Delaware Fishing License

Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control, Division of Fish & Wildlife (DNREC)

Contact

Address: 89 Kings Highway (Richardson & Robbins Building)
Dover, DE 19901
Division of Fish & Wildlife main office: 302-739-9910
Recreational licenses, permits and passes: 302-739-9918
Boat registration: 302-739-9916
Report fishing violations: 1-800-523-3336
Email: DFWRecLic@delaware.gov
Website: dnrec.delaware.gov/fish-wildlife

Buy a licence Read the regulations

At a glance

Licences and permits: 13
Of which specialty: 8
Cheapest listed licence: $8.50
Free fishing days: June 6-7, 2026 (DNREC announced free fishing days in Delaware waters)
Fees verified: 4 Sep 2026

Who does not need one

Children under 16 are exempt from both the fishing licence and the FIN number. Delaware residents age 65+ are exempt from the fishing licence and the trout stamp but must carry proof of age and residency. Also exempt from buying a licence: holders of a valid Delaware surf fishing vehicle permit while actively surf fishing from designated state park beaches; residents who own or live on a farm of 20+ acres (and immediate family) and nonresidents fishing that farm with written permission or a valid lease; anyone age 16+ fishing aboard a vessel whose owner holds a recreational boat fishing licence; patients in DHSS rehabilitation hospitals; legally blind Delaware residents; and anglers at registered fee-fishing facilities. All exempt anglers age 16+ still need a free FIN number.

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
Trout Stamp - Young Angler Resident	Stamp	Delaware resident anglers age 12-15 fishing for trout	Resident · annual · 12-15	$2.10
Trout Stamp - Adult ResidentDelaware residents 65+ are exempt from the trout stamp.	Stamp	Delaware residents age 16-64 fishing for trout in designated trout waters	Resident · annual · 16-64	$4.20
Trout Stamp - Non-ResidentSingle nonresident rate covers both the young-angler and adult bands.	Stamp	Nonresident anglers age 12 and older fishing for trout	Non-resident · annual · 12+	$6.20
Fisherman Information Network (FIN) NumberNo fee. Issued automatically with a licence purchase, or free via the Quick FIN link on Digital DNREC. Not required for crabbing or clamming only. Failure to produce a valid FIN number is treated the same as having no fishing licence.	Permit	Every angler age 16 or older fishing in Delaware waters, including anglers who are exempt from buying a licence	Any · annual · 16+	Freestill required
Surf Fishing Vehicle Permit - Senior Resident Annual (62+)Issued by Delaware State Parks.	Access or habitat fee	Delaware residents age 62+ driving onto designated surf-fishing beaches	Resident · annual · 62+	$80.00
Surf Fishing Vehicle Permit - Resident AnnualIssued by Delaware State Parks, not the Division of Fish & Wildlife. Holders age 16+ still need a FIN number.	Access or habitat fee	Driving a vehicle onto designated Delaware State Parks surf-fishing beaches; permit holders actively surf fishing are exempt from the individual fishing licence	Resident · annual · all	$90.00
Surf Fishing Vehicle Permit - Senior Non-Resident Annual (62+)Issued by Delaware State Parks.	Access or habitat fee	Nonresidents age 62+ driving onto designated surf-fishing beaches	Non-resident · annual · 62+	$160.00
Surf Fishing Vehicle Permit - Non-Resident AnnualIssued by Delaware State Parks.	Access or habitat fee	Nonresidents driving a vehicle onto designated Delaware State Parks surf-fishing beaches	Non-resident · annual · all	$180.00

