Delaware fishing license
Delaware requires a recreational fishing license from age 16. The state licenses freshwater and saltwater fishing. The current license year is 2026 (January 1, 2026 – December 31, 2026).
Source: Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC), Division of Fish and Wildlife · Reviewed July 30, 2026
Your likely official license
Yes — a licence is required. For a 1-day non-resident freshwater trip in Delaware, the official match is 7-Day Non-Resident Fishing License (Age 16 and Over).
- 7-Day Non-Resident Fishing License (Age 16 and Over)$12.50 · Seven-day non-resident licence.
What it covers
- 7-Day Non-Resident Fishing License (Age 16 and Over) — freshwater and saltwater. Base fee from the DNREC Fish and Wildlife License Fees table; the same table lists a separate $2.50 agent fee.Limits on this license: Covers both fresh and tidal waters, including crabbing and clamming.
Required add-ons
No stamp or endorsement is attached to this licence for your residency, age and trip length. Check “You may also need” below for requirements that depend on where and what you fish.
You may also need
Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC), Division of Fish and Wildlife publishes these for the water you selected. Whether one applies depends on what you fish for and where — something this tool does not ask.
- Fisherman Information Network (FIN) number — Required annually of all recreational anglers and shellfishers age 16 and older before fishing in Delaware waters, including anglers who are exempt from buying a licence. It is generated automatically with any Delaware fishing licence except the Non-Resident Boat Fishing License; exempt anglers must apply for it separately through the ePermitting system. Individuals fishing only from a licensed charter boat or head boat do not need their own FIN number. · No charge (a report card, not a paid stamp)
- Resident Trout Stamp (Ages 16 to 64) — Required of anglers who fish for trout in Delaware. Delaware residents ages 65 and older are exempt from purchasing a trout stamp. · $4.20
- Resident Young Angler Trout Stamp (Age 12-15) — Required of Delaware resident anglers aged 12 to 15 who fish for trout, even though a fishing licence is not required under age 16. · $2.10
- Non-Resident Trout Stamp (Age 12 and Over) — Required of non-resident anglers age 12 and over who fish for trout in Delaware. · $6.20
Why this answer
- You selected non-resident status, age 35, freshwater fishing, for 1 day.
- 7-Day Non-Resident Fishing License (Age 16 and Over) covers the full trip: Seven-day non-resident licence.
Other options you are eligible for
- Non-Resident Fishing License (Age 16 and Over) — $20 for this trip · Licenses are good for the calendar year.Covers both fresh and tidal waters and is valid for recreational crabbing and clamming (a non-resident may take a bushel of crabs and 50 clams). A Delaware-issued FIN number is generated automatically with this license.
Exceptions that may change it
- Delaware's most recently published free fishing days were June 6, 2026 (Delaware Free Fishing Day 1) and June 7, 2026 (Delaware Free Fishing Day 2); check the agency for the next one. No licence is required on a free fishing day; other rules still apply.
- 7-Day Non-Resident Fishing License (Age 16 and Over): Covers both fresh and tidal waters, including crabbing and clamming.
- A resident who owns or lives on a Delaware farm of 20 or more acres, and the immediate family members who reside on the farm, may fish on that farm without a fishing licence. The same applies to non-resident occupants of 20-acre-plus Delaware farms engaged in the science of husbandry who reside there and their resident immediate family; a non-resident who owns but does not occupy such a farm, and the owner's immediate family, may fish on the farm with the occupant's written permission or under a written lease.
- Residents and non-residents are exempt from fishing licence requirements if they are the operator of a vehicle with a valid Delaware surf fishing vehicle permit while that vehicle is located on a designated Delaware State Park beach. Other occupants of the vehicle must hold a resident or non-resident fishing licence if they are fishing.
- Any person age 16 and older who has not already obtained an individual recreational fishing licence and is fishing on a boat whose owner purchased a recreational Boat Fishing License is exempt from purchasing a fishing licence while fishing from that vessel.
- Both the charter boat and head boat fishing licences cover the licence holder as well as all persons fishing from the licensed vessel, and individuals fishing only from a charter boat or head boat do not need a separate FIN number.
- Any Delaware resident who is legally blind, and any Delaware resident who is a patient in a rehabilitation hospital under the Department of Health and Social Services, is exempt from the fishing licence requirement.
- Persons who are patients in any Veterans Administration facility in Delaware, in any public hospital or sanatorium for the treatment of tuberculosis, or in a rehabilitation hospital under the State Department of Health, are not required to purchase a fishing licence. A member of the armed forces who is a patient in a military hospital is also exempt.
