Kentucky residents with a qualifying disability can buy a Disabled Sportsman’s License for $12, which bundles a combination hunting and fishing license with deer, turkey, waterfowl, and trout permits. Getting one is a two-step process: the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources (KDFWR) first has to approve a disability authorization based on documents from a certifying agency, and then you buy the license itself online or from a license agent.1Legal Information Institute. Kentucky Code 301 KAR 5:022 – License, Tag, and Permit Fees
Who Qualifies
State law limits this license to Kentucky residents in one of two groups. American veterans qualify with a service-connected disability rating of at least 50 percent. Everyone else must be declared permanently and totally disabled by one of these agencies: the Social Security Administration, the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, the Kentucky Teachers’ Retirement System, the Department of Workers’ Claims (or another state’s equivalent), or the U.S. Railroad Retirement Board.2Justia Law. Kentucky Revised Statutes 150.175 – Kinds of Licenses and Fees
Partial disability does not qualify under the civilian category. The finding has to be permanent and total, from one of those listed agencies. The 50 percent threshold applies only to veterans.
Residency means you have established permanent legal residence in Kentucky and lived here at least 30 consecutive days before applying. Full-time students enrolled at a Kentucky institution for at least six months count as residents while enrolled, and military personnel on permanent assignment in Kentucky qualify while stationed here. You have to carry proof of residency, such as a Kentucky driver’s license or state ID, while hunting or fishing under the license.2Justia Law. Kentucky Revised Statutes 150.175 – Kinds of Licenses and Fees
What Documentation to Gather
What KDFWR needs depends on which agency certified your disability.
- Social Security Administration. Any document confirming disability and receipt of benefits works, but KDFWR prefers a Benefit Verification Letter. It should be no more than six months old and show your name, address, date of birth, the last four digits of your Social Security number, and your benefit amount.
- Veterans Affairs. A letter from your local VA office verifying at least a 50 percent service-connected disability, showing your current Kentucky address and the last four digits of your Social Security number.
- Department of Workers’ Claims. Request a disability application from KDFWR, complete it, and send it to the Workers’ Claims office (or the equivalent agency in the state where your claim was established).
- Railroad Retirement Board or Kentucky Teachers’ Retirement System. Ask your board for a letter stating you are permanently and totally disabled or on disability retirement, with your current address included.
- U.S. Office of Personnel Management. Documentation that OPM has declared you permanently and totally disabled, along with your current Kentucky address.
If you are not sure what form your agency issues, call KDFWR in Frankfort before you start gathering paperwork. Sending the wrong document is the most common cause of delay.
Submitting the Authorization Request
Once you have the documentation, send it to KDFWR through any of these channels:
- Online. Log in to “My Profile” on the KDFWR website and click “Disability Authorization” to upload your documents.
- Mail. KDFWR Disabled License, 1 Sportsman’s Lane, Frankfort, KY 40601.
- Fax. (502) 564-9845.
- In person. KDFWR offices at 1 Sportsman’s Lane in Frankfort, during business hours.
KDFWR reviews the documents and, if approved, places a disability authorization on your record that stays valid for three years.
Buying the License and What It Covers
After the authorization posts, the licensing system will let you buy the Disabled Sportsman’s License for $12. You can purchase it online through KDFWR or at any license agent in the state.3Kentucky Department of Fish & Wildlife. How to Buy Licenses and Permits The license itself is annual, so even while your three-year authorization is active, you buy a new one each year.1Legal Information Institute. Kentucky Code 301 KAR 5:022 – License, Tag, and Permit Fees
The license bundles the same privileges as the standard Resident Sportsman’s License:4eRegulations. License and Permit Fees – Kentucky Fishing – Section: Resident Senior or Disabled Sportsman’s Licenses
- Combination hunting and fishing license
- Statewide deer permit
- Spring turkey permit
- Fall turkey permit
- Kentucky migratory bird and waterfowl permit
- Trout permit
What the License Does Not Waive
Two federal requirements still apply if you hunt migratory birds or waterfowl. You must complete the annual Harvest Information Program (HIP) survey,5U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Harvest Information Program (HIP) Registration Statistics and you need a Federal Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp (the Federal Duck Stamp), which costs $25.6USPS.com. Spectacled Eiders 2025-2026 Federal Duck Stamps The state license cannot waive federal rules.
Hunter education is also still required. Anyone born on or after January 1, 1975 must complete a hunter education course before buying a Kentucky hunting license, and the Disabled Sportsman’s License does not change that. KDFWR offers classroom and online options.
Hunting Method Exemptions
The disability authorization and the license are separate from KDFWR’s hunting method exemptions, which let hunters with physical disabilities use techniques not normally allowed. The two most common are using a crossbow during the bow-only deer season and hunting from a stationary vehicle on private property.7Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources. Hunting Method Exemptions
A licensed physician has to complete and sign a Hunting Methods Exemption form describing your disability, explaining why the exemption is necessary, and stating how long the disability is expected to last. The physician sets the duration.8Kentucky Legislative Research Commission. 301 KAR 3:027 – Hunting and Fishing Method Exemptions for Disabled Persons
The signed form is the permit. You do not mail it back to KDFWR; you carry it in the field with your hunting license whenever you use the exempted method. The vehicle exemption is limited to private property, so it does not apply on public land or wildlife management areas.7Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources. Hunting Method Exemptions
Renewing Your Authorization
The disability authorization lasts three years. To renew, resubmit current documentation through any of the same channels you used the first time. If the authorization lapses, the system will not let you buy the $12 license until new paperwork clears review, so start the renewal before the three years are up.