Which state has the cheapest non-resident fishing license?

Illinois, at $31.50 for an annual non-resident license. The most expensive of the 12 states we track is South Dakota at $80.

Which state has the cheapest resident fishing license?

Missouri, at $14 a year for residents.

How much is an out-of-state fishing license?

It depends entirely on the state: across the 12 states in this table, annual non-resident licenses run $31.50 to $80. Almost every state also sells a 1-day or 3-day non-resident license, which is usually much cheaper for a single trip.

Do fishing license fees include everything?

Not always. South Dakota requires a Habitat Stamp ($10 resident / $25 non-resident) on top of the license fee, North Dakota requires a Fishing, Hunting, Furbearer Certificate ($2 / $5), and Indiana adds a transaction fee. Pennsylvania is the reverse — its published prices already include the agent and transaction fees. Each state page notes its own add-ons.

Fishing License Cost by State

An annual non-resident fishing license runs from $31.50 in Illinois to $80 in South Dakota. Resident prices start at $14 in Missouri. Every figure below is taken from the state licensing agency's own fee table.

Annual license cost, ranked by non-resident price

#	State	Resident	Non-resident	License year	Agency
1	Illinois	$15	$31.50	2026	Illinois Department of Natural Resources
2	Iowa	$22	$48	2026	Iowa Department of Natural Resources
3	Wisconsin	$20	$50	2026	Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
4	New York	$25	$50	2026	New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
5	Minnesota	$25	$51	2026	Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
6	Missouri	$14	$57	2026	Missouri Department of Conservation
7	Indiana	$23	$60	2026-27	Indiana Department of Natural Resources
8	Pennsylvania	$27.97	$60.97	2026	Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission
9	North Dakota	$27	$68	2026-27	North Dakota Game and Fish Department
10	Michigan	$26	$76	2026	Michigan Department of Natural Resources
11	Ohio	$25	$76.96	2026-27	Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Division of Wildlife
12	South Dakota	$31	$80	2026	South Dakota Department of Game, Fish and Parks

Headline annual prices only — short-term, senior, and combination licenses cost less, and several states add a mandatory stamp or certificate on top. Open a state for its full fee table, who needs a license, season dates, and where to buy.

Mandatory add-ons worth knowing about

Indiana — Indiana adds a $1 retail or $3 online transaction fee at purchase.
Pennsylvania — Pennsylvania prices already include the $1.00 issuing-agent fee and the $0.97 transaction fee.
North Dakota — North Dakota also requires the once-yearly Fishing, Hunting, Furbearer Certificate ($2 resident / $5 nonresident), so a first purchase totals $29 resident and $73 nonresident.
South Dakota — South Dakota also requires a Habitat Stamp ($10 resident / $25 nonresident) for buyers 18 and older, so the real all-in cost is $41 resident and $105 nonresident.

Fees are compiled from each state licensing agency and refreshed annually — see the license year column and each state page for its source. Pricing can change every fiscal year, so confirm with the agency before purchase. LakeQuality is independent and not affiliated with any state agency.