Connecticut Fishing License
Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, Fisheries Division (DEEP)
Contact
- Address
- 79 Elm Street
Hartford, CT 06106-5127 - Fisheries Division (860-424-FISH)
- 860-424-3474
- Marine Fisheries Office
- 860-434-6043
- deep.inland.fisheries@ct.gov
- Website
- portal.ct.gov/DEEP/Fishing/CT-Fishing
At a glance
- Licences and permits
- 34
- Of which specialty
- 6
- Cheapest listed licence
- $0.00
- Free fishing days
- Free Fishing Day: Saturday, May 9, 2026 (no license required). Free 1-Day License Days: Sunday, June 21, 2026 and Saturday, August 8, 2026 (free license must be obtained online in advance).
- Fees verified
- 4 Sep 2026
Who does not need one
A fishing licence is not required for anyone under age 16. Connecticut residents age 65 and older receive free Inland and Marine licences but must obtain and renew them annually. Residents 16-17 pay 50 percent of the adult fee. Free licences are available with documentation for residents who are blind, intellectually disabled, or have lost the permanent use of a limb.
Specialty licences 6
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trout and Salmon Stamp - Resident 16-17 | Stamp | Connecticut residents 16-17 who keep trout or salmon or fish designated trout and salmon areas | Resident · annual · 16-17 | $3.00 |
| Trout and Salmon Stamp - Nonresident | Stamp | Nonresidents 16+ who keep trout or salmon or fish designated trout and salmon areas | Non-resident · annual · 16+ | $5.00 |
| Trout and Salmon Stamp - Resident 18+Add-on to any fishing licence. | Stamp | Anglers 18+ who keep trout or salmon, or who fish Trout Management Areas, Wild Trout Management Areas, Trout Parks or Atlantic Salmon Management Areas | Resident · annual · 18+ | $5.00 |
| Personal Use Lobster License | Permit | Recreational lobster harvest in the Marine District | Any · annual · 16+ | $60.00 |
| Hunting and Fishing Guide RegistrationCalendar-year registration. | Permit | Anyone guiding anglers or hunters for compensation in Connecticut | Any · annual · all | $100.00 |
| Personal Use Gillnet License (Menhaden) | Permit | Personal-use menhaden gillnetting in the Marine District | Any · annual · 16+ | $100.00 |
Every licence and fee 34
| Licence | Residency | Term | Ages | Fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Base licence 17 | ||||
| Free Recreational License - Blind, Intellectually Disabled or Limb Loss Connecticut residents who are blind, intellectually disabled, or have lost the permanent use of a limb Documentation required. | Resident | annual | 16+ | Freestill required |
| Inland Waters Fishing License - Resident 65+ Connecticut residents age 65 and older fishing inland waters Free but must be obtained and renewed annually. | Resident | annual | 65+ | Freestill required |
| Marine Waters Fishing License - Resident 65+ Connecticut residents age 65 and older fishing marine waters Free but must be obtained and renewed annually. | Resident | annual | 65+ | Freestill required |
| Youth Fishing Passport Anglers under age 16 who want a free certificate; a licence is not required under 16 Free certificate, not a required licence. | Any | annual | under-16 | Freestill required |
| Marine Waters Fishing License - Resident 1-Day (16-17) Connecticut residents 16-17 fishing marine waters for one day | Resident | 1-day | 16-17 | $3.00 |
| Marine Waters Fishing License - Resident 1-Day (18-64) Connecticut residents 18-64 fishing marine waters for one day | Resident | 1-day | 18-64 | $5.00 |
| Marine Waters Fishing License - Resident 16-17 Connecticut residents ages 16-17 fishing marine waters | Resident | annual | 16-17 | $5.00 |
| Marine Waters Fishing License - Nonresident 3-Day Nonresidents fishing marine waters for three consecutive days | Non-resident | 3-day | 16+ | $8.00 |
| Marine Waters Fishing License - Resident 18-64 Connecticut residents 18-64 fishing the Marine District | Resident | annual | 18-64 | $10.00 |
| Inland Waters Fishing License - Resident 16-17 Connecticut residents ages 16-17 fishing inland waters | Resident | annual | 16-17 | $14.00 |
| Marine Waters Fishing License - Nonresident Nonresidents age 16+ fishing marine waters | Non-resident | annual | 16+ | $15.00 |
| All Waters Fishing License - Resident 16-17 Connecticut residents ages 16-17 fishing inland and marine waters Youth 16-17 receive a 50 percent discount. | Resident | annual | 16-17 | $16.00 |
| Inland Waters Fishing License - Nonresident 3-Day Nonresidents fishing inland waters for three consecutive days | Non-resident | 3-day | 16+ | $22.00 |
| Inland Waters Fishing License - Resident 18-64 Connecticut residents 18-64 fishing the Inland District only | Resident | annual | 18-64 | $28.00 |
| All Waters Fishing License - Resident 18-64 Connecticut residents 18-64 fishing both inland and marine waters Licences are valid for the calendar year and expire December 31. | Resident | annual | 18-64 | $32.00 |
