Nebraska Fishing License

Nebraska Game and Parks Commission (NGPC)

Contact

Address: Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, 2200 N. 33rd Street
Lincoln, NE 68503
Headquarters: 402-471-0641
TTY: 800-833-7352
Relay (voice): 800-833-0920
Website: outdoornebraska.gov

Buy a licence Read the regulations

At a glance

Licences and permits: 19
Of which specialty: 5
Cheapest listed licence: $8.00
Free fishing days: Free Fishing and Park Entry Day, May 16, 2026. Fishing permits (and therefore the Aquatic Habitat Stamp) and park entry permits are both waived for the day. Camping, lodging and other user fees still apply.
Fees verified: 4 Sep 2026

Who does not need one

A Nebraska fishing permit is required of anyone age 16 or older to take or attempt to take sportfish, bullfrogs, snapping turtles, barred salamanders or mussels from any Nebraska water body; anglers under 16 need no permit. The Aquatic Habitat Stamp is not required where a fishing permit is not required, and is excluded from paddlefish, veteran fish/hunt, senior fish/hunt and disabled permits, and from lifetime permits bought before January 1, 2006.

Specialty licences 5

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
Aquatic Habitat StampNebraska Game and Parks states the stamp is included in all resident fishing permits EXCEPT paddlefish, veteran fish/hunt, senior fish/hunt and disabled permits. The statute caps the annual stamp at fifteen dollars, and $15.00 is the exact difference between the base permit fees approved by the Commission for 2026 and the all-in permit prices published on the permit pricing page (resident annual $23 + $15 + $3 issuing fee = $41; nonresident annual $77.50 + $15 + $3 = $95.50). The one-day permit substitutes $1.00 to the Aquatic Habitat Fund instead.	Stamp	MANDATORY. Neb. Rev. Stat. 37-426: no resident or nonresident may take or possess any aquatic organism requiring a Nebraska fishing permit without an unexpired aquatic habitat stamp. In practice it is bundled into the price of nearly every fishing permit rather than sold on its own.	Any · annual · 16+	$15.00
Nonresident Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) Stamp$15.00 stamp plus a $3.00 issuing fee. Valid for one calendar year, expiring December 31. Nebraska residents are not required to buy it.	Stamp	Boaters who register a motorized watercraft in another state and operate it in Nebraska. NOT required to fish - this is a boat stamp, not an angler stamp.	Non-resident · annual · all	$18.00
Lifetime Aquatic Habitat StampNebraska Game and Parks states the $300 Lifetime Aquatic Habitat Stamp fee is included in the price of all Fish and Hunt/Fish Lifetime Permits, so it is not a separate purchase.	Stamp	Bundled into every Lifetime Fish and Lifetime Hunt/Fish permit	Any · lifetime · all	$300.00
Resident Paddlefish Permit (draw)The Aquatic Habitat Stamp is NOT included in paddlefish permit prices. A resident paddlefish preference point is $17.00.	Permit	Residents drawn for a Nebraska paddlefish snagging permit	Resident · season · 16+	$35.00
Nonresident Paddlefish Permit (draw)The Aquatic Habitat Stamp is not included. A nonresident paddlefish preference point is $27.00.	Permit	Nonresidents drawn for a Nebraska paddlefish snagging permit	Non-resident · season · 16+	$60.00

