Fishing
Fishing License
Any person who is 16 years of age or older must possess a valid sports fishing license when taking any fish, shellfish, reptile, or amphibian in California according to Fish and Game Code Section 7145. Fish and Game Code Section 86 defines take as: hunt, pursue, catch, capture, or kill, or attempt to hunt, pursue, catch, capture or kill. Fish and Game Codes can be found at www.leginfo.ca.gov.
Sport Fishing Items and Fees
| Title | Fee | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Resident Sport Fishing | $48.34 | Available for any resident 16 years of age or older. |
| Nonresident Sport Fishing | $130.42 | Available for any non-resident 16 years of age or older. |
| Reduced-Fee Sport Fishing License - Disabled Veteran | $7.21 at CDFW Offices $7.56 from license agents |
Available for any resident or nonresident honorably discharged disabled veteran with a 50 percent or greater service-connected disability. After you prequalify for your first Disabled Veteran Reduced Fee Sport Fishing License,you can purchase disabled veteran licenses anywhere licenses are sold. |
| Reduced-Fee Sport Fishing License – Recovering Service Member | $7.21 | Available for any recovering service member of the US military. The Recovering Service Member Reduced-Fee Sport Fishing License is only available at CDFW License Sales Offices. |
| Reduced Fee Sport Fishing License - Low Income Senior | $7.21 | Available for low-income California residents, 65 years of age and older,who meet the specified annual income requirements. The Reduced-Fee Sport Fishing License for Low Income Seniors is only available at CDFW License Sales Offices. |
| Free Sport Fishing License - Low Income Native American | NO FEE | Available for any American Indian or lineal descendant whose household income does not exceed federal poverty guidelines. The Free Sport Fishing License for Low Income Native Americans is only available at CDFW License Sales Offices. |
| Free Sport Fishing License - Mobility Impaired, Blind or Developmentally Disabled | NO FEE | Available for a person who is blind, developmentally disabled, or mobility impaired. Your first Free Sport Fishing License must be obtained from the CDFW License and Revenue Branch. Subsequent licenses may be obtained from any license agent. See application for details. |
| Short Term Sport Fishing Licenses | ||
| Title | Fee | Description |
| One-day Sport Fishing License | $15.69 | Allows a resident or nonresident to fish for one specified day.One-day sport fishing licenses are exempt from the Ocean Enhancement Validation requirement. |
| Two-day Sport Fishing License | $24.33 | Allows a resident or nonresident to fish for two consecutive days.Two-day sport fishing licenses are exempt from the Ocean Enhancement Validation requirement. |
| Ten-day Nonresident Sport Fishing License | $48.34 | Allows a nonresident to fish for ten consecutive days. |
| Validations and Report Cards | ||
| Report cards are required for any person fishing for steelhead, sturgeon, abalone, spiny lobster, or salmon (salmon in the Klamath, Trinity and Smith Rivers only). Every person fishing for these species must have an appropriate report card, including any person who is not required to have a sport fishing license, such as a child who is under 16 years of age, a person who is fishing from a public pier, and any person who is fishing on a free fishing day. | ||
| Title | Fee | Description |
| Ocean Enhancement Validation | $5.40 | Required to fish in ocean waters south of Point Arguello (Santa Barbara County). An Ocean Enhancement Validation is not required when fishing under the authority of a One or Two-Day Sport Fishing License. |
| Second Rod Validation | $15.12 | Allows a person to fish with two rods or lines in inland waters, except for waters in which only artificial lures or barbless hooks may be used. |
| Colorado River Validation | n/a | Discontinued - Anglers who possess either a valid California sport fishing license or a valid Arizona sport fishing license can fish from either shore of the portion of the Colorado River that makes up the California-Arizona boundary. |
| Abalone Report Card | $22.94 | Required for any person taking abalone from ocean waters north of the center of the mouth of San Francisco Bay. Only one Abalone Report Card may be issued per person each license year. |
| Sturgeon Fishing Report Card | $8.38 | Required for any persons taking sturgeon.Only one Sturgeon Fishing Report Card may be issued per person each year. |
| North Coast Salmon Report Card | $6.48 | Required for any person taking salmon in the Smith River System or Klamath-Trinity River System. |
| Steelhead Report Card | $7.30 | Required for any person taking steelhead in inland waters. |
| Spiny Lobster Report Card (valid for the entire lobster season). | $9.46 | Required for all persons taking spiny lobster. Report card holders who fail to return their Spiny Lobster Report Card or report their harvest online by the April 30 following season, will be assessed a $21.60 non-return fee when they purchase a spiny lobster report card for the following season. |
| Lifetime Fishing Licenses | ||
| Title | Fee | Description |
| Ages 0-9 Ages 10-39 Ages 40-61 Ages 62+ |
$533.25 $871.25 $785.00 $533.25 |
Available to residents of California. Lifetime fishing licensees receive an annual sport fishing license each year for life. Lifetime Fishing Packages must first be purchased from a CDFW License Sales Office. See Lifetime License Informationfor more detail. |
| Fishing Privilege Package | $360.75 | Includes a Lifetime Second-Rod Stamp, Ocean Enhancement Stamp, North Coast Salmon Report Card and Steelhead Report Card. |
| Duplicate Fees | ||
| Title | Fee | Description |
| Duplicate Sport Fishing License | $10.80 | Replaces a lost or stolen sport fishing license. |
| Sport Fishing Validation | $3.24 | (Second-Rod and Ocean Enhancement) Replaces lost or stolen sport fishing validations. |
| Sturgeon Report Card | $15.45 | Replaces lost or stolen Sturgeon Report Card. Available only at CDFW license sales offices. Sturgeon Fishing Report Card Affidavit (PDF Form) |
| Abalone Report Card | $18.54 | Replaces lost or stolen Abalone Report Card. Available only at CDFW license sales offices. Duplicate Abalone Report Card Affidavit (PDF Form) |