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Fishing Licenses & Where to Buy Them
Who needs a fishing license
Anglers age 16 and older must have a current Georgia fishing license
in their possession while fishing in fresh or salt water in Georgia.
A temporary authorization number obtained by telephone or internet
sale may be used a period of seven days until the paper copy
is received or printed. Conservation Rangers may require photo
identification when checking fishing licenses.
Exception: A fishing license is not required to fish in private ponds (does not include ponds owned by governments—city, county, state, or federal) nor by a landowner and their immediate family when fishing on their land.
You can buy a fishing license in one of three ways:
• Buy in person at license dealers statewide including most WRD/CRD regional offices; state parks; marinas; major retailers; and sporting goods, bait and tackle, and hardware stores.
• Internet sales are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at
www.gofishgeorgia.com or www.active.com/outdoors/.
• By telephone at 800-366-2661, 8am – 8pm M-F, 9am – 5pm S-S.
Note: Social Security Number is required for the purchase of all licenses to meet the State's requirements for Georgia Code 19-11-9.1(a.).
Georgia Fishing Licenses & Fees
Annual licenses are valid for one full year from date of purchase.
Resident Licenses
| Annual Fishing |
$9.00 |
| Two-Year Fishing |
$16.00 |
| 3-Day Fishing/Hunting Combination |
$3.50 |
| Annual Trout |
$5.00 |
| Two-Year Trout |
$10.00 |
| 3-Day Trout |
$3.50 |
| Annual Wildlife Management Area |
$19.00 |
| Annual Hunting & Fishing Combination |
$17.00 |
| Two-Year Hunting & Fishing Combination |
$31.00 |
| Sportsman |
$55.00 |
| Two-Year Sportsman |
$105.00 |
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Nonresident Licenses
| Annual Fishing |
$45.00 |
| 3-Day Fishing/Hunting Combination |
$20.00 |
| Annual Trout |
$20.00 |
| 3-Day Trout |
$10.00 |
| Annual Wildlife Management Area |
$73.00 |
| Annual Hunting & Fishing Combination |
$100.00 |
Convenience Fees
| Internet Transactions |
$2.50 |
| Telephone Transactions |
$5.00 |
| Walk-in Transactions |
$3.00 |
Lifetime Licenses
Lifetime licenses are available for anglers of all ages. The Lifetime license
satisfies all state license requirements for the life of the purchaser.
Those wishing to purchase a Lifetime License must first complete the needed application before purchasing. Lifetime Licenses can not be purchased on line, except that the free senior lifetime license may be obtained online.
| Under 2 years old |
$200.00 |
| Ages 2-15 |
$350.00 |
| Ages 16 and older |
$500.00 |
| Ages 60-65 |
$95.00 |
| Over 65 |
$0.00* |
| Under 16 years old non resident grandchild of resident lifetime license holder |
$1000.00 |
* $10 for a plastic, permanent card.
Mountain Trout Licenses
• All resident anglers ages 16 to 64 must have a trout license and
Georgia fishing license to fish in designated trout waters and to fish
for or to possess trout. A WMA or GORP license is required to fish for
trout in Dawson Forest (North of Ga Hwy 53) and Rich Mountain (Cartecay Tract).
• Resident Senior (65+) lifetime and honorary license holders are
not required to have a trout license.
• Landowners and their immediate families may fish on their
premises without a trout license.
• All nonresident anglers, 16 or older, regardless of physical condition,
must possess a nonresident fishing license and nonresident
trout license to fish for or possess trout or to fish in designated trout
waters.
• State park visitors are not required to have a trout license to fish in
the impounded waters of the Park. However, those visitors wishing
to harvest trout will need to have a trout license in their possession.
Special Considerations
• Proof of residence, such as a Georgia driver's license, is required
to purchase a resident fishing license.
• For purposes of buying a fishing license, residents are U.S. citizens
living in Georgia for a least three months and includes out-of-state college students living in Georgia. Students may use a current Georgia student I.D. as documentation. Residents also include full-time, active duty military personnel who are stationed in Georgia or who list Georgia as their home of record, and their dependents.
• A free hunting and fishing license may be issued once for Georgia resident military veterans discharged from active duty on or after July 1,2005, who were on ordered Federal duty for a period of 90days or longer. Valid for 12 months from date of issue.
• Residents 65 years of age or older may fish with the Senior
(65+) Lifetime License. This license can be obtained free online
at gofishgeorgia.com or from license dealers by furnishing proof
of age (driver’s lic., birth certificate, etc.).
• Permanently and totally disabled: Residents may obtain a Disability
Honorary Combination Hunting and Fishing License by
applying to the License Unit (800-366-2661). Proof of disability
must accompany the application. Proof of disability may come
from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Social Security Admin.,
Railroad Retirement System or other government agency.
• Any resident who is totally blind may apply for a Lifetime
Honorary Fishing License and must provide a Physician’s Certification
of Blindness with the application.
Nonresidents
• Nonresidents 16 or older, regardless of physical condition, must have a valid nonresident Georgia fishing license to fish in Georgia freshwater and saltwater, except in private ponds.
• Nonresidents under 16 do not require a fishing license or a trout license.
Lost Your License?
Go to www.gofishgeorgia.com or active.com/outdoors
and follow the links to print out a replacement for any
recreational license.
Some good reasons to buy a fishing license
Your purchase of a fishing license helps support the following Fisheries Section programs. If you want to support fisheries management and conservation of Georgia's aquatic resources, buy a fishing license today!
- Management: Fish populations are monitored and managed in over 500,000 acres of reservoirs and small lakes, 12,000 miles of streams and rivers, and over 4,000 miles of trout streams.
- Hatcheries: six warmwater hatcheries produce largemouth bass, bluegill, redear sunfish, channel catfish, striped bass, hybrid striped-white bass, and other species to stock into reservoirs, rivers, and ponds; three trout hatcheries stock over 1 million trout into trout streams.
- Public Fishing Areas: over 2,000 acres of water on nine PFAs provide quality fishing for bass, bream, crappie, and catfish. PFAs are "perfect family areas" for family recreation. License sales help build new PFAs!
- Pond Management: guidance is provided to pond owners through consultation and on site visits.
- Boat Ramps: 150 boat ramps are maintained statewide. New ramps are built each year to provide better access for all boaters.
- Aquatic Education: over 30,000 kids and their parents fish at over 500 Kids Fishing Events each year. Many are kids that have not experienced good fishing. Over 1,200 educators are trained and provided teaching materials each year to teach youth about Georgia's aquatic resources.
- Publications: Reservoir and Rivers Fishing Prospects, Small Lakes Open to Public Fishing, Georgia Fish ID book, Pond Management books, Trout Streams of Georgia map, Fishing Regulations book, River maps, and many others are printed and mailed to thousands each year.
- Fish Kills and Pollution: because of Fisheries staff investigations, the culprit is often brought to justice and fined.
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