| Inland Waters Fishing License - Nonresident Nonresidents age 16+ fishing inland waters | Non-resident | annual | 16+ | $55.00 |
| All Waters Fishing License - Nonresident Nonresidents age 16+ fishing both inland and marine waters | Non-resident | annual | 16+ | $63.00 |
| Combination licence 11 | ||||
| Firearms Hunting and Marine Fishing Combination - Resident 16-17 Residents 16-17 wanting firearms hunting plus marine fishing | Resident | annual | 16-17 | $13.00 |
| Firearms Hunting and Inland Fishing Combination - Resident 16-17 Residents 16-17 wanting firearms hunting plus inland fishing | Resident | annual | 16-17 | $19.00 |
| Firearms Hunting and All Waters Fishing Combination - Resident 16-17 Residents 16-17 wanting firearms hunting plus all-waters fishing | Resident | annual | 16-17 | $20.00 |
| Firearms Hunting and Marine Fishing Combination - Resident 18-64 Residents wanting firearms hunting plus marine fishing | Resident | annual | 18-64 | $25.00 |
| Archery Hunting and All Waters Fishing Combination - Resident 16-17 Residents 16-17 wanting archery hunting plus all-waters fishing | Resident | annual | 16-17 | $33.00 |
| Firearms Hunting and Inland Fishing Combination - Resident 18-64 Residents wanting firearms hunting plus inland fishing | Resident | annual | 18-64 | $38.00 |
| Firearms Hunting and All Waters Fishing Combination - Resident 18-64 Residents wanting firearms hunting plus all-waters fishing | Resident | annual | 18-64 | $40.00 |
| Archery Hunting and All Waters Fishing Combination - Resident 18-64 Residents wanting archery hunting plus all-waters fishing | Resident | annual | 18-64 | $65.00 |
| Firearms Hunting and Marine Fishing Combination - Nonresident Nonresidents 16+ wanting firearms hunting plus marine fishing | Non-resident | annual | 16+ | $94.00 |
| Firearms Hunting and Inland Fishing Combination - Nonresident Nonresidents 16+ wanting firearms hunting plus inland fishing | Non-resident | annual | 16+ | $110.00 |
| Firearms Hunting and All Waters Fishing Combination - Nonresident Nonresidents 16+ wanting firearms hunting plus all-waters fishing | Non-resident | annual | 16+ | $120.00 |
| Stamp 3 | ||||
| Trout and Salmon Stamp - Resident 16-17 Connecticut residents 16-17 who keep trout or salmon or fish designated trout and salmon areas | Resident | annual | 16-17 | $3.00 |
| Trout and Salmon Stamp - Nonresident Nonresidents 16+ who keep trout or salmon or fish designated trout and salmon areas | Non-resident | annual | 16+ | $5.00 |
| Trout and Salmon Stamp - Resident 18+ Anglers 18+ who keep trout or salmon, or who fish Trout Management Areas, Wild Trout Management Areas, Trout Parks or Atlantic Salmon Management Areas Add-on to any fishing licence. | Resident | annual | 18+ | $5.00 |
| Permit 3 | ||||
| Personal Use Lobster License Recreational lobster harvest in the Marine District | Any | annual | 16+ | $60.00 |
| Hunting and Fishing Guide Registration Anyone guiding anglers or hunters for compensation in Connecticut Calendar-year registration. | Any | annual | all | $100.00 |
| Personal Use Gillnet License (Menhaden) Personal-use menhaden gillnetting in the Marine District | Any | annual | 16+ | $100.00 |
Fees as published by CT DEEP 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
All fees came from the official CT DEEP Fisheries Licenses and Permits page loaded 2026-09-04, which carries the full Inland / Marine / All Waters tier structure and the Trout and Salmon Stamp. Commercial marine licence fees are not published as a table (DEEP directs callers to the Marine Fisheries Office) and are omitted. The DEEP headquarters street address (79 Elm Street, Hartford, CT 06106-5127) comes from an official DEEP publication letterhead; the portal.ct.gov DEEP contact page returned a 404 this session, so a general DEEP switchboard number and published office hours could not be confirmed and hours is null. The Fisheries Division phone and email shown are from the official licence page. DEEP social media handles were not listed on the pages loaded.
About CT DEEP Fisheries
Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, Fisheries Division is the agency that issues fishing licences in Connecticut and sets what every angler on its water has to carry.
Base and combination licences run from $0.00 to $120.00 depending on residency, term and age.
Beyond the base licence there are 6 specialty items to watch for, including the Trout and Salmon Stamp – Resident 16-17, Trout and Salmon Stamp – Nonresident, Trout and Salmon Stamp – Resident 18+ and the Personal Use Lobster License. These are separate purchases and a base licence does not cover them.
Free fishing days: Free Fishing Day: Saturday, May 9, 2026 (no license required). Free 1-Day License Days: Sunday, June 21, 2026 and Saturday, August 8, 2026 (free license must be obtained online in advance).
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.