Louisiana vs Texas fishing license
For a visitor fishing fresh water for 3 days, Louisiana is $18 cheaper than Texas. For a visitor's annual fresh-water license, Texas is $10 cheaper than Louisiana. You need a license from age 18 in Louisiana and from 17 in Texas.
- 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 | Louisiana | Texas |
|---|---|---|
| Fresh water | ||
| 1 day | $30 | $16 |
| 3 days | $30 | $48 |
| 7 days | $60 | $58 |
| 1 year | $68 | $58 |
| Salt water | ||
| 1 day | $60 | $16 |
| 3 days | $60 | $48 |
| 7 days | $120 | $63 |
| 1 year | $128 | $63 |
| Residents, annual | ||
| Fresh water | $17 | $30 |
| Salt water | $32 | $35 |
| Prices for | 2026 | 2026-27 |
Rules side by side
| Louisiana | Texas | |
|---|---|---|
| License needed from age | 18 | 17 |
| Senior residents | No-fee senior hunting and fishing license (resident): Free (ages 87+) Resident senior lifetime hunting and fishing license: $100 (ages 65+) | Senior freshwater package: $12 (ages 65+) Senior saltwater package: $17 (ages 65+) Senior all-water package: $22 (ages 65+) |
| Senior visitors | Normal visitor prices | Normal visitor prices |
| Required stamps | None | None |
| Next free fishing day | Not yet announced | Sat, Jun 5, 2027 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 | Accepted |
| Annual licenses last | 12 months from purchase | To August 31 |
| Last checked | Nov 4, 2026 | Nov 4, 2026 |
Full details and sources: Louisiana fishing license · Texas fishing license
Shared waters
Caddo Lake, Toledo Bend Reservoir, Sabine River, Sabine Lake and Sabine Pass (Texas border) (Louisiana rules)
Louisiana and Texas residents with resident licenses from their home state (or exempt from one) can fish these waters without another license. Texas residents 65 or over with a Texas resident license may fish all Louisiana public waters. Secondary source: Louisiana fishing regulations 2026 (eRegulations)
Toledo Bend, Caddo Lake and the Sabine River (Texas–Louisiana) (Texas rules)
Texas and Louisiana residents licensed in their own state (or exempt because of age), and holders of a non-resident license from either state, may fish any part of the lakes and rivers on the Texas–Louisiana boundary, inland from Sabine Pass. Fish landed in Texas must meet Texas limits. Official source2
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 | Louisiana | Texas |
|---|---|---|
| Largemouth bass |
Black bass (largemouth and spotted) |
Black bass |
| Crappie |
Crappie (black and white) |
10" minimum; bag 25 in total |
| Catfish |
Blue, channel and flathead catfish |
Channel and blue catfish Flathead catfish |
| Striped bass |
Striped and hybrid striped bass |
Striped and hybrid striped bass |
| Red drum (redfish) |
Red drum |
Red drum |
| Spotted seatrout |
13" to 20"; bag 15; no more than 2 over 20" |
15" to 20"; bag 3 |
| Flounder |
Southern flounder |
15" minimum; bag 5 |
| Cobia |
36" fork length; bag 1; 2 per vessel |
40" minimum; bag 1 |
Questions
Is a Louisiana fishing license valid in Texas?
No. Each state needs its own license, except on shared waters covered by a border agreement: Caddo Lake, Toledo Bend Reservoir, Sabine River, Sabine Lake and Sabine Pass (Texas border); Toledo Bend, Caddo Lake and the Sabine River (Texas–Louisiana).
Which is cheaper for visitors, Louisiana or Texas?
1 day (fresh water): Louisiana $30, Texas $16. 1 year (fresh water): Louisiana $68, Texas $58.
At what age do you need a fishing license in Louisiana and Texas?
You need a license from age 18 in Louisiana and from 17 in Texas.