Louisiana Hunting and Fishing License: Fees, Exemptions, and Penalties

To hunt or fish in Louisiana, anyone 18 or older needs a Louisiana hunting and fishing license issued by the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF). Most licenses run for 365 days from the date of purchase, and you can buy them online at LouisianaOutdoors.com, in person at LDWF headquarters in Baton Rouge, or through local retail vendors. Resident freshwater fishing starts at $17 and a resident Basic Hunting License is $20; non-residents pay considerably more.1Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries. LDWF 365-Day Hunting and Fishing Licenses May Only Be Renewed at Expiration

Buying online lets you download a PDF of your license or have it emailed to you, and the same portal handles account management and HIP certification for migratory bird hunters.2Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries. Mandatory Harvest Information Program (HIP)

Who Qualifies as a Resident

Resident pricing requires six continuous months of Louisiana residency before you apply, and Louisiana must be your legal domicile. LDWF looks at several markers: if you vote, you must be registered in Louisiana; if you drive, you need a valid Louisiana driver’s license; a vehicle garaged in the state must carry Louisiana registration; and if you earn income, you must have filed a Louisiana state tax return.3Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries. Hunting Licenses, Permits, and Tags

Holding a resident license from another state or country disqualifies you from Louisiana resident rates. Buying a resident license without meeting the requirements can bring criminal or civil penalties.

Hunting License Fees

Every hunter 18 or older needs a Basic Hunting License to take any game. If you plan to hunt deer, turkey, or waterfowl, each species requires a separate license on top of the basic.4Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries. License and Permit Fee List

  • Basic Hunting: $20 resident / $200 non-resident
  • Deer (includes archery and primitive firearms privileges plus deer tags): $15 resident / $100 non-resident
  • Turkey (includes tags): $12 resident / $50 non-resident
  • Waterfowl: $12 resident / $50 non-resident

Because the add-ons stack on the basic license, a resident deer hunter pays $35 total. Short-term options exist for visitors: a 10-day license at resident rates for “non-resident native” hunters born in Louisiana but living elsewhere, and a 5-day non-resident Basic Hunting License at $65.

Fishing License Fees

A Basic Fishing License covers all freshwater species and legal gear in Louisiana. To fish south of the saltwater line for saltwater species, you also need a Saltwater License.5Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries. Recreational Fishing Licenses and Permits

  • Basic Fishing (freshwater): $17 resident / $68 non-resident
  • Saltwater (in addition to Basic Fishing): $15 resident / $60 non-resident

A resident who fishes both fresh and salt pays $32 combined. Non-residents can buy 5-day basic or saltwater licenses at $30 each. Anyone under 18 does not need a fishing license.

Combination and Lifetime Options

Sportsman’s Paradise License

If you hunt and fish regularly, the Sportsman’s Paradise License bundles basic hunting and fishing, saltwater fishing, deer, turkey, waterfowl, and the WMA Access Permit. Residents pay $100, which comes out cheaper than buying the pieces separately. Non-residents pay $400, with a 5-day option at $120.

Senior Hunting and Fishing License

Louisiana residents 60 and older must obtain a Senior Hunting/Fishing License. It replaces the separate basic hunting, fishing, saltwater, deer, waterfowl, and turkey licenses and includes the WMA Access Permit. Cost depends on birth date:

  • Born before June 1, 1940: free
  • Born June 1, 1940 through May 31, 1962: $5

Lifetime Licenses

A one-time Lifetime Hunting/Fishing License ends annual renewals and includes deer and turkey tags:

  • Under age 3 (Infant Lifetime): $500
  • Ages 3 through 64: $500
  • Age 65 and older (Senior Lifetime): $100
  • Non-resident (age 3 and older): $4,000

Residents who plan to hunt or fish for decades often recover the $500 within a few seasons. You can add a Lifetime Hunting/Fishing endorsement to your driver’s license at the Office of Motor Vehicles at no charge.6Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries. Special Licenses and Permits (Lifetime, Disability, Military, and Student)

Military and Disabled Veteran

Active-duty military members stationed in Louisiana, along with their spouses and dependents, pay resident rates regardless of home state. Bring a valid active-duty military ID at purchase and carry it in the field. Veterans with a permanent service-connected disability rating of 50 percent or more qualify for a free Disabled Veterans Hunting and Fishing License, covering basic and saltwater fishing, basic hunting, deer, waterfowl, turkey, and the WMA Access Permit. The Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Foundation covers the $4 processing fee.

