West Virginia Fishing License
West Virginia Division of Natural Resources (WVDNR)
Contact
- Address
- 112 California Avenue
Charleston, WV 25305 - Main office / License Unit
- 304-558-6200
- wvdnrcustomerservice@wv.gov
- Hours
- Mon-Fri 8:30am-5:00pm ET
- Website
- wvdnr.gov
At a glance
- Licences and permits
- 26
- Of which specialty
- 8
- Cheapest listed licence
- $0.00
- Fees verified
- 4 Sep 2026
Who does not need one
Licences are sold on a calendar-year basis and a new licence is required each year. Holders of Class X, X3, XP, XJ, XS, A-L, B-L and AB-L licences are exempt from the Class CS Conservation Stamp; every other licensed resident angler must buy it. Class DT is free for qualifying residents age 20 or under.
Specialty licences 8
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Class I Nonresident National Forest Hunting/Trapping/Fishing Stamp | Stamp | Nonresidents fishing or hunting within a national forest in West Virginia | Non-resident · annual · all | $2.00 |
| Class CS Resident Conservation StampThis is the classic add-on that is missed - a Class B fishing licence alone is not sufficient. | Stamp | MANDATORY on top of the base fishing licence for licensed resident anglers, except holders of Class X, X3, XP, XJ, XS, A-L, B-L and AB-L licences | Resident · annual · all | $5.00 |
| Class O Resident Trout Fishing Stamp | Stamp | Resident anglers fishing for trout; required in ADDITION to the base fishing licence | Resident · annual · all | $10.00 |
| Class CS/LE Nonresident Conservation/Law Enforcement Stamp | Stamp | MANDATORY on top of the base fishing licence for all licensed nonresident anglers | Non-resident · annual · all | $13.00 |
| Class OO Nonresident Trout Fishing Stamp | Stamp | Nonresident anglers fishing for trout; required in ADDITION to the base fishing licence | Non-resident · annual · all | $16.00 |
| Class I-L Nonresident Lifetime National Forest StampChild rates: under 1 = 18.40; age 1-4 = 25.30; age 5-9 = 34.50; age 10-14 = 41.40. | Stamp | Nonresidents wanting lifetime national forest privileges | Non-resident · lifetime · all | $46.00 |
| Class O-L Resident Lifetime Trout Fishing StampChild rates: under 1 = 92.00; age 1-4 = 126.50; age 5-9 = 172.50; age 10-14 = 207.00. | Stamp | Residents wanting lifetime trout privileges | Resident · lifetime · all | $230.00 |
| Class OO-L Nonresident Lifetime Trout StampChild rates: under 1 = 147.20; age 1-4 = 202.40; age 5-9 = 276.00; age 10-14 = 331.20. | Stamp | Nonresidents wanting lifetime trout privileges | Non-resident · lifetime · all | $368.00 |
Every licence and fee 26
| Licence | Residency | Term | Ages | Fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Base licence 7 | ||||
| Class DT Special Life-Threatening Condition License West Virginia residents age 20 or under with a qualifying life-threatening condition Free. | Resident | annual | under-21 | Freestill required |
| Class LL Nonresident One-Day Fishing License Nonresidents fishing for one day Price as printed in the official digest fee table. | Non-resident | 1-day | all | $3.00 |
| Class L Resident Five-Day Fishing License West Virginia residents fishing for five days | Resident | 5-day | all | $8.00 |
| Class B Resident Fishing License West Virginia residents fishing state waters Valid for the calendar year. | Resident | annual | all | $19.00 |
| Class F Nonresident Fishing License Nonresidents fishing West Virginia waters Valid for the calendar year. | Non-resident | annual | all | $37.00 |
| Class B-L Resident Lifetime Fishing License West Virginia residents wanting a lifetime fishing licence Reduced child rates: under 1 = 220.80; age 1-4 = 303.60; age 5-9 = 414.00; age 10-14 = 496.80. Exempt from the Conservation Stamp. | Resident | lifetime | all | $552.00 |
| Class F-L Nonresident Lifetime Fishing License Nonresidents wanting a lifetime fishing licence Child rates: under 1 = 460.00; age 1-4 = 632.50; age 5-9 = 862.50; age 10-14 = 1035.00. | Non-resident | lifetime | all | $1,150.00 |
| Combination licence 11 | ||||
| Class AAHJ Nonresident Apprentice Junior License Nonresident apprentice hunters/anglers age 15-17 | Non-resident | annual | 15-17 | $16.00 |
| Class AHJ Resident Apprentice Junior License West Virginia resident apprentice hunters/anglers age 15-17 | Resident | annual | 15-17 | $16.00 |
| Class XJ Resident Junior Sportsman License West Virginia residents age 15-17 Exempt from the Conservation Stamp. | Resident | annual | 15-17 | $16.00 |
| Class XXJ Nonresident Junior Sportsman License Nonresidents age 8-17 | Non-resident | annual | 8-17 | $16.00 |
| Class A Resident Hunting and Trapping License West Virginia residents hunting and trapping; listed for completeness, does not convey fishing privileges Not an angling licence. | Resident | annual | all | $19.00 |
