyway, the charge jumps to a Class 1 misdemeanor, punishable by up to six months in jail and a fine of up to $2,500.13Arizona Legislature. Arizona Revised Statutes Title 17 Game and Fish 17-34014Arizona Legislature. Arizona Code 13-707 – Misdemeanors Sentencing Courts can also confiscate fishing equipment and impose civil penalties for unlawfully taken wildlife, and you will not get your license back until those penalties are paid in full.
Out-of-State Violations Follow You
Arizona belongs to the Interstate Wildlife Violator Compact, an agreement among 47 states that makes fishing and hunting suspensions portable.15CSG National Center for Interstate Compacts. Wildlife Violator Compact If another member state suspends your privileges, Arizona honors that suspension, and even an unpaid citation for fishing without a license in another state can block you from buying one here until you resolve it.