In Oregon, you need a fishing license starting at age 12. Children under 12 can fish for most species with no license at all, and anglers 12 through 17 can buy a Youth License for $10 that covers angling, hunting, and shellfish together.1eRegulations. Oregon Fishing License, Tag and Permit Fees A full adult license is required at 18.
Kids Under 12
Children younger than 12 do not need a paid angling license for general fishing in Oregon.2Oregon State Legislature. Oregon Code ORS 497.075 – General License, Tag and Permit Requirements; Exemptions Trout, bass, panfish, and most other species are open to them with no paperwork.
There is one important exception. If a child under 12 wants to fish for salmon, steelhead, sturgeon, or halibut, they need a free Youth Angling License and must purchase a Juvenile Combined Angling Tag.3Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. ODFW Youth Hunting and Fishing Licence Requirements The license itself is free; the tag is what carries a cost and what the law uses to track those catches.
Ages 12 Through 17
At 12, a license becomes mandatory. The Youth License costs $10 and bundles angling, hunting, shellfish, a Columbia River Basin Endorsement, and an Ocean Endorsement into one purchase.1eRegulations. Oregon Fishing License, Tag and Permit Fees For $10, a 12-year-old gets the same package of water privileges an adult would otherwise assemble piece by piece.
The one add-on a youth angler still needs is a Combined Angling Tag for salmon, steelhead, sturgeon, or halibut.4Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife. Fishing Opportunities for Youth and Disabled Anglers If the young angler is only after trout or warmwater species, the $10 license is all they need.
Age 18 and Older
Starting at 18, Oregon treats you as an adult angler. For 2026, the annual resident angling license is $50 and the non-resident annual license is $138.5Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. 2026 Fee Schedule Short-term options are also available: one-day for $29, two-day for $48, and three-day for $68, each including shellfish privileges.
A basic adult angling license covers most freshwater species. Fishing for salmon, steelhead, sturgeon, or halibut requires a Combined Angling Tag on top of the license, and fishing those species in the Columbia River Basin or for marine finfish in the ocean adds an endorsement. To qualify for any resident rate, you must have lived in Oregon for at least six consecutive months.
Days Anyone Can Fish Without a License
Oregon sets aside a handful of free fishing days each year when no license, tag, or endorsement is required at any age. In 2026, those dates are February 14–15, June 6–7, and November 27–28.6Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife. 2026 Free Fishing Days and Events Bag limits, size limits, and area closures still apply. These weekends are a low-cost way to introduce a child who’s close to the 12-year threshold, or to try the sport before buying a full license.
A few other situations also skip the license rule. Resident landowners can fish on their own property without one, as can residents fishing on land owned by an immediate family member they live with, though a Combined Angling Tag is still required for salmon, steelhead, sturgeon, or halibut.2Oregon State Legislature. Oregon Code ORS 497.075 – General License, Tag and Permit Requirements; Exemptions No license is needed to take crayfish or bullfrogs anywhere in Oregon.7eRegulations. Oregon Fishing License Information Fishing inside Crater Lake National Park falls under the National Park Service, not the state, and no Oregon license is required there.8National Park Service. Fishing
How to Buy the License
The simplest route is online through ODFW’s Electronic Licensing System at MyODFW.com. You create an account, pay, and either print the license at home or carry it on the MyODFW mobile app.9Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife. ODFW’s Electronic Licensing System Parents buying for a child set up the account under the child’s information.
Paper licenses are available in person at any ODFW office or at authorized license vendors, which include most sporting goods stores and many general retailers across the state. If you choose to carry the license digitally, keep your phone charged in the field: Oregon State Police can ask to see it, and a dead battery is not an accepted excuse. Anglers fishing for salmon, steelhead, or sturgeon also need to record each catch in the app immediately, which works without an internet connection.
Penalties for Skipping It
Fishing without a required license in Oregon can be charged as a Class A misdemeanor, carrying a fine of up to $6,250 and up to one year in jail.10Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. License Violations and Penalties First-time offenders rarely see jail, but the fines and court appearances are real.
A conviction can also trigger a license revocation. A first revocation blocks any fishing, hunting, or trapping license for 36 months. A second extends the ban to five years, and a third results in a permanent ban on wildlife licenses in Oregon.11Oregon Public Law. ORS 497.415 – Revocation or Denial of Licenses, Tags or Permits for Wildlife Law Violations or Failure to Comply with Citation Oregon also honors the Wildlife Violator Compact, so a violation in another member state can affect your Oregon privileges and the reverse holds too. Compared to a $10 youth license or a $50 adult one, the cost of going without is wildly out of proportion.