FishingLicenseCheck

Idaho fishing license

Idaho requires a recreational fishing license from age 14. The state licenses freshwater fishing. The current license year is 2026 (January 1, 2026 – December 31, 2026).

Source: Idaho Department of Fish and Game · Reviewed July 30, 2026

Your trip in Idaho

Special circumstances that can change the answer

Your likely official license

Yes — a licence is required. For a 1-day non-resident freshwater trip in Idaho, the official match is Nonresident Daily Fishing License (first day).

Published cost for this trip$22.75
  • Nonresident Daily Fishing License (first day)$22.75 · First day; each consecutive day added at initial time of purchase costs $7.00 more.

What it covers

  • Nonresident Daily Fishing License (first day) — freshwater. Base fee for the first day. No Access/Depredation fee is required to purchase a daily license.

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

Idaho Department of Fish and Game publishes these for the water you selected. Whether one applies depends on what you fish for and where — something this tool does not ask.

  • Access / Depredation Fee — Resident Adult — Required one-time fee paid by resident adults (18 or older) when purchasing their first annual hunting, fishing or trapping license of the year. It does not apply to additional annual licenses bought later in the year and is not required to purchase a daily license. · $5
  • Access / Depredation Fee — Resident Junior, Senior, DAV or Military Furlough — Required one-time fee paid by resident junior, senior, disabled-veteran and military-furlough licence buyers when purchasing their first annual license of the year. · $2
  • Access / Depredation Fee — Nonresident Adult — Required one-time fee paid by nonresident adults when purchasing their first annual license of the year. Not required for daily licenses. · $10
  • Access / Depredation Fee — Nonresident Junior or DAV — Required one-time fee paid by nonresident junior and disabled-veteran licence buyers when purchasing their first annual license of the year. · $4
  • Resident Salmon or Steelhead Permit — Anyone fishing for anadromous (ocean-run) salmon and/or steelhead, except those expressly exempt, must have a valid fishing license and salmon and/or steelhead permit(s) on their person. Price Lock rate is $12.75. · $15.25
  • Nonresident Salmon or Steelhead Permit — Required, in addition to a nonresident fishing license, for anyone fishing for anadromous salmon and/or steelhead. · $28.25

2 more are listed on the official Idaho Department of Fish and Game pages linked below.

Why this answer

  1. You selected non-resident status, age 35, freshwater fishing, for 1 day.
  2. Nonresident Daily Fishing License (first day) covers the full trip: First day; each consecutive day added at initial time of purchase costs $7.00 more.
Other options you are eligible for
  • Nonresident Salmon/Steelhead 3-Day License — $44.75 for this trip · Valid 3 days; includes a 3-day general fishing license.Covers anadromous salmon and steelhead fishing for the three-day period.
  • Nonresident Fishing License — Adult (Annual) — $118 for this trip · Licenses, tags and permits are valid through December 31, except where noted.
  • Nonresident Combination Hunting and Fishing License — Adult (Annual) — $274 for this trip · Licenses, tags and permits are valid through December 31, except where noted.NOT valid to hunt pheasant for the first 5 days of pheasant season.

Exceptions that may change it

  • Idaho's most recently published free fishing day was June 13, 2026 (Idaho Free Fishing Day); check the agency for the next one. No licence is required on a free fishing day; other rules still apply.
  • A fishing license is not required when fishing in a private pond where the owner has a valid Private Pond Permit from Idaho Fish and Game.
  • This answer covers the licence only. Season, size, bag and waterbody rules still apply and change through the year.
Buy on the official Idaho Department of Fish and Game site

We do not sell licenses and take no commission. This goes to the state agency.

Check current Idaho regulations

Seasons, size limits, bag limits and waterbody closures are not covered by this tool and change through the year.

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

Nonresident Daily Fishing License (first day)

$22.75

Resident for the season

Adult Idaho resident · freshwater · all year

Resident Fishing License — Adult (Annual)

$35.50

Age and residency rules

Who counts as a resident. A resident is anyone who has been domiciled in this state with a bona fide intent to make this their place of permanent abode, for a period of not less than 6 months immediately preceding the date of application for any license, tag or permit. A senior resident is anyone age 65 and older who has lived in the state at least 6 months immediately preceding the date of application. Owning real property or paying property taxes in Idaho is not a qualification for residency. Military members on active duty and permanently stationed in Idaho for 30 days preceding application, with spouse and children under 18 in the household, are also eligible for resident licenses.

Age-based rules

  • Resident children under 14 do not need to be accompanied by a valid Idaho fishing license holder, are not required to purchase a license and may catch and keep their own daily bag limit.
  • Nonresident children under 14 do not need to purchase a fishing license, but must be accompanied by the holder of a valid Idaho fishing license and their harvested fish must be included in that license holder's limit. A nonresident child may instead purchase their own Junior license and have their own limit. Still required: The child must fish while accompanied by an adult who holds a valid Idaho fishing license, and everything the child keeps counts against that adult's daily bag and possession limit. To have their own limit the child must buy a nonresident Junior fishing license ($23.75).

