Fishing License Guide

Colorado vs Wyoming fishing license

For a visitor fishing fresh water for 3 days, Colorado is $1.84 cheaper than Wyoming. For a visitor's annual fresh-water license, Wyoming is $13.27 cheaper than Colorado. You need a license from age 16 in Colorado and from 14 in Wyoming.

  • 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.

TripColoradoWyoming
Fresh water
1 day $21.90 $14
3 days $40.16 $42
7 days $76.68 $84
1 year $136.77 $123.50
Residents, annual
Fresh water $57.63$48.50
Prices for2026-272026
Note on this data: Wyoming: Sources disagree on the conservation stamp: the 2026 regulations show $21.50, an older official form shows $12.50. We use $21.50.

Compare your own trip

Rules side by side

ColoradoWyoming
License needed from age1614
Senior residents

Resident senior annual fishing license (64+): $12.96 (ages 64+)

No senior discount

Senior visitors

Normal visitor prices

Normal visitor prices

Required stamps

Annual Habitat Stamp: $12.76
Required for everyone with annual, 5 days licenses (ages 18–64)

Conservation stamp (12 months): $21.50
Required for everyone with annual licenses

Next free fishing day

Not yet announced

Not yet announced

On a charter Yes: everyone who fishes needs their own licenseNot applicable
License on your phone Accepted–
Annual licenses last To March 3112 months from purchase
Last checked Nov 4, 2026Nov 5, 2026

Full details and sources: Colorado fishing license · Wyoming fishing license

Shared waters

  • Other border waters (Colorado rules)

    We couldn't find any license-sharing agreement with neighboring states on Colorado's official pages, and FishingBooker says there are none. Near the Wyoming, Nebraska, Utah or New Mexico lines, stay on the Colorado side or carry the other state's license too. Secondary source: FishingBooker: Colorado Fishing License guide

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.

Note on this data: Colorado: These limits come from a 2023 copy of Colorado's regulations, the newest we could check. Some may have changed since.
FishColoradoWyoming
Largemouth bass

Largemouth, smallmouth and spotted bass
bag 5 in total (Statewide; 1 more)

Largemouth and smallmouth bass
No statewide size limit; bag 6 combined

Smallmouth bass

Largemouth, smallmouth and spotted bass
bag 5 in total (Statewide; 1 more)

Largemouth and smallmouth bass
No statewide size limit; bag 6 combined

Trout

bag 4 in total (8 in possession)

Trout (brown, cutthroat, grayling, golden, rainbow, salmon, tiger trout and hybrids)
No statewide size limit; bag 6 (Lakes; 1 more)

Brook trout
No statewide size limit; bag 16

Walleye

Walleye, saugeye and sauger
bag 5 in total (Statewide; 1 more)

No statewide size limit; bag 6

Crappie

bag 20 in total

Crappie, yellow perch and sunfish (including rock bass)
No statewide size limit; bag 50 combined (with black bullhead, stonecat and freshwater drum)

Catfish

Channel, blue and flathead catfish
bag 10 in total

Channel catfish
No statewide size limit; bag 6

Northern pike

bag No limit

See area rules; bag No statewide limit; see drainage area exceptions

Yellow perch

bag 20 (East of the Continental Divide; 1 more)

Crappie, yellow perch and sunfish (including rock bass)
No statewide size limit; bag 50 combined (with black bullhead, stonecat and freshwater drum)

Muskellunge (muskie)

Tiger muskie
36" minimum; bag 1

Tiger muskie
36" minimum; bag 1

Salmon

Kokanee salmon
bag 10 (10 in possession)

Trout (brown, cutthroat, grayling, golden, rainbow, salmon, tiger trout and hybrids)
No statewide size limit; bag 6 (Lakes; 1 more)

Questions

Is a Colorado fishing license valid in Wyoming?

No. Each state needs its own license, except on shared waters covered by a border agreement: Other border waters.

Which is cheaper for visitors, Colorado or Wyoming?

1 day (fresh water): Colorado $21.90, Wyoming $14. 1 year (fresh water): Colorado $136.77, Wyoming $123.50.

At what age do you need a fishing license in Colorado and Wyoming?

You need a license from age 16 in Colorado and from 14 in Wyoming.

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