There is no minimum age to get a hunting license in Texas. A child of any age can hold one, and everyone who hunts in the state needs one, from deer and dove hunters to people after frogs or turtles.1Texas Parks & Wildlife Department. Hunting Licenses, Permits & Endorsements What changes with age is which license you buy, whether you need hunter education, and whether an adult has to be with you in the field.
License Type by Age
Texas prices and labels hunting licenses by age at the date of purchase. Anyone under 17 qualifies for a Youth Hunting License at $7, and that price applies to residents and non-residents alike. At 17, you move to a Resident Hunting License at $25 or a Non-Resident Hunting License if you live out of state. Texas residents 65 and older can buy a Senior Resident Hunting License at a reduced rate.1Texas Parks & Wildlife Department. Hunting Licenses, Permits & Endorsements
Buying the license is a separate matter from being qualified to hunt on it. A retailer will sell you a license at any age without asking for a hunter education certificate. That proof only has to be on you when you’re actually hunting.2Texas Parks & Wildlife Department. FAQ
When Hunter Education Is Required
The hunter education rule turns on a birth date, not on how old you are now. Everyone born on or after September 2, 1971 must complete a Hunter Education course before hunting in Texas, including out-of-state hunters.3Texas Parks & Wildlife Department. Hunter Education Anyone born before that date is permanently exempt.
The youngest age to get certified is nine. The in-person course costs $15 and covers firearm safety, wildlife identification, hunting law, and field practices.2Texas Parks & Wildlife Department. FAQ A fully online version exists, but it’s limited to hunters 17 and older, and it’s run by third-party providers whose fees typically run $30 to $60.
For anyone born on or after September 2, 1971, the age brackets work like this:
- Under 9: cannot be certified, and must hunt with a qualified supervisor at all times.
- 9 through 16: must either complete hunter education or hunt with a qualified supervisor.
- 17 and older: must complete hunter education, or buy a one-time Hunter Education Deferral.
Supervision Rules for Uncertified Hunters
A supervising hunter is required whenever the person hunting is under nine or has not completed hunter education. The supervisor must be at least 17, licensed to hunt in Texas, and either certified in hunter education or exempt by birth date.4Cornell Law School. 31 Tex. Admin. Code 51.80 – Mandatory Hunter Education
“Accompanied” has a specific legal meaning in Texas. The uncertified hunter has to stay within normal voice distance of the supervisor, meaning close enough to hear spoken instructions without a radio or phone.4Cornell Law School. 31 Tex. Admin. Code 51.80 – Mandatory Hunter Education Two blinds set a couple hundred yards apart don’t satisfy the rule, even if everyone involved is licensed. This is where parents often get the rule wrong: a Youth Hunting License does not let an uncertified child hunt on their own.
The One-Time Deferral for Adults
If you’re 17 or older and haven’t taken the course, a Hunter Education Deferral costs $10 and lets you hunt accompanied for the rest of the current license year.3Texas Parks & Wildlife Department. Hunter Education You can only use it once in your life, and it isn’t renewable. After that license year, either you complete the course or you stop hunting.
While hunting under a deferral, you have to be with a qualified companion, same as any other uncertified hunter, and you have to carry proof of the deferral in print or on the TPWD mobile app.2Texas Parks & Wildlife Department. FAQ
Federal Duck Stamp at 16
If you hunt ducks, geese, or other waterfowl, age matters federally too. Anyone 16 or older must buy and carry a current Federal Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp, usually called the Federal Duck Stamp.5U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. Federal Duck Stamp Hunters under 16 don’t need it. The requirement applies regardless of any state senior discount or exemption.
How to Buy
You can buy any Texas hunting license, including the Youth license, online at txfgsales.com, by phone at (800) 895-4248, or in person at an authorized retailer or TPWD office. Online and phone orders add a $5 administrative fee; buying in person avoids it.6Texas Parks & Wildlife Department. Official Online Fishing & Hunting License Sales You’ll need the hunter’s name, address, and date of birth. For a child, a parent or guardian handles the purchase.