- Veterans with at least a 60% service-connected disability rating are eligible for a veteran licence exemption.
- Delaware residents who served 90 or more days in Operation Iraqi Freedom or Operation Enduring Freedom are eligible for a one-time licence exemption for the first 12 months following the date they were honourably discharged or removed from active status.
- Any person who fishes in a fee-fishing facility registered as such with the Delaware Department of Agriculture is exempt from the fishing licence requirement.
- This answer covers the licence only. Season, size, bag and waterbody rules still apply and change through the year.
We do not sell licenses and take no commission. This goes to the state agency.
Check current Delaware regulations(external, opens the official state website)Seasons, size limits, bag limits and waterbody closures are not covered by this tool and change through the year.
- Source
- Fish and Wildlife License Fees - DNREC(external, opens the official state website) — Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC), Division of Fish and Wildlife
- Validity
- 2026 · January 1, 2026 – December 31, 2026
- Reviewed
- July 30, 2026
Answers at a glance
Common trips, answered from the same official record the checker uses. These assume an adult with no special circumstances — set your own age, water and trip above.
Visiting for a day
Adult visiting from another state · freshwater · one day
7-Day Non-Resident Fishing License (Age 16 and Over)
Published total: $12.50
Resident for the season
Adult Delaware resident · freshwater · all year
Resident Fishing License (Ages 16 to 64)
Published total: $8.50
Visiting for a saltwater day
Adult visiting from another state · saltwater · one day
7-Day Non-Resident Fishing License (Age 16 and Over)
Published total: $12.50
Age and residency rules
Who counts as a resident. Delaware Code Title 7 § 101: "'Resident' means any person not an alien who has resided a year or more within this State." Active duty military personnel stationed in Delaware are eligible to purchase recreational licenses at the resident price.
Age-based rules
- Children under the age of 16 are exempt from the fishing licence requirements and from the FIN requirement.
- Residents of the State of Delaware age 65 years and older are exempt from fishing licence requirements, whether they are on their boat or fishing from shore. Non-residents 65 and older are still required to purchase a licence. Still required: Must have proof of age and residency while fishing, and must still obtain an annual free Fisherman Information Network (FIN) number through the DNREC ePermitting system. The age exemption cannot be transferred to other people fishing from the holder's boat.
- Any person age 16 and older who has not already obtained an individual recreational fishing licence and is fishing on a boat whose owner purchased a recreational Boat Fishing License is exempt from purchasing a fishing licence while fishing from that vessel. Still required: The exemption only applies while fishing from that specific licensed vessel, and exempt anglers must still apply separately for a free FIN number through the ePermitting system (a FIN number is not auto-generated with a Non-Resident Boat Fishing License).
License options
| License | Who | Water | Valid for | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Resident Fishing License (Ages 16 to 64)(external, opens the official state website)Covers both fresh and tidal waters and is valid for recreational crabbing and clamming (a resident may take a bushel of crabs and 100 clams). A Delaware-issued FIN number is required and is generated automatically with this license. | ResidentResidents age 16 to 64 inclusive need a license; Delaware residents 65 and older are exempt. | freshwater and saltwater | Licenses are good for the calendar year. | $8.50 |
| Non-Resident Fishing License (Age 16 and Over)(external, opens the official state website)Covers both fresh and tidal waters and is valid for recreational crabbing and clamming (a non-resident may take a bushel of crabs and 50 clams). A Delaware-issued FIN number is generated automatically with this license. | Non-residentNon-residents 16 and older need a license; non-residents 65 years and older are still required to purchase a license. | freshwater and saltwater | Licenses are good for the calendar year. | $20 |
| 7-Day Non-Resident Fishing License (Age 16 and Over)(external, opens the official state website)Covers both fresh and tidal waters, including crabbing and clamming. | Non-residentNon-residents age 16 and over. | freshwater and saltwater | Seven-day non-resident licence. | $12.50 |
| Boat Fishing License (20 feet or less)(external, opens the official state website)Bought and held by the boat's owner, not by each angler: it covers everyone fishing from that vessel instead of individual licences. A resident owner is also issued a complimentary general fishing licence; a non-resident owner receives only the boat licence and must buy a non-resident fishing licence to fish elsewhere in Delaware. The licence cannot be transferred between boats. The residency of the owner, not the boat's registration state, determines resident or non-resident pricing. | Resident or visitor | freshwater and saltwater | Licenses are good for the calendar year. | $40 |
| Boat Fishing License (Over 20 feet)(external, opens the official state website)Bought and held by the boat's owner, not by each angler: it covers everyone fishing from that vessel instead of individual licences; not transferable between boats. The residency of the owner determines resident or non-resident pricing. | Resident or visitor | freshwater and saltwater | Licenses are good for the calendar year. | $50 |
Resident Fishing License (Ages 16 to 64)(external, opens the official state website)
Covers both fresh and tidal waters and is valid for recreational crabbing and clamming (a resident may take a bushel of crabs and 100 clams). A Delaware-issued FIN number is required and is generated automatically with this license.
