Unless otherwise specified, annual licenses are valid for 12 months from the date of purchase. Short-term (10-Day and 3-Day) licenses are valid for the period specified on the license. A $5 transaction fee is applied to the total order (N.C.G.S. 113-270.1B). Youth under age 16 are exempt from all fishing license requirements. License holders must carry a picture ID (driver license or DMV ID) showing name, address and date of birth while fishing.
Select your residency status above to filter the available licenses.
Freshwater Inland Fishing 10-Day (Resident) 10-Day resident $36.00 Statewide inland fishing during the 10-day period specified on the license. Includes fishing in Public Mountain Trout Waters, fishing in trout waters on game lands and fishing in joint waters. It does not include fishing in coastal waters. Inland Fishing 10-Day (Nonresident) 10-Day Nonresident $87.00 Statewide inland fishing during the 10-day period specified on the license. Includes fishing in Public Mountain Trout Waters, fishing in trout waters on game lands and fishing in joint waters. It does not include fishing in coastal waters. State Inland Fishing (Resident) Annual (12 months from purchase) resident $96.00 Statewide inland fishing during a license term. Includes fishing in Public Mountain Trout Waters, fishing in trout waters on game lands and fishing in joint waters. It does not include fishing in coastal waters. State Inland Fishing (Nonresident) Annual (12 months from purchase) Nonresident $168.00 Statewide inland fishing during a license term. Includes fishing in Public Mountain Trout Waters, fishing in trout waters on game lands and fishing in joint waters. It does not include fishing in coastal waters. Mountain Heritage Trout Waters Three-Day Fishing License 3-Day $33.00 Authorizes fishing only in designated Mountain Heritage Trout Waters (certain Public Mountain Trout Waters running through or adjacent to designated Mountain Heritage Trout Cities). Any license that provides trout fishing privileges (e.g., any inland fishing license) may instead be used. Honorably discharged veterans are exempt while fishing Mountain Heritage Trout Waters with service documentation. Lifetime Comprehensive Inland Fishing (Resident) Lifetime resident $978.00 Statewide inland fishing for life. Includes fishing in Public Mountain Trout Waters, fishing in trout waters on game lands, and fishing in joint waters. It does not include fishing in coastal waters. Sold only to residents of North Carolina. Valid for life even if the holder moves out of state. Senior Lifetime Inland Fishing (Resident) Lifetime senior $60.00 Lifetime statewide inland fishing for senior residents. Per the current eRegulations digest: residents are eligible for the senior lifetime license when they turn 70 years of age. (Older sources described a 65+ tier for those born on or before Aug. 1, 1953; that tier has sunset.) Disabled Veteran Inland Fishing (Resident Lifetime) Lifetime resident $45.00 Lifetime statewide inland fishing for residents who are 50% or more disabled veterans as determined by the Department of Veterans Affairs. Includes Public Mountain Trout Waters, trout waters on game lands and joint waters; does not include coastal waters. Application available online at gooutdoorsnorthcarolina.com (documentation required). Totally Disabled Inland Fishing (Resident Lifetime) Lifetime resident $45.00 Lifetime statewide inland fishing for residents who are totally and permanently disabled as determined by the Social Security Administration, Civil Service Retirement System, Railroad Retirement Board, or the N.C. State Retirement System, or diagnosed with a presumptive disability condition (20 C.F.R. 416.934). Documentation required.
Other Special Device Inland Fishing (Resident) Annual (12 months from purchase) resident $297.00 Authorizes the taking of nongame fishes from inland waters (does not include joint and coastal waters) during designated seasons with seines, cast nets, gill nets, dip nets, bow nets, reels, gigs, spear guns, baskets, fish pots, eel pots, traps, and hand-crank electrofishers where authorized by local law. Includes the sale of these nongame fishes. Special Device Inland Fishing (Nonresident) Annual (12 months from purchase) Nonresident $1,956.00 Authorizes the taking of nongame fishes from inland waters (does not include joint and coastal waters) during designated seasons with special devices where authorized by local law. Includes the sale of these nongame fishes.
Combination Combination Hunting and Inland Fishing (Resident) Annual (12 months from purchase) resident $132.00 Statewide hunting and inland fishing for residents during a license term. Includes fishing in Public Mountain Trout Waters, fishing in trout waters on game lands, fishing in joint waters and hunting on game lands. Does not include big game hunting, the state waterfowl privilege, the Federal Duck Stamp or fishing in coastal waters. Sportsman (Resident) Annual (12 months from purchase) resident $198.00 Statewide hunting and inland fishing for residents during a license term. Includes big game hunting, hunting on game lands, waterfowl hunting (excludes Bear Management E-Stamp and Federal Duck Stamp), Public Mountain Trout Waters, trout waters on game lands and joint waters. Does not include coastal waters. Unified Sportsman/Coastal Recreational Fishing (Resident) Annual (12 months from purchase) resident $255.00 Statewide hunting, inland and coastal recreational fishing for residents during a license term. Includes big game hunting, hunting on game lands, waterfowl hunting (excludes Bear Management E-Stamp and Federal Duck Stamp), Public Mountain Trout Waters, trout waters on game lands and joint waters.
