Alabama vs Tennessee fishing license
For a visitor fishing fresh water for 3 days, Tennessee is $18.05 cheaper than Alabama. For a visitor's annual fresh-water license, Tennessee is $19.20 cheaper than Alabama. You need a license from age 16 in Alabama and from 13 in Tennessee.
- Free
- Official sources first
- Checked monthly
- Independent, not a state website
What visitors pay
Cheapest way for an adult non-resident to cover the trip, including required stamps, worked out from each state's price list. The cheaper state is marked.
| Trip | Alabama | Tennessee |
|---|---|---|
| Fresh water | ||
| 1 day | $38.05 | $20 |
| 3 days | $38.05 | $20 |
| 7 days | $38.05 | $30 |
| 1 year | $68.20 | $49 |
| Residents, annual | ||
| Fresh water | $17.45 | $33 |
| Prices for | 2026-27 | 2026 |
Rules side by side
| Alabama | Tennessee | |
|---|---|---|
| License needed from age | 16 | 13 |
| Senior residents | Free (fresh + salt): Alabama residents 65 and over (salt water still needs the free Saltwater Angler Registry, and Gulf reef fish need the endorsement) Resident lifetime freshwater fishing license (age 50 and over): $225.50 (ages 50+) Resident lifetime saltwater fishing license (age 50 and over): $375.55 (ages 50+) Resident lifetime freshwater and saltwater fishing license (age 50 and over): $600.40 (ages 50+) | Resident annual senior citizen hunt/fish/trap license: $4 (ages 65+) Resident permanent senior citizen hunt/fish/trap license: $49 (ages 65+) Resident lifetime license (senior, 65+): $329 (ages 65+) |
| Senior visitors | Normal visitor prices | Normal visitor prices |
| Required stamps | Saltwater Angler Registry (free): Free | None |
| Next free fishing day | Not yet announced | Sat, Jun 12, 2027 Jun 12–18, 2027 Not yet announced |
| On a charter | Usually not: the boat's license covers its passengers | Yes: everyone who fishes needs their own license |
| License on your phone | Accepted | – |
| Annual licenses last | To 08-31 | 12 months from purchase |
| Last checked | Nov 4, 2026 | Nov 4, 2026 |
Full details and sources: Alabama fishing license · Tennessee fishing license
Shared waters
Pickwick Lake (Tennessee River, Alabama-Mississippi) (Alabama rules)
Alabama and Mississippi sport fishing licenses are both valid from the state line junction to Old Riverton Lock (mile 226.6), except Bear Creek embayment south of the Southern Railway bridge. Official source
Pickwick Lake (Alabama and Mississippi) (Tennessee rules)
A valid sport fishing license from Tennessee, Alabama or Mississippi is accepted on Pickwick Lake from Pickwick Dam upstream to the mouth of Bear Creek (Tennessee River mile 224.8), excluding Bear Creek and part of Yellow Creek. Follow the rules of the state whose waters you are in. Official source
Limits for fish found in both states
Guide only. Statewide rules; many waters have their own. Check each state's official rules before you keep a fish.
| Fish | Alabama | Tennessee |
|---|---|---|
| Largemouth bass |
Black bass |
Black bass |
| Smallmouth bass |
Black bass |
Black bass |
| Trout |
Rainbow trout |
bag 7 in total, only 2 of them lake trout |
| Walleye |
bag 2 |
16" minimum; bag 5 |
| Crappie |
9" minimum (10" on Weiss Reservoir); bag 30 |
10" minimum; bag 15 in total (Statewide; 1 more) |
| Catfish |
bag No limit under 34"; only 1 over 34" |
Only 1 may be over 34"; bag No limit under 34" |
| Striped bass |
Striped bass and hybrid striped bass |
Striped and hybrid striped bass |
Questions
Is a Alabama fishing license valid in Tennessee?
No. Each state needs its own license, except on shared waters covered by a border agreement: Pickwick Lake (Tennessee River, Alabama-Mississippi); Pickwick Lake (Alabama and Mississippi).
Which is cheaper for visitors, Alabama or Tennessee?
1 day (fresh water): Alabama $38.05, Tennessee $20. 1 year (fresh water): Alabama $68.20, Tennessee $49.
At what age do you need a fishing license in Alabama and Tennessee?
You need a license from age 16 in Alabama and from 13 in Tennessee.