Florida Fishing License Guide

Florida offers freshwater and saltwater fishing opportunities.

Florida provides many different opportunities for fishing. There's saltwater and freshwater fishing, fishing in the Atlantic Ocean, the Gulf of Mexico, or the Keys, and many different species of sport fish to catch. There are two main fishing license categories in Florida: saltwater fishing and freshwater fishing. In addition to the main licenses, there are other permits and tags that are species specific.

Resident Status

Florida has different types of licenses for residents and nonresidents. You are considered a Florida resident if you have lived in Florida for longer than six months before a license application, Florida is considered your primary residence, or you are stationed in Florida as part of the military.

Exemptions

Some people are not required to get a Florida fishing license. The exemptions include several different categories. Individuals under the age of 16 do not need a license, while people over 65 or permanently disabled receive a complimentary fishing certificate. You do not need a license if you are fishing on your homestead. This includes the homestead of your spouse and minor children, if different. Any military personnel on home leave for 30 days or less does not need a fishing license. Developmentally disabled clients of the Department of Children and Family Services do not need fishing licenses.

There are a few exemptions specific to the freshwater and saltwater licenses. Freshwater licenses are not required when fishing from private lakes 20 acres or lower. If the owner of a private lake 20 acres or larger pays for a fish pond license, no fishing license is required to fish at the larger lake. The last freshwater exemption is during the first weekend of April.

Saltwater exemptions include fishing off of a chartered fish boat, fishing off a pier with a pier saltwater fishing license, or you are eligible for state assistance.

Saltwater Licenses

As of June 2010, regular saltwater fishing license is $17 for residents and $47 for nonresidents. A saltwater shoreline license is $9. Nonresident three-day licenses are $17 and seven-day licenses are $30. Additional permits are needed to fish snook, tarpon, and lobster. The fees are $10, $51.50, and $5 respectively.

Freshwater Licenses

The annual freshwater fishing license costs $17. The nonresident cost for annual licenses is $47, $30 for a seven-day and $17 for a three-day. Freshwater fishing does not require any additional permits or tags.

Combination Licenses

Florida offers quite a few combination licenses that include both types of fishing. As of June 2010, there's a combination saltwater/freshwater fishing license for $32.50, a freshwater fishing/hunting license for $32.50 and a freshwater/saltwater/hunting license for $48.

Sportsman licenses are offered that include both types of fishing and various hunting licenses as well. The gold and military licenses cost $100 and $20 respectively. There are two combination sportsman licenses that do not offer saltwater fishing: the senior sportsman at $13.50 and the sportsman license at $80.50.

References

• Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission: Recreational Freshwater Licenses & Permits
• Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission: Saltwater Fishing License
• Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission: Exemption
• Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission: Resident Status
• Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission: Freshwater Fishing License