License options

LicenseWhoWaterValid forPrice
Resident Fishing License — Adult (Annual)ResidentAdult licenses: 18 years or older.freshwaterLicenses, tags and permits are valid through December 31, except where noted.$30.50
Resident Junior Fishing License (14-17 yrs, Annual)ResidentJunior Fishing - 14-17 years.freshwaterLicenses, tags and permits are valid through December 31, except where noted.$16
Resident Daily Fishing License (first day)ResidentDaily Fishing (first day) - 14 years or older.freshwaterFirst day; each consecutive day added at initial time of purchase costs $6.00 more ($5.00 with Price Lock).$13.50
Resident Combination Hunting and Fishing License — Adult (Annual)ResidentAdult licenses: 18 years or older.freshwaterLicenses, tags and permits are valid through December 31, except where noted.$38.75
Resident Senior Combination Hunting and Fishing License (65+, Annual)Idaho publishes no fishing-only senior licence; seniors either buy this combination licence or the standard adult fishing licence.ResidentSenior licenses: 65 years or older. Applicant must have been a resident in the State of Idaho for 6 months immediately preceding application for license.freshwaterLicenses, tags and permits are valid through December 31, except where noted.$13.75
Resident Disabled Persons Fishing License (Annual)The buyer must present a letter from SSI, SSDI, or the Railroad Retirement Board showing they are currently disabled and economically disadvantaged, or a signed and completed Certification of Permanent Disability form. A separate Disabled American Veterans fishing licence at the same $5.75 price is available with proof of a 40% or greater service-connected disability.ResidentfreshwaterLicenses, tags and permits are valid through December 31, except where noted.$5.75
Resident Military Furlough Fishing License (Annual)Idaho residents in U.S. military service who maintain Idaho as their official state of residence, as shown on their LES statement, may purchase this licence when on leave. The LES must be presented at purchase.ResidentfreshwaterLicenses, tags and permits are valid through December 31, except where noted.$20.50
Nonresident Fishing License — Adult (Annual)Non-residentAdult licenses: 18 years or older.freshwaterLicenses, tags and permits are valid through December 31, except where noted.$108
Nonresident Junior Fishing License (Annual)Optional for nonresident children under 14, who may instead fish under an accompanying adult licence holder's limit.Non-residentTitled "Junior (14-17 yrs)", but Idaho Fish and Game states that a nonresident youth of any age who wants their own fish limit must buy a Junior fishing license.freshwaterLicenses, tags and permits are valid through December 31, except where noted.$23.75
Nonresident Daily Fishing License (first day)Non-residentDaily Fishing (first day) - 14 years or older.freshwaterFirst day; each consecutive day added at initial time of purchase costs $7.00 more.$22.75
Nonresident Combination Hunting and Fishing License — Adult (Annual)NOT valid to hunt pheasant for the first 5 days of pheasant season.Non-residentAdult licenses: 18 years or older.freshwaterLicenses, tags and permits are valid through December 31, except where noted.$264
Nonresident Salmon/Steelhead 3-Day LicenseCovers anadromous salmon and steelhead fishing for the three-day period.Non-residentfreshwaterValid 3 days; includes a 3-day general fishing license.$44.75

Stamps, endorsements and report cards

  • Access / Depredation Fee — Resident Adult — Required one-time fee paid by resident adults (18 or older) when purchasing their first annual hunting, fishing or trapping license of the year. It does not apply to additional annual licenses bought later in the year and is not required to purchase a daily license. · $5
  • Access / Depredation Fee — Resident Junior, Senior, DAV or Military Furlough — Required one-time fee paid by resident junior, senior, disabled-veteran and military-furlough licence buyers when purchasing their first annual license of the year. · $2
  • Access / Depredation Fee — Nonresident Adult — Required one-time fee paid by nonresident adults when purchasing their first annual license of the year. Not required for daily licenses. · $10
  • Access / Depredation Fee — Nonresident Junior or DAV — Required one-time fee paid by nonresident junior and disabled-veteran licence buyers when purchasing their first annual license of the year. · $4
  • Resident Salmon or Steelhead Permit — Anyone fishing for anadromous (ocean-run) salmon and/or steelhead, except those expressly exempt, must have a valid fishing license and salmon and/or steelhead permit(s) on their person. Price Lock rate is $12.75. · $15.25
  • Nonresident Salmon or Steelhead Permit — Required, in addition to a nonresident fishing license, for anyone fishing for anadromous salmon and/or steelhead. · $28.25
  • Resident Two-Pole Permit — Required for any person wanting to fish with two poles at the same time with a valid Idaho fishing license, and for any child 14 years or younger wishing to fish with two poles. Price Lock rate is $13.75. · $15
  • Nonresident Two-Pole Permit — Required for any nonresident wanting to fish with two poles at the same time with a valid Idaho fishing license. · $17

Exemptions worth knowing

  • Idaho's Free Fishing Day is an annual event held the second Saturday of every June. All anglers, residents and nonresidents, can fish Idaho's waters without a license or salmon permit. Statewide, regional and Chinook Salmon seasons, rules, bag and possession limits still apply, and Chinook salmon harvested on Free Fishing Day do not count toward the season limit.
  • A fishing license is not required when fishing in a private pond where the owner has a valid Private Pond Permit from Idaho Fish and Game.

Free fishing days

  • Idaho Free Fishing Day — June 13, 2026. Held the second Saturday of every June. Idaho Fish and Game lists upcoming Free Fishing dates as June 14, 2025, June 13, 2026, and June 12, 2027.

Where this comes from

Primary source
License, Tag, and Permit Costs – Residents | Idaho Fish and Game — Idaho Department of Fish and Game
Retrieved
July 26, 2026
Reviewed
July 30, 2026
Also consulted

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 Idaho license does not carry its own rules across the border, so if your trip crosses one, check both states.

Across all states