Missouri Fishing License Cost 2026: $14 Resident, $57 Nonresident
A resident annual fishing license in Missouri costs $14. Non-residents pay $57 for an annual license. Short-term, senior, and combination licenses are listed below, plus current trout stamp prices, and where to buy.
Missouri fishing licenses are issued by Missouri Department of Conservation, with separate resident and non-resident pricing and short-term options for visiting anglers. The full current fee table is below, drawn from the agency's published schedule.
Statewide species rules cover most Missouri waters, but special regulations on individual lakes take precedence where they exist; the official regulations digest is the authoritative reference. Pair this fee information with LakeQuality's Missouri lake pages — each one carries the lake's water-quality grade, clarity readings, and trend data, which is useful context when deciding where that license gets used.
2026 License Fees
| License Type | Resident | Non-Resident | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fishing Permit (annual) | $14.00 | $57.00 | Covers fish, frogs, mussels, clams, turtles, crayfish, and live bait. 2026 prices; annual permits expire at the end of February. |
| Daily Fishing Permit | $9.00 | $9.00 | Same price for residents and nonresidents; may be purchased for multiple consecutive days. Covers the same species as the annual permit. |
| Small Game Hunting and Fishing Permit (combo) | $22.50 | — | Resident-only combination permit: fishing plus hunting of birds (except turkey) and mammals (except deer). Trout Permit still required to possess trout. |
| Resident Lifetime Fishing Permit | $40.50-$465.50 by age | — | Resident-only, age-tiered: ages 0-15 $320.00; 16-29 $465.50; 30-39 $407.00; 40-59 $349.00; 60-64 $40.50. Residents 65+ need no fishing permit. |
| Senior (resident 65+) | Exempt - no fishing permit required | — | Missouri residents 65 and older fish without a permit; a Trout Permit or daily trout tag is still required where trout rules apply. No senior discount exists for nonresidents. |
| Military Reduced Cost Permit (mobilized Guard/Reserve) | $5.50 | — | Combined small-game hunting and fishing permit for Missouri residents currently (or within the last 12 months) mobilized and serving full-time active military duty in the National Guard (federal status) or U.S. reserve forces. Trout Permit still required. Other active-duty members stationed in Missouri qualify for resident permit prices instead. |
Trout Stamp
Resident: $12.00 · Non-resident: $24.00
Required, in addition to a fishing permit, to possess trout anywhere except in the four trout parks during the catch-and-keep season (where a daily trout tag is purchased instead). Also required for winter catch-and-release fishing in trout parks and for year-round fishing in Lake Taneycomo upstream of US Highway 65. No age exemption: even permit-exempt seniors and youth need one to possess trout (youth 0-15 price is $6.00).
How much is a non-resident (out-of-state) Missouri fishing license?
$57 for an annual non-resident license — $43 more than the $14 residents pay. Missouri also sells 1 shorter or alternate option to out-of-state anglers, which is usually the cheaper choice for a single trip.
- Daily Fishing Permit — $9.00 · Same price for residents and nonresidents; may be purchased for multiple consecutive days. Covers the same species as the annual permit.
Non-resident license cost by state
Missouri ranks 6 of 12 on non-resident price among the states we carry verified fee tables for. Each agency sets its own fees and license year, so this compares annual non-resident prices as published.
| # | State | Resident | Non-resident | License year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Illinois | $15 | $31.50 | 2026 |
| 2 | Iowa | $22 | $48 | 2026 |
| 3 | Wisconsin | $20 | $50 | 2026 |
| 4 | New York | $25 | $50 | 2026 |
| 5 | Minnesota | $25 | $51 | 2026 |
| 6 | Missouri (this page) | $14 | $57 | 2026 |
| 7 | Indiana | $23 | $60 | 2026-27 |
| 8 | Pennsylvania | $27.97 | $60.97 | 2026 |
| 9 | North Dakota | $27 | $68 | 2026-27 |
| 10 | Michigan | $26 | $76 | 2026 |
| 11 | Ohio | $25 | $76.96 | 2026-27 |
| 12 | South Dakota | $31 | $80 | 2026 |
Headline prices only. Several states add a mandatory stamp or certificate on top — South Dakota's Habitat Stamp and North Dakota's Fishing, Hunting, Furbearer Certificate both apply to the figures above, and each state page notes its own add-ons.
Who Needs a License?
Anyone age 15 and younger (resident or nonresident) may fish without a permit, so a fishing permit is required starting at age 16. Missouri residents age 65 and older are exempt from the fishing permit entirely (though a Trout Permit or daily trout tag is still required where trout rules apply); resident landowners of 5+ acres (who own all the land around the body of water) and certain residents with qualifying disabilities are also exempt on their own land or with documentation.
Season & Regulations
Fishing is open year-round for most species in most Missouri waters; annual permits are not calendar-year — they expire at the end of February (2026 permits are valid through the end of February 2027). Key exceptions: the four trout parks have a catch-and-keep season March 1 - Oct 31 (winter catch-and-release Nov 13, 2026 - Feb 8, 2027), and black bass in streams outside the year-round zones (most streams south of the Missouri River) are catch-and-release only March 1 through late May.
For complete bag limits, slot limits, and water-specific rules, see the Missouri fishing regulations ↗.
Where to Buy
- Online: https://mdc-web.s3licensing.com/ ↗
- In person: Sporting goods stores, bait shops, and county auditor / clerk offices that act as license agents.
- At DNR offices: Any Missouri Department of Conservation office.
Source: Missouri Department of Conservation, 2026.