Arkansas Game and Fish License: Costs, Permits & Exemptions

An Arkansas Game and Fish license is required for anyone 16 or older who wants to hunt or fish in the state, and the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission (AGFC) sells them online, by phone, through its app, and at retail dealers. Resident prices start at $10.50 for fishing or hunting alone and $35.50 for a combination license covering both. Non-residents pay considerably more, but short-trip licenses can keep the cost down if you’re only visiting for a few days.

Resident Licenses and Prices

Most Arkansas residents choose from three options:

Combination Sportsman’s License (CS), $35.50. Covers hunting all game species in open seasons and sport fishing statewide. Includes six deer tags and two turkey tags, and bear tags can be claimed after purchase. Expires June 30.¹
Resident Fisheries Conservation License (FSH), $10.50. Sport fishing only. Valid for one year from the date of purchase.²
Resident Wildlife Conservation License (HNT), $10.50. Covers small game, furbearers, and one deer. Includes one deer tag. Expires June 30.¹

If you only fish occasionally, a resident 3-day trip fishing license runs $6.50.³

You qualify as a resident after living in Arkansas for at least 60 days and declaring yourself a full-time resident, usually proven with an Arkansas driver’s license, state ID, or vehicle registration.⁴

Non-Resident Licenses and Prices

Visiting hunters and anglers have several price points depending on how long they’ll stay:

Non-Resident Annual All Game Hunting License (NBG), $410. Deer and small game with modern gun, muzzleloader, or archery. Includes six deer tags. Expires June 30. Bear, turkey, alligator, and elk require separate non-resident permits.¹
Non-Resident Annual Small Game Hunting License, $110. Small game and furbearers only. Expires June 30.¹
Non-Resident 5-Day Hunting License, $225. Includes two deer tags.³
Non-Resident 3-Day Deer Hunting License, $175. One deer tag.³
Non-Resident 1-Day Deer Hunting License, $100. One deer tag.³
Non-Resident 3-Day Trip Fishing License, $30.³

For a weekend hunt, one of the trip licenses almost always beats the annual price. A single-day deer tag at $100 against a $410 annual license makes the math clear.

Add-On Permits and Stamps You Might Need

A base license doesn’t always cover the activity you have in mind. Missing a required add-on is probably the most common licensing mistake in Arkansas.

Trout. Keeping trout or fishing in designated trout waters like the White River tailwater or the Little Red River requires a separate Resident Trout Permit at $10, even if you already hold the Combination Sportsman’s License. Holders of the $1,000 Lifetime Resident Hunting and Fishing Sportsman’s Permit or a 65-Plus Lifetime License with trout included are the exceptions.²

Waterfowl. Duck and goose hunters need three things on top of a hunting license: a state waterfowl stamp ($7 resident, $50 non-resident), a federal Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp, and a free Harvest Information Program (HIP) registration.³ HIP is done through the AGFC website, the AGFC app, or at a regional office.⁵

Wildlife Management Areas. Hunting or trapping on any WMA requires a free WMA General Use Permit. You still have to obtain it before heading out, and it expires June 30.³

Bear and turkey. The Combination Sportsman’s License comes with two turkey tags; bear tags can be claimed after purchase. Non-residents hunting bear or turkey need separate species-specific permits on top of the all-game license.¹

Who Doesn’t Need a License or Gets a Discount

Anyone under 16 can hunt or fish in Arkansas without a license, and big game tags like bear and turkey are not required for hunters under 16 either. All other rules, including bag limits and season dates, still apply.¹

Residents 65 and older can buy a 65-Plus Lifetime Combination License for $35.50. It never expires and covers both hunting and fishing.⁶

Disabled veterans who are Arkansas residents qualify for a Resident Disabled Veteran Lifetime Combination License at $52.50 if the VA rates them 100% totally and permanently disabled, if they have a service-connected disability of 70% or higher, or if they hold a 50% or higher rating and received the Purple Heart. The license includes a lifetime trout stamp and state duck stamp.⁷ Disabled veterans visiting from another state do not get this rate and pay standard non-resident prices.

Active-duty military stationed in Arkansas pay resident rates regardless of their home state. Service members who were Arkansas residents when they entered the military keep resident pricing even if they’re stationed elsewhere.⁴

Hunter Education Requirement

Anyone born after 1968 must carry a valid hunter education certificate while hunting in Arkansas.⁸

Two exceptions apply. Youth hunters under the direct supervision of an adult at least 21 years old don’t need their own certificate. And hunters 16 and older who haven’t completed the course can buy a “DHE”-coded license that lets them hunt while accompanied by a certified adult at least 21, though that option goes away if they’ve previously been convicted of violating the hunter education rule.⁸ Certificates from other states and Canadian provinces are accepted.

How to Buy an Arkansas Game and Fish License

Have the following ready before you start:

Full legal name, current address, and date of birth.
Arkansas driver’s license or state ID for resident licenses.
Social Security Number. Federal and state law require it on recreational license applications for child support enforcement purposes.
Hunter education certificate number, if you were born after 1968 and plan to hunt.

The SSN requirement catches many first-time buyers off guard, but it applies in every state. Once you have your information in hand, you can buy a license four ways:

Online through the AGFC licensing portal, which is open 24 hours. You’ll get a digital license you can save on your phone or print.
Through the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission smartphone app, which also stores your credentials.
In person at any AGFC regional office, nature center, the Little Rock headquarters, or an authorized retail dealer such as a sporting goods store.
By phone at 833-345-0325, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.⁹

When Your License Expires

Expiration dates aren’t uniform, and that catches people out. Hunting licenses, combination licenses, waterfowl stamps, and HIP registrations all expire June 30 regardless of when you bought them, so a hunting license purchased in May is only good for about two months. Fishing-only licenses run one year from the date of purchase.³ Trip licenses are valid from the requested start date for the stated number of days. Lifetime licenses never expire.

Penalties for Hunting or Fishing Without a License

Hunting or fishing without the required license is a misdemeanor in Arkansas, with a fine between $10 and $200 on conviction.¹⁰

The larger risk is reciprocal. Nearly every state participates in the Interstate Wildlife Violator Compact, so a license suspension in Arkansas can trigger a suspension in your home state and other member states.¹¹

1
Arkansas Game & Fish Commission. Hunting License Descriptions and Fees
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Arkansas Game & Fish Commission. Fishing License Descriptions and Fees
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Arkansas Game and Fish Commission. D1.01 – Licenses, Permits, Stamps, Tags, Costs, and Expiration Dates
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Arkansas Game & Fish Commission. Licensing Frequently Asked Questions
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Arkansas Game & Fish Commission. Get HIP with AGFC Before Duck Hunting
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Cornell Law Institute. Resident 65-Plus Annual Fishing, Hunting, and Combination Licenses
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Justia Law. Arkansas Code 15-42-128 – Lifetime Hunting Licenses and Lifetime Combination Hunting and Fishing Licenses
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Arkansas Game and Fish Commission. 03.16 – Hunter Education Certificate Requirements
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Arkansas Game & Fish Commission. Contact Us – Section: Hotlines and Important Numbers
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Justia Law. Arkansas Code 15-42-101 – Penalty for Hunting or Fishing Without License
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National Association of Conservation Law Enforcement Chiefs. Interstate Wildlife Violator Compact