Federal Requirements for Waterfowl Hunters

State licensing is only part of what waterfowl hunters need. Two federal requirements apply on top.

Every waterfowl hunter 16 or older must possess a signed Federal Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp, known as the Duck Stamp. The 2025–2026 stamp costs $25 and is valid July 1 through June 30 of the following year.7U.S. Postal Service. Spectacled Eiders 2025-2026 Federal Duck Stamps You can buy a physical stamp or an electronic E-Stamp for immediate use.8U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. Buy a Duck Stamp or Electronic Duck Stamp (E-Stamp)

Anyone hunting migratory birds in Louisiana, including doves, woodcock, rails, snipe, and gallinules along with ducks and geese, must register for the free Harvest Information Program (HIP) and carry proof of certification. The certification involves a short survey about your previous migratory bird hunting. Hunters 17 and under are exempt. Certify through LouisianaOutdoors.com or at LDWF headquarters in Baton Rouge.2Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries. Mandatory Harvest Information Program (HIP)

WMA Access Permit

To hunt, fish, hike, or otherwise use LDWF-managed Wildlife Management Areas, refuges, or conservation areas, you need a WMA Access Permit. It costs $20 annually for residents and non-residents, with a 5-day option at $5. Hunters and anglers 17 and under are exempt, and the permit is already included in the Sportsman’s Paradise, Senior, and Lifetime licenses.9Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries. WMA/Refuge/Conservation Area Licenses and Permits Boaters passing through LDWF property on the most direct route without stopping do not need a permit.

Hunter Education Requirement

If you were born on or after September 1, 1969, you must complete an LDWF-approved Hunter Education Course before hunting in Louisiana. The course covers firearm safety, wildlife identification, outdoor survival, and hunting ethics.10Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries. Hunter and Trapper Education in Louisiana

You may hunt without certification only while under the direct supervision of either a licensed hunter born before September 1, 1969, or someone 18 or older who has completed an approved hunter education course. Direct supervision means the supervisor must be able to see and hear you at all times.11Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries. 2025-2026 Louisiana Hunting Regulations Active and veteran U.S. Armed Services members, along with POST-certified law enforcement officers, can apply for a hunter education exemption through the LDWF website.

Who Is Exempt

  • Residents born before June 1, 1940 do not need a basic hunting or fishing license, provided they have lived in Louisiana at least six months and carry proof of age. They still qualify for the free Senior Hunting/Fishing License.
  • Anyone under 18 does not need a basic hunting or fishing license, saltwater license, or WMA Access Permit.
  • Physically challenged hunters can obtain an LDWF-issued Physically Challenged Hunter Permit, which includes an ATV permit for designated trails on Wildlife Management Areas.12Cornell Law School. La. Admin. Code tit. 76, XIX-105 – Physically Challenged Hunters Permit

Penalties for Hunting or Fishing Without a License

Louisiana grades wildlife violations in tiers. Class one violations under Title 56 of the Revised Statutes carry the following fines, which grow with each repeat:13Justia. Louisiana Revised Statutes 56:31 – Class One Violations

  • First offense: $50 fine (includes court costs)
  • Second offense: $75 to $250
  • Third and subsequent offenses: $200 to $550

Class two and higher violations carry larger fines and possible jail time, and LDWF can suspend, revoke, or deny license privileges for various infractions, including failure to comply with income tax obligations.

Louisiana has been part of the Interstate Wildlife Violator Compact since 2008, and 47 states now participate.14The Council of State Governments. Wildlife Violator Compact A suspension of your license privileges in any member state is honored by every other member state. If you receive a wildlife citation in another member state and fail to resolve it, Louisiana can suspend your license until you do.