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Fishing licence in Netherlands: what anglers need

At sea you need no permit, but from age 14 you must register for free in the RecFishing app. On most inland waters you need a VISpas, the membership card of an angling club.

Checked on 13.10.2026 against official sources. Not legal advice.

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Do you need a licence for sea fishing in Netherlands?

At sea, in coastal waters and in the fishing zone you do not need a VISpas. Since 2026, everyone aged 14 or over must register for free in the RecFishing app before fishing. You must log sea bass, eel and bluefin tuna within 24 hours, even if you release them. Logging other species is optional.

Source: RVO, Recreatieve visserij zoutwater (geprüft 03.08.2026)

Do you need a licence for freshwater fishing in Netherlands?

On most inland waters you need a VISpas. It is your written permission and is only valid together with the list of waters or the free VISplanner app. If you do not want to join a club, there is the Kleine VISpas: one rod, only baits such as bread, dough, potato, cheese, grains, worms or maggots, daytime only, and only on waters in the small list. Fishing for predators with lures or fish baits is not allowed with it.

Source: Rijksoverheid, VISpas (Productbeschrijving)

How much is a fishing licence in Netherlands?

The VISpas is the membership card of an angling club. The price depends on your age and the club; according to Sportvisunie it averages around €40 per calendar year, and the JeugdVISpas averages around €20. Some clubs charge new members a one-off joining fee. An extra VISpas for a second club costs €4 plus that club's fee. We did not find an official price for the Kleine VISpas.

Source: Sportvisunie, VISpas (Fragen zu Kosten), abgerufen 13.10.2026

Where do you buy a fishing licence for Netherlands?

Online at vispas.nl, the Sportvisunie order site that the government page also links to. The site is also available in English and German. After paying you get a provisional proof of membership by email that lets you fish straight away; it is valid for one month. The card usually arrives within three weeks.

Source: Rijksoverheid, VISpas

What about children, teens and seniors?

If you were 13 or younger on 1 January, you may fish with one rod without your own document when an adult aged 18 or over with a VISpas is with you. You then follow that adult's conditions. If you fish alone or with more rods, you need a JeugdVISpas. From 14 (age on 1 January) you need the regular VISpas. Under 16, night fishing is only allowed with someone aged 16 or over who holds a VISpas and a night fishing permit. Sportvisunie does not list fixed senior prices.

Source: Sportvisunie, JeugdVISpas, abgerufen 13.10.2026

What applies to visitors from abroad?

The official pages do not mention a separate tourist permit. As a visitor you buy a club VISpas online just like residents; it is always valid for the current calendar year until 31 December. At sea, registering in RecFishing is enough. RVO does not say explicitly whether the registration also applies to foreign visitors.

Source: Rijksoverheid, VISpas

Which catch and take-home rules apply?

Inland closed season: pike from 1 March, zander and perch from 1 April, until the last Saturday in May. From 1 April to the last Saturday in May no lures (except flies under 2.5 cm) and no dead bait fish. Since 2026 you may take at most 3 perch up to 45 cm with a VISpas. At sea: sea bass at most 3 per day from 42 cm, catch and release only from 1 February to 31 March; always release eel and bluefin tuna; at most 25 cod or 20 kg; 2 rods with at most 3 hooks each; catch for your own use only, do not sell or give it away.

Source: Sportvisunie, Gesloten tijd vanaf 1 april

What else should you know?

A fishing right is not a right of access: do not enter banks behind a fence, hedge or no-entry sign. Night fishing and a third rod need separate extra permits (NachtVIStoestemming, Derde Hengeltoestemming). Only buy the VISpas from your club or at vispas.nl; Sportvisunie warns about unofficial sellers.

Source: Sportvisunie, VISpas: gezond verstand en goed fatsoen

Not confirmed yet

Official 2026 price of the Kleine VISpas not found (vispas.nl only loads prices by script). RVO does not say explicitly whether the RecFishing duty applies to foreign visitors. The exact 2026 minimum and maximum sizes for pike and zander are in the VISpas conditions and were not checked.

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

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Sources (7)

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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