FishingLicenseCheck

Illinois fishing license

Illinois requires a recreational fishing license from age 16. The state licenses freshwater fishing. The current license year is 2026 (April 1, 2026 – March 31, 2027).

Source: Illinois Department of Natural Resources · Reviewed July 30, 2026

Your trip in Illinois

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 Illinois, the official match is Non-Resident Sport Fishing License (24 hour).

Published cost for this trip$10.50
  • Non-Resident Sport Fishing License (24 hour)$10.50 · 24-hour licence.

What it covers

  • Non-Resident Sport Fishing License (24 hour) — freshwater. Fee published in the IDNR licence and permit fee table.

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

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

  • Inland Trout Stamp (annual) — Licensed resident and non-resident anglers must have an Inland Trout Stamp to take trout in Illinois waters other than Lake Michigan. Anglers not required to obtain a Sport Fishing License (anglers under 16 and qualifying disabled or blind persons) are not required to obtain a Trout Stamp. · $6.50
  • Lake Michigan Salmon Stamp (annual) — Licensed resident and non-resident anglers must have a Salmon Stamp to take salmon or trout in Lake Michigan. · $6.50
  • Resident Super Senior Inland Trout Stamp (75+) — Discounted Inland Trout Stamp for licensed Illinois residents 75 years old and over. · $0.50
  • Resident Super Senior Lake Michigan Salmon Stamp (75+) — Discounted Lake Michigan Salmon Stamp for licensed Illinois residents 75 years old and over. · $0.50

Why this answer

  1. You selected non-resident status, age 35, freshwater fishing, for 1 day.
  2. Non-Resident Sport Fishing License (24 hour) covers the full trip: 24-hour licence.
Other options you are eligible for
  • Non-Resident Sport Fishing License (3 day) — $15.50 for this trip · 3-day non-resident sport fishing licence.
  • Non-Resident Annual Sport Fishing License — $31.50 for this trip · Annual licenses expire on March 31 each year.Non-residents in possession of a Sport Fishing license from a state bordering Illinois do not need an Illinois licence to fish the Illinois side of rivers adjoining the state in which they are licensed.

Exceptions that may change it

  • Illinois's most recently published free fishing days were June 19, 2026 (Illinois Free Fishing Days (day 1 of 4)), June 20, 2026 (Illinois Free Fishing Days (day 2 of 4)), June 21, 2026 (Illinois Free Fishing Days (day 3 of 4)) and June 22, 2026 (Illinois Free Fishing Days (day 4 of 4)); check the agency for the next one. No licence is required on a free fishing day; other rules still apply.
  • Resident persons declared legally disabled or blind may fish without a license, and are not required to obtain a Trout or Salmon Stamp.
  • Resident and non-resident veterans who are at least 10% disabled with service-related disabilities, or in receipt of total disability pensions, may fish with sport fishing devices during any open season without being required to have a license, on the condition that their respective disabilities do not prevent them from fishing in a manner which is safe to themselves and others.
  • Owners or tenants (if they reside on the land) may fish in waters wholly contained on their property, or waters flowing over their lands within the confines of the property, without a license. This exemption does not apply to club and organizational lakes or lake developments.
  • 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.
  • Resident or non-resident anglers who fish at fee fishing areas licensed by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources are not required to have a license or Inland Trout Stamp.
  • Non-residents in possession of a Sport Fishing license from a state bordering Illinois are not required to have an Illinois Sport Fishing license to fish on the Illinois side of rivers adjoining the state in which they are licensed.
  • This answer covers the licence only. Season, size, bag and waterbody rules still apply and change through the year.
Buy on the official Illinois Department of Natural Resources site

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

Check current Illinois regulations

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

Validity
2026 · April 1, 2026 – March 31, 2027
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

Non-Resident Sport Fishing License (24 hour)

$10.50

Resident for the season

Adult Illinois resident · freshwater · all year

Resident Annual Sport Fishing License

$15

Age and residency rules

Who counts as a resident. A resident Sport Fishing license may be obtained by anyone who has been a resident of Illinois 30 days prior to purchase. Persons on active duty in the Armed Forces are considered residents.

Age-based rules

  • Residents under 16 years of age may fish without a license, and non-residents under 16 years of age may fish without a license. Anglers who are not required to hold a Sport Fishing License are also not required to obtain a Trout or Salmon Stamp.

