Fishing Licenses & Permits
The hunting and fishing licenses go on sale February 18 each year, the beginning of prime fishing, and are valid until the last day of February the following year. Most licenses, except the Lifetime Sportsman License and specialty licenses, such as Wheelchair, Disabled Veteran, SSI (Supplemental Security Income), and Blind Fishing licenses, are available from most county clerks, sporting goods stores, hardware stores, boat docks, online, and from all TWRA offices.
Hunting and fishing license sales and federal excise taxes comprise almost 100 percent of the TWRA's operating funds. Thank you for buying a hunting and fishing license. Without your support, Tennessee would not have the abundance of fish and wildlife that we all enjoy.
If you take fish or attempt to take fish (including crayfish) by any method or if you assist someone else to do so, you must have a valid fishing license. There are some exceptions:
No Fishing License Needed If:
- You are under 13 years of age (resident or nonresident).
- Landowners, their spouses and children, who fish on their farmland which is owned by an individual or a family. Landowners, their spouses and children must be residents of Tennessee but need not reside on the land.
- Tenants, their spouses and dependent children who fish on farmland owned by an individual or a family. Tenants, their spouses and dependent children must be residents of Tennessee and must actually reside on the land and have permission of the landowner to fish. A tenant is a person who, for money or free rent, or other consideration, cares for farmland. The tenancy must be agricultural in nature.
- Resident grandchildren (under 16) and resident great-grandchildren (under 16) who fish on farmland which is owned by their resident grandparents or great-grandparents.
- First cousins who own farmland jointly or in common may fish on the farmland. Their children may fish as well.
- You are on military leave, carrying a copy of your leave orders. A pass does not meet this requirement.
- You are a resident who was born before March 1, 1926. (To qualify for this exemption, you must carry proof of your age and residency to show to a wildlife officer, if requested.)
- It's Free Fishing Day!
- It's Free Fishing Week! Children all ages 15 and younger can fish free during free fishing week.
Farmland Owner License Exemption
Persons hunting without a license under a resident farmland owner exemption must complete and sign a statement, attesting where the property is located and how this land qualifies for a landowner exemption. Persons may complete the form in advance and carry it with them while hunting or they may complete the form when requested in the field by a TWRA official or when checking game. Resident landowners and their children hunting on their parent's land under this exemption are also exempt from Hunter Education Certification requirements.
- Persons who possess a valid Tennessee driver's license. Tennessee state law requires drivers to obtain a Tennessee driver's license within 30 days of residency. Out-of-state drivers license only accepted for Military Personnel and Students meeting the criteria below:
- Military personnel on active duty in this state and dependents under age 16, who reside with them, regardless of resident status.
- Students who are enrolled in a Tennessee school, college, or university for at least six months (must present a student ID card or other proof of enrollment
- Persons who do not drive or do not possess a valid driver’s license from another state, but who have lived in Tennessee for 90 consecutive days with the genuine intent of making Tennessee their permanent home, may prove residency by presenting to a TWRA license agent any two of the following documents:
- Current Tennessee voter registration card
- Current Tennessee vehicle registration or title
- Form I-94 issued by the US Citizenship & Immigration Service
- Current rental/mortgage contract or receipt including deed of sale for property or receipt for payment of Tennessee real estate taxes within last year
A Social Security Number is required to purchase a Tennessee hunting or fishing license
| Type | Description | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| 001 | Annual Hunting & Fishing Combination Minimum license required to fish and/or hunt small game |
$34.00 |
| 002 | Jr. Hunt, Fish & Trap (Ages 13-15) Good for hunting all game, fishing, and trapping. Must be purchased prior to 16th birthday. No supplemental licenses are required, but special season and WMA permits will need to be purchased in addition to this license. |
$10.00 |
| 020 | County of Residence Fishing This license allows an angler to fish in his/her county of residence with natural bait (worms, crickets, corn, etc.), but not minnows. No artificial lures can be used. A supplemental license (Type 022) is required to fish for trout. |
$11.00 |
| 021 | One-Day Fishing | $6.50 |
| 022 | Annual Trout (Type 22 is a supplemental license that is required in addition to Type 001, Type 020 or Type 021) |
$22.00 |
| 023 | One-Day Fishing - All Species |
$11.50 |
| 063 | South Holston Lake Permit |
$22.00 |
| 004 | Sportsman An all inclusive license, valid for hunting, trapping and sport fishing without any supplemental state licenses or permits. Sportsman licenses can be purchased from all TWRA license agents. |
$166.00 |
| 401 | Lifetime Sportsman (under 3 years old) An all inclusive lifetime license valid for hunting, trapping, and sport fishing without any supplemental state licenses or permits. Allows holders to apply for quota permits at no additional fee. Call your local TWRA office for an application or download an application to apply. |
