Important Note: the Commission (VMRC) implemented a free state saltwater angler identification program in January of 2011 in order to exempt saltwater anglers from having to register yearly with the National Saltwater Angler Registry and pay an annual federal registration fee. The Virginia Fisherman Identification Program (FIP) will require unlicensed saltwater anglers age 16 and older to register for free with the VMRC and receive an identification number annually. If someone plans to saltwater fish
without needing to buy a license, they'll need to register with VMRC.
Legally unlicensed, adult anglers who fish for anadromous or marine species in Virginia's freshwaters will need to register as well. If you plan to only fish from a licensed charter boat you do not have to register. You may register online at
www.mrc.virginia.gov/FIP. For more information on the FIP
see just below or visit
www.mrc.virginia.gov/FIP or call the VMRC at 757-247-2200.
Saltwater recreational fishing license and FIP registration requirements when fishing in VA tidal waters and not on a VA or PRFC licensed charter or head boat:
Younger than 16 years of age: no paid license or FIP no-cost registration required.
16 years or older and less than 65 years old (16-64 years old): a paid license is required unless one of following exemptions applies:
· fishing from a public fishing pier with a VMRC issued license that allows pier anglers to fish without license
· any non-license holder fishing from a private boat with a VA or PRFC saltwater boat license
· fishing from the angler's private property/pier
· fishing in VA with a reciprocal MD saltwater license
Individuals fishing without license under these exemptions are required to obtain a no-cost FIP registration prior to fishing.
65 years of age or older: No license is required, but these older anglers are required to obtain a no-cost FIP registration prior to fishing.
Effective 7/1/13 there is a $5 optional lifetime saltwater fishing
license for VA resident anglers 65 or older, if a person has purchased this
optional license they do not need to register in FIP.
Virginia Saltwater Recreational
Fishing Licenses: The fishing licenses listed below
are required for recreational, non-commercial
use of a rod-and-reel (hook and line), handline, spear or gig, cast net, or up
to two eel pots in
Virginia tidal
saltwater areas including the Atlantic Ocean out to the three mile
limit. Click
here for a description of Saltwater/Freshwater
Licensing Boundaries. Exemptions from licensing requirements
and
license reciprocity information are listed below.
Recreational Saltwater Fishing License Fees | |
---|---|
Individual SW, Resident | $17.50 |
Individual SW, Nonresident | $25.00 |
Individual FW/SW, Resident |
$39.50 |
Individual FW/SW, Nonresident |
$71.00 |
SW 10-day temp, Resident | $10.00 |
SW 10-day temp, Nonresident | $10.00 |
FW/SW 5-day temp, Resident |
$24.00 |
FW/SW 5-day temp, Nonresident |
$31.00 |
* SW Recreational boat, Resident | $48.00 |
** SW Recreational boat, Nonresident | $76.00 |
Reissuance of SW Recreational Boat License | $5.00 |
*** Tidal Boat Sport Fishing, Resident | $126.00 |
*** Tidal Boat Sport Fishing, Nonresident | $201.00 |
**** Individual Lifetime SW (Under 45), Resident | $276.00 |
**** Individual Lifetime SW (Under 45), Nonresident | $500.00 |
**** Individual Lifetime SW (45-50), Resident | $132.00 |
**** Individual Lifetime SW (45-50), Nonresident | $240.00 |
**** Individual Lifetime SW (51-55), Resident | $99.00 |
**** Individual Lifetime SW (51-55), Nonresident | $180.00 |
**** Individual Lifetime SW (56-60), Resident | $66.00 |
**** Individual Lifetime SW (56-60), Nonresident | $120.00 |
**** Individual Lifetime SW (61-64), Resident | $35.00 |
**** Individual Lifetime SW (61-64), Nonresident | $60.00 |
****Individual Resident Lifetime License age 65 and older (available 7/1/13)***** | $5.00 |
****Individual Lifetime SW Disabled, Resident | $10.00 |
****Individual Lifetime SW Disabled, Nonresident | $10.00 |
* This entitles a registered boat owner listed as the licensee to an individual fishing license valid for all Virginia saltwater recreational fishing. Non-Residents purchasing the Non-Resident SW Recreational Fishing Boat License must have a boat registered in VA. Non-residents without a boat registered in VA are not eligible to obtain the NR Boat License. MD or PRFC license holders with reciprocity privileges can fish in VA without purchasing the NR license - see below for more on reciprocity. For any VA saltwater boat license, passengers on a licensed boat may fish without additional paid license (unlicensed fishing passengers do however have to comply with FIP registration requirements).
** Non-Residents purchasing
the Non-Resident SW Recreational Fishing Boat License must have a boat
registered in VA. Non-residents without a boat registered in VA are not
eligible to obtain the NR Boat License. MD or PRFC license holders with
reciprocity privileges can fish in VA without purchasing the NR license - see
below for more on reciprocity. For any VA saltwater boat license,
passengers on a licensed boat may fish without additional paid
license (unlicensed fishing passengers do however have to comply with FIP
registration requirements).
*** The tidal boat license is a type of boat license that became
available 7/1/11. This entitles a registered boat owner listed as the licensee
to an individual fishing license valid for ALL Virginia freshwater and
saltwater, which would include fishing from shore.
In addition, when the boat owner/licensee is aboard any of their own registered boats while fishing in only Virginia
tidal waters, they and their passengers may fish without additional paid license
(unlicensed passengers do however have to comply with FIP
registration requirements). Non-resident tidal boat licensees
are not required to have their boats registered in Virginia to qualify to purchase this license.
**** Click
here to visit the DWR web site that describes how to obtain a
lifetime or disabled saltwater fishing license.
