Fishing · License fees
What a basic adult annual freshwater fishing license costs, cheapest first. Every number comes from the agency’s own fee page. States are added as we verify them.
Checked 2026-10-23Read this first: licenses are not identical across states. Each row names the exact product we compared and its caveat. Agent or processing fees, stamps and add-ons are noted but not added unless stated. Rank is among the 5 states verified so far, not among all 50.
The ladder
Bars are drawn to the same scale: solid orange is the resident price, hatched green the non-resident price.
- IndianaResident Annual Fishing
- MinnesotaResident Individual Angling License (adult)
- OhioResident 1-Year License
- VirginiaOne-year resident freshwater license
- TexasResident Freshwater Package
Residents, cheapest first
| Rank | State | Price | What it is | Caveat |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Indiana | $23 | Resident Annual Fishing | Technology/processing fees apply: $1 by mail or at a retailer, and $3 plus card fees online or in the app. The trout/salmon stamp ($11) is separate. |
| 2 | Minnesota | $25 | Resident Individual Angling License (adult) | A $1.00 agent fee is added to the listed price. The trout/salmon stamp ($10) is a separate purchase. |
| 2 | Ohio | $25 | Resident 1-Year License | A transaction fee may apply to online and in-app purchases. |
| 4 | Virginia | $28 | One-year resident freshwater license | Issuance fee is included in the listed prices. |
| 5 | Texas | $30 | Resident Freshwater Package | Texas packages expire Aug. 31 rather than after 12 months, so the effective cost per day depends on when you buy. |
Nonresidents, cheapest first
| Rank | State | Price | What it is |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Minnesota | $51 | Nonresident Individual Angling License (adult) |
| 2 | Texas | $58 | Non-resident Freshwater Package |
| 3 | Indiana | $60 | Nonresident Annual Fishing |
| 4 | Virginia | $72 | Nonresident freshwater license |
| 5 | Ohio | $76.96 | Nonresident 1-Year License |
State details
Indiana
Annual licenses run April 1 through March 31. Source: License Fees (updated 9/04/2026) — Indiana DNR, verified 2026-10-23.
| License | Resident | Nonresident |
|---|---|---|
| Annual fishing license | $23 | $60 |
| One-day fishing license (includes trout/salmon) | $10 | $15 |
| Seven-day fishing license | — | $35 |
| Trout/salmon stamp privilege | $11 | $11 |
| Annual senior fishing license (64+, born after Mar. 31, 1943) | $3 | — |
Minnesota
Licenses run March 1 through the last day of February. Source: Fishing licenses — Minnesota DNR, verified 2026-10-23.
| License | Resident | Nonresident |
|---|---|---|
| Individual angling license (adult annual) | $25 | $51 |
| Resident combination angling license (married couple) | $40 | — |
| Resident 3-year angling license | $71 | — |
| Youth annual angling license (resident ages 16–17; nonresident 0–17) | $5 | $5 |
| Nonresident 7-day angling license | — | $43 |
| Trout/salmon stamp validation | $10 | $10 |
- Short-term (24-hour and 72-hour) license prices differ between the DNR license web page and the printed regulations booklet at the time of checking, so they are left out here: check source.
Ohio
Annual licenses are valid 365 days from purchase. Source: 2026-27 Ohio Fishing Regulations (License Information) — ODNR Division of Wildlife, verified 2026-10-23.
| License | Resident | Nonresident |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year license | $25.00 | $76.96 |
| 1-day license | $14.00 | $27.04 |
| 3-year license | $72.11 | — |
| Resident senior 1-year license (65+) | $10.00 | — |
| Nonresident 3-day license | — | $52.00 |
- A one-day license can be credited toward an annual license (upgrade prices are listed in the source).
- Persons under 16 do not need a fishing license.
Virginia
Annual licenses (one-year); multi-year options listed in source. Source: Fishing licenses — Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources, verified 2026-10-23.
| License | Resident | Nonresident |
|---|---|---|
| Freshwater license, one-year | $28.00 | $72.00 |
| Freshwater + saltwater license | $44.50 | $96.00 |
| Freshwater license, 5 consecutive days | $19.00 | $36.00 |
| Resident freshwater license, age 65 or older | $9.00 | — |
| Designated stocked trout waters license | $28.00 | $48.00 |
- Virginia’s page lists many more options (multi-year, county/city, lifetime); only common ones appear here.
Texas
Packages run from date of sale to Aug. 31 of that year. Source: Fishing Licenses and Packages — Texas Parks & Wildlife Department, verified 2026-10-23.
| License | Resident | Nonresident |
|---|---|---|
| Freshwater package (license + freshwater endorsement) | $30 | $58 |
| Senior freshwater package (resident 65+) | $12 | — |
| Saltwater package | $35 | $63 |
| All-water package | $40 | $68 |
| Year-from-purchase all-water package (resident only) | $47 | — |
| One-day all-water license | $11 | $16 |
| Lake Texoma license (Texas and Oklahoma waters) | $12 | $12 |
- Residents under 17 and nonresidents under 17 do not need a license; some other exemptions apply (see the source).
Verify with your state agency. Always verify with your state wildlife agency before you fish or hunt. Regulations change, and local or water-specific rules can override the statewide figures shown here. Prices change by license year.