Every licence and fee 19

Licence	Residency	Term	Ages	Fee
Base licence 12
Special Fishing Permit for Persons with Disabilities People with a permanent physical or developmental disability who cannot use fishing equipment unassisted The Aquatic Habitat Stamp is not required with this permit.	Resident	annual	all	$8.00
1-Day Fishing Permit Residents and nonresidents wanting a single-day fishing permit Same price for residents and nonresidents. Comprises the $8.00 base fee, the $3.00 issuing fee and $1.00 directed to the Aquatic Habitat Fund in place of the full Aquatic Habitat Stamp.	Any	1-day	16+	$12.00
Resident 3-Day Fishing Permit Residents wanting a three-day fishing permit All-in price: $15.00 base + $15.00 Aquatic Habitat Stamp + $3.00 issuing fee.	Resident	3-day	16+	$33.00
Nonresident 3-Day Fishing Permit Nonresidents wanting a three-day fishing permit All-in price: $22.00 base + $15.00 Aquatic Habitat Stamp + $3.00 issuing fee.	Non-resident	3-day	16+	$40.00
Resident Annual Fishing Permit Nebraska residents age 16 and older taking or attempting to take sportfish, bullfrogs, snapping turtles, barred salamanders or mussels from any Nebraska water body All-in price. Comprises a $23.00 base permit fee, the $15.00 Aquatic Habitat Stamp and a $3.00 issuing fee.	Resident	annual	16+	$41.00
Nonresident Annual Fishing Permit Nonresidents age 16 and older fishing Nebraska waters All-in price. Comprises a $77.50 base permit fee, the $15.00 Aquatic Habitat Stamp and a $3.00 issuing fee.	Non-resident	annual	16+	$95.50
Resident 3-Year Fishing Permit (2025-2027) Residents buying three licence years at once Includes three years of Aquatic Habitat Stamp.	Resident	multi-year	16+	$98.50
Resident 5-Year Fishing Permit (2025-2029) Residents buying five licence years at once Includes five years of Aquatic Habitat Stamp.	Resident	multi-year	16+	$146.00
Nonresident 3-Year Fishing Permit (2025-2027) Nonresidents buying three licence years at once	Non-resident	multi-year	16+	$248.50
Nonresident 5-Year Fishing Permit (2025-2029) Nonresidents buying five licence years at once	Non-resident	multi-year	16+	$375.00
Nonresident Lifetime Fishing Permit Nonresidents buying a lifetime fishing privilege Priced by age band: ages 0-16 $929.00; ages 17 and older $1306.00. Each includes the $300 Lifetime Aquatic Habitat Stamp.	Non-resident	lifetime	all	Not published
Resident Lifetime Fishing Permit Residents buying a lifetime fishing privilege Priced by age band: ages 0-15 $616.00; ages 16-45 $710.00; ages 46 and older $616.00. Each includes the $300 Lifetime Aquatic Habitat Stamp. No single price applies to the product as a whole.	Resident	lifetime	all	Not published
Combination licence 2
Resident Annual Hunt/Fish Combination Permit Residents wanting hunting and fishing privileges on one permit Includes the Aquatic Habitat Stamp.	Resident	annual	16+	$57.00
Nonresident Annual Hunt/Fish Combination Permit Nonresidents wanting hunting and fishing privileges on one permit Includes the Aquatic Habitat Stamp.	Non-resident	annual	16+	$205.50
Stamp 3
Aquatic Habitat Stamp MANDATORY. Neb. Rev. Stat. 37-426: no resident or nonresident may take or possess any aquatic organism requiring a Nebraska fishing permit without an unexpired aquatic habitat stamp. In practice it is bundled into the price of nearly every fishing permit rather than sold on its own. Nebraska Game and Parks states the stamp is included in all resident fishing permits EXCEPT paddlefish, veteran fish/hunt, senior fish/hunt and disabled permits. The statute caps the annual stamp at fifteen dollars, and $15.00 is the exact difference between the base permit fees approved by the Commission for 2026 and the all-in permit prices published on the permit pricing page (resident annual $23 + $15 + $3 issuing fee = $41; nonresident annual $77.50 + $15 + $3 = $95.50). The one-day permit substitutes $1.00 to the Aquatic Habitat Fund instead.	Any	annual	16+	$15.00
Nonresident Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) Stamp Boaters who register a motorized watercraft in another state and operate it in Nebraska. NOT required to fish - this is a boat stamp, not an angler stamp. $15.00 stamp plus a $3.00 issuing fee. Valid for one calendar year, expiring December 31. Nebraska residents are not required to buy it.	Non-resident	annual	all	$18.00
Lifetime Aquatic Habitat Stamp Bundled into every Lifetime Fish and Lifetime Hunt/Fish permit Nebraska Game and Parks states the $300 Lifetime Aquatic Habitat Stamp fee is included in the price of all Fish and Hunt/Fish Lifetime Permits, so it is not a separate purchase.	Any	lifetime	all	$300.00
Permit 2
Resident Paddlefish Permit (draw) Residents drawn for a Nebraska paddlefish snagging permit The Aquatic Habitat Stamp is NOT included in paddlefish permit prices. A resident paddlefish preference point is $17.00.	Resident	season	16+	$35.00
Nonresident Paddlefish Permit (draw) Nonresidents drawn for a Nebraska paddlefish snagging permit The Aquatic Habitat Stamp is not included. A nonresident paddlefish preference point is $27.00.	Non-resident	season	16+	$60.00

Fees as published by Nebraska Game and Parks 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

AQUATIC HABITAT STAMP CONFIRMED MANDATORY: Neb. Rev. Stat. 37-426 states no resident or nonresident may take or possess any aquatic organism requiring a Nebraska fishing permit without an unexpired aquatic habitat stamp, and Nebraska Game and Parks confirms it is included in all resident fishing permit prices except paddlefish, veteran fish/hunt, senior fish/hunt and disabled permits. PRICE DERIVATION, stated plainly because it is not printed as a standalone line anywhere: NGPC does not publish a stand-alone Aquatic Habitat Stamp price because it is never sold separately. The $15.00 figure is (a) the statutory maximum in 37-426 and (b) the exact arithmetic difference between the Commission-approved 2026 base permit fees in the fee-increase press release and the all-in prices on the permit pricing page, verified across four independent permit types: resident annual $23 + $15 + $3 = $41; nonresident annual $77.50 + $15 + $3 = $95.50; resident 3-day $15 + $15 + $3 = $33; nonresident 3-day $22 + $15 + $3 = $40. All four reconcile, so $15.00 is reported rather than left null - but it is a derived figure, not a quoted one. AIS STAMP IS NOT AN ANGLER STAMP: NGPC's own AIS page states it applies only to nonresidents whose motorized watercraft is registered in another state, and is not required for fishing. Do not present it as an angling requirement. All permit prices used are the 2026 all-in figures from outdoornebraska.gov/permits/permit-pricing/; the eRegulations Nebraska fishing fee page carried an older, lower schedule (resident annual $38) and was not used. NGPC publishes a contact form rather than a headquarters email, and no office hours on the contact page, so those fields are null. Nebraska has no trout stamp.

About Nebraska Game and Parks

Nebraska Game and Parks Commission is the agency that issues fishing licences in Nebraska and sets what every angler on its water has to carry.

Base and combination licences run from $8.00 to $375.00 depending on residency, term and age.

Beyond the base licence there are 5 specialty items to watch for, including the Aquatic Habitat Stamp, Nonresident Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) Stamp, Lifetime Aquatic Habitat Stamp and the Resident Paddlefish Permit (draw). These are separate purchases and a base licence does not cover them.

Free fishing days: Free Fishing and Park Entry Day, May 16, 2026. Fishing permits (and therefore the Aquatic Habitat Stamp) and park entry permits are both waived for the day. Camping, lodging and other user fees still apply.

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.