Maine Fishing License: Requirements, Costs & How to Buy

A valid Maine fishing license is required for anyone 16 years of age or older to fish in inland waters or transport fish taken from inland waters. The Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife manages all fishing licenses and regulations for the Pine Tree State. Residents and non-residents can purchase licenses online, from authorized agents throughout the state including sporting goods stores, convenience stores, town clerks, and turnpike service centers, or directly from the Department office in Augusta. Maine offers various license types to accommodate different fishing needs, from single-day permits to lifetime licenses.

Quick Reference: Maine Fishing License

Who Needs a Maine Fishing License?

Resident Requirements

Any Maine resident who is 16 years of age or older must have a valid fishing license to fish in inland waters or transport fish taken from inland waters. A resident is defined as a citizen of the United States who is domiciled in Maine, or a person who is not a citizen of the United States but has been domiciled in Maine for one year. To qualify as a resident, you must meet all of the following requirements: if registered to vote, you must be registered in Maine; if licensed to drive a motor vehicle, you must have applied for a Maine motor vehicle license; if owning a motor vehicle located within the state, you must have registered each vehicle in Maine; you must comply with state income tax laws; and if you are a full-time student at a Maine college or university, you must reside in Maine and satisfy all the above requirements.

There is an important exemption for Maine residents fishing on their own property. Any resident and any member of the resident’s immediate family may fish without a license in open inland waters from land to which they are legally entitled to possession, on which they are actually domiciled, and that is 10 or more contiguous acres in size, as long as the angler’s license to fish is not under suspension or revocation.

Non-Resident Requirements

A non-resident is defined as any person who does not fall within the definition of a Maine resident. All non-residents who are 16 years of age or older must possess a valid Maine fishing license to fish in inland waters or transport fish taken from inland waters. Non-residents have several license duration options including season, 15-day, 7-day, 3-day, and 1-day licenses to accommodate various trip lengths.

Non-residents between 18 and 23 years old who are enrolled full-time in a college in Maine may be eligible for a resident rate license for fishing, hunting, and trapping. This special license must be obtained at the main office in Augusta. Additionally, non-residents who operate any motorized watercraft or aircraft equipped with pontoons on inland waters must display a Lake and River Protection Sticker in addition to a current boat registration sticker.

Maine Fishing License Types and Prices

Resident Licenses

The 1-day fishing license may be exchanged by a Maine resident for a season fishing or combination hunting and fishing license upon payment of the difference between that fee and the fee for the season license, plus the agent’s fee. The Serviceman rate applies to Maine residents permanently stationed outside the state of Maine. Fees listed do not include the agent fee charged at the point of purchase.

Non-Resident Licenses

The non-resident 15-day fishing license may be exchanged for a non-resident season fishing license upon payment of $17.00 plus the agent’s fee. All non-resident licenses expire on December 31 of the calendar year for which they were issued.

Lifetime Licenses

Maine offers lifetime licenses that allow the bearer to fish for their lifetime, regardless of where they will live in the future. These licenses provide long-term financial support for Maine’s fish and wildlife through revenues deposited in a special trust fund.

For Maine resident applicants 70 years of age, a senior lifetime license for a one-time fee of $8.00 entitles the holder to all privileges they are qualified to receive including hunting, trapping, archery, and fishing. The license also includes bear hunt, bear trap, migratory waterfowl, pheasant, spring and fall turkey, coyote night hunt, crossbow, muzzleloader, one expanded archery antlerless deer permit, and one expanded archery either-sex permit. If you purchased a senior lifetime license before age 70, you do not have to pay the $8.00 fee, and the permits are included with your lifetime license anytime during the calendar year you turn 70 years of age.

Who Is Exempt from Needing a Fishing License?

Age Exemptions

Any person under 16 years of age may fish in Maine inland waters without a license. There is no senior age exemption that completely waives the license requirement, though Maine residents aged 65 and older qualify for significantly reduced lifetime license fees.

Free Fishing Days

Maine designates specific free fishing days when any person may fish without a license, except those whose license has been suspended or revoked. For 2026, free fishing days are February 14-15 and May 30-31. All other fishing laws and regulations apply on these days.

Complimentary Licenses

Free fishing licenses are issued upon application to the following Maine residents (these licenses may be obtained at the Department Office in Augusta):

• Any Maine resident who is blind
• Any Maine resident (or non-resident, if reciprocal privileges exist in the home state of the non-resident) who is suffering from the loss, or loss of use, of both lower extremities
• Any person with a developmental disability as defined in Maine law
• Any person with a head injury as defined in Maine law
• Any resident 16 or 17 years old in the custody of the Department of Health and Human Services
• Any person or entity that allows a group of persons with disabilities to fish in a location for a period of time as specified on the license

Disabled Veterans

Maine resident and non-resident veterans (if reciprocal privileges exist in their home state) who have been honorably discharged from the U.S. Armed Forces or the National Guard and have a service-connected disability of 50% or more will be issued, upon application, a complimentary license to fish, trap, or hunt including all necessary permits and other permissions. These licenses can be obtained at Maine Bureau of Veterans Services Central Office located at Camp Keyes, 194 Winthrop Street, Augusta, ME 04333, by emailing mainebvs@maine.gov, or by completing and mailing in the application form. Office hours are 7:30am to 4:00pm Monday through Friday.

