A Florida non-resident fishing license is required for any visitor 16 or older who wants to fish the state’s fresh or salt waters, and you can buy one online at GoOutdoorsFlorida.com, by phone at 1-888-FISH-FLO, or in person at a county tax collector’s office or an authorized agent such as a tackle shop. Annual freshwater and saltwater licenses each cost $47. Shorter 3-day ($17) and 7-day ($30) options exist but can only be purchased in person. The license is required the moment you cast a line, catch-and-release included.
Who Needs a Non-Resident License
You’re a non-resident for licensing purposes if you haven’t lived in Florida continuously for at least six months and don’t claim it as your primary residence. If that describes you and you’re 16 or older, you need a license for any freshwater or saltwater fishing in the state.1Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Visitors’ Licenses
The requirement attaches to the attempt, not the catch. Casting a line counts whether a fish bites or not. A saltwater license also covers harvesting crabs, lobster, and marine plants, so the same license handles most shoreline activity a visitor is likely to try.
License Types and Fees
Non-resident licenses come in two separate categories, freshwater and saltwater, each sold at three durations with the same price in either category:
- 3-day license: $17.00, valid for 3 consecutive days
- 7-day license: $30.00, valid for 7 consecutive days
- Annual license: $47.00, valid for 12 months from the date of purchase
If you plan to fish both freshwater and saltwater, you need to buy one of each. Florida does not offer a non-resident combination license.2The Florida Legislature. Florida Statutes 379.354 – Recreational License and Permit Fees A statutory issuance fee is already built into the prices above, and the vendor may add a 50-cent issuance fee on top.3Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Recreational Saltwater Licenses and Permits
Where to Buy and Which Channel to Use
You have three ways to buy, but the duration you want decides which ones are open to you.
The annual license is sold through every channel. Buy it online at GoOutdoorsFlorida.com, by phone at 1-888-FISH-FLO (1-888-347-4356) seven days a week, or in person. Online and phone purchases carry a handling surcharge on top of the license price; in-person purchases avoid that surcharge but may include the 50-cent issuance fee.4Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. How to Order Your License or Permit
The 3-day and 7-day non-resident licenses are only sold at county tax collector offices and authorized general agent locations. You cannot buy them online or by phone, and Walmart stores do not sell them even though Walmart is an authorized agent for other license products.5Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Freshwater Recreational Licenses and Permits If a short-trip license is what you need, plan a stop at a tackle shop or tax collector’s office early in the visit.
Whichever channel you use, have your full legal name, date of birth, non-Florida home address, and a driver’s license or state ID number from your home state ready. If you’ve held a Florida license before, your FWC Customer ID number will link the new purchase to your record.
Extra Permits for Certain Species
A base license covers general fishing, but several popular species require an additional permit:
- Snook permit: $10 per year, required to target or keep snook, including from shore.
- Spiny lobster permit: $5 per year.
- Tarpon tag: $51.50 per year, sold only at tax collector offices. Anyone who keeps a tarpon needs one, with no exemptions.3Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Recreational Saltwater Licenses and Permits
- Shore-based shark fishing permit: free, but you must first complete an FWC-approved online course at MyFWC.com/SharkCourse. Both the course and the permit must be renewed annually, and the rule covers anyone 16 or older fishing for sharks from any shore-connected structure, including jetties, bridges, and piers.6Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Sharks
- Blue crab and stone crab trap registration: free, required for anyone 16 or older before using traps, even people otherwise exempt from a fishing license. Register at GoOutdoorsFlorida.com and attach the issued number, along with your name and address, to every trap.7Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Blue Crab
When a License Isn’t Required
A few situations let you fish without buying your own license:
- Children under 16 don’t need a freshwater or saltwater license, regardless of residency.
- Passengers on a boat that holds a valid charter vessel license are covered.
- Fishing from a public pier that holds its own saltwater pier license requires no personal license.
- Florida designates license-free fishing days each year. Freshwater days fall on the first Saturday and Sunday in April and the second Saturday and Sunday in June. Saltwater days fall on the first Saturday and Sunday in June, the first Saturday in September, and the Saturday after Thanksgiving.8Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. License-Free Fishing Days
Two exemptions commonly misread by visitors are worth stating clearly. Florida’s free saltwater shoreline license is available only to residents, so a non-resident fishing from the beach or a jetty still needs a standard non-resident saltwater license.9Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Saltwater Shoreline Fishing Information And the military exemption in Florida law applies only to Florida residents in the U.S. Armed Forces who are stationed out of state and home on leave for 30 days or less. Non-resident military members visiting Florida still have to buy a license.10The Florida Legislature. Florida Statutes 379.353 – Recreational Licenses, Permits, and Authorization Numbers
Carrying Proof While You Fish
Your purchase confirmation number is your license. A digital copy on your phone or a printout is legally sufficient; no physical card is required. The FWC’s Fish|Hunt FL app will store the license on your smartphone for quick display.
Keep it accessible on the water. An officer who asks won’t accept that the license is back at the hotel. If you misplace the confirmation, you can pull your record again at GoOutdoorsFlorida.com using the same login you created at purchase.
Penalties for Fishing Without a License
Florida treats unlicensed fishing as a real offense, not a technicality. Under Florida Statute 379.407, a first offense carries up to 60 days in jail, a fine of $100 to $500, or both. A second offense within 12 months carries up to 6 months in jail, a fine of $250 to $1,000, or both.11Florida Senate. Florida Statutes 379.407 – Administration; Rules, Publications, Records; Penalties; Injunctions
The consequences can also follow you home. Florida belongs to the Interstate Wildlife Violator Compact, under which member states honor each other’s license suspensions. If a Florida violation results in your privileges being suspended, your home state (if it’s also a member) must treat that suspension as its own, which can cost you hunting and fishing rights there as well.12The Florida Legislature. Florida Statutes 379.2255 – Wildlife Violator Compact Act Against a $17 three-day license, the risk never pencils out.