Oregon Fishing Licenses: Prices, Tags, and Exemptions

In 2026, an Oregon fishing license costs $50 for a resident annual and $138 for a non-resident annual. A one-day license runs $29 for anyone. Those are just the base prices though. If you plan to fish for salmon, steelhead, sturgeon, or halibut, you’ll pay another $69 (resident) or $89 (non-resident) for a Combined Angling Tag, plus $9.75 for a Columbia River Basin Endorsement if you’re fishing those waters.

Annual License Prices

The base annual angling license covers most freshwater and marine fish. For 2026, a resident pays $50 and a non-resident pays $138.¹ Both figures went up this year; the resident license was $44 and the non-resident was $110.50 before the increase.

Residency means at least six consecutive months of living in Oregon before you apply. If you hunt as well, a resident combination license covering both angling and hunting is $86, which beats buying each separately.²

One-Day and Multi-Day Licenses

Short-term licenses cost the same for residents and non-residents:

One-day angling and shellfish combo: $29
Two-day angling: $48
Three-day angling: $68
Seven-day angling (non-residents only): $117

All of these prices rose for 2026. The one-day went from about $23.50 to $29, and the seven-day climbed from $93.50 to $117.¹ If you’re a non-resident on a week-long trip, compare the seven-day against the $138 annual, especially if you might come back later in the year.

Discounted and Free Licenses

Several groups pay less, and a few pay nothing.

Youth

Anglers aged 12 through 17 need a youth license at $10. It includes angling, hunting, shellfish, and a Columbia River Basin Endorsement.² Youth anglers going after salmon, steelhead, sturgeon, or halibut still need a Youth Combined Angling Tag ($5).³

Senior and Pioneer

Residents who are at least 70 and have lived in Oregon for five or more years qualify for a senior angling license at $34, or a senior combination license at $56.⁴

The best deal in the state is the Pioneer combination license at $10, covering angling, hunting, and shellfish. You need to be at least 65, have lived in Oregon for 50 years or more, and have been a resident for at least six months immediately before applying.⁴

Disabled Veterans

Oregon residents with a service-connected disability rating of 25 percent or higher get a free combination license covering hunting, fishing, shellfish, and a Columbia River Basin Endorsement.⁵

Tags and Endorsements That Add to the Bill

The base license is only the starting point. Certain species and certain waters require add-ons, and this is where the total climbs.

Combined Angling Tag

Anyone 18 or older fishing for salmon, steelhead, sturgeon, or halibut needs a Combined Angling Tag. It’s $69 for residents and $89 for non-residents, limited to one per angler per year, and authorizes up to 20 salmon or steelhead annually.¹ This tag saw the steepest increase for 2026, up from $46 for residents.

Columbia River Basin Endorsement

Fishing for salmon, steelhead, or sturgeon in the Columbia River or any of its tributaries requires a Columbia River Basin Endorsement. It’s $9.75 if bought with your angling license, or $11.75 on its own.¹ Youth license holders get it automatically.

Other Add-Ons

Hatchery Salmon/Steelhead Harvest Tag: $43, for additional hatchery-origin fish beyond what the Combined Angling Tag covers.¹
Two-Rod Angling Validation: $34, for fishing with two rods where it’s allowed.²
Shellfish License: $10 for residents, $28 for non-residents. Required for clamming and crabbing unless you already have a one-day combo or youth license covering shellfish.²

What You Actually Pay for a Trip

A resident fishing the Columbia River for salmon pays $128.75 before gear: $50 annual license, $69 Combined Angling Tag, and $9.75 Columbia River Basin Endorsement. A non-resident on the same trip pays $236.75.

A resident who sticks to trout in inland streams pays the flat $50 annual. A visitor clamming on the coast for a day pays $29 with the one-day combo, no add-ons needed.

When You Can Skip the License

Children under 12 can fish for trout, warmwater species, and most marine fish without any license. If they want to fish for salmon, steelhead, sturgeon, or halibut, they need a free Youth Angling License and the $5 Youth Combined Angling Tag.⁶

Other situations that skip the license entirely:

Oregon also holds three free fishing weekends each year when nobody needs a license, tag, endorsement, or two-rod validation. The 2026 dates are February 14–15 (Presidents’ Day Weekend), June 6–7, and November 27–28 (Thanksgiving Weekend). Bag limits, size limits, and area closures still apply.⁸

Where to Buy

The simplest route is online through ODFW’s electronic licensing system at MyODFW.com. Create an account, pick your licenses and tags, pay by card, and carry the license on your phone or print a paper copy.⁹

ODFW offices and authorized vendors like sporting goods stores and bait shops also sell licenses in person.⁹ Bring photo ID and proof of Oregon residency for a resident license. Lost tags can be reprinted for $2 at any license agent or ODFW office.¹⁰

1
eRegulations. Oregon Fishing License, Tag and Permit Fees
2
Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. Proposed Recreational License Fee Schedule
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Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife. Fishing Opportunities for Youth and Disabled Anglers
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Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife. Pioneer and Other Licenses for Seniors
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Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife. Hunters and Anglers With Disabilities
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Oregon Public Law. Oregon Code 497.075 – General License, Tag and Permit Requirements; Exemptions
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eRegulations. Oregon Fishing License Information
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eRegulations. Oregon Fishing Regulations – 2026 Free Fishing Days
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Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife. How to Buy a License or Tag
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Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife. ODFW’s Electronic Licensing System