National Park Service Fishing Permits

National Park Service (NPS)

Contact

Address: National Park Service, 1849 C Street NW
Washington, DC 20240
Yellowstone National Park (fishing permits and visitor services): 307-344-7381
Yellowstone Visitor Services Office: 307-344-2107
Website: nps.gov

Buy a licence Read the regulations

At a glance

Licences and permits: 17
Of which specialty: 17
Free fishing days: The National Park Service does not run free fishing days - it sells no general fishing licence, so there is nothing to waive. NPS entrance fee-free days waive the park entrance fee only; a state fishing licence (or, in Yellowstone, the park fishing permit) is still required on those days. From 2026 fee-free days apply only to US residents.
Fees verified: 4 Sep 2026

Who does not need one

The National Park Service does not issue a general fishing licence. On the overwhelming majority of park waters you must hold the fishing licence of the STATE the water sits in, and the park layers its own entrance fee, parking tag or access permit on top of that state licence. Three patterns to know. (1) State licence required, park fee on top - the normal case. Yosemite is the clean example: 'Visitors to Yosemite 16 or older must have a valid California fishing license', and Yosemite issues no park fishing permit of its own; the federal layer there is the entrance fee or interagency pass. Great Smoky Mountains is the same idea with a twist - a Tennessee or North Carolina licence plus a park parking tag that the America the Beautiful pass will NOT cover. (2) Park permit INSTEAD of a state licence - Yellowstone. Anglers 16 and older must carry a Yellowstone National Park fishing permit; a Montana, Wyoming or Idaho licence does not authorise fishing in the park. The one carve-out is the Yellowstone River downstream of its confluence with the Gardner River at Gardiner, Montana, where 'only a State of Montana fishing license is required'. (3) No licence at all - Glacier National Park states 'No fishing license is required to fish inside park boundaries', except that a Montana licence is required when fishing the Middle Fork of the Flathead River from park lands or bridges. Entrance fees and the America the Beautiful pass never substitute for a fishing licence or permit, in either direction.

