Tennessee Fishing License
Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA)
Contact
- Address
- Ellington Agricultural Center, 5107 Edmondson Pike
Nashville, TN 37211 - Main office
- 615-781-6500
- Ask.TWRA@tn.gov
- Website
- tn.gov/twra.html
At a glance
- Licences and permits
- 34
- Of which specialty
- 13
- Cheapest listed licence
- $4.00
- Free fishing days
- Bobby Wilson Free Fishing Day: June 6, 2026. Free Fishing Week for children 15 and younger: June 6-12, 2026.
- Fees verified
- 4 Sep 2026
Who does not need one
Children under 13 need no fishing licence. Residents born before March 1, 1926 are exempt (proof of age and residency required). Landowners, their spouses and children, tenants living on the property, and first cousins who jointly own farmland may fish that farmland without a licence. Residents on military leave with a copy of leave orders are exempt.
Specialty licences 13
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gatlinburg Trout Permit - 1 Day | Permit | Anglers 13-64 fishing Gatlinburg city trout waters | Any · 1-day · 13-64 | $3.00 |
| Reelfoot Lake Permit - 1 Day | Permit | Anglers fishing Reelfoot Lake | Any · 1-day · 13+ | $3.00 |
| Bedford Lake Permit - 1 Day | Permit | Anglers fishing Bedford Lake | Any · 1-day · 13+ | $6.00 |
| Lake Halford Permit - 1 Day | Permit | Anglers fishing Lake Halford | Any · 1-day · 13+ | $6.00 |
| Tellico-Citico Trout Permit - 1 Day | Permit | Anglers fishing the Tellico-Citico trout waters | Any · 1-day · 13+ | $6.00 |
| TWRA Agency Lake Fishing Permit - Daily | Permit | Anglers fishing TWRA-managed Agency lakes (all except Lake Halford) | Any · 1-day · 13+ | $6.00 |
| Gatlinburg Trout Permit - 3 Day | Permit | Anglers 13-64 fishing Gatlinburg city trout waters | Any · 3-day · 13-64 | $9.00 |
| Reelfoot Lake Permit - 3 Day | Permit | Anglers fishing Reelfoot Lake | Any · 3-day · 13+ | $10.00 |
| Slat Basket TagGear permit. | Permit | Anglers using a slat basket | Any · annual · 13+ | $10.00 |
| Reelfoot Lake Permit - Annual | Permit | Anglers fishing Reelfoot Lake | Any · annual · 13+ | $16.00 |
| South Holston Reservoir Supplemental LicenseReservoir-specific supplemental licence. | Permit | Anglers 13 and older fishing South Holston Reservoir | Any · annual · 13+ | $20.00 |
| Lake Halford Permit - Annual | Permit | Anglers fishing Lake Halford | Any · annual · 13+ | $48.00 |
| TWRA Agency Lake Fishing Permit - Annual | Permit | Anglers fishing TWRA-managed Agency lakes (all except Lake Halford) | Any · annual · 13+ | $48.00 |
Every licence and fee 34
| Licence | Residency | Term | Ages | Fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Base licence 18 | ||||
| Resident Annual Senior Citizen Hunt/Fish/Trap License Residents 65 and older | Resident | annual | 65+ | $4.00 |
| Resident 1-Day Fishing License - No Trout Residents fishing one day, not for trout | Resident | 1-day | 13-64 | $6.00 |
| Resident Junior Hunt/Fish/Trap License Resident youth 13-15 | Resident | annual | 13-15 | $9.00 |
| Nonresident Annual Junior Hunt/Fish License (No Big Game) Nonresident youth | Non-resident | annual | under-16 | $10.00 |
| Resident County of Residence Fishing License - No Trout Residents fishing only in their county of residence, not for trout | Resident | annual | 13+ | $10.00 |
| Gatlinburg Trout License - 1 Day Anglers fishing Gatlinburg city trout waters | Any | 1-day | 16+ | $11.00 |
| Resident 1-Day Fishing License - All Species Residents fishing one day including trout | Resident | 1-day | 16-64 | $11.00 |
| Nonresident 3-Day Fishing License - No Trout Nonresidents 16 and older, three days, no trout | Non-resident | 3-day | 16+ | $20.00 |
| Annual Trout Supplemental License Resident anglers who fish for or possess trout - required IN ADDITION to a resident base licence Confirms the brief: Tennessee sells a separate supplemental trout licence for residents. Nonresidents instead buy an 'All Species' licence that includes trout. | Resident | annual | 13+ | $21.00 |
| Nonresident 10-Day Fishing License - No Trout Nonresidents, ten days, no trout | Non-resident | short-term | 16+ | $30.00 |
| Resident Annual Combination Hunting & Fishing License (Type 001) Residents 16-64 - this is the standard resident annual base licence covering fishing TWRA's resident annual base licence. Supplemental licences (e.g. trout) must be bought separately. | Resident | annual | 16-64 | $33.00 |
| Nonresident 3-Day Fishing License - All Species Nonresidents 16 and older, three days, trout included | Non-resident | 3-day | 16+ | $40.00 |
| Nonresident Annual Junior All Game License Nonresident youth | Non-resident | annual | under-16 | $41.00 |
| Nonresident Annual Fishing License - No Trout Nonresidents 16 and older, annual, no trout | Non-resident | annual | 16+ | $49.00 |
| Resident Permanent Senior Citizen Hunt/Fish/Trap License Residents 65 and older | Resident | lifetime | 65+ | $49.00 |
