Arizona vs New Mexico fishing license
For a visitor fishing fresh water for 3 days, New Mexico is $21 cheaper than Arizona. For a visitor's annual fresh-water license, Arizona is $39 cheaper than New Mexico. You need a license from age 10 in Arizona and from 12 in New Mexico.
- 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 | Arizona | New Mexico |
|---|---|---|
| Fresh water | ||
| 1 day | $20 | $16 |
| 3 days | $55 | $34 |
| 7 days | $55 | $58 |
| 1 year | $55 | $94 |
| Residents, annual | ||
| Fresh water | $37 | $39 |
| Prices for | 2026 | 2026-27 |
Rules side by side
| Arizona | New Mexico | |
|---|---|---|
| License needed from age | 10 | 12 |
| Senior residents | Resident lifetime fishing license (age 62 and over): $296 (ages 62+) | Resident annual fishing license, 70 and older (free): Free (ages 70+) |
| Senior visitors | Normal visitor prices | Normal visitor prices |
| Required stamps | None | Habitat Management and Access Validation (HMAV): $4 Habitat Management and Access Validation (HMAV): $4 |
| Next free fishing day | Not yet announced | Not yet announced |
| On a charter | Yes: everyone who fishes needs their own license | Not applicable |
| License on your phone | – | – |
| Annual licenses last | 12 months from purchase | To 03-31 |
| Last checked | Nov 4, 2026 | Nov 4, 2026 |
Full details and sources: Arizona fishing license · New Mexico fishing license
Shared waters
Neither state lists a special agreement for waters shared with the other. Where you fish decides which license you need.
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 | Arizona | New Mexico |
|---|---|---|
| Largemouth bass |
Black bass |
Largemouth, spotted and smallmouth bass |
| Smallmouth bass |
Black bass |
Largemouth, spotted and smallmouth bass |
| Trout |
bag 4 in any combination (Statewide; 1 more) |
Trout and kokanee (brown, brook, rainbow, Gila, kokanee) Lake trout |
| Walleye |
bag 6 |
14" minimum (per the department's warm water page); bag 5 |
| Crappie |
bag Unlimited |
No minimum; bag 20 |
| Catfish |
Channel and flathead catfish |
Catfish (channel, blue, flathead) Bluegill, sunfish, bullheads and other warm water fish |
| Striped bass |
bag 10 (Statewide; 1 more) |
White bass and wipers (hybrid striped bass) Striped bass |
| Northern pike |
bag Unlimited |
No minimum; bag 10 |
| Yellow perch |
bag Unlimited |
No minimum; bag 30 |
Questions
Is a Arizona fishing license valid in New Mexico?
No. Each state needs its own license. There's no general agreement between the two states.
Which is cheaper for visitors, Arizona or New Mexico?
1 day (fresh water): Arizona $20, New Mexico $16. 1 year (fresh water): Arizona $55, New Mexico $94.
At what age do you need a fishing license in Arizona and New Mexico?
You need a license from age 10 in Arizona and from 12 in New Mexico.