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LIFETIME LICENSES

Resident lifetime hunting, trapping, and fishing licenses serve in lieu of the equivalent annual license. Combination Hunting, Trapping & Fishing. (Class AB-L)*

$805

Combination Hunting, Trapping & Fishing-Infant(Class AB-L-I)*

$402.50

Fishing (Class B-L)*

$552

Fishing-Infant (Class B-L-I)*

$276

Trout Fishing (Class O-L)**

$230

Trout Fishing-Infant (Class O-L-I)**

$115
Senior Lifetime hunting & Fishing (Class XS)*** $25


*Class BG (Big Game) and CS
(Conservation Stamp) not required.

** Valid only when accompanied by a
Class B, AB-L, AB-L-I, B-L, B-L-I, X, or XJ license.

***Class DS (Bear Damage), BG (Big Game),
CS (Conservation Stamp), and O (Trout Stamp) not required.


RESIDENT LICENSES AND STAMPS

Fishing License (Class B)

$19

Sportsman Hunting/Fishing/Trapping (Class X) for ages 18 through 64

$35

Junior Sportsman Hunting/Fishing/Trapping (Class XJ) for ages 15 through 17

$16

Trout Fishing Stamp (Class O) Required of holders of Class B, AB-L, AB-L-I, B-L, B-L-I, F, LL, Q, X, or XJ

$10

Conservation Stamp- Required for all licensed anglers except holders of Class X, XJ, B-L, B-L-I, AB-L, and AB-L-I, licenses

$5


NONRESIDENT LICENSES AND STAMPS

Trout Fishing Stamp (Class OO) Required of holders of Class AB-L, AB-L-I, B-L, B-L-I, F, XXJ or LL

$16

Conservation/Law Enforcement Stamp (Class CS/LE) - Required for all licensed anglers

$13

Annual Fishing License (Class F)

$37

One-Day Fishing License (Class LL)

$3

National Forest Hunting/Trapping/Fishing (Class I) Required on National Forests in addition to Class F, QQ or LL

$2

Junior Sportsman Hunting/Fishing/Trapping (Class XXJ) for ages 15 through 17

$16

 

Note: any full-time student of state colleges and universities shall be considered as a resident and is entitled to state resident license privileges.  

Purchasing A License

Licenses may be obtained as follows:

  1. At approximately 180 retail license agents around the state. $3 issuing fee for 1st purchase and $1 for subsequent purchases.

  2. Over the Internet at www.wvfish.com. (Official DNR website $2 issuing fee )

  3. Directly from the Hunting and Fishing License Unit by phoning (304) 558-2