Every licence and fee 13

Licence	Residency	Term	Ages	Fee
Base licence 5
Resident Fishing License Delaware residents age 16-64 fishing, crabbing or clamming in all Delaware tidal and non-tidal waters Valid through December 31 of the calendar year issued.	Resident	annual	16-64	$8.50
7-Day Tourist Fishing License Nonresidents only; short-term alternative to the annual nonresident license	Non-resident	7-day	16+	$12.50
Non-Resident Fishing License Nonresidents age 16 and older fishing in Delaware waters Valid through December 31 of the calendar year issued.	Non-resident	annual	16+	$20.00
Recreational Boat Fishing License (vessel 20 ft or less) Optional vessel-based licence; covers the licence holder and all occupants of the boat, who then need no individual fishing licence Same fee for residents and nonresidents. Occupants age 16+ still need a FIN number.	Any	annual	all	$40.00
Recreational Boat Fishing License (vessel over 20 ft) Optional vessel-based licence; covers the licence holder and all occupants of the boat Same fee for residents and nonresidents.	Any	annual	all	$50.00
Stamp 3
Trout Stamp - Young Angler Resident Delaware resident anglers age 12-15 fishing for trout	Resident	annual	12-15	$2.10
Trout Stamp - Adult Resident Delaware residents age 16-64 fishing for trout in designated trout waters Delaware residents 65+ are exempt from the trout stamp.	Resident	annual	16-64	$4.20
Trout Stamp - Non-Resident Nonresident anglers age 12 and older fishing for trout Single nonresident rate covers both the young-angler and adult bands.	Non-resident	annual	12+	$6.20
Permit 1
Fisherman Information Network (FIN) Number Every angler age 16 or older fishing in Delaware waters, including anglers who are exempt from buying a licence No fee. Issued automatically with a licence purchase, or free via the Quick FIN link on Digital DNREC. Not required for crabbing or clamming only. Failure to produce a valid FIN number is treated the same as having no fishing licence.	Any	annual	16+	Freestill required
Access or habitat fee 4
Surf Fishing Vehicle Permit - Senior Resident Annual (62+) Delaware residents age 62+ driving onto designated surf-fishing beaches Issued by Delaware State Parks.	Resident	annual	62+	$80.00
Surf Fishing Vehicle Permit - Resident Annual Driving a vehicle onto designated Delaware State Parks surf-fishing beaches; permit holders actively surf fishing are exempt from the individual fishing licence Issued by Delaware State Parks, not the Division of Fish & Wildlife. Holders age 16+ still need a FIN number.	Resident	annual	all	$90.00
Surf Fishing Vehicle Permit - Senior Non-Resident Annual (62+) Nonresidents age 62+ driving onto designated surf-fishing beaches Issued by Delaware State Parks.	Non-resident	annual	62+	$160.00
Surf Fishing Vehicle Permit - Non-Resident Annual Nonresidents driving a vehicle onto designated Delaware State Parks surf-fishing beaches Issued by Delaware State Parks.	Non-resident	annual	all	$180.00

Fees as published by DNREC Division of Fish & Wildlife 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

Fee figures come from the eRegulations Delaware fishing digest licence-fee table (DNREC's official digest publisher), dated 'last updated February 6, 2026' for the 2026 licence/stamp fee schedule; DNREC's own licences page was loaded and corroborates the trout stamp amounts, the FIN requirement and the 65+ trout-stamp exemption but does not publish a full fee table. Office hours are not published on any DNREC Fish & Wildlife page loaded this session, so hours is null. Free fishing days taken from the official State of Delaware news release; the fee/licence pages themselves do not list them. Surf fishing vehicle permit fees are from Delaware State Parks (destateparks.com), a DNREC division, and are an alternative access route rather than a Fish & Wildlife licence. DNREC's exemptions page states children under 16 are exempt from the FIN requirement while the eRegulations digest says exempt persons still need a FIN; the FIN requirement is written as applying to anglers 16 and older, so under-16 anglers need neither.

About DNREC Division of Fish & Wildlife

Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control, Division of Fish & Wildlife is the agency that issues fishing licences in Delaware and sets what every angler on its water has to carry.

Base and combination licences run from $8.50 to $50.00 depending on residency, term and age.

Beyond the base licence there are 8 specialty items to watch for, including the Trout Stamp – Young Angler Resident, Trout Stamp – Adult Resident, Trout Stamp – Non-Resident and the Fisherman Information Network (FIN) Number. These are separate purchases and a base licence does not cover them.

Free fishing days: June 6-7, 2026 (DNREC announced free fishing days in Delaware waters).

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.