***** This resident lifetime license for individuals age 65 and older is an
optional license which can be purchased to allow fishing in MD waters under the VA/MD
reciprocity agreement or to avoid annual FIP registration
requirements. The license is optional and individuals age 65 and older
may still fish Virginia tidal waters for saltwater species without a license if
desired, although they still must comply with annual FIP
registration requirements if they have not purchased a license.
The saltwater recreational hook and line licenses listed above
are sold
by licensing agents administered by the Department of Wildlife Resources (DWR).
Click
here to view a list of licensing agents maintained by DWR.
Note that although this linked page refers to
hunting license agents, DWR agents sell saltwater recreational fishing
licenses, freshwater recreational fishing licenses as well as hunting
licenses.
Get
your saltwater fishing license online! Click on link to learn
more.
Get
your saltwater fishing license by phone at 1-866-721-6911 (M-F 8:30 to 4:30) !
Click on link to learn more
Note for saltwater recreational boat licenses purchased
online or by phone: boat stickers are mailed separately by the DWR &
should be received within 10 days after the online or phone purchase.
Boat licensees can also use their paper boat license as an individual
license to fish away from the licensed boat.
No Cost Recreational Species Permits - for selected species like trophy striped bass, grouper, tilefish and cobia a no cost permit may be needed by an angler in addition to their regular paid license. Use the web link to the left to obtain your free permit. Note that these permits may only be available during the time of year a specific recreational fishery is occuring.
If you hold a valid fishing license in
Maryland or
from the Potomac River Fisheries Commission you may not need another
license to
fish in Virginia. Read the comments below on license reciprocity
for more
information.
1. A person under the age of 16 or a person who has attained the age of 65.B. No saltwater recreational fishing licenses shall be required on days that are designated as free fishing days. The Commissioner shall designate no more than three free fishing days in any calendar year. This exemption shall not apply to headboats, charterboats, or rental boats.
2. A person fishing from private real property that he owns or rents, the nonpaying guest of such person, or a member of the immediate family of such person.
3. A person fishing from a licensed recreational boat licensed pursuant to § 28.2-302.7.
4. A person fishing from a licensed headboat, charterboat, or pier licensed pursuant to § 28.2-302 or 28.2-302.8.
5. A person fishing with gear licensed by the Commission.
6. The holder of a valid recreational fishing license issued by another state or jurisdiction, upon determination of reciprocity of the license by the Commissioner.
7. Members of the following groups, as determined by the Commissioner:a. Organized groups of individuals with physical or mental limitations;8. A permanently and totally disabled person as defined in § 58.1-3217 holding a special lifetime saltwater recreational fishing license issued pursuant to § 28.2-302.10.
b. Organized groups of military veterans residing in veterans' hospitals; and
c. School groups, grades kindergarten through 12, participating in school-sponsored trips.
9. A person holding a lifetime saltwater recreational fishing license issued pursuant to § 28.2-302.10:1.
10. A person fishing from a federally owned park or reserve with boundaries extending into an adjoining state that does not require a saltwater fishing license.
11. A Virginia resident who is a member of an American Indian tribe recognized by the Commonwealth and is carrying (i) an identification card or paper signed by the chief of his tribe, (ii) a valid tribal identification card, (iii) a written confirmation through a central tribal registry, or (iv) a certification from a tribal office, stating that the person is a member of such tribe. Such card or other certification shall create a presumption of residence in Virginia that may be rebutted by proof of actual residence elsewhere.
Reciprocal Recreational Saltwater Fishing Licenses:
Chesapeake Bay and Seaside - Anglers with saltwater licenses from either Virginia or Maryland may fish in any portion of the Chesapeake Bay, or any of the saltwater reaches of its tributary rivers, as well as seaside bays and creeks and the Atlantic Ocean where a Virginia saltwater license is required. Virginia licenses honored include: 1) individual annual licenses; 2) individual temporary licenses; 3) private boat licenses covering all persons fishing on the boat; 4) annual licenses for charter boats, headboats, and partyboats; and 5) annual licenses for rental boats.
Note: MD licensees may fish in VA tidal waters as described above
without additional license, but must register in the new VA Fisherman
Identification Program (FIP) beginning January 1, 2011. Click on following
link for more information, www.mrc.virginia.gov/FIP.
Potomac River - Anglers with saltwater licenses from
either
Virginia or the Potomac River Fisheries Commission may fish in
any portion of the mainstem of the Potomac River to the lower
border of D.C.. Virginia licenses honored include: 1) individual
annual licenses; 2) individual temporary licenses; 3) private
boat licenses covering all persons fishing on the boat; 4) annual
licenses for charter boats, headboats, and partyboats; and 5)
annual licenses for rental boats.
Note: PRFC licensees may fish in VA tidal water as described above without additional license and do not have to register in the new VA Fisherman Identification Program (FIP). Click on following link for more information, www.mrc.virginia.gov/FIP.
Effective 7/1/13 there is a $5 optional lifetime saltwater
fishing license for VA resident anglers 65 or older, if a person has
purchased this optional license they do not need to register in the VA FIP.
This optional license can be used by the holder to fish in MD waters under
the reciprocity agreement, but the licensee must abide by MD rules and
likely will need to register in the
MD
Angler Registry Program .
Virginia saltwater recreational licenses purchased for fishing in ocean waters are the same license used for Bay waters and have the same reciprocity described above.
MD/VA Reciprocity documents: <2009
MD/VA
Reciprocity Agreement Amendment> <Current
MD/VA Reciprocity agreement>
For more information on reciprocity consult the DWR
web site or the PRFC
web site.
[Other saltwater recreational
licenses]…[Other
Commission licenses]…[Saltwater/Freshwater
Licensing Boundaries]
Click here to visit the DWR site related to freshwater
recreational fishing in Virginia