| Nonresident 10-Day Fishing License - All Species Nonresidents 16 and older, ten days, trout included | Non-resident | short-term | 16+ | $61.00 |
| Nonresident Annual Fishing License - All Species Nonresidents 16 and older, annual, trout included | Non-resident | annual | 16+ | $98.00 |
| Nonresident Annual All Game License Nonresidents wanting all hunting and fishing privileges | Non-resident | annual | 16+ | $305.00 |
| Combination licence 3 | ||||
| Resident Senior Sportsman License Residents 65 and older wanting the all-inclusive package All-inclusive. | Resident | annual | 65+ | $49.00 |
| Resident Annual Sportsman License Residents 16-64 wanting the all-inclusive package All-inclusive - covers supplemental fishing licences and permits. | Resident | annual | 16-64 | $165.00 |
| Lifetime Sportsman License Residents buying a lifetime all-inclusive licence Priced by age band; the official digest gives a range of $320 to $1,976 but no single figure, so price is null rather than guessed. | Resident | lifetime | all | Not published |
| Permit 13 | ||||
| Gatlinburg Trout Permit - 1 Day Anglers 13-64 fishing Gatlinburg city trout waters | Any | 1-day | 13-64 | $3.00 |
| Reelfoot Lake Permit - 1 Day Anglers fishing Reelfoot Lake | Any | 1-day | 13+ | $3.00 |
| Bedford Lake Permit - 1 Day Anglers fishing Bedford Lake | Any | 1-day | 13+ | $6.00 |
| Lake Halford Permit - 1 Day Anglers fishing Lake Halford | Any | 1-day | 13+ | $6.00 |
| Tellico-Citico Trout Permit - 1 Day Anglers fishing the Tellico-Citico trout waters | Any | 1-day | 13+ | $6.00 |
| TWRA Agency Lake Fishing Permit - Daily Anglers fishing TWRA-managed Agency lakes (all except Lake Halford) | Any | 1-day | 13+ | $6.00 |
| Gatlinburg Trout Permit - 3 Day Anglers 13-64 fishing Gatlinburg city trout waters | Any | 3-day | 13-64 | $9.00 |
| Reelfoot Lake Permit - 3 Day Anglers fishing Reelfoot Lake | Any | 3-day | 13+ | $10.00 |
| Slat Basket Tag Anglers using a slat basket Gear permit. | Any | annual | 13+ | $10.00 |
| Reelfoot Lake Permit - Annual Anglers fishing Reelfoot Lake | Any | annual | 13+ | $16.00 |
| South Holston Reservoir Supplemental License Anglers 13 and older fishing South Holston Reservoir Reservoir-specific supplemental licence. | Any | annual | 13+ | $20.00 |
| Lake Halford Permit - Annual Anglers fishing Lake Halford | Any | annual | 13+ | $48.00 |
| TWRA Agency Lake Fishing Permit - Annual Anglers fishing TWRA-managed Agency lakes (all except Lake Halford) | Any | annual | 13+ | $48.00 |
Fees as published by TWRA 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
CRITICAL-NOTE CHECK - TROUT SUPPLEMENTAL: Confirmed. Residents buy an Annual Trout Supplemental License ($21) on top of a base licence; nonresidents instead choose between 'No Trout' and 'All Species' licences at each duration. RESERVOIR PERMITS: Confirmed in part. TWRA sells a South Holston Reservoir supplemental licence ($20), TWRA Agency Lake permits (daily $6 / annual $48), and lake-specific permits for Bedford Lake, Lake Halford, Reelfoot and Tellico-Citico, plus the Gatlinburg city trout licence/permits. TAILWATER PERMITS: NO separate 'tailwater permit' product appears on TWRA's official licence-structure-and-fees page or in the official Tennessee fishing digest. No tailwater row was created. NOTE: TWRA does not sell a resident fishing-only annual licence - the resident annual base product is the Combination Hunting/Fishing licence (Type 001, $33). Annual licences and permits are valid 365 days from the date of purchase unless otherwise noted (TWRA licence-sales page); the official digest separately says most annual licences expire December 31, so the exact expiry convention is ambiguous between two official statements and is not asserted in a field. Lifetime Sportsman price is a $320-$1,976 age-banded range with no single figure published, so it is null. Reelfoot Lake permit prices come from the official eRegulations Tennessee digest rather than the tn.gov page, which omits them. Processing fees apply to all purchases but the amount is not published. TWRA social media handles were not listed on the pages loaded, so those fields are blank; office hours were likewise not published.
About TWRA
Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency is the agency that issues fishing licences in Tennessee and sets what every angler on its water has to carry.
Base and combination licences run from $4.00 to $305.00 depending on residency, term and age.
Beyond the base licence there are 13 specialty items to watch for, including the Gatlinburg Trout Permit – 1 Day, Reelfoot Lake Permit – 1 Day, Bedford Lake Permit – 1 Day and the Lake Halford Permit – 1 Day. These are separate purchases and a base licence does not cover them.
Free fishing days: Bobby Wilson Free Fishing Day: June 6, 2026. Free Fishing Week for children 15 and younger: June 6-12, 2026.
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.