Louisiana Fishing License
Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF)
Contact
- Address
- PO Box 98000 (headquarters: 2000 Quail Drive)
Baton Rouge, LA 70898 - Main office
- 225-765-2800
- Licensing
- 225-765-2887
- Licensing (alt)
- 225-765-2898
- Hours
- Mon-Fri 8:00am-4:00pm CT (excluding state and federal holidays)
- Website
- wlf.louisiana.gov
At a glance
- Licences and permits
- 29
- Of which specialty
- 9
- Cheapest listed licence
- $0.00
- Free fishing days
- Annual Free Fishing Weekend, first weekend in June (June 6-7) - no licence required
- Fees verified
- 4 Sep 2026
Who does not need one
Youths 17 and under are not required to buy a WMA access permit. Senior residents born before 1 June 1940 and qualifying disabled veterans receive no-fee hunt/fish licences. Saltwater and freshwater are distinct privileges: the Saltwater Licence is an add-on that requires a Basic Fishing Licence underneath it.
Specialty licences 9
Extra items an angler must hold on top of the base licence. These are the ones most often missed — a base licence alone does not cover them.
| Licence | Type | Who needs it | Applies to | Fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saltwater Licence (Nonresident Native, 10-day) | Endorsement | Nonresident Louisiana natives fishing salt water, 10-day term | Non-resident · short-term · all | $15.00 |
| Saltwater Licence (Resident / Military / Student)Saltwater and freshwater privileges are separate: the Saltwater Licence does not stand alone. | Endorsement | Anglers fishing Louisiana salt water; must be held IN ADDITION to a Basic Fishing Licence | Resident · annual · all | $15.00 |
| Saltwater Licence (Nonresident, 5-day) | Endorsement | Nonresidents fishing salt water for five days | Non-resident · short-term · all | $30.00 |
| Saltwater Licence (Nonresident) | Endorsement | Nonresidents fishing Louisiana salt water, in addition to a Basic Fishing Licence | Non-resident · annual · all | $60.00 |
| Recreational Offshore Landing Permit (ROLP)Free but must be obtained; held in addition to the Basic and Saltwater licences. | Permit | Anglers landing certain offshore species in Louisiana | Any · annual · all | Freestill required |
| Recreational Saltwater Bowfishing PermitFree annual permit. | Permit | Anglers taking saltwater fish by bow | Any · annual · all | Freestill required |
| Highly Migratory Species (HMS) Angling PermitA federal NOAA Fisheries vessel permit that LDWF lists on its recreational fishing licence page; it is not issued by LDWF. | Permit | Anglers targeting tuna, billfish, swordfish and sharks in federal waters | Any · annual · all | $20.00 |
| WMA Access 5-Day Permit | Access or habitat fee | Short-term WMA access for anglers | Any · short-term · 18+ | $5.00 |
| WMA Access Annual PermitPrecondition for fishing on WMA waters. Youths 17 and under are not required to buy a WMA permit. Included in the Sportsman's Paradise licence. | Access or habitat fee | Anglers age 18 and older fishing on a Louisiana Wildlife Management Area | Any · annual · 18+ | $20.00 |
Every licence and fee 29
| Licence | Residency | Term | Ages | Fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Base licence 10 | ||||
| Disabled Veterans Hunting & Fishing Licence Qualifying disabled veterans No cost. | Resident | annual | all | Freestill required |
| Disabled / Special Needs Hunting & Fishing Licence Qualifying residents with a disability | Resident | annual | all | $4.00 |
| Hook and Line Licence (Nonresident) Nonresidents using pole-and-line gear only | Non-resident | annual | all | $5.00 |
| Hook and Line Licence (Resident / Military / Student) Anglers using only a pole or hook and line without a reel and without artificial bait, and without dip nets, landing nets, minnow traps, crab nets or crab lines Cheapest tier; gear-limited alternative to the Basic Fishing Licence. | Resident | annual | all | $5.00 |
| Charter Passenger Freshwater Licence (3-day) Passengers fishing fresh water aboard a licensed charter vessel Same price for residents and nonresidents. | Any | 3-day | all | $10.00 |
| Basic Fishing Licence (Nonresident Native, 10-day) Nonresidents who are Louisiana natives, 10-day term Ten consecutive days. | Non-resident | short-term | all | $17.00 |
| Basic Fishing Licence (Resident / Military / Student) The core Louisiana recreational fishing licence; covers all legal freshwater recreational gear and is the prerequisite for the Saltwater Licence Same rate applies to qualifying military and student buyers. | Resident | annual | all | $17.00 |
| Charter Passenger Saltwater Licence (3-day) Passengers fishing salt water aboard a licensed charter vessel Same price for residents and nonresidents. | Any | 3-day | all | $20.00 |
| Basic Fishing Licence (Nonresident, 5-day) Nonresidents fishing fresh water for five days Five consecutive days. | Non-resident | short-term | all | $30.00 |
| Basic Fishing Licence (Nonresident) Nonresidents fishing Louisiana fresh water | Non-resident | annual | all | $68.00 |
| Combination licence 10 | ||||
| Senior Hunt/Fish Licence (resident born before 1 June 1940) Residents born before 1 June 1940 No fee. | Resident | annual | 86+ | Freestill required |
| Senior Hunt/Fish Licence (resident age 60+, born on or after 1 June 1940) Resident seniors age 60 and older | Resident | annual | 60+ | $5.00 |
| Resident Honorably Discharged Veteran Hunt/Fish Licence Resident honorably discharged veterans | Resident | annual | all | $20.00 |
