Saltwater fishing license by state
23 states have salt water. Some sell a separate saltwater license, some one license for all waters, and New Jersey and New York ask only for a free registry. The other 27 states are inland, with no salt water.
The Fishing License Guide trip cost calculator
Price your trip
Set to salt water. Pick your state, days and age: we work out the cheapest licenses, stamps and any free registry from the state's own price list.
Checked against 62,576 test trips across all 50 states: every one gave the same licenses and total as our separately written price check, and 1,152 shared trip links reopened the same price. Last run Nov 13, 2026.
- Sold by
- The state only. This site doesn't sell licenses.
- Sources
- Each state's own price lists and rules, linked beside every fact
- Rechecked
- Every month, with the date on each section
Saltwater licenses: key figures
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Cheapest visitor year in salt water
Free
Of the 50 states, New Jersey and New York are the cheapest places for an adult visitor to fish salt water for a year: free (2026 prices).
- Applies to
- New Jersey and New York, 2026 licenses
- Source
- Saltwater Recreational Registry (free registration) (opens a new tab) · Recreational Marine Fishing Registry (free) (opens a new tab)
- Checked
Copies the figure, where it comes from and this page's address Of the 50 states, New Jersey and New York are the cheapest places for an adult visitor to fish salt water for a year: free (2026 prices). Source: New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, Division of Fish & Wildlife and New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, https://dep.nj.gov/njfw/fishing/marine/saltwater-registry/, https://dec.ny.gov/regulatory/permits-licenses/sporting-and-use/sporting/recreational-marine-fishing-registry. Checked Nov 4, 2026. https://fishinglicenseguide.com/saltwater-fishing-license/How this figure was checked
- Where it comes from: New Jersey: Saltwater Recreational Registry (free registration) (opens a new tab) (free); New York: Recreational Marine Fishing Registry (free) (opens a new tab) (free). Every part of this figure comes from the state's own pages.
- How it's worked out: We work out the cheapest licenses an adult visitor (age 40) needs to fish salt water for a year in every state from each state's own price list, then compare all 50. The figure is left off if the cheapest or dearest state's price rests on a secondary source or has a note on this data.
- What the price includes: New Jersey: Listed prices are the license fees shown in the 2026 digest; any agent or online processing charge is not included. An optional durable license card costs $2. New York: Listed prices are DEC license fees. Agents may charge $1 to print; online or phone orders printed and mailed cost $2 (emailed copies are free).
- Checked Nov 4, 2026. Every month we compare each source page behind these prices with the copy the figure came from. The date only moves forward when nothing has changed, or after a changed page has been read again.
- Tested: The calculator behind these figures matched a separately written price check on all 62,576 test trips across the 50 states (last run Nov 13, 2026).
-
Most expensive visitor year in salt water
$174.14
Of the 50 states, California is the most expensive place for an adult visitor to fish salt water for a year: $174.14 with the Non-resident sport fishing license (2026 prices).
- Applies to
- California, 2026 licenses
- Checked
Copies the figure, where it comes from and this page's address Of the 50 states, California is the most expensive place for an adult visitor to fish salt water for a year: $174.14 with the Non-resident sport fishing license (2026 prices). Source: California Department of Fish and Wildlife, https://wildlife.ca.gov/Licensing/Fishing. Checked Nov 4, 2026. https://fishinglicenseguide.com/saltwater-fishing-license/How this figure was checked
- Where it comes from: California: Non-resident sport fishing license (opens a new tab) ($174.14). Every part of this figure comes from the state's own pages.
- How it's worked out: We work out the cheapest licenses an adult visitor (age 40) needs to fish salt water for a year in every state from each state's own price list, then compare all 50. The figure is left off if the cheapest or dearest state's price rests on a secondary source or has a note on this data.
- What the price includes: California: Prices include a 5% license agent handling fee and a 3% non-refundable application fee. All sales are final.
- Checked Nov 4, 2026. Every month we compare each source page behind these prices with the copy the figure came from. The date only moves forward when nothing has changed, or after a changed page has been read again.
- The line on the state's page (California):
Non-resident annual: $174.14 - Available for any non-resident 16 years of age or older.
(Non-resident sport fishing license (opens a new tab)) - Independent blind check, November 13, 2026: matched. Someone who hadn't seen our prices looked them up on the state's own pages.
- Tested: The calculator behind these figures matched a separately written price check on all 62,576 test trips across the 50 states (last run Nov 13, 2026).
Coastal states: what salt water needs
The cheapest way for an adult to fish salt water, worked out by our calculator from each state's own price list, including any required stamp or free registry. Some states add an agent or online fee; each state's page says what its prices include.