- Who
- Resident · Residents age 16 to 64 inclusive need a license; Delaware residents 65 and older are exempt.
- Water
- freshwater and saltwater
- Valid for
- Licenses are good for the calendar year.
- Price
- $8.50
Non-Resident Fishing License (Age 16 and Over)(external, opens the official state website)
Covers both fresh and tidal waters and is valid for recreational crabbing and clamming (a non-resident may take a bushel of crabs and 50 clams). A Delaware-issued FIN number is generated automatically with this license.
- Who
- Non-resident · Non-residents 16 and older need a license; non-residents 65 years and older are still required to purchase a license.
- Water
- freshwater and saltwater
- Valid for
- Licenses are good for the calendar year.
- Price
- $20
7-Day Non-Resident Fishing License (Age 16 and Over)(external, opens the official state website)
Covers both fresh and tidal waters, including crabbing and clamming.
- Who
- Non-resident · Non-residents age 16 and over.
- Water
- freshwater and saltwater
- Valid for
- Seven-day non-resident licence.
- Price
- $12.50
Boat Fishing License (20 feet or less)(external, opens the official state website)
Bought and held by the boat's owner, not by each angler: it covers everyone fishing from that vessel instead of individual licences. A resident owner is also issued a complimentary general fishing licence; a non-resident owner receives only the boat licence and must buy a non-resident fishing licence to fish elsewhere in Delaware. The licence cannot be transferred between boats. The residency of the owner, not the boat's registration state, determines resident or non-resident pricing.
- Who
- Resident or visitor
- Water
- freshwater and saltwater
- Valid for
- Licenses are good for the calendar year.
- Price
- $40
Boat Fishing License (Over 20 feet)(external, opens the official state website)
Bought and held by the boat's owner, not by each angler: it covers everyone fishing from that vessel instead of individual licences; not transferable between boats. The residency of the owner determines resident or non-resident pricing.
- Who
- Resident or visitor
- Water
- freshwater and saltwater
- Valid for
- Licenses are good for the calendar year.
- Price
- $50
Freshwater and saltwater
Delaware licenses freshwater and saltwater fishing. Check which waters your license covers before you fish — a freshwater license does not cover saltwater unless the option explicitly says it does.
State license vs federal registry. NOAA Fisheries lists Delaware among the states whose licence/registration programme is exempt from the National Saltwater Angler Registry. Delaware's own requirement is the annual, free Fisherman Information Network (FIN) number, which every angler age 16 and older must hold - including anglers exempt from buying a licence.
Stamps, endorsements and report cards
- Fisherman Information Network (FIN) number — Required annually of all recreational anglers and shellfishers age 16 and older before fishing in Delaware waters, including anglers who are exempt from buying a licence. It is generated automatically with any Delaware fishing licence except the Non-Resident Boat Fishing License; exempt anglers must apply for it separately through the ePermitting system. Individuals fishing only from a licensed charter boat or head boat do not need their own FIN number. · No charge · this is a report card or registration, not a paid stamp
- Resident Trout Stamp (Ages 16 to 64) — Required of anglers who fish for trout in Delaware. Delaware residents ages 65 and older are exempt from purchasing a trout stamp. · $4.20
- Resident Young Angler Trout Stamp (Age 12-15) — Required of Delaware resident anglers aged 12 to 15 who fish for trout, even though a fishing licence is not required under age 16. · $2.10
- Non-Resident Trout Stamp (Age 12 and Over) — Required of non-resident anglers age 12 and over who fish for trout in Delaware. · $6.20
Exemptions worth knowing
- A resident who owns or lives on a Delaware farm of 20 or more acres, and the immediate family members who reside on the farm, may fish on that farm without a fishing licence. The same applies to non-resident occupants of 20-acre-plus Delaware farms engaged in the science of husbandry who reside there and their resident immediate family; a non-resident who owns but does not occupy such a farm, and the owner's immediate family, may fish on the farm with the occupant's written permission or under a written lease. Still required: Exempt anglers must apply separately for a free Fisherman Information Network (FIN) number through the DNREC ePermitting system. Non-resident farm owners who do not occupy the farm also need the occupant's written permission or a written lease.
