Fishing license USA
New York fishing license for visitors
New York sells freshwater licenses to visitors; for saltwater you only register, free of charge.
Checked on 15.10.2026 against the official agency website. Not legal advice.
What a non-resident license costs
- Freshwater, 1 day
- $10
- Freshwater, 7 days
- $28
- Freshwater, 1 year
- $50
Good to know
- Saltwater: free Recreational Marine Fishing Registry from age 16.
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 New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) before you go.
Other states
All 50 states: official license pages
Source: New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC), 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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