A Michigan nonresident fishing license costs $10 for a single day or $76 for the full annual season, and it covers every species in every Michigan water without any extra stamp for trout or salmon. You can buy one online, through the DNR Hunt Fish app, or at authorized retailers around the state. Anyone 17 or older needs one to fish public waters.
What It Costs
Michigan gives out-of-state anglers two options, and both are all-species licenses.
- Daily license: $10. Good for one calendar day, with a start date and time you pick at purchase.
- Annual license: $76, plus a $1 surcharge at checkout. Valid April 1 through March 31 of the following year. The 2026 license runs through March 31, 2027.
The math tips toward the annual license at about eight fishing days. Fewer than that, stack up daily licenses; more than that, buy the year.
Michigan used to sell a 72-hour nonresident license for $30. It is not part of the current lineup. If an older website or forum mentions one, verify with the DNR before counting on it.
Where to Buy It
You can purchase online at Michigan.gov/DNRLicenses or through the Michigan DNR Hunt Fish app.1Michigan Department of Natural Resources. Gear Up for Great Fishing: Michigan Fishing Licenses Now Available In-person, licenses are sold at authorized retailers and at DNR Customer Service Centers. Basic personal information is required to verify your identity.
The app version stores the license on your phone, which is easier to produce for a conservation officer than a paper copy tucked in a tackle box. Both formats are legally valid.
Who Needs One
Anyone 17 or older needs a license to fish Michigan public waters. Children 16 and younger fish for free. A voluntary youth license is available for $2 if you want your child to carry their own.2Michigan Department of Natural Resources. Fishing and Hunting License Information
One boundary to note: Michigan offers a discounted $11 annual license for anglers 65 and older, but that price is for Michigan residents only.3Michigan Department of Natural Resources. Ready for Spring Fishing? 2026 Michigan Fishing Licenses Now Available A nonresident senior pays the standard $76 annual or $10 daily.
Free Fishing Weekends
Twice a year, Michigan waives the license requirement for everyone, residents and nonresidents alike. In 2026 the dates are February 14–15 and June 13–14.4Michigan Department of Natural Resources. Free Fishing Weekend The state also waives the Recreation Passport for state park and boat launch access those weekends.5Gaylord Michigan Area Convention and Tourism Bureau. Free Fishing Weekend
Every other fishing rule still applies. Only the license fee goes away.
Species Rules the License Doesn’t Override
An all-species license does not mean anything goes. Seasons, size minimums, and catch limits vary by species, by water body, and by county. Michigan publishes an annual regulations guide that separates rules for the Great Lakes, inland lakes, and rivers and streams.6Michigan Department of Natural Resources. 2026 Michigan Fishing Regulations
Walleye, bass, and trout each carry their own seasons and minimum sizes, and some counties have exceptions to the statewide baseline. Spend a few minutes with the guide for the specific county and water type before you cast. Conservation officers do check.
Bait Rules That Catch Nonresidents
Michigan restricts bait use to keep invasive species out of its waters, and the rules trip up out-of-state anglers more than anything else.
- Never release unused baitfish into a Michigan water body. Leftover bait goes in the trash or on land.
- Baitfish you catch yourself can only be used in the same lake, stream, or Great Lake where you caught them, or in a directly connecting waterway.
- Violations are state civil infractions carrying fines up to $100.7Michigan Invasive Species. Bait and Fish Release Laws
Bringing a bucket of minnows from home and dumping the leftovers at the end of the day is exactly what the rules are written to stop. Buy bait locally, dispose of it on land or in the trash.
Boundary Waters with Wisconsin
If you already hold a Wisconsin fishing license, resident or nonresident, you do not need a separate Michigan license to fish the boundary waters shared by the two states. The reciprocal agreement covers hook-and-line fishing, spearing, and dip-netting for minnows and rough fish in those waters.8Legal Information Institute. Wisconsin Administrative Code NR 23.04 – Reciprocity
It applies only to the shared boundary waters. Fish an inland Michigan lake or a non-boundary river, and you need a Michigan license. Check which specific waters qualify before relying on the agreement.
Penalties for Fishing Without a License
Fishing without a valid license in Michigan is a misdemeanor. Under the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act, the penalty is a fine of up to $500, up to 90 days in jail, or both, plus court costs.9Michigan Legislature. MCL 324.48738 – Violations as Misdemeanors; Penalties Against a $10 daily license, the trade is a poor one.
Conservation officers can ask to see your license at any time on the water. Have the app open, or keep the paper copy on you rather than in the vehicle.