Alabama Fishing License
Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries Division (ADCNR/WFF)
Contact
- Address
- 64 N. Union Street, Suite 468
Montgomery, AL 36130 - Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries Division
- 334-242-3465
- License Section
- 334-242-3829
- infowff@dcnr.alabama.gov
- Hours
- Mon-Fri 8am-5pm CT
- Website
- outdooralabama.com
At a glance
- Licences and permits
- 30
- Of which specialty
- 12
- Cheapest listed licence
- $3.50
- Fees verified
- 4 Sep 2026
Who does not need one
Residents and nonresidents under age 16 are exempt. Alabama residents age 65 and over are exempt from purchasing freshwater and saltwater fishing licenses (saltwater anglers 65+ must still hold the free Saltwater Angler Registration). There is no over-65 exemption and no disabled or disabled-veteran discount for nonresidents.
Specialty licences 12
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonresident Spearfishing 7-Day Trip License | Endorsement | Nonresidents spearfishing on a short trip | Non-resident · 7-day · all | $3.50 |
| Resident Spearfishing LicenseAdd-on to a base freshwater or saltwater license. | Endorsement | Residents spearfishing; must also hold a freshwater or saltwater fishing license | Resident · annual · all | $6.00 |
| Nonresident Spearfishing License (Annual) | Endorsement | Nonresidents spearfishing; add-on to a base fishing license | Non-resident · annual · all | $8.50 |
| Gulf Reef Fish EndorsementRequired in addition to a saltwater fishing license or angler registration. | Endorsement | Anglers fishing for or possessing designated Gulf reef fish species | Any · annual · all | $10.00 |
| Lifetime Gulf Reef Fish Endorsement | Endorsement | Anglers who want the reef fish endorsement for life | Any · lifetime · all | $220.00 |
| Alabama Saltwater Angler RegistrationFree registration; mandatory for the groups listed. | Permit | Residents 16+ who are saltwater fishing without an annual saltwater license (including 65+ exempt anglers, lifetime licence holders, and licensed-pier-only anglers) | Any · annual · 16+ | Freestill required |
| Resident Freshwater Public Fishing Lakes Daily LicenseValid on state-owned county public fishing lakes only. | Permit | Residents fishing state-owned public fishing lakes (county lakes) | Resident · 1-day · all | $7.65 |
| Nonresident Public Fishing Lakes License (Daily) | Permit | Nonresidents fishing state-owned public fishing lakes for a day | Non-resident · 1-day · all | $9.00 |
| Nonresident Public Fishing Lakes License (Annual) | Permit | Nonresidents fishing state-owned public fishing lakes | Non-resident · annual · all | $15.80 |
| Disabled Freshwater Fishing 3-Day Event LicenseEvent license, not an individual angling licence. | Permit | Organized events serving up to 20 disabled participants plus 20 assistants | Any · 3-day · all | $100.00 |
| Resident Wirebasket LicenseOfficial page states 'Prices Vary' by county and does not publish a single fee. | Permit | Residents using wire baskets; not available in all counties | Resident · annual · all | Not published |
| Wildlife Heritage LicenseIncluded at no extra charge with resident hunting and freshwater fishing licenses. | Access or habitat fee | Bundled with resident hunting and freshwater fishing licenses; sold separately to supporters | Resident · annual · all | $13.95 |
Every licence and fee 30
| Licence | Residency | Term | Ages | Fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Base licence 18 | ||||
| Resident Disabled Saltwater Fishing License Qualifying disabled Alabama residents fishing saltwater | Resident | annual | 16-64 | $3.50 |
| Resident Disabled Veteran (20%) Saltwater Fishing License Alabama resident veterans with 20% or greater service-connected disability | Resident | annual | 16-64 | $3.60 |
| Resident Saltwater Pier Fishing License Residents fishing from a licensed public saltwater pier | Resident | annual | 16-64 | $7.65 |
| Resident Saltwater Trip Fishing License (7-day) Residents fishing saltwater on a short trip | Resident | 7-day | 16-64 | $12.35 |
| Nonresident Saltwater Pier Fishing License Nonresidents fishing from a licensed public saltwater pier | Non-resident | annual | 16+ | $14.15 |
| Nonresident College Student Freshwater Fishing License Nonresident students ages 17-23 enrolled in an approved Alabama institution | Non-resident | annual | 17-23 | $17.00 |
| Resident Freshwater Fishing License Alabama residents age 16-64 fishing in fresh water All recreational licenses expire August 31. Residents 65+ are exempt. | Resident | annual | 16-64 | $17.00 |
| Resident Saltwater Fishing License (Annual) Alabama residents 16-64 fishing in saltwater Expires August 31. | Resident | annual | 16-64 | $30.05 |
| Optional Senior Lifetime License (Hunting/Freshwater/Saltwater) Residents 65+ who are exempt but choose to buy in to support programs Optional purchase; residents 65+ are otherwise license-exempt. | Resident | lifetime | 65+ | $35.00 |
| Nonresident 7-Day Trip Freshwater Fishing License Nonresidents fishing fresh water for a short trip | Non-resident | 7-day | 16+ | $37.00 |
| Nonresident Freshwater Fishing Family 3-Day Trip License Up to four immediate family members fishing fresh water Covers up to 4 immediate family members. | Non-resident | 3-day | all | $37.00 |
| Nonresident Annual Freshwater Fishing License Nonresidents (all states except Louisiana and Mississippi) fishing fresh water Reciprocal pricing applies to Louisiana and Mississippi residents; see separate entries. | Non-resident | annual | 16+ | $66.25 |
