How Much Does a Hunting License Cost in Georgia?

A Georgia hunting license costs $15 per year for residents and $100 per year for non-residents. That base price covers general and small-game hunting only. If you plan to hunt deer, turkey, bear, waterfowl, or migratory birds, you’ll need to add species-specific permits, and your final cost depends on which ones apply and whether you qualify for a youth, senior, or disability discount.

Base Annual License Prices

Georgia counts you as a resident if you’re a U.S. citizen who has lived in the state for at least three months.¹ The two standard annual licenses are:

Resident hunting license: $15
Non-resident hunting license: $100

Both are valid for 365 days from the purchase date.² Neither covers big game, migratory birds, or access to public hunting land on its own.

Short-Term and One-Day Licenses

If you only hunt occasionally or you’re visiting the state, one-day licenses cost less than committing to a full year. A non-resident one-day hunting license is $20, with additional consecutive days at $6 each, up to ten days total. Residents can buy a one-day combined hunting and fishing license for $5.²

One-day big game licenses are also available: residents pay $10 for the first day and $2 for each additional consecutive day, while non-residents pay $130 and $8.²

First-time hunters who haven’t taken a hunter education course yet can buy an Apprentice Hunting and Fishing License for $5 per day. It requires supervision by a licensed adult.³

Sportsman’s License and Lifetime Options

The Sportsman’s License bundles hunting, big game, migratory bird, trout, freshwater, and saltwater fishing privileges into one purchase. A resident Sportsman’s License costs $65 per year; a non-resident version costs $400.²⁴ If you hunt deer or turkey and also fish, the Sportsman’s package usually costs less than buying each privilege separately. It doesn’t include the federal duck stamp.

Lifetime Sportsman’s Licenses never need renewing, and their price depends on your age at purchase. Prices below include the $3 transaction fee:⁵

Infant, age 1 or younger (resident or non-resident): $500
Resident youth, ages 2 to 15: $600
Resident adult, ages 16 to 49: $750
Resident, ages 50 to 59: $375
Resident, ages 60 to 64: $315
Resident, 65 and older: $70

A separate lifetime license is available for non-resident grandchildren ages 2 through 15 at a higher price.

Add-On Permits by Species

Big Game License

Deer, turkey, and bear hunting requires a Big Game License in addition to your basic hunting license. Residents pay $25 per year; non-residents pay $225.² Anyone hunting bear, deer, turkey, or alligator must also carry a free Harvest Record for the current season, which can be printed or stored on a phone.⁶

Migratory Bird Stamp and Federal Duck Stamp

Dove, duck, goose, and other migratory bird hunting requires a Georgia Migratory Bird Stamp at $5 per year for residents and non-residents.² Sportsman’s and Lifetime License holders receive the state stamp at no extra cost.⁵

Waterfowl hunters 16 and older also need the federal Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp, known as the Federal Duck Stamp. The 2025–2026 stamp costs $25 and is valid through June 30, 2026.⁷

Georgia Lands Pass

Hunting on Wildlife Management Areas and Public Fishing Areas requires either a valid Georgia hunting or fishing license or a separate Georgia Lands Pass. If you already have a hunting license, you don’t need the pass. On its own, the pass costs $30 for residents and $60 for non-residents per year.⁵

Youth, Senior, and Disability Discounts

Georgia residents born before July 1, 1952, qualify for a free Lifetime Sportsman’s License.⁸ Residents 65 and older born after that date can buy an annual senior hunting license for $4, or a senior Lifetime Sportsman’s License for $70.²

Hunters under 16 don’t need a license, though the state offers an Optional Resident Youth Sportsman’s License for $15 that stays valid until the child turns 17. Non-resident youth 15 and under can buy an annual Youth Sportsman’s License for $50.⁹

Residents with a permanent and total disability qualify for reduced pricing. Including the $3 transaction fee, a Disability Hunting License is $6 per year or $12 for three years. A Disability Sportsman’s License is $8 per year or $18 for three years.¹⁰

Who Can Hunt Without Paying

Residents under 16 can hunt without a license, though they still need adult supervision and a Harvest Record when pursuing big game or alligator. Resident landowners hunting on their own property are exempt, as are residents hunting on land owned by an immediate family member in the same household.¹¹

The landowner exemption covers the license itself, not every permit. Hunting deer or turkey on your own property still requires a free Harvest Record, and resident landowners can request a free migratory bird stamp for hunting on their own land.⁵

Transaction Fee and Where to Buy

All the prices above are base fees set by Georgia law. A $3 transaction fee is added at checkout on online and retail purchases, so your total will run slightly higher than the sticker figure.¹²

You can buy through the Go Outdoors Georgia portal at gooutdoorsgeorgia.com, in person at authorized retail agents such as sporting goods stores, or by phone at 1-800-366-2661.¹² Have your proof of residency, ID, and hunter education certificate number ready. Buying online lets you print a temporary license immediately and access a digital copy through your account.

1
FindLaw. Georgia Code Title 27 – Game and Fish 27-1-2
2
Justia. Georgia Code 27-2-23 – License, Permit, Tag, and Stamp Fees
3
eRegulations. Georgia Hunting – Hunting Licenses
4
Go Outdoors Georgia. Georgia Sportsman – View Package
5
Georgia Department of Natural Resources. License Prices
6
Cornell Law Institute. Georgia Comp. R. and Regs. R. 391-4-2-.03 – Harvest Recording
7
United States Postal Service. Spectacled Eiders 2025-2026 Federal Duck Stamp Souvenir Sheet
8
Georgia Department of Natural Resources. Lifetime Licenses
9
Georgia Department of Natural Resources. About Georgia Hunting and Fishing Licenses
10
Georgia Department of Natural Resources. Disability Hunting and Fishing Licenses
11
Justia. Georgia Code 27-2-1 – Hunting, Trapping, or Fishing Without License or Permit Generally
12
Georgia Department of Natural Resources. Licenses and Permits