How Much Does a Fishing License Cost in Mississippi?

A Mississippi fishing license costs between $3 and $45 for residents and between $10 and $68 for non-residents, depending on how long you want it to last and whether you bundle hunting privileges. Every purchase also carries a processing fee of a few dollars, so the total at checkout runs slightly higher than the sticker price.

Resident Prices

Mississippi does not sell a standalone annual freshwater fishing license to residents. Every annual option packages fishing with some level of hunting. The cheapest annual bundle is the Small Game Hunting/Freshwater Fishing combo at $10.00. Stepping up, the All Game Hunting/Freshwater Fishing license is $25.00, and the Sportsman’s License, which adds archery, primitive weapon, and crossbow privileges, is $45.00.¹

For a short trip, a 3-Day Freshwater Fishing license is $3.00. It covers three consecutive calendar days, not a 72-hour window, so plan around that if you’re buying for a weekend.¹

Saltwater fishing requires a separate $10.00 resident license, which you add to your freshwater coverage if you plan to fish the Gulf Coast.²

Non-Resident Prices

Anyone from out of state aged 16 or older needs a license to fish Mississippi’s public waters. The freshwater options:¹

Annual freshwater: $68.00
3-day freshwater: $30.00, three consecutive calendar days
1-day freshwater: $10.00

Saltwater for non-residents is $30.00 annual or $15.00 for three days.¹

One wrinkle catches Louisiana anglers. If you hold a Louisiana fishing license and want to fish Mississippi’s marine waters, you need both a Mississippi non-resident freshwater license and a separate Louisiana saltwater fishing license sold by MDWFP. Check this before crossing the state line.³

Processing and Agent Fees

Every license carries a processing fee on top of the base price: $2.49 for residents, $4.42 for non-residents. Buy through a retail agent instead of online and you’ll add an agent fee of $1.00 to $3.00 depending on the license.¹

So the $10.00 resident Small Game/Freshwater combo rings up at $12.49 online. The $68.00 non-resident annual freshwater license through an agent lands around $75.42.

Lifetime and Senior Options

Mississippi sells a lifetime sportsman’s license that covers hunting and fishing permanently. Pricing has two tiers: $500 for children from birth through age 12, and $1,000 for anyone 13 or older. The privileges match the annual Sportsman’s License, but there’s never a renewal.

Residents 65 and older who want to fish saltwater pay a one-time $7.29 lifetime recreational saltwater fishing license, fees included. That’s the only license seniors need for the coast; they’re exempt from freshwater licensing altogether.²

Who Fishes Free

Several groups don’t pay for a license at all, though most still need proof of exempt status on the water:⁴

Residents under 16. The requirement applies to residents aged 16 through 64.
Residents 65 and older, exempt from freshwater licensing with proof of age and residency. Saltwater still needs the $7.29 lifetime license.
Residents who are visually impaired, paraplegic, or multiple amputees, as well as anyone judged totally disabled by the Social Security Administration or totally service-connected disabled by the Veterans Administration. Carry proof.
Mississippi residents on active duty with the Armed Forces, Reserves, or National Guard outside the state, while on leave, with proof of active-duty status.⁵

Fishing in privately owned ponds and streams doesn’t require a license from anyone, regardless of age or residency.²

Two days a year are open to everyone without a license. Free Fishing Weekend falls on the first weekend of National Fishing and Boating Week in June, and July 4th is a standalone Free Fishing Day. Public waters are open to residents and non-residents alike on those dates.⁶

The Cost of Skipping It

Fishing without a license in Mississippi is a misdemeanor. A non-resident first offense draws a fine between $100 and $250. A second or later offense runs $250 to $500. The court also charges an administrative fee equal to the cost of the license you should have bought, so a non-resident caught without the $68 annual freshwater license can end up paying more than $300 the first time. Residents face similar penalties under the same statute.⁷

Where to Buy

The quickest path is the MDWFP online portal at licensing.outdoors.ms, which issues your license on the spot. Authorized retail agents, including sporting goods stores and bait shops, sell them in person. There’s also a 24-hour sales hotline at 1-800-546-4868, and MDWFP regional offices sell licenses directly.⁸

Have your name, date of birth, and state of residence ready. Residents need proof of Mississippi domicile, and a current Mississippi driver’s license works. A Social Security number or driver’s license number is required for everyone. The online system takes major credit and debit cards.²

1
Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks. Hunting and Fishing License Prices
2
Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks. Fishing License Requirements
3
Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks. Licensing System – Non-Res Avid Angler
4
Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks. General Fishing Rules and Regulations
5
Justia. Mississippi Code 49-7-9 – Resident Fishing Licenses
6
Mississippi Department of Marine Resources. Free Fishing Weekend and Free Fishing Day
7
Justia. Mississippi Code 49-7-21 – License Certificates
8
Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks. Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks Licensing System