| Class XS Resident Senior License (hunting/trapping/fishing) West Virginia residents age 65 and older born after Jan 1, 1947 Exempt from the Conservation Stamp. | Resident | annual | 65+ | $25.00 |
| Class X Resident Sportsman License (hunting/fishing/trapping) West Virginia residents age 18-64 wanting hunting, fishing and trapping privileges Holders are exempt from the Class CS Conservation Stamp. | Resident | annual | 18-64 | $35.00 |
| Class XP Resident Sportsman Plus License West Virginia residents wanting hunting, fishing and trapping plus the trout stamp Includes the trout stamp. Exempt from the Conservation Stamp. | Resident | annual | 18-64 | $45.00 |
| Class X3 Resident Sportsman License (3-year) West Virginia residents wanting a three-year hunting, fishing and trapping licence Exempt from the Conservation Stamp. | Resident | multi-year | 18-64 | $105.00 |
| Class XP3 Resident Sportsman Plus License (3-year) West Virginia residents wanting three years of hunting, fishing, trapping and trout privileges | Resident | multi-year | 18-64 | $135.00 |
| Class AB-L Resident Lifetime Combination Hunting/Trapping/Fishing License West Virginia residents wanting lifetime hunting, trapping and fishing privileges Child rates: under 1 = 322.00; age 1-4 = 442.75; age 5-9 = 603.75; age 10-14 = 724.50. Exempt from the Conservation Stamp. | Resident | lifetime | all | $805.00 |
| Stamp 8 | ||||
| Class I Nonresident National Forest Hunting/Trapping/Fishing Stamp Nonresidents fishing or hunting within a national forest in West Virginia | Non-resident | annual | all | $2.00 |
| Class CS Resident Conservation Stamp MANDATORY on top of the base fishing licence for licensed resident anglers, except holders of Class X, X3, XP, XJ, XS, A-L, B-L and AB-L licences This is the classic add-on that is missed - a Class B fishing licence alone is not sufficient. | Resident | annual | all | $5.00 |
| Class O Resident Trout Fishing Stamp Resident anglers fishing for trout; required in ADDITION to the base fishing licence | Resident | annual | all | $10.00 |
| Class CS/LE Nonresident Conservation/Law Enforcement Stamp MANDATORY on top of the base fishing licence for all licensed nonresident anglers | Non-resident | annual | all | $13.00 |
| Class OO Nonresident Trout Fishing Stamp Nonresident anglers fishing for trout; required in ADDITION to the base fishing licence | Non-resident | annual | all | $16.00 |
| Class I-L Nonresident Lifetime National Forest Stamp Nonresidents wanting lifetime national forest privileges Child rates: under 1 = 18.40; age 1-4 = 25.30; age 5-9 = 34.50; age 10-14 = 41.40. | Non-resident | lifetime | all | $46.00 |
| Class O-L Resident Lifetime Trout Fishing Stamp Residents wanting lifetime trout privileges Child rates: under 1 = 92.00; age 1-4 = 126.50; age 5-9 = 172.50; age 10-14 = 207.00. | Resident | lifetime | all | $230.00 |
| Class OO-L Nonresident Lifetime Trout Stamp Nonresidents wanting lifetime trout privileges Child rates: under 1 = 147.20; age 1-4 = 202.40; age 5-9 = 276.00; age 10-14 = 331.20. | Non-resident | lifetime | all | $368.00 |
Fees as published by West Virginia DNR 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
CONFIRMED both critical items: the Class O trout stamp (10.00 resident / 16.00 nonresident Class OO) is a separate purchase on top of the base fishing licence, and the Class CS Conservation Stamp (5.00 resident) is MANDATORY on top of the base licence for licensed anglers except holders of Class X, X3, XP, XJ, XS, A-L, B-L and AB-L; nonresidents pay the Class CS/LE Conservation/Law Enforcement Stamp at 13.00. wvdnr.gov's own licence guide page does not publish prices and directs buyers to wvhunt.com, so the fee table was taken from the official WVDNR digest published at eregulations.com. The Class LL nonresident one-day fishing licence is printed as 3.00 in that fee table; it is unusually low relative to neighbouring states but is reproduced exactly as published rather than adjusted. No free fishing day was stated on the pages loaded this session.
About West Virginia DNR
West Virginia Division of Natural Resources is the agency that issues fishing licences in West Virginia and sets what every angler on its water has to carry.
Base and combination licences run from $0.00 to $1150.00 depending on residency, term and age.
Beyond the base licence there are 8 specialty items to watch for, including the Class I Nonresident National Forest Hunting/Trapping/Fishing Stamp, Class CS Resident Conservation Stamp, Class O Resident Trout Fishing Stamp and the Class CS/LE Nonresident Conservation/Law Enforcement Stamp. These are separate purchases and a base licence does not cover them.
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.