| Louisiana Sportsman's Paradise Licence (Nonresident Native, 10-day) Nonresident Louisiana natives, 10-day package | Non-resident | short-term | all | $100.00 |
| Louisiana Sportsman's Paradise Licence (Resident) Residents wanting one package covering Basic Hunting, Basic Fishing, Saltwater Fishing, Deer, Turkey, Louisiana Duck and WMA Access Includes both freshwater and saltwater fishing privileges plus the WMA access permit. | Resident | annual | all | $100.00 |
| Resident Senior Lifetime Hunt/Fish Licence (65+) Residents age 65 and older wanting lifetime privileges | Resident | lifetime | 65+ | $100.00 |
| Louisiana Sportsman's Paradise Licence (Nonresident, 5-day) Nonresidents, five-day package | Non-resident | short-term | all | $120.00 |
| Louisiana Sportsman's Paradise Licence (Nonresident) Nonresidents wanting the full hunting plus freshwater and saltwater fishing package | Non-resident | annual | all | $400.00 |
| Resident Lifetime Hunt/Fish Licence Residents wanting lifetime hunting and fishing privileges Sold only through the Baton Rouge office; roughly three-week processing. | Resident | lifetime | all | $500.00 |
| Nonresident Lifetime Hunt/Fish Licence Nonresidents wanting lifetime privileges | Non-resident | lifetime | all | $4,000.00 |
| Endorsement 4 | ||||
| Saltwater Licence (Nonresident Native, 10-day) Nonresident Louisiana natives fishing salt water, 10-day term | Non-resident | short-term | all | $15.00 |
| Saltwater Licence (Resident / Military / Student) Anglers fishing Louisiana salt water; must be held IN ADDITION to a Basic Fishing Licence Saltwater and freshwater privileges are separate: the Saltwater Licence does not stand alone. | Resident | annual | all | $15.00 |
| Saltwater Licence (Nonresident, 5-day) Nonresidents fishing salt water for five days | Non-resident | short-term | all | $30.00 |
| Saltwater Licence (Nonresident) Nonresidents fishing Louisiana salt water, in addition to a Basic Fishing Licence | Non-resident | annual | all | $60.00 |
| Permit 3 | ||||
| Recreational Offshore Landing Permit (ROLP) Anglers landing certain offshore species in Louisiana Free but must be obtained; held in addition to the Basic and Saltwater licences. | Any | annual | all | Freestill required |
| Recreational Saltwater Bowfishing Permit Anglers taking saltwater fish by bow Free annual permit. | Any | annual | all | Freestill required |
| Highly Migratory Species (HMS) Angling Permit Anglers targeting tuna, billfish, swordfish and sharks in federal waters A federal NOAA Fisheries vessel permit that LDWF lists on its recreational fishing licence page; it is not issued by LDWF. | Any | annual | all | $20.00 |
| Access or habitat fee 2 | ||||
| WMA Access 5-Day Permit Short-term WMA access for anglers | Any | short-term | 18+ | $5.00 |
| WMA Access Annual Permit Anglers age 18 and older fishing on a Louisiana Wildlife Management Area Precondition for fishing on WMA waters. Youths 17 and under are not required to buy a WMA permit. Included in the Sportsman's Paradise licence. | Any | annual | 18+ | $20.00 |
Fees as published by Louisiana Wildlife & Fisheries and read on 4 September 2026. Agencies change fees without notice and vendors add issuing charges, so confirm the current price at the point of sale. We do not reproduce seasons, limits or gear rules — see the agency's regulations page for those.
Notes on this listing
These are the POST-RESTRUCTURE tier names Louisiana now uses - Basic Fishing Licence, Hook and Line Licence, Saltwater Licence (an add-on to Basic), Louisiana Sportsman's Paradise Licence - taken from wlf.louisiana.gov's current recreational fishing licences page (loaded 2026-09-04). The older pre-restructure names (Basic/Big Game/Sportsman's Paradise combos, separate 'saltwater licence' sold standalone, trip licences) do not appear and were not used. Senior, disabled, veteran, lifetime and WMA permit rows come from the official eRegulations Louisiana fishing guide, which LDWF publishes; they were not itemised on the wlf.louisiana.gov page. LDWF publishes no general headquarters email address, only individual staff addresses, so email is null. Social handles were not confirmed from an official page and are left blank. license_portal points to the LDWF licence page; LDWF's online sales system is hosted at louisianaoutdoors.com but that host was not loaded directly this session. The Highly Migratory Species Angling permit is a federal NOAA permit listed by LDWF, not a state licence.
About Louisiana Wildlife & Fisheries
Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries is the agency that issues fishing licences in Louisiana and sets what every angler on its water has to carry.
Base and combination licences run from $0.00 to $4000.00 depending on residency, term and age.
Beyond the base licence there are 9 specialty items to watch for, including the Saltwater Licence (Nonresident Native, 10-day), Saltwater Licence (Resident / Military / Student), Saltwater Licence (Nonresident, 5-day) and the Saltwater Licence (Nonresident). These are separate purchases and a base licence does not cover them.
Free fishing days: Annual Free Fishing Weekend, first weekend in June (June 6-7) – no licence required.
The fee table below was read from official sources on 4 September 2026. We list what each item is called, who needs it and what it costs, and link out for the rules themselves — seasons, limits and gear regulations live on the agency’s own page and change too often to mirror.