Specialty licences 17

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
Yellowstone National Park Youth Fishing PermitFree permit, must be signed by a responsible adult. Alternatively a child 15 or younger may fish under the direct supervision of an adult who holds a valid park permit.	Permit	Anglers 15 and younger fishing in Yellowstone without fishing under a permitted adult's supervision	Any · season · under-16	Freestill required
Yellowstone Non-Motorized Watercraft Permit (7-day)Fee set in the park's March 2021 fee schedule. A season non-motorized permit is 30.00; motorized permits are 40.00 for 7 days and 60.00 for the season. All watercraft, including angler float tubes and paddleboards, must also pass a Yellowstone aquatic invasive species inspection before launching.	Permit	Anglers launching a float tube, paddleboard, drift boat or other non-motorized craft in Yellowstone	Any · 7-day · all	$20.00
Yellowstone National Park Fishing Permit - 3-dayFee set in the park's March 2021 fee schedule and not changed since on any NPS page loaded this session. Sold through Recreation.gov and at park permit-issuing stations. Permits issued in a calendar year expire 31 December of that year.	Permit	Anglers 16 and older fishing in Yellowstone National Park. This park permit is required instead of a state fishing licence for park waters	Any · 3-day · 16+	$40.00
Yellowstone National Park Fishing Permit - 7-dayFee set in the park's March 2021 fee schedule.	Permit	Anglers 16 and older fishing in Yellowstone National Park	Any · 7-day · 16+	$55.00
Yellowstone National Park Fishing Permit - SeasonFee set in the park's March 2021 fee schedule. Valid through 31 December of the year of issue.	Permit	Anglers 16 and older fishing in Yellowstone National Park	Any · season · 16+	$75.00
Every Kid Outdoors 4th Grade PassFree for the fourth-grade school year.	Access or habitat fee	US fourth graders and their accompanying family	Resident · annual · 4th grade	Freestill required
Interagency Access PassFree. A processing fee applies if ordered by mail or online rather than collected in person.	Access or habitat fee	US citizens and residents with a permanent disability	Resident · lifetime · all	Freestill required
Interagency Military Annual and Lifetime PassesFree. The lifetime version is issued to veterans and Gold Star Families.	Access or habitat fee	Current US military members and dependents (annual); veterans and Gold Star Family members (lifetime)	Resident · annual · all	Freestill required
Great Smoky Mountains National Park Parking TagDaily 5.00, weekly 15.00, annual 40.00. Important for anglers: America the Beautiful entrance passes, including Senior, Access and Military passes, are NOT accepted in place of a parking tag. The park charges no entrance fee.	Access or habitat fee	Anyone parking a vehicle for more than 15 minutes anywhere in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, including at trailheads and river pull-offs used by anglers	Any · 1-day · all	$5.00
Interagency Senior Annual PassSame coverage as the Interagency Annual Pass.	Access or habitat fee	US citizens and residents aged 62 and older	Resident · annual · 62+	$20.00
Cape Hatteras National Seashore Off-Road Vehicle Permit - 10-dayValid 10 consecutive days. An annual ORV permit is 120.00, valid one year from purchase. Bought on Recreation.gov. This is on top of the North Carolina Coastal Recreational Fishing Licence.	Access or habitat fee	Surf anglers driving a vehicle onto the beach at Cape Hatteras National Seashore	Any · short-term · all	$50.00
America the Beautiful Interagency Annual Pass (Resident)Covers entrance fees and standard amenity (day-use) fees on all federal recreation lands. It is not a fishing licence and confers no fishing privilege. Price effective 1 January 2026.	Access or habitat fee	US citizens and residents who want entrance and standard amenity day-use fees covered across NPS, USFWS, USFS, BLM, USACE and Reclamation sites	Resident · annual · all	$80.00
Interagency Senior Lifetime PassOne-time purchase, valid for life.	Access or habitat fee	US citizens and residents aged 62 and older	Resident · lifetime · 62+	$80.00
Nonresident Park Fee (surcharge)Charged per person aged 16 or older on top of the standard entrance fee. Waived for holders of a valid Annual Pass or the 250.00 Non-Resident Annual Pass. From 2026 fee-free days apply only to US residents.	Access or habitat fee	Non-US residents aged 16 and older entering eleven named parks: Acadia, Bryce Canyon, Everglades, Glacier, Grand Canyon, Grand Teton, Rocky Mountain, Sequoia & Kings Canyon, Yellowstone, Yosemite and Zion	Non-resident · short-term · 16+	$100.00
America the Beautiful Interagency Annual Pass (Non-Resident)Effective 1 January 2026. Covers park entrance fees and the nonresident fee for the pass holder plus the vehicle, or two motorcycles, or the pass holder plus three additional adults.	Access or habitat fee	Visitors who are not US residents	Non-resident · annual · all	$250.00
Park Entrance Fee (per-park)Not a fishing fee and not a licence. The amount is set park by park and most park units charge nothing at all. Loaded example: Yellowstone charges 35.00 per private vehicle, 30.00 per motorcycle and 20.00 per person on foot or bicycle (age 16+), each valid seven consecutive days. Use the individual park's Fees & Passes page for the current figure.	Access or habitat fee	Anyone entering a national park unit that charges an entrance fee, including anglers driving in to fish	Any · 7-day · all	Not published
Park-Specific Annual PassSold by individual parks and priced per park. Loaded example: the Yellowstone Annual Park Pass is 70.00 and admits the holder and passengers in their vehicle for a year.	Access or habitat fee	Repeat visitors to one fee-charging park who do not want the interagency pass	Any · annual · all	Not published