Salt water in the Northeast
What salt water needs in 7 states: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island
| State | Visitor, 1 day | Visitor, 1 year | Resident, 1 year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Connecticut 2026 prices Price a salt-water trip | $8 Non-resident 3-day marine fishing license |
$15 Non-resident marine waters fishing license |
$10 Resident marine waters fishing license (18-64) |
| Maine 2026 prices Price a salt-water trip | $1 Saltwater recreational fishing registry (non-resident) |
$1 Saltwater recreational fishing registry (non-resident) |
$1 Saltwater recreational fishing registry (resident) |
| Massachusetts 2026 prices Price a salt-water trip | $10 Recreational saltwater fishing permit (non-resident, 16-59) |
$10 Recreational saltwater fishing permit (non-resident, 16-59) |
$10 Recreational saltwater fishing permit (resident, 16-59) |
| New Hampshire 2026 prices Price a salt-water trip | $11 Recreational saltwater fishing license |
$11 Recreational saltwater fishing license |
$11 Recreational saltwater fishing license |
| New Jersey 2026 prices Price a salt-water trip | Free Saltwater Recreational Registry (free registration) |
Free Saltwater Recreational Registry (free registration) |
Free Saltwater Recreational Registry (free registration) |
| New York 2026 prices Price a salt-water trip | Free Recreational Marine Fishing Registry (free) |
Free Recreational Marine Fishing Registry (free) |
Free Recreational Marine Fishing Registry (free) |
| Rhode Island 2026 prices Price a salt-water trip | $5 7-day recreational saltwater fishing license (non-resident) |
$10 Recreational saltwater fishing license (non-resident) |
$7 Recreational saltwater fishing license (resident) |
Salt water in the South
What salt water needs in 11 states: Alabama, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia
| State | Visitor, 1 day | Visitor, 1 year | Resident, 1 year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama 2026-27 prices Price a salt-water trip | $36.65 Non-resident saltwater 7-day trip license |
$66.80 Non-resident saltwater fishing license |
$30.90 Resident saltwater fishing license |
| Delaware 2026 prices Price a salt-water trip | $12.50 Non-resident 7-day fishing license |
$20 Non-resident fishing license |
$8.50 Resident fishing license |
| Florida 2026 prices Price a salt-water trip | $17 Non-resident saltwater fishing license (3 days) |
$47 Non-resident saltwater fishing license |
$17 Resident saltwater fishing license |
| Georgia 2026 prices Price a salt-water trip | $10 Non-resident one-day fishing license ($10) + Saltwater Information Program (SIP) permit (required) (free) |
$50 Non-resident fishing license ($50) + Saltwater Information Program (SIP) permit (required) (free) |
$15 Resident fishing license ($15) + Saltwater Information Program (SIP) permit (required) (free) |
| Louisiana 2026 prices Price a salt-water trip | $60 Non-resident 5-day basic plus saltwater license |
$128 Non-resident basic plus saltwater license |
$32 Resident basic plus saltwater license |
| Maryland 2026 prices Price a salt-water trip | $12 Non-resident 7-day Chesapeake Bay and Coastal sport fishing license |
$22.50 Non-resident Chesapeake Bay and Coastal sport fishing license |
$15 Resident Chesapeake Bay and Coastal sport fishing license |
| Mississippi 2026-27 prices Price a salt-water trip | $15 Non-resident 3-day saltwater fishing license |
$30 Non-resident saltwater fishing license (1 year) |
$10 Resident saltwater fishing license (1 year) |
| North Carolina 2026 prices Price a salt-water trip | $15 Coastal Recreational Fishing License, 10 days (non-resident) |
$40 Coastal Recreational Fishing License (non-resident) |
$20 Coastal Recreational Fishing License (resident) |
| South Carolina 2026 prices Price a salt-water trip | $10 Non-resident 1-day saltwater recreational fishing license |
$75 Non-resident annual saltwater recreational fishing license |
$15 Resident annual saltwater recreational fishing license |
| Texas 2026-27 prices Price a salt-water trip | $16 Non-resident one-day all-water license |
$63 Non-resident saltwater package |
$35 Resident saltwater package |
| Virginia 2026 prices Price a salt-water trip | $10 Temporary 10-day saltwater fishing license (non-resident) |
$25 Non-resident individual saltwater fishing license |
$17.50 Resident individual saltwater fishing license |
Salt water in the West
What salt water needs in 5 states: Alaska, California, Hawaii, Oregon, Washington
| State | Visitor, 1 day | Visitor, 1 year | Resident, 1 year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska 2026 prices Price a salt-water trip | $15 Non-resident 1-day sport fishing license |
$100 Non-resident annual sport fishing license |
$20 Resident annual sport fishing license |
| California 2026 prices Price a salt-water trip | $21.09 One-day sport fishing license |
$174.14 Non-resident sport fishing license |
$64.54 Resident sport fishing license |
| Hawaii 2026 prices Price a salt-water trip | $20 Non-resident recreational marine fishing license (1 day) |
$70 Non-resident recreational marine fishing license (1 year) |
Free Ocean fishing: no license needed (Hawaii residents) |
| Oregon 2026 prices Price a salt-water trip | $29 One-day angling and shellfish license |
$147 Non-resident annual angling license ($138) + Ocean Endorsement (annual) (required) ($9) |
$59 Resident annual angling license ($50) + Ocean Endorsement (annual) (required) ($9) |
| Washington 2026-27 prices Price a salt-water trip | $27.05 1-day combination fishing license (non-resident) |
$81.70 Saltwater fishing license (non-resident) |
$40.71 Saltwater fishing license (resident) |
"Saltwater license sold": the state sells a license for salt water only. "All-water license sold": one license covers fresh and salt water. "Free registry" or "Saltwater registry": anglers sign up with the state instead of, or as well as, buying a license. Each state's page lists every license, with its source.
Inland states: no salt water
These 27 states have no salt water, so there's no saltwater license to buy. Their freshwater license covers their lakes and rivers.
- Arizona No salt water
- Arkansas No salt water
- Colorado No salt water
- Idaho No salt water
- Illinois No salt water
- Indiana No salt water
- Iowa No salt water
- Kansas No salt water
- Kentucky No salt water
- Michigan No salt water
- Minnesota No salt water
- Missouri No salt water
- Montana No salt water
- Nebraska No salt water
- Nevada No salt water
- New Mexico No salt water
- North Dakota No salt water
- Ohio No salt water
- Oklahoma No salt water
- Pennsylvania No salt water
- South Dakota No salt water
- Tennessee No salt water
- Utah No salt water
- Vermont No salt water
- West Virginia No salt water
- Wisconsin No salt water
- Wyoming No salt water
Price your own trip
Fishing both fresh and salt water, or only for a few days? The calculator checks whether one all-water license or two separate ones works out cheaper.
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