Fishing license USA
California fishing license for visitors
California has short licenses for everyone and a 10-day license only for non-residents; you need a license from age 16.
Checked on 15.10.2026 against the official agency website. Not legal advice.
What a non-resident license costs
- 1 day
- $21.09
- 2 days
- $32.40
- 10 days (non-residents only)
- $64.54
- 365 days
- $174.14
Good to know
- Ocean Enhancement Validation $7.30 for ocean waters south of Point Arguello (not needed with a 1- or 2-day license).
- Report cards for some species, for example steelhead $10.29 and spiny lobster $12.70. Sturgeon fishing needs a report card and is catch and release only.
Sea fishing: state and federal waters
At sea the US has two layers: state waters usually reach 3 nautical miles from the coast, off Texas, Florida's Gulf coast and Puerto Rico 9 nautical miles. Beyond that, federal waters begin, with extra federal rules on seasons and bag limits. You buy your saltwater license from the state. For tuna and billfish in the Atlantic and the Gulf of Mexico (called Gulf of America by U.S. federal agencies), the boat also needs a federal HMS permit.
Bag limits, sizes and seasons
Rules on how many fish you may keep, minimum sizes and closed seasons change often. Check the current regulations at California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) before you go.
Other states
All 50 states: official license pages
Source: California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), retrieved 15.10.2026.
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].
Know more?
Additions, photos of your catches or a mistake in the text: write to us and we will gladly credit you as a helper.
Send a tip