| Nonresident Annual Freshwater Fishing License - Louisiana residents Louisiana residents fishing Alabama fresh water | Non-resident | annual | 16+ | $70.55 |
| Nonresident Annual Freshwater Fishing License - Mississippi residents Mississippi residents fishing Alabama fresh water | Non-resident | annual | 16+ | $75.42 |
| Nonresident Saltwater Fishing License (Annual) Nonresidents 16+ fishing Alabama saltwater Official page publishes a reciprocal range of 48.20 to 129.20 depending on the angler's home state rather than a single fee; the per-state table did not render in the page text loaded. | Non-resident | annual | 16+ | Not published |
| Nonresident Saltwater Trip Fishing License Nonresidents fishing Alabama saltwater on a short trip Official page publishes a reciprocal range of 30.20 to 35.65 depending on the angler's home state; single fee not published. | Non-resident | short-term | 16+ | Not published |
| Resident 64 Lifetime Fishing License Residents who turn 64, purchased once for lifetime freshwater privileges Official page states the fee equals the cost of one annual recreational license; no separate dollar figure published. | Resident | lifetime | 64 | Not published |
| Resident Lifetime Fishing License Residents buying lifetime freshwater fishing privileges Official page states prices vary by age and increase each September 1; no table published on the page loaded. | Resident | lifetime | all | Not published |
| Endorsement 5 | ||||
| Nonresident Spearfishing 7-Day Trip License Nonresidents spearfishing on a short trip | Non-resident | 7-day | all | $3.50 |
| Resident Spearfishing License Residents spearfishing; must also hold a freshwater or saltwater fishing license Add-on to a base freshwater or saltwater license. | Resident | annual | all | $6.00 |
| Nonresident Spearfishing License (Annual) Nonresidents spearfishing; add-on to a base fishing license | Non-resident | annual | all | $8.50 |
| Gulf Reef Fish Endorsement Anglers fishing for or possessing designated Gulf reef fish species Required in addition to a saltwater fishing license or angler registration. | Any | annual | all | $10.00 |
| Lifetime Gulf Reef Fish Endorsement Anglers who want the reef fish endorsement for life | Any | lifetime | all | $220.00 |
| Permit 6 | ||||
| Alabama Saltwater Angler Registration Residents 16+ who are saltwater fishing without an annual saltwater license (including 65+ exempt anglers, lifetime licence holders, and licensed-pier-only anglers) Free registration; mandatory for the groups listed. | Any | annual | 16+ | Freestill required |
| Resident Freshwater Public Fishing Lakes Daily License Residents fishing state-owned public fishing lakes (county lakes) Valid on state-owned county public fishing lakes only. | Resident | 1-day | all | $7.65 |
| Nonresident Public Fishing Lakes License (Daily) Nonresidents fishing state-owned public fishing lakes for a day | Non-resident | 1-day | all | $9.00 |
| Nonresident Public Fishing Lakes License (Annual) Nonresidents fishing state-owned public fishing lakes | Non-resident | annual | all | $15.80 |
| Disabled Freshwater Fishing 3-Day Event License Organized events serving up to 20 disabled participants plus 20 assistants Event license, not an individual angling licence. | Any | 3-day | all | $100.00 |
| Resident Wirebasket License Residents using wire baskets; not available in all counties Official page states 'Prices Vary' by county and does not publish a single fee. | Resident | annual | all | Not published |
| Access or habitat fee 1 | ||||
| Wildlife Heritage License Bundled with resident hunting and freshwater fishing licenses; sold separately to supporters Included at no extra charge with resident hunting and freshwater fishing licenses. | Resident | annual | all | $13.95 |
Fees as published by Alabama WFF 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
All prices came from Outdoor Alabama (ADCNR) resident freshwater, nonresident freshwater, and saltwater recreational licence pages loaded 2026-09-04; the saltwater page carries an 'Updated August 29, 2025' stamp. Nonresident saltwater annual and trip fees are reciprocal (based on the angler's home state) and the official page gave only a range (48.20-129.20 annual, 30.20-35.65 trip), so those are null rather than guessed. Wirebasket and lifetime licence fees are published as 'prices vary' and are null. Free Fishing Day exists (outdooralabama.com/FreeFishingDay) but the dated page did not load, so the date field is null. Social handles: only the official Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries Facebook page was confirmed; other platform URLs were not resolvable from the contact page.
About Alabama WFF
Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries Division is the agency that issues fishing licences in Alabama and sets what every angler on its water has to carry.
Base and combination licences run from $3.50 to $75.42 depending on residency, term and age.
Beyond the base licence there are 12 specialty items to watch for, including the Nonresident Spearfishing 7-Day Trip License, Resident Spearfishing License, Nonresident Spearfishing License (Annual) and the Gulf Reef Fish Endorsement. 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.
Sources
- outdooralabama.com/freshwater-fishing-licenses/fw-rec-fishing-licenses-resident
- outdooralabama.com/freshwater-fishing-lic/fw-fish--nr
- outdooralabama.com/licenses/saltwater-recreational-licenses
- outdooralabama.com/license-information
- outdooralabama.com/top-navigation/contact-us
- outdooralabama.com/fishing