If you’re a non-resident veteran with a VA service-connected disability rating of 60 percent or higher and an honorable discharge, the Missouri hunting license rules for non-resident disabled veterans give you two benefits: you can hunt most small game and fish in Missouri without buying any permit, and when a permit is required, you pay the resident price instead of the non-resident rate. Both benefits live in Missouri’s Wildlife Code at 3 CSR 10-5.205 and 3 CSR 10-5.220.1Secretary of State of Missouri. Code of State Regulations – Wildlife Code: Permits
Who Qualifies
To use either benefit, you need to meet three things at once:
- You’re a non-resident of Missouri. Your permanent home is in another state, you haven’t lived in Missouri for at least 30 days, or you claim resident privileges (like a driver’s license or voter registration) elsewhere.
- You have a VA service-connected disability rating of 60 percent or higher. There’s no separate tier at 100 percent; the same benefits apply to everyone at 60 and above.
- You received an honorable discharge.
Two other groups qualify under the same rules: former prisoners of war regardless of disability rating, and active-duty service members currently assigned as patients to a Warrior Transition Brigade, Warrior Transition Unit, or military medical center.1Secretary of State of Missouri. Code of State Regulations – Wildlife Code: Permits
If your rating is below 60 percent, neither benefit applies. You buy standard non-resident permits.
What You Can Hunt and Fish Without a Permit
Under 3 CSR 10-5.205, the permit exemption covers fish, frogs, turtles, clams, mussels, live bait, and most small game. Squirrels, rabbits, quail, and pheasant are in. A weekend of squirrel hunting and pond fishing requires no permit purchase at all. Your VA disability letter is what you carry in the field, and it functions as your authorization if a conservation agent asks.1Secretary of State of Missouri. Code of State Regulations – Wildlife Code: Permits
The exemption does not cover black bears, deer, elk, turkeys, or trout in designated trout areas. It also does not cover migratory birds: doves, waterfowl, snipe, woodcock, and rails still require a Missouri Migratory Bird Hunting Permit, and waterfowl still require a Federal Duck Stamp. For those species, you move to the second benefit.
Permits You Still Buy, at Resident Prices
Under 3 CSR 10-5.220, any permit you do need is available to you at the resident rate. This is where the savings get large, because the gap between non-resident and resident pricing on big-game permits is significant.1Secretary of State of Missouri. Code of State Regulations – Wildlife Code: Permits
Deer
A non-resident firearms any-deer permit is $360 at the standard rate, and the non-resident archer’s hunting permit is also $360. You pay the resident price on both. Non-resident antlerless deer permits (firearms and archery) are $34.2Missouri Department of Conservation. Deer Permits
Turkey
A non-resident spring turkey permit is $304.50 at full price; a fall turkey permit is $176.50. You pay the resident rate on each.3Missouri Department of Conservation. Turkey Permits
Migratory Birds and Waterfowl
Migratory birds sit outside the free exemption. To hunt them, you need:
- A Missouri Migratory Bird Hunting Permit. Non-resident price is $7.50 for anyone 16 or older, and it satisfies the Migratory Game Bird Harvest Registration requirement.
- A Federal Duck Stamp for ducks, coots, and geese. The physical stamp is $25; the electronic version is $32 and valid all season.
- A Conservation Order Permit ($54 for non-residents) to hunt snow, blue, and Ross’s geese during the Conservation Order season.
The resident-pricing benefit applies to the state permits in this list. Hunters 15 and under are exempt from the migratory bird permit requirements as long as they meet hunter education rules or hunt alongside a certified adult.4Missouri Department of Conservation. Migratory Bird/Waterfowl Permit and Stamp Requirements
Documentation to Carry
The document that unlocks both benefits is a certified statement of eligibility from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, showing your name, disability percentage, and service-connection status. Carry it whenever you’re hunting or fishing under the exemption, and present it when buying any permit at the resident rate.5Missouri Department of Conservation. Veteran Benefits
Warrior Transition Brigade or Unit members carry their assignment orders. Patients at military medical centers carry their admissions verification.1Secretary of State of Missouri. Code of State Regulations – Wildlife Code: Permits
Federal and state law require a Social Security number for any hunting, fishing, or trapping permit purchase, including free landowner permits. Providing a false number can cost you your privileges or lead to criminal charges.6Missouri Department of Conservation. Permits
Hunter Education
If you were born on or after January 1, 1967, you need a hunter education certificate to buy firearms hunting permits in Missouri. Have your certification number ready at purchase. Missouri accepts certificates from other states that meet International Hunter Education Association standards.7Missouri Department of Conservation. Hunting Permits
If you don’t have that certificate yet, Missouri offers an Apprentice Hunter Authorization for $12.50 (non-resident). It lets you buy firearms hunting permits and hunt with a mentor who is at least 18 and hunter-education certified, for a maximum of two permit years.8Missouri Department of Conservation. Apprentice Hunter Authorization
How to Buy Permits
Missouri sells permits four ways: through the MO Hunting smartphone app, online at MDC’s e-Permits portal (print at home), by phone at 800-392-4115 with a credit card (a $1 surcharge applies and permits arrive by mail in about 10 days), or in person at any MDC office or one of more than a thousand retail vendors. Deer and fall turkey permits typically go on sale July 1 each year.6Missouri Department of Conservation. Permits
When you’re hunting under the exemption instead of a purchased permit, there’s nothing to buy. Your VA letter is what a conservation agent will ask to see.
Managed Hunts for Hunters with Disabilities
MDC runs managed deer hunts reserved for hunters with disabilities, held at designated conservation areas with accessible conditions. Applications go through a weighted random drawing between July 1 and July 31.9Missouri Department of Conservation. Managed Hunts: Deer
Hunters who permanently use a wheelchair get automatic entry at certain conservation areas by submitting a written request with a physician’s statement to MDC headquarters in Jefferson City by July 31. If you have a mobility-limiting condition but don’t use a wheelchair, call the area manager at the specific conservation area before you apply. Accessibility varies by site.
When Permits Expire
Missouri’s annual hunting and fishing permits, including small game, fishing, trout, and combination permits, expire at the end of February. The new permit year starts March 1.10Missouri Department of Conservation. Time to Buy MDC 2026 Annual Hunting and Fishing Permits
If you’re using the exemption for small game and fishing, there’s no annual renewal because there’s no permit to renew. Your VA letter works year to year, as long as it still shows a current rating of 60 percent or higher. If your rating changes, get an updated letter before your next trip. Deer, turkey, and other season-specific permits get bought fresh each year, same as for any hunter.