Where to purchase illinois fishing license

Q: Where can I purchase a fishing license? The system is available 24 hours a day. Fishing licenses and permits can be purchased. A license is required for fishing in all Illinois waters, including lakes, reservoirs, rivers and streams. Licenses are not required for anglers who are under the age of 16, blind or disabled anglers, or residents on active military service. Q: How much do fishing licenses cost? Q: When do fishing licenses expire and when can I buy my "new" fishing license?

A: Licenses expire on March 31 each year. Q: At what age is a fishing license required? A: Anglers under 16 years of age resident and non-resident may fish without a license. Q: Do kids under age 16 need to buy a trout stamp to fish for trout?

A: No. People exempt from purchasing fishing licenses are also exempt from purchasing a trout stamp. Q: Do non-resident children need a fishing license? Non-resident anglers under 16 years of age may fish without a license. Q: Do Seniors get a free fishing license? A: Seniors who are residents of Illinois and are aged 65 and older receive a reduced fee for fishing and sport licenses.

Q: Do I qualify for a free license based on my disability? A: In order for disabled or blind persons who are Illinois residents to fish without a license, the person must be able to show proof of disability in the form of one of the following:. There is no disability fishing permit that you need. All you need is your disabled card from the Secretary of State, but you must have it with you when fishing.

Q: Am I exempt from purchasing a fishing license because I am in the military? A: Maybe. Persons on active duty in the Armed Forces are considered residents. A person on active duty in the Armed Forces, who entered the service from Illinois and is an Illinois resident, may fish without a license while on leave. NOTE: In recognition of the services of Illinois resident veterans, the Department of Natural Resources will issue veterans a current fishing license, sportsmen's combination license or hunting license at one-half the current fee.

Half-priced licenses are available to resident veterans of the U. Armed Forces after returning from service abroad, or mobilization by the President of the United States. Veterans must contact the Springfield office to obtain a half-priced license. Please call A: If you yourself are not participating in fishing, you do not.

However, if you plan to join the children and we encourage you to do so! Children under the age of 16 do not require a license. For some tips on taking your children fishing, see our Taking Kids Fishing section. Q: Do I have to have my physical license with me when I go fishing or can I just have a picture of it on my phone? A: An electronic copy of the license is allowed.

Q: Do I need a fishing license to fish my private pond located entirely on my property? Owners or tenants if they reside on the land may fish in waters on or flowing over their lands without a license. This exemption does not apply to club and organizational lakes or lake developments. Guests must have a fishing license to fish the lake unless they meet any of the requirements exempting persons from needing a license - such as being under age 16, Illinois residents who are disabled or blind, or Illinois residents on leave from active duty in the Armed Forces.

Q: Do I need a fishing license to fish our subdivision's private lake? A: Yes. Many people believe that if they live in a subdivision with a lake, they are a landowner and exempt from having a fishing license.

This is not correct. Q: What is the bag limit and size limit on the different game fish species? A: Statewide regulations can be found on page 7 of the fishing regulations guide while site specific regulations can be found on pages of the guide. Q: Where can I find fishing reports? A: Fishing reports can be found here: Illinois Fishing Reports. Q: How do I find out about boating rules on Illinois lakes? Q: What should I do if I catch a tagged fish?

A: Angler participation is crucial to the success of our sport fish management, which depends on reports from anglers of recaptured fish with tags to assess fish movements, habitat use, and population size. Returning tagged fish improves the quality of the data the research team can collect by making as many multiple captures of tagged fish as possible.

Additionally, returning fish to the stream gives them the chance to reproduce each spring, potentially leading to a larger, sustainable sport fishery.

For more information about safely returning the tagged fish to the stream, please see our catch-and-release section. Eat well, do good! The Illinois Hatchery System is dedicated to enhancing fish populations in Illinois waters by producing adequate numbers of various species of fish to meet stocking demands statewide. In fact, at full capacity the system can produce over 50 million fish of 20 species!

State hatcheries also work with other US hatcheries to obtain fish eggs and fry to supplement on-site production for certain species. To learn more about our hatchery system, as well as the hours they are open for visits from the public, see our page here. Interested in where we stock fish?

See our stocking page here! Remove, Drain, Dry: As the boats come out of storage, we'd like to remind you to be aware of invasive species that pose a threat to our lands and waterways. To fight the spread of aquatic invaders, the IDNR is asking residents to "be a hero transport zero. Learn more here. If you don't want to buy an Illinois fishing license every year, you can opt to buy a lifetime residential Illinois fishing license. This costs more than an annual fishing license, something along the lines of "the current annual price X 30 years".

You can buy an Illinois fishing license online via Illinois Department of Natural Resource's website. Buying an Illinois fishing license online is convenient.

You can purchase your Illinois fishing license with your credit card using this method. You should print your Illinois fishing license after purchase. It is important that you keep a printed copy with you, not just a digital copy when you fish in Illinois with a fishing license. If you don't want to buy an Illinois fishing license online, you can try to stop by at some of the below vendors and buy a license, if available.