Every licence and fee 17

Licence	Residency	Term	Ages	Fee
Permit 5
Yellowstone National Park Youth Fishing Permit Anglers 15 and younger fishing in Yellowstone without fishing under a permitted adult's supervision Free permit, must be signed by a responsible adult. Alternatively a child 15 or younger may fish under the direct supervision of an adult who holds a valid park permit.	Any	season	under-16	Freestill required
Yellowstone Non-Motorized Watercraft Permit (7-day) Anglers launching a float tube, paddleboard, drift boat or other non-motorized craft in Yellowstone Fee set in the park's March 2021 fee schedule. A season non-motorized permit is 30.00; motorized permits are 40.00 for 7 days and 60.00 for the season. All watercraft, including angler float tubes and paddleboards, must also pass a Yellowstone aquatic invasive species inspection before launching.	Any	7-day	all	$20.00
Yellowstone National Park Fishing Permit - 3-day Anglers 16 and older fishing in Yellowstone National Park. This park permit is required instead of a state fishing licence for park waters Fee set in the park's March 2021 fee schedule and not changed since on any NPS page loaded this session. Sold through Recreation.gov and at park permit-issuing stations. Permits issued in a calendar year expire 31 December of that year.	Any	3-day	16+	$40.00
Yellowstone National Park Fishing Permit - 7-day Anglers 16 and older fishing in Yellowstone National Park Fee set in the park's March 2021 fee schedule.	Any	7-day	16+	$55.00
Yellowstone National Park Fishing Permit - Season Anglers 16 and older fishing in Yellowstone National Park Fee set in the park's March 2021 fee schedule. Valid through 31 December of the year of issue.	Any	season	16+	$75.00
Access or habitat fee 12
Every Kid Outdoors 4th Grade Pass US fourth graders and their accompanying family Free for the fourth-grade school year.	Resident	annual	4th grade	Freestill required
Interagency Access Pass US citizens and residents with a permanent disability Free. A processing fee applies if ordered by mail or online rather than collected in person.	Resident	lifetime	all	Freestill required
Interagency Military Annual and Lifetime Passes Current US military members and dependents (annual); veterans and Gold Star Family members (lifetime) Free. The lifetime version is issued to veterans and Gold Star Families.	Resident	annual	all	Freestill required
Great Smoky Mountains National Park Parking Tag Anyone parking a vehicle for more than 15 minutes anywhere in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, including at trailheads and river pull-offs used by anglers Daily 5.00, weekly 15.00, annual 40.00. Important for anglers: America the Beautiful entrance passes, including Senior, Access and Military passes, are NOT accepted in place of a parking tag. The park charges no entrance fee.	Any	1-day	all	$5.00
Interagency Senior Annual Pass US citizens and residents aged 62 and older Same coverage as the Interagency Annual Pass.	Resident	annual	62+	$20.00
Cape Hatteras National Seashore Off-Road Vehicle Permit - 10-day Surf anglers driving a vehicle onto the beach at Cape Hatteras National Seashore Valid 10 consecutive days. An annual ORV permit is 120.00, valid one year from purchase. Bought on Recreation.gov. This is on top of the North Carolina Coastal Recreational Fishing Licence.	Any	short-term	all	$50.00
America the Beautiful Interagency Annual Pass (Resident) US citizens and residents who want entrance and standard amenity day-use fees covered across NPS, USFWS, USFS, BLM, USACE and Reclamation sites Covers entrance fees and standard amenity (day-use) fees on all federal recreation lands. It is not a fishing licence and confers no fishing privilege. Price effective 1 January 2026.	Resident	annual	all	$80.00
Interagency Senior Lifetime Pass US citizens and residents aged 62 and older One-time purchase, valid for life.	Resident	lifetime	62+	$80.00
Nonresident Park Fee (surcharge) Non-US residents aged 16 and older entering eleven named parks: Acadia, Bryce Canyon, Everglades, Glacier, Grand Canyon, Grand Teton, Rocky Mountain, Sequoia & Kings Canyon, Yellowstone, Yosemite and Zion Charged per person aged 16 or older on top of the standard entrance fee. Waived for holders of a valid Annual Pass or the 250.00 Non-Resident Annual Pass. From 2026 fee-free days apply only to US residents.	Non-resident	short-term	16+	$100.00
America the Beautiful Interagency Annual Pass (Non-Resident) Visitors who are not US residents Effective 1 January 2026. Covers park entrance fees and the nonresident fee for the pass holder plus the vehicle, or two motorcycles, or the pass holder plus three additional adults.	Non-resident	annual	all	$250.00
Park Entrance Fee (per-park) Anyone entering a national park unit that charges an entrance fee, including anglers driving in to fish Not a fishing fee and not a licence. The amount is set park by park and most park units charge nothing at all. Loaded example: Yellowstone charges 35.00 per private vehicle, 30.00 per motorcycle and 20.00 per person on foot or bicycle (age 16+), each valid seven consecutive days. Use the individual park's Fees & Passes page for the current figure.	Any	7-day	all	Not published
Park-Specific Annual Pass Repeat visitors to one fee-charging park who do not want the interagency pass Sold by individual parks and priced per park. Loaded example: the Yellowstone Annual Park Pass is 70.00 and admits the holder and passengers in their vehicle for a year.	Any	annual	all	Not published

Fees as published by National Park Service 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

Yellowstone fishing and boating permit prices (3-day 40.00, 7-day 55.00, season 75.00) come from the official NPS Yellowstone news release announcing the fee schedule effective 24 March 2021. Neither the 2026 Yellowstone Fishing Regulations PDF, the park's Fishing page, the park's Fees page, nor the Recreation.gov activity pass listing published a current dollar figure on any page loaded this session, so the 2021 NPS schedule is the most recent official amount available and should be re-checked before publication. Per-park entrance fees and per-park annual passes are left null because they are set unit by unit; the Yellowstone figures are given in notes as a loaded example only. No national NPS phone number is published on the NPS contact pages.

About National Park Service

National Park Service does not sell a general fishing licence. It manages the water, requires the relevant state licence on it, and in places layers its own permit, pass or day-use fee on top.

It issues 17 permits and fees of its own, including the Yellowstone National Park Youth Fishing Permit, Yellowstone Non-Motorized Watercraft Permit (7-day), Yellowstone National Park Fishing Permit – 3-day and the Yellowstone National Park Fishing Permit – 7-day.

Free fishing days: The National Park Service does not run free fishing days – it sells no general fishing licence, so there is nothing to waive. NPS entrance fee-free days waive the park entrance fee only; a state fishing licence (or, in Yellowstone, the park fishing permit) is still required on those days. From 2026 fee-free days apply only to US residents.

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.