$200.00 |
| 406 | Lifetime Sportsman (3-6 years old) An all inclusive lifetime license valid for hunting, trapping, and sport fishing without any supplemental state licenses or permits. Allows holders to apply for quota permits at no additional fee. Call your local TWRA office for an application or download an application to apply. |
$659.00 |
| 402 | Lifetime Sportsman (7-12 years old) An all inclusive lifetime license valid for hunting, trapping, and sport fishing without any supplemental state licenses or permits. Allows holders to apply for quota permits at no additional fee. Call your local TWRA office for an application or download an application to apply. |
$988.00 |
| 403 | Lifetime Sportsman (13-50 years old) An all inclusive lifetime license valid for hunting, trapping, and sport fishing without any supplemental state licenses or permits. Allows holders to apply for quota permits at no additional fee. Call your local TWRA office for an application or download an application to apply. |
$1,976.00 |
| 404 | Lifetime Sportsman (51-64 years old) An all inclusive lifetime license valid for hunting, trapping, and sport fishing without any supplemental state licenses or permits. Allows holders to apply for quota permits at no additional fee. Call your local TWRA office for an application or download an application to apply. |
$1,153.00 |
| 405 | Lifetime Sportsman (65+ years old) An all inclusive lifetime license valid for hunting, trapping, and sport fishing without any supplemental state licenses or permits. Allows holders to apply for quota permits at no additional fee. Call your local TWRA office for an application or download an application to apply. |
$329.00 |
| 164 | Annual Senior Citizen Hunt/Fish/Trap Available at all license agents and can only be purchased when the 65th birthday is reached. A valid Tennessee driver's license or proof of age and residency is required. No supplemental licenses are required, but special season and WMA permits will need to be purchased in addition to this license. Fees apply when applying for quota hunt permits and "leftover" permits. |
$5.00 |
| 166 | Permanent Senior Citizen Hunt/Fish/Trap Available at all license agents and can only be purchased when the 65th birthday is reached. A valid Tennessee driver's license or proof of age and residency is required. No supplemental licenses are required, but special season and WMA permits will need to be purchased in addition to this license. Fees apply when applying for quota hunt permits and "leftover" permits. |
$50.00 |
| 167 | Annual Senior Citizen Sportsman An all-inclusive license valid for hunting, trapping, and sport fishing without any state supplemental licenses or non-quota permits and allows holders to apply for quota permits at no additional fee. Annual Senior Sportsman licenses can be purchased from all license agents. |
$50.00 |
| Resident Permanent Fishing Licenses | ||
|---|---|---|
| The following licenses are available only by application from the TWRA Sales Office located in Nashville. They are available for a one-time fee and are valid for the rest of the license holder's life. They are not Lifetime Sportsman Licenses. Additional permits may be required. A trout license is not required. |
| 197 | Permanent Sport Fishing License for the Blind | $10.00 |
| 189 | Permanent Wheelchair Hunting and Fishing Application must be accompanied by a doctor's statement stating that the applicant is permanently confined to a wheelchair. Covers all license requirements to hunt and fish but holder must purchase any applicable permits. |
$10.00 |
| 198 | Permanent DAV Hunting and Fishing Available to resident veterans certified by the VA as 30 percent disabled by reason of war service or 100% service connected. |
$10.00 |
| 199 | Permanent Mentally Challenged Must be receiving SSI benefits due to mental retardation. |
$10.00 |
| Type | Description | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| 070 | Jr. Hunt/Fish |
$11.00 |
| 076 | Annual Fishing - No Trout | $50.00 |
| 077 | Three-Day Fishing - No Trout | $20.50 |
| 078 | Three-Day Fishing - All Species | $40.50 |
| 079 | Ten-Day Fishing - No Trout | $30.50 |
| 080 | Ten-Day Fishing - All Species | $61.50 |
| 081 | Annual Fishing - All Species |
$99.00 |
If you purchase one of the following special permits, you must also have all applicable licenses.
| Type | Description | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| 097 | Resident or Nonresident Gatlinburg 1-Day Trout Permit Only requirement, ages 13 and up, to fish in Gatlinburg for one day. |
$11.50 |
| 099 | Gatlinburg Trout - Daily Required for both residents and nonresident ages 13-64 in addition to the appropriate fishing licenses except for nonresidents who purchase the Type 097 license. |
$3.50 |
| 096 | Gatlinburg 3-Day Trout Permit Required for both residents and nonresidents ages 13-64 in addition to the appropriate fishing licenses except for nonresidents who purchase the (Type 097) permit. |
$9.50 |
| 098 | Tellico-Citico Trout-Daily Required for all ages. Tellico-Citico Permit is required seasonally to fish Tellico River, Citico Creek and year-round on Green Cove Pond. |
$6.50 |
| 191 | Agency Lake - Daily Permit Required to fish Agency Fishing Lakes, except those under 16 years of age and residents 65 years or older. |
$6.00 |
| 193 | Agency Lake - Annual Permit Valid on all Agency lakes, this permit is sold at Agency Lake offices. |
$48.00 |
| 065 | Bedford Lake Daily Permit | $6.50 |