If you’re 18 or older and planning to fish Indiana’s public lakes, rivers, streams, or boundary waters, you need an Indiana fishing license. A resident annual license costs $23, a non-resident annual runs $60, and the fastest way to get one is online through GoOutdoorsIN, the state’s official licensing portal. Licenses follow Indiana’s fiscal year, valid April 1 through March 31 of the following year.
Who Needs a License
The baseline rule is straightforward. Anyone 18 or older fishing in public waters needs a license. Anyone under 18 fishes free, resident or not.
Residency matters for pricing. To pay resident rates, you must have kept a permanent home and primary residence in Indiana for at least 60 consecutive days before buying your license, and you can’t claim fishing or hunting residency in another state.
Indiana also exempts several groups entirely. You don’t need a license if you fall into any of these:
- Indiana residents born before April 1, 1943. Carry your driver’s license or other ID to show age and residency if asked.
- Resident farmland owners and lessees who actually farm the land, along with their spouse and children living with them, when fishing on that land.
- Indiana residents on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces while on approved leave. Carry your leave orders and a valid Indiana driver’s license or voter registration card.
- Indiana residents with a developmental disability as defined under state law. No proof is required and no accompanying adult is needed.
- Residents who are legally blind.
- Residents of state mental institutions or licensed health facilities, when fishing as a supervised activity of the facility.
- Anyone assisting a person in the legally blind, institutional, or developmental disability categories.1Indiana General Assembly. Indiana Code 14-22-11-8 – Fishing License and Trout
License Types and Costs
Fees for the April 1, 2026 through March 31, 2027 license year:
- Annual fishing, resident: $23. Covers all legal game fish, frog, and turtle. Trout and salmon are not included.
- Annual fishing, non-resident: $60. Same coverage as the resident annual.
- One-day fishing: $10 resident, $15 non-resident. This is the only standard license that already includes trout and salmon, so no separate stamp is needed.
- Seven-day fishing, non-resident only: $35.
- Trout/salmon stamp: $11 for residents and non-residents. Required on top of the annual or seven-day license if you’ll target trout or salmon in designated waters.2Indiana Department of Natural Resources. License Fees
Fees are set by the Indiana DNR and go toward fisheries research, habitat work, hatcheries, and public access sites.
Senior and Disabled Veteran Discounts
Seniors
Two rules apply here, and the cutoff date matters. Residents born before April 1, 1943 are fully exempt. A $3 voluntary senior license is available if you want to contribute to conservation, but it isn’t required.
Residents who are at least 64 and were born on or after April 1, 1943 must purchase the $3 annual senior fishing license. Both the mandatory and voluntary senior licenses include the trout/salmon stamp, so there’s no separate stamp purchase. A senior fish-for-life license is also available and stays valid permanently once bought.2Indiana Department of Natural Resources. License Fees
Disabled American Veterans
Indiana residents who served in the armed forces and have a documented service-connected disability can buy a DAV license for $2.75, covering both fishing and small game hunting. A 10-year version runs $27.50. Trout/salmon, game bird, and waterfowl stamps aren’t included and must be purchased separately. Your first DAV license has to be obtained through the DNR customer service center or a DNR property, not online or at a retailer. Renewals can be done online or at any retail vendor.3Indiana Department of Natural Resources. Licenses for Disabled Hunters and Anglers
How to Buy a License
Online
The fastest route is GoOutdoorsIN at gooutdoorsin.com, the state’s official licensing system. Create an account or log in, pick your license, pay by credit or debit card, and your digital license is available immediately. Print it or save it to your phone. The whole process takes about five minutes.4GoOutdoorsIN. Indiana DNR Licensing System
Retail Vendors and DNR Properties
Hundreds of retail locations across Indiana sell licenses, including sporting goods stores, bait shops, and some general retailers. You can also buy one at any DNR property. Bring a valid ID and be ready to give the same information required online. The vendor prints the license on the spot.
By Mail
Mail-in is available if you prefer it. Send your name, date of birth, Indiana driver’s license number, Social Security number, and a check or money order for the exact fee to the DNR Division of Fish and Wildlife. Allow extra time compared with the instant options.
What You Need to Apply
You’ll need to provide your full legal name, date of birth, and physical address no matter where you buy. Indiana law also requires the last four digits of your Social Security number on every fishing license application.5Indiana General Assembly. Indiana Code 14-22-11-3 – License Issuance Form Electronic Affirmation This isn’t a state quirk; a federal statute, 42 U.S.C. § 666(a)(13), requires states to collect Social Security numbers on recreational, professional, occupational, and marriage license applications for child support enforcement purposes.6Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 42 USC 666 – Requirement of Statutorily Prescribed Procedures
For a resident license, carry your Indiana driver’s license or state-issued ID as proof. The DNR assigns each customer a unique DNR Customer ID that tracks your history, which speeds up renewal in later years.
When Your License Is Valid and Free Fishing Days
Every annual license runs on Indiana’s fiscal year, April 1 through March 31, no matter when during the year you buy it.
Indiana also sets a handful of free fishing days each year when anyone can fish without a license or trout/salmon stamp. In 2026 those days are May 10, June 6–7, and September 26. All other rules, including bag and size limits, still apply. If you’ve never fished Indiana waters before, these are a low-cost way to try it before buying.7Indiana Department of Natural Resources. Free Fishing Days
Penalties for Fishing Without a License
Fishing without a valid license when one is required can result in fines and criminal penalties. A conservation officer can issue a citation on the spot, a conviction can lead to revocation of your fishing privileges, and any equipment used in the violation can be seized as evidence and confiscated upon conviction. Officers run regular checks at popular fishing spots, especially in peak season.
A violation can also follow you across state lines. Indiana belongs to the Interstate Wildlife Violator Compact, an agreement among 49 states for reciprocal recognition of license suspensions. If your Indiana privileges are suspended, every other member state can honor that suspension, so crossing into Ohio or Kentucky to buy a license there won’t work. The reverse applies too: an unresolved citation from another state can block an Indiana purchase until it’s cleared up.