Fishing license USA
Louisiana fishing license for visitors
In Louisiana you need the Basic license for every kind of fishing and the Saltwater license on top for saltwater; from age 18.
Checked on 15.10.2026 against the official agency website. Not legal advice.
What a non-resident license costs
- Basic (freshwater), 5 days
- $30
- Saltwater, 5 days (plus Basic)
- $30
- Basic, 1 year
- $68
- Saltwater, 1 year (plus Basic)
- $60
- Charter passenger, saltwater, 3 days
- $20
- Charter passenger, freshwater, 3 days
- $10
Good to know
- Saltwater fishing for 5 days therefore costs $60 in total (Basic plus Saltwater).
- Louisiana and Texas licenses are both valid on shared border waters such as Caddo Lake, Toledo Bend and the Sabine River, but not in the Gulf.
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 Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) before you go.
Other states
All 50 states: official license pages
Source: Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF), 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].
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