Native Americans

The commissioner shall issue a complimentary lifetime hunting, archery, trapping and fishing license, including permits and other permissions needed to hunt, trap and fish, to a person who is an enrolled member of the Passamaquoddy Tribe, the Penobscot Nation, the Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians, or the Aroostook Band of Micmacs, if the person presents certification from the respective reservation governor or the Aroostook Micmac Council stating that they are an enrolled member of that federally recognized nation, band or tribe.

Military Personnel

Anyone serving in the U.S. Armed Forces and permanently stationed at a military base in Maine, including their spouse and dependent children if they permanently reside with that person, may purchase a resident license to hunt, trap, or fish. Maine residents who are on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces and permanently stationed outside of Maine may purchase a fishing or combination hunting and fishing license for the Maine Resident Serviceman combination price upon verification that Maine is their home of record and that they are permanently stationed outside of Maine. Their spouse and any dependent children residing with them are also entitled to discounted rates.

Exchange Students

Any citizen of a foreign nation under age 21 who is living with a family in Maine for a cultural or educational exchange program may purchase a resident license to hunt or fish.

Landowner Exemption

Notwithstanding standard license requirements, any resident and any member of the resident’s immediate family may fish without a license in open inland waters from land to which they are legally entitled to possession, on which they are actually domiciled, and that is 10 or more contiguous acres in size, as long as the angler’s license to fish is not under suspension or revocation.

Complimentary License Companions

The commissioner may allow a licensee who has received a complimentary fishing license to have a person accompany and assist that licensee in fishing. The person accompanying and assisting the holder of a complimentary fishing license may do so without obtaining a separate fishing license. This does not authorize the person accompanying and assisting the licensee to assist that licensee with more than one fishing rod and reel. The person accompanying and assisting the licensee must remain within the immediate proximity of the licensee while that licensee is fishing.

Special Permits and Endorsements

Super Pack License

The Super Pack License is available to Maine residents only for $212.00. This comprehensive license permits an eligible person to hunt and fish for all legal game and fish species, subject to all of the laws governing fishing, hunting, and archery. The Super Pack License includes muzzleloader, migratory waterfowl, pheasant, spring/fall turkey, bear hunting, coyote night hunt, one either-sex expanded archery permit, and three expanded archery antlerless permits. The license includes a dog training and hunting permit which must be obtained through the MDIFW Augusta office via phone, email, mail, or in-person. It also includes one free chance in the moose lottery and entry into a special category in the antlerless deer permit lottery. The person must meet all respective safety course requirements to hunt with individual methods.

How to Buy Your Maine Fishing License

Online Purchase

Maine residents and non-residents can purchase fishing licenses online through the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife’s online licensing system, known as MOSES. This secure online service is available to any resident or non-resident sportsperson looking to hunt, fish, or trap in the State of Maine. To purchase online, you will need your personal information including name, date of birth, and contact information, as well as a credit or debit card (Visa, MasterCard, or Discover). You will also need a printer or mobile device to print or save an electronic copy of your license or permit.

The online service is not available for individuals who need to obtain a complimentary, lifetime, or military license, or for individuals from countries other than the USA or Canada. If you need a duplicate license, you can print a copy of a previously purchased license or permit through the online system. To print a copy of a lifetime license, you must contact MDIFW directly.

In-Person Purchase

Residents and non-residents may obtain fishing licenses from authorized agents throughout the state. These agents include sporting goods stores, many convenience stores, town clerks, and turnpike service centers. Note that not all town clerks issue non-resident licenses, so it is advisable to call ahead if you plan to purchase from a town clerk’s office. Licenses can also be purchased directly from the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife office in Augusta.

When purchasing in person, you must provide the same personal information required for online purchases. Agent fees are charged at the point of purchase and are not included in the license prices listed. Duplicate licenses can be obtained from the agent who issued the original license for a fee of $2.00.

License Validity and Expiration

All Maine fishing licenses expire on December 31 of the calendar year for which they were issued. This applies to both resident and non-resident season licenses, as well as combination licenses. The only exceptions are short-term licenses (1-day, 3-day, 7-day, and 15-day licenses), which are valid for the specified number of consecutive days from the date of purchase, and lifetime licenses, which are valid for the holder’s lifetime.

You are required to keep an electronic and/or paper copy of your fishing license with you at all times while fishing or transporting fish. If requested to do so, you must present it for inspection to any warden, law enforcement officer, MDIFW employee, guide, or landowner upon whose land you are fishing. An electronic license or permit can now be displayed in lieu of a physical paper license or permit.

Possession of fishing tackle in the fields or forests or on the waters or ice of Maine without a fishing license is prima facie evidence of fishing in violation of the law. If you lose your license, you can obtain a duplicate from the agent who issued the original license for $2.00, or print a copy through the online licensing system if you purchased your license online.

Frequently Asked Questions

For the most current information and to purchase your license, visit the official Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife website.