- Residents and non-residents are exempt from fishing licence requirements if they are the operator of a vehicle with a valid Delaware surf fishing vehicle permit while that vehicle is located on a designated Delaware State Park beach. Other occupants of the vehicle must hold a resident or non-resident fishing licence if they are fishing. Still required: The angler must be the operator of a vehicle holding a valid Delaware surf fishing vehicle permit, the vehicle must be on a designated Delaware State Park beach, and the angler must still apply separately for a free FIN number through the ePermitting system.
- Both the charter boat and head boat fishing licences cover the licence holder as well as all persons fishing from the licensed vessel, and individuals fishing only from a charter boat or head boat do not need a separate FIN number. Still required: Applies only while fishing from a vessel that holds a Delaware charter boat or head boat fishing licence - confirm the operator is licensed before relying on it. While aboard, no individual licence and no separate FIN number is needed; fishing anywhere else requires your own licence.
- Any Delaware resident who is legally blind, and any Delaware resident who is a patient in a rehabilitation hospital under the Department of Health and Social Services, is exempt from the fishing licence requirement. Still required: DNREC directs anyone qualifying for this exemption to contact the Division of Fish and Wildlife at 302-739-9918, and exempt anglers must still apply separately for a free FIN number through the ePermitting system.
- Persons who are patients in any Veterans Administration facility in Delaware, in any public hospital or sanatorium for the treatment of tuberculosis, or in a rehabilitation hospital under the State Department of Health, are not required to purchase a fishing licence. A member of the armed forces who is a patient in a military hospital is also exempt. Still required: The person must carry identification verifying patient status; DNREC supplies identification forms on application. A member of the armed forces who is a patient in a military hospital must submit a written statement signed by the patient's commanding officer certifying the nature of the disability and place of station. A free FIN number is still required.
- Veterans with at least a 60% service-connected disability rating are eligible for a veteran licence exemption. Still required: Qualified applicants must complete the DNREC Veterans with Disabilities Exempt Application and submit it directly to the Division of Fish and Wildlife; DNREC asks for up to 4 weeks for processing. A free FIN number is still required.
- Delaware residents who served 90 or more days in Operation Iraqi Freedom or Operation Enduring Freedom are eligible for a one-time licence exemption for the first 12 months following the date they were honourably discharged or removed from active status. Still required: Qualified applicants must complete the DNREC Military Delaware Resident License Application and submit it directly to the Division of Fish and Wildlife; DNREC asks for up to 4 weeks for processing. A free FIN number is still required.
- Any person who fishes in a fee-fishing facility registered as such with the Delaware Department of Agriculture is exempt from the fishing licence requirement. Still required: DNREC directs anyone qualifying for this exemption to contact the Division of Fish and Wildlife at 302-739-9918; exempt anglers are otherwise required to apply separately for a free FIN number through the ePermitting system.
- On Delaware's two Free Fishing Days anglers may fish, crab and clam in any Delaware waters without possessing a Delaware fishing licence. Still required: Anglers age 16 and older are still required to obtain a free Fisherman Information Network (FIN) number, available online through Digital DNREC or from licence agents statewide. All fishing regulations, including size and daily catch limits, still apply.
Free fishing days
- Delaware Free Fishing Day 1 — June 6, 2026. DNREC: anglers may fish, crab and clam in any Delaware waters without possessing a 2026 fishing license. A free FIN number is still required for anglers age 16 and older.
- Delaware Free Fishing Day 2 — June 7, 2026. Second of the two 2026 free fishing days announced by DNREC for National Fishing and Boating Week. A free FIN number is still required for anglers age 16 and older.
Where this comes from
- Primary source
- Fish and Wildlife License Fees - DNREC(external, opens the official state website) — Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC), Division of Fish and Wildlife
- Retrieved
- July 26, 2026
- Reviewed
- July 30, 2026
- Also consulted
- Exemptions and Exceptions(external, opens the official state website)
- Questions and Answers: Delaware Fishing Licenses(external, opens the official state website)
- Delaware's Trout Stamp Program(external, opens the official state website)
- Delaware Code Title 7, Chapter 1 - Protected Wildlife (definitions)(external, opens the official state website)
- DNREC Announces June 6 and 7 Will be Free Fishing Days in Delaware Waters(external, opens the official state website)
- National Saltwater Angler Registry(external, opens the official state website)
Found something out of date? Email corrections@fishinglicensecheck.com and tell us which figure and which page — see corrections.
Nearby states
Licenses are issued state by state — a Delaware license does not carry its own rules across the border, so if your trip crosses one, check both states.