Ohio Wetlands Habitat Stamp: Requirements, Expiration, and Penalty

The Ohio Wetlands Habitat Stamp is a $15 annual state permit that anyone 16 or older must carry, signed in ink, to hunt ducks, geese, or brant on land belonging to someone else. It’s sold through the Ohio Wildlife Licensing System, the HuntFish OH app, and authorized retail license agents, and it stays valid through August 31 of the license year.1Ohio Legislative Service Commission. Ohio Code 1533.112 – Annual Wetlands Habitat Stamp2Ohio Department of Natural Resources. Buy Hunting Licenses and Permits

Who Needs the Stamp

Ohio Revised Code 1533.112 requires the stamp for hunting ducks, geese, or brant on the lands of another person. Those are the only three species it covers. If you’re after coots, gallinules, or other migratory birds, the state stamp doesn’t apply, though federal rules still do.1Ohio Legislative Service Commission. Ohio Code 1533.112 – Annual Wetlands Habitat Stamp

Hunters under 16 are exempt. So is anyone who doesn’t need a hunting license under ORC 1533.10. In practice, that means Ohio residents who own land in the state can hunt waterfowl on their own property without the stamp, and the exemption extends to the landowner’s parents, children of any age, and grandchildren under 18. Tenants living on the land, and their children, qualify too.3Ohio Legislative Service Commission. Ohio Revised Code 1533.10 – Hunting Licenses and Fees Non-resident landowners get a similar break only if their home state offers the same courtesy to Ohio residents who own property there.

How to Buy It

Three channels sell the stamp: the Ohio Wildlife Licensing System at oh-web.s3licensing.com, the HuntFish OH mobile app, and any authorized retail license agent.2Ohio Department of Natural Resources. Buy Hunting Licenses and Permits First-time buyers set up a customer account, which requires a Social Security number under a federal child-support enforcement mandate. The Division collects it once, so if you’ve ever bought an Ohio hunting or fishing license, your SSN is already on file.4Ohio Department of Natural Resources. Social Security Number Requirement

Online and app purchases take credit or debit cards; retail agents also accept cash. Once the transaction clears, the endorsement is on your license record immediately and can be displayed digitally on a phone. You can also request a physical collectible stamp during checkout, which arrives in the mail within a few weeks. Either form satisfies the carry requirement.

Signing and the August 31 Expiration

Every stamp must be signed in ink by the person it was issued to. An unsigned stamp is treated as no stamp at all. Stamps are valid from the date of purchase through midnight on August 31 of the following year, and they can’t be transferred.1Ohio Legislative Service Commission. Ohio Code 1533.112 – Annual Wetlands Habitat Stamp That August 31 date is a hard cutoff regardless of when you bought it, so a stamp purchased in July still expires at the end of August.

The Other Three Things You Must Carry

The wetlands stamp is one piece of a four-part set. A missing item from any category can draw a citation, and officers check for all of them.

  • Ohio hunting license. Required before you can add the wetlands stamp. Resident licenses are $19; non-resident licenses run $180.96. A small game license alone does not cover ducks, geese, or brant.3Ohio Legislative Service Commission. Ohio Revised Code 1533.10 – Hunting Licenses and Fees
  • Federal Duck Stamp. Anyone 16 or older hunting migratory waterfowl needs a current Federal Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp. It’s $25 for the 2025–2026 season and runs July 1 through June 30. It isn’t on your Ohio license; you carry the physical stamp signed across its face, or the 45-day e-stamp receipt if you bought it electronically. Buy it through post offices, usps.com, or duckstamp.com.5U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. Federal Duck Stamp2Ohio Department of Natural Resources. Buy Hunting Licenses and Permits
  • HIP certification. Federal law requires all migratory bird hunters to register with the Harvest Information Program. In Ohio, complete the survey by calling 1-877-447-6446 or through the HuntFish OH app. Write the resulting certification number on your license or keep it in the app, and carry it with you. HIP registration has to be done in every state where you hunt migratory birds.2Ohio Department of Natural Resources. Buy Hunting Licenses and Permits6U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. Migratory Bird Harvest Surveys

So the complete kit on your person: Ohio hunting license, Ohio wetlands habitat stamp (signed), federal Duck Stamp (signed, or e-stamp receipt), and HIP certification number.

Penalty for Hunting Without It

Hunting ducks, geese, or brant without a valid, signed wetlands habitat stamp is a fourth-degree misdemeanor in Ohio. The maximum penalty is a $250 fine and up to 30 days in jail.7Ohio Legislative Service Commission. Ohio Revised Code 2929.28 – Financial Sanctions, Misdemeanor8Ohio Legislative Service Commission. Ohio Revised Code 2929.24 – Definite Jail Terms for Misdemeanors First-time violations usually end in a fine rather than jail, but either way it’s a misdemeanor on your record. Wildlife officers can ask to see your stamp at any time and you have to produce it on the spot.