New York vs Vermont fishing license
For a visitor fishing fresh water for 3 days, Vermont is $5 cheaper than New York. For a visitor's annual fresh-water license, New York is $4 cheaper than Vermont. You need a license from age 16 in New York and from 15 in Vermont.
- 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 | New York | Vermont |
|---|---|---|
| Fresh water | ||
| 1 day | $10 | $21 |
| 3 days | $28 | $23 |
| 7 days | $28 | $31 |
| 1 year | $50 | $54 |
| Residents, annual | ||
| Fresh water | $25 | $28 |
| Prices for | 2026 | 2026 |
Rules side by side
| New York | Vermont | |
|---|---|---|
| License needed from age | 16 | 15 |
| Senior residents | Resident annual freshwater fishing license (70 and over): $5 (ages 70+) Resident lifetime freshwater fishing license (70 and over): $65 (ages 70+) | Resident permanent license (66+): $60 (ages 66+) |
| Senior visitors | Normal visitor prices | Normal visitor prices |
| Required stamps | None | None |
| Next free fishing day | Wed, Nov 11, 2026 Not yet announced | Sat, Jan 30, 2027 Sat, Jun 12, 2027 Not yet announced |
| On a charter | Usually not: the boat's license covers its passengers | It depends on the boat and where you fish |
| License on your phone | Accepted | Accepted |
| Annual licenses last | 12 months from purchase | To End of the license year (exact date not confirmed) |
| Last checked | Nov 4, 2026 | Nov 4, 2026 |
Full details and sources: New York fishing license · Vermont fishing license
Shared waters
Lake Champlain (Vermont and Quebec) (New York rules)
Separate reciprocal license rules apply with Vermont; check DEC. Not valid in Quebec waters. Official source
Lake Champlain (New York) (Vermont rules)
Vermont license holders may fish Lake Champlain out to the New York shore, but not South Bay or New York tributaries. New York license holders may fish the Vermont side only up to a line from the Poultney River mouth at East Bay north to the Alburgh peninsula. Each state's rules apply in its own waters. Secondary source: Vermont Fishing Regulations 2026-27 (eRegulations)
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 | New York | Vermont |
|---|---|---|
| Largemouth bass |
Largemouth and smallmouth bass |
Largemouth and smallmouth bass Lake Champlain (Vermont waters) |
| Smallmouth bass |
Largemouth and smallmouth bass |
Largemouth and smallmouth bass Lake Champlain (Vermont waters) |
| Trout |
Trout in inland streams (brook, brown, rainbow, splake) Trout in lakes and ponds |
Brook, brown and rainbow trout Lake trout and landlocked Atlantic salmon |
| Walleye |
15" minimum; bag 5 |
Walleye Lake Champlain (Vermont waters) |
| Crappie |
Crappie (black and white) |
Panfish (yellow perch, crappie, sunfish, bullhead) |
| Northern pike |
18" minimum; bag 5 |
Northern pike Lake Champlain (Vermont waters) |
| Yellow perch |
No minimum; bag 50 |
Panfish (yellow perch, crappie, sunfish, bullhead) Lake Champlain (Vermont waters) |
| Muskellunge (muskie) |
Muskellunge and tiger muskellunge |
Muskellunge |
| Salmon |
Landlocked Atlantic salmon |
Lake trout and landlocked Atlantic salmon Lake Champlain (Vermont waters) |
Questions
Is a New York fishing license valid in Vermont?
No. Each state needs its own license, except on shared waters covered by a border agreement: Lake Champlain (Vermont and Quebec); Lake Champlain (New York).
Which is cheaper for visitors, New York or Vermont?
1 day (fresh water): New York $10, Vermont $21. 1 year (fresh water): New York $50, Vermont $54.
At what age do you need a fishing license in New York and Vermont?
You need a license from age 16 in New York and from 15 in Vermont.