License options

LicenseWhoWaterValid forPrice
Resident Annual Sport Fishing LicenseA Lake Michigan Salmon Stamp is needed to take salmon or trout in Lake Michigan; an Inland Trout Stamp is needed to take trout in Illinois waters other than Lake Michigan.ResidentResidents under 16 years of age may fish without a license. Discounted senior rates begin at 65.freshwaterLicense sales for the year begin on March 1. Annual licenses expire on March 31 each year (a license purchased on or after March 1, 2026 will expire on March 31, 2027). The 2026 digest is effective April 1, 2026 through March 31, 2027.$15
Resident Sport Fishing License (24 hour)Residentfreshwater24-hour licence.$5.50
Resident 3-year Sport Fishing LicenseResidentfreshwater3-year licences expire on March 31 of the 2nd year after the year in which the license was issued.$44
Resident Senior Sport Fishing License (65-74)Resident65 to 74 years old.freshwaterAnnual licenses expire on March 31 each year.$7.75
Resident Super Senior Sport Fishing License (75+)Resident75 years old and over.freshwaterAnnual licenses expire on March 31 each year.$1.50
Resident First-Time Sport Fishing LicenseAvailable once: the buyer must be at least 26 and must not have held a Resident Sport Fishing license in the past 10 years.ResidentMust be at least 26 years old and not have had a Resident Sport Fishing license in the past 10 years.freshwaterAnnual licenses expire on March 31 each year.$5.50
Resident Veteran Sport Fishing LicensePrior certification required. Veterans with a 10% or greater service-connected disability may instead fish without any license — see the disabled-veteran exemption.ResidentfreshwaterAnnual licenses expire on March 31 each year.$7.75
Resident Lifetime Sport Fishing LicenseResidentfreshwaterLifetime licence; no annual renewal.$435.50
Resident Sportsmen's Combination Hunting/Fishing License (Annual)Combines hunting and sport fishing privileges; stamps are still separate.ResidentfreshwaterAnnual licenses expire on March 31 each year.$26.25
Resident Senior Sportsmen's Combination Hunting/Fishing License (65+)Resident65 years old and over.freshwaterAnnual licenses expire on March 31 each year.$13.50
Non-Resident Annual Sport Fishing LicenseNon-residents in possession of a Sport Fishing license from a state bordering Illinois do not need an Illinois licence to fish the Illinois side of rivers adjoining the state in which they are licensed.Non-residentNon-residents under 16 years of age may fish without a license.freshwaterAnnual licenses expire on March 31 each year.$31.50
Non-Resident Sport Fishing License (3 day)Non-residentfreshwater3-day non-resident sport fishing licence.$15.50
Non-Resident Sport Fishing License (24 hour)Non-residentfreshwater24-hour licence.$10.50

Stamps, endorsements and report cards

  • Inland Trout Stamp (annual) — Licensed resident and non-resident anglers must have an Inland Trout Stamp to take trout in Illinois waters other than Lake Michigan. Anglers not required to obtain a Sport Fishing License (anglers under 16 and qualifying disabled or blind persons) are not required to obtain a Trout Stamp. · $6.50
  • Lake Michigan Salmon Stamp (annual) — Licensed resident and non-resident anglers must have a Salmon Stamp to take salmon or trout in Lake Michigan. · $6.50
  • Resident Super Senior Inland Trout Stamp (75+) — Discounted Inland Trout Stamp for licensed Illinois residents 75 years old and over. · $0.50
  • Resident Super Senior Lake Michigan Salmon Stamp (75+) — Discounted Lake Michigan Salmon Stamp for licensed Illinois residents 75 years old and over. · $0.50

Exemptions worth knowing

  • Resident persons declared legally disabled or blind may fish without a license, and are not required to obtain a Trout or Salmon Stamp. Still required: The angler must be able to show proof of disability: a State disabled person I.D. card issued by the Secretary of State showing a Class 2 or Class 2A disability (Illinois residents only), or a Veterans disability card from the Illinois Department of Veterans' Affairs Office.
  • Resident and non-resident veterans who are at least 10% disabled with service-related disabilities, or in receipt of total disability pensions, may fish with sport fishing devices during any open season without being required to have a license, on the condition that their respective disabilities do not prevent them from fishing in a manner which is safe to themselves and others. Still required: The veteran must carry a Veterans disability card, available from the Illinois Department of Veterans' Affairs Office, as proof.
  • Owners or tenants (if they reside on the land) may fish in waters wholly contained on their property, or waters flowing over their lands within the confines of the property, without a license. This exemption does not apply to club and organizational lakes or lake developments.
  • 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.
  • Resident or non-resident anglers who fish at fee fishing areas licensed by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources are not required to have a license or Inland Trout Stamp.
  • Non-residents in possession of a Sport Fishing license from a state bordering Illinois are not required to have an Illinois Sport Fishing license to fish on the Illinois side of rivers adjoining the state in which they are licensed. Still required: The angler must hold and carry a valid sport fishing licence issued by the bordering state, and the exemption only covers the boundary rivers listed in the Fishing Digest's Boundary Rivers section.
  • During Illinois Free Fishing Days, anglers can fish without purchasing a fishing license, salmon stamp or inland trout stamp in Illinois.

Free fishing days

  • Illinois Free Fishing Days (day 1 of 4) — June 19, 2026. IDNR press release of June 12, 2026: "Illinois Free Fishing Days are June 19-22."
  • Illinois Free Fishing Days (day 2 of 4) — June 20, 2026. No fishing license, salmon stamp or inland trout stamp required.
  • Illinois Free Fishing Days (day 3 of 4) — June 21, 2026. No fishing license, salmon stamp or inland trout stamp required.
  • Illinois Free Fishing Days (day 4 of 4) — June 22, 2026. No fishing license, salmon stamp or inland trout stamp required.

Where this comes from

Primary source
Fishing Licenses — Illinois Department of Natural Resources — Illinois Department of Natural Resources
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 Illinois license does not carry its own rules across the border, so if your trip crosses one, check both states.

Across all states