Indiana vs Ohio fishing license
For a visitor fishing fresh water for 3 days, Indiana is $17 cheaper than Ohio. For a visitor's annual fresh-water license, Indiana is $16.96 cheaper than Ohio. You need a license from age 18 in Indiana and from 16 in Ohio.
- 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 | Indiana | Ohio |
|---|---|---|
| Fresh water | ||
| 1 day | $15 | $27.04 |
| 3 days | $35 | $52 |
| 7 days | $35 | $76.96 |
| 1 year | $60 | $76.96 |
| Residents, annual | ||
| Fresh water | $23 | $25 |
| Prices for | 2026-27 | 2026-27 |
Rules side by side
| Indiana | Ohio | |
|---|---|---|
| License needed from age | 18 | 16 |
| Senior residents | Resident senior annual fishing license: $3 (ages 64+) Resident senior fish-for-life license: $23 (ages 64+) | Senior resident fishing license (1 year): $10 (ages 65+) Senior resident fishing license (3 years): $27.04 (ages 65+) Senior resident fishing license (5 years): $45.07 (ages 65+) Senior lifetime fishing license: $84.24 (ages 65+) |
| 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 | It depends on the boat and where you fish | Yes: everyone who fishes needs their own license |
| License on your phone | Accepted | Accepted |
| Annual licenses last | To 03-31 | 12 months from purchase |
| Last checked | Nov 5, 2026 | Nov 4, 2026 |
Full details and sources: Indiana fishing license · Ohio fishing license
Shared waters
Ohio River (Kentucky) (Indiana rules)
Indiana and Kentucky recognize each other's fishing licenses on the main stem of the Ohio River, bank to bank. This does not apply to embayments or tributaries, which need that state's license. When fishing from the bank, follow the rules of the state you are standing in. Secondary source: Indiana Fishing Guide (eRegulations edition)
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 | Indiana | Ohio |
|---|---|---|
| Largemouth bass |
Black bass (largemouth, smallmouth, spotted) |
Black bass |
| Smallmouth bass |
Black bass (largemouth, smallmouth, spotted) |
Black bass |
| Trout |
Trout (inland streams and lakes) Lake Michigan trout and salmon |
Trout and salmon |
| Walleye |
Walleye, sauger and saugeye |
Walleye, sauger and saugeye Walleye (Lake Erie): set each year |
| Crappie |
No size limit (9 in at Dogwood and Hardy lakes); bag 25 (Statewide; 1 more) |
No statewide limit; many inland lakes 9" minimum; bag No statewide limit; 30 at many inland lakes |
| Catfish |
Channel, blue and flathead catfish Bullhead |
Channel catfish Blue and flathead catfish |
| Yellow perch |
No size limit; bag No limit (Statewide; 1 more) |
Yellow perch (inland) Yellow perch (Lake Erie): set each year |
| Muskellunge (muskie) |
Muskellunge and tiger muskie |
Muskellunge |
Questions
Is a Indiana fishing license valid in Ohio?
No. Each state needs its own license, except on shared waters covered by a border agreement: Ohio River (Kentucky).
Which is cheaper for visitors, Indiana or Ohio?
1 day (fresh water): Indiana $15, Ohio $27.04. 1 year (fresh water): Indiana $60, Ohio $76.96.
At what age do you need a fishing license in Indiana and Ohio?
You need a license from age 18 in Indiana and from 16 in Ohio.