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Fishing licence in Italy: what anglers need

At sea you pay nothing, but you first register for free online with the agriculture ministry. In freshwater you need a regional licence; in 2026 eel fishing at sea is banned everywhere.

Checked on 13.10.2026 against official sources. Not legal advice.

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Sea
registration
Freshwater
licence

Do you need a licence for sea fishing in Italy?

There is no paid licence for recreational sea fishing, but a mandatory notification (comunicazione) to the ministry MASAF through the SIAN portal. It is free, issued immediately and valid for one year. Since May 2026, from age 16 you must also register in RecFishing if you fish from a boat or spearfish.

Source: Guardia Costiera, Comunicazione di pesca sportiva e ricreativa, aktualisiert 19.05.2026

Do you need a licence for freshwater fishing in Italy?

For inland waters you need a regional licence. Example Emilia-Romagna: type B or type C, both valid throughout Italy. The ministry notification (tesserino) only covers the sea.

Source: Regione Emilia-Romagna, Come ottenere o rinnovare la licenza di pesca B o C, aktualisiert

How much is a fishing licence in Italy?

Sea: 0 €. Example Emilia-Romagna, freshwater: type C 6.82 € for 30 days from payment, type B 22.72 € for 365 days (residents of Emilia-Romagna only). Other regions have their own prices.

Source: Guardia Costiera 19.05.2026

Where do you buy a fishing licence for Italy?

Sea: notification on the SIAN portal. Foreigners without an Italian digital identity (SPID) create a user account there and enter no company for company details. Freshwater, example Emilia-Romagna: you pay online or by postal payment slip; the receipt plus ID is your licence. Online you need an Italian tax code (Codice Fiscale).

Source: Guardia Costiera 19.05.2026

What about children, teens and seniors?

Sea: from 16 you file the notification yourself; under 16 you may only fish with an adult who holds a valid tesserino. Example Emilia-Romagna, freshwater: children under 12 with a licensed adult and people over 65 need no licence. Check locally whether this applies outside Emilia-Romagna.

Source: MASAF FAQ

What applies to visitors from abroad?

Sea: visitors register through SIAN like everyone else, with a user account instead of SPID. Freshwater: in Emilia-Romagna type C is explicitly for Italians and foreigners. According to the region you can generate the tax code for online payment online.

Source: Guardia Costiera 19.05.2026

Which catch and take-home rules apply?

Eel 2026: at sea, eel fishing is banned in all regions all year without exception (MASAF decree of 4 Mar 2026). In Tuscany recreational eel fishing in inland waters is also banned all of 2026 (EU Regulation 2026/266). You may not sell any recreational catch.

Source: Regione Toscana, Pesca dell'anguilla 2026, aktualisiert 02.04.2026

What else should you know?

Responsibility: the sea is regulated by the state (ministry MASAF, enforced by the coast guard). Inland waters are regulated by the 19 regions and the autonomous provinces of Trento and Bolzano with their own laws, prices and closed seasons. A licence from another region is recognised in Emilia-Romagna. On the Taro river a stretch is closed to fishing until 31 Dec 2026 due to water shortage.

Source: Regione Emilia-Romagna 30.04.2026 und Seite Pesca sportiva acque interne, aktualisiert 27.

Not confirmed yet

The commonly cited 5 kg daily sea limit (DPR 1639/1968, Art. 142) could not be read in any current official source. Prices of other regions and eel rules for inland waters outside Tuscany were not checked.

Do you know more or have an official source? Let us know.

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Sources (5)

Not legal advice. Rules and prices change; the linked authority and the local water permit are what count. Found a mistake? Write to [email protected].

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