How Much Is a Hunting License in Indiana? Resident, Non-Resident, and Stamp Fees

A resident hunting license in Indiana costs $20 a year, and a non-resident pays $90 for the same annual privilege. Those are the base prices. If you plan to hunt deer, turkey, or birds, you’ll add species tags and stamp privileges on top. Every license runs from April 1 through March 31 of the following year.¹

Resident Fees

Indiana treats you as a resident if you’ve lived in the state for at least 60 continuous days before buying.² The common resident prices:¹

Annual hunting (small game): $20
Combo hunting and fishing: $32
Annual trapping: $20
Deer archery, firearm, or muzzleloader, each: $39
Deer license bundle: $91
Spring or fall wild turkey: $32

The deer bundle covers archery, firearms, and muzzleloader seasons and allows up to two antlerless deer and one antlered deer across the year. Bought separately, the three tags would run $117, so the bundle saves $26.¹

Non-Resident Fees

Out-of-state hunters pay considerably more, and the gap is widest on deer:¹

Annual hunting (small game): $90
Five-day hunting: $50
Deer archery, firearm, or muzzleloader, each: $240
Deer license bundle: $550
Spring or fall wild turkey: $175
Annual trapping: $140

The five-day license is a sensible pick if you’re coming in for one short small-game trip. Stamp privileges cost the same for non-residents as for residents.¹

Stamps for Bird and Waterfowl Hunters

A base hunting license doesn’t cover waterfowl, pheasant, or other game birds on its own. You’ll need to add:¹

Waterfowl stamp privilege: $11
Game bird habitat stamp privilege: $11
Federal duck stamp: $25 (required for waterfowl hunters age 16 and older)

Anyone hunting migratory birds, including doves, ducks, geese, and woodcock, also has to register for the Harvest Information Program and carry proof of HIP certification in the field.³

A resident waterfowl hunter who buys the annual license, both state stamp privileges, the federal duck stamp, and HIP registration ends up around $67 before any deer or turkey tag.

Discounted Licenses

The youth consolidated hunt and trap license is $12 and covers small game, deer, turkey, waterfowl, trapping, and every stamp privilege except the federal duck stamp. It’s available to Indiana residents age 17 or younger. A non-resident youth qualifies only if a parent, grandparent, or legal guardian is an Indiana resident; non-resident youth without that family tie can still buy individual licenses at resident adult prices.⁴

Qualified Disabled American Veterans can buy a combined hunting and fishing license for $2.75 per year, or a 10-year version for $27.50. The DAV license covers small game hunting and fishing only; deer tags, turkey tags, and stamp privileges still have to be purchased separately.⁵

Indiana does not offer a senior discount on hunting licenses. The senior reductions on the fee schedule apply to fishing only, so a 70-year-old resident still pays the standard $20 to hunt.¹

Who Doesn’t Need a License

If you own farmland in Indiana, you, your spouse, and your children living with you can hunt, fish, and trap on that land without any license. Indiana residents who lease and farm the land they hunt get the same treatment. Non-resident farmland owners qualify only if their home state extends the same courtesy to Indiana residents, and they must carry proof of ownership, such as a property tax receipt, in the field.⁶

Children under 13 who aren’t carrying a bow or firearm can accompany a licensed adult age 18 or older without a license of their own. All of these exemptions cover recreational hunting; commercial activity still requires a license.⁶

Hunter Education Before You Buy

Anyone born after December 31, 1986, has to complete a DNR-approved hunter education course before buying a hunting license. Your hunter education number goes into the licensing system at purchase, so keep it handy. The DNR offers in-person and online versions; online courses generally take three to four hours.⁷

If you haven’t finished the course but want to hunt this season, an apprentice license lets you buy in for most license categories. An apprentice must stay in close proximity to a licensed adult age 18 or older, and that adult can supervise no more than two apprentices at a time. You can buy up to three apprentice licenses in any combination over your lifetime before the state requires you to complete the full course.¹

Where to Buy

The quickest option is online at GoOutdoorsIN.com, Indiana’s official licensing portal. You log in through Access Indiana, pick your license and tags, and pay by credit card. The system issues a printable confirmation at checkout.⁸ You can also buy in person at sporting goods stores, most DNR properties, and the DNR Customer Service Center in Indianapolis.⁹

Carry your signed license whenever you’re in the field. A conservation officer can ask to see it at any time, and hunting without a valid license is a criminal offense under Indiana law.

1
Indiana Department of Natural Resources. Indiana Department of Natural Resources – License Fees
2
Indiana Department of Natural Resources. Indiana Outdoor Licensing System
3
Indiana Department of Natural Resources. Migratory Bird Harvest Information Program (HIP)
4
Indiana Department of Natural Resources. Indiana Department of Natural Resources – Youth Hunts
5
Indiana Department of Natural Resources. Licenses for Disabled Hunters and Anglers
6
Indiana General Assembly. Indiana Code 14-22-11-1
7
Indiana General Assembly. Indiana Code 14-22-11-5 – Hunter Education
8
Indiana Department of Natural Resources. Indiana DNR Licensing System
9
Indiana Department of Natural Resources. Indiana Department of Natural Resources – Licenses and Permits