Buy Your Ohio Fishing License

Purchasing your Ohio Fishing License

To legally fish in the state of Ohio, most anglers will need to have a valid fishing license.

According to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources website, there are several considerations that should be reviewed before your fishing license.

• An Ohio resident is a person who has resided in the state of Ohio for the past six consecutive months. All others are considered nonresidents and must purchase a nonresident license.
• Licenses purchased on wildohio.gov will be emailed to the customer upon completion of the transaction. Licenses are not required to be printed as long as the image of the license may be displayed on a mobile device and presented upon request. The Lake Erie charter one-day fishing license is not available for purchase from a mobile device and is not valid unless printed.
• Short-term licenses are available for purchase by calling 1-866-703-1928. A fee will be added to the cost of the license.
• Annual fishing licenses are valid for 365 days from the date of purchase. Annual and multiyear fishing licenses are valid from the date of purchase until the expiration date printed on the license. Licenses can be repurchased 30 days prior to the expiration date.
• Annual licenses can be set to automatically renew every year when purchased at wildohio.gov.
• Lifetime licenses and multiyear licenses may be purchased at wildohio.gov, provided an Ohio driver license or state identification is associated with the customer’s account. Lifetime license buyers may also visit an Ohio Division of Wildlife office or mail in a paper application. Proof of age and residency are required at the time of purchase. A multiyear license may also be purchased at an agent location (restrictions apply). Go to wildohio.gov for more information about purchasing a lifetime or multiyear license.

Why should you purchase a fishing license?

It is illegal to fish public waters in the state of Ohio without a fishing license.

In addition to avoid legal issues, the funds received from the purchase of fishing licenses helps support wildlife and conservation efforts. By purchasing your fishing license, you are helping to ensure that there will be places to fish in the future.

Where can I purchase my Ohio fishing license?

Most marinas throughout the state of Ohio will allow you to purchase a license on-site.

You can also purchase a license online at the Ohio DNR website.