Illinois vs Missouri fishing license
For a visitor fishing fresh water for 3 days, Illinois is $11.50 cheaper than Missouri. For a visitor's annual fresh-water license, Illinois is $25.50 cheaper than Missouri. You need a license from age 16 in Illinois and in Missouri.
- 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 | Illinois | Missouri |
|---|---|---|
| Fresh water | ||
| 1 day | $10.50 | $9 |
| 3 days | $15.50 | $27 |
| 7 days | $31.50 | $57 |
| 1 year | $31.50 | $57 |
| Residents, annual | ||
| Fresh water | $15 | $14 |
| Prices for | 2026-27 | 2026 |
Rules side by side
| Illinois | Missouri | |
|---|---|---|
| License needed from age | 16 | 16 |
| Senior residents | Resident sport fishing license (75+): $1.50 (ages 75+) | Free (fresh): Missouri residents aged 65 or over |
| Senior visitors | Normal visitor prices | Normal visitor prices |
| Required stamps | None | None |
| Next free fishing day | Not yet announced | Not yet announced |
| On a charter | Yes: everyone who fishes needs their own license | Yes: everyone who fishes needs their own license |
| License on your phone | – | Accepted |
| Annual licenses last | To March 31 | To Last day of February |
| Last checked | Nov 4, 2026 | Nov 4, 2026 |
Full details and sources: Illinois fishing license · Missouri fishing license
Shared waters
Mississippi River (Missouri) (Illinois rules)
Under the Illinois-Missouri reciprocal arrangement, anglers properly licensed or exempt in Missouri can fish the flowing waters of the Mississippi in either state, adjacent backwaters and shared oxbow lakes, and from either bank. Follow the rules of the state where you are fishing, and the stricter of the two states' rules when you fish the other state's waters. You need a Missouri license for Missouri tributaries. Missouri's page describes the deal from the Missouri side, so check Illinois guidance before relying on an Illinois license in Missouri waters. Official source
Mississippi River (Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee) (Missouri rules)
A Missouri permit (or a Missouri exemption) lets you fish the flowing Mississippi River in Illinois, Kentucky and Tennessee waters, plus backwaters and shared oxbow lakes in Illinois and Tennessee. Bank fishing is allowed on the Illinois side, and on the Kentucky side within the Kentucky definition of the river. Kentucky backwaters and floodplain lakes are excluded when the river is above 33 feet on the Cairo gauge. You may not fish another state's tributaries. Follow the rules of the state you are in; when fishing another state's waters, follow the stricter of the two states' rules. 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 | Illinois | Missouri |
|---|---|---|
| Largemouth bass |
Black bass |
Black bass |
| Smallmouth bass |
Black bass |
Black bass |
| Trout |
Trout and salmon |
Rainbow: none. Brown: 15" minimum in streams; bag 4 in total (Statewide; 1 more) |
| Walleye |
Walleye, sauger and saugeye |
Walleye and sauger |
| Crappie |
No statewide limit; bag No statewide limit |
None statewide (many lakes 9" to 10"); bag 30 (15 on many lakes) |
| Catfish |
Channel catfish |
Channel catfish Blue catfish |
| Muskellunge (muskie) |
Muskellunge and tiger muskie |
Muskellunge |
Questions
Is a Illinois fishing license valid in Missouri?
No. Each state needs its own license, except on shared waters covered by a border agreement: Mississippi River (Missouri); Mississippi River (Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee).
Which is cheaper for visitors, Illinois or Missouri?
1 day (fresh water): Illinois $10.50, Missouri $9. 1 year (fresh water): Illinois $31.50, Missouri $57.
At what age do you need a fishing license in Illinois and Missouri?
You need a license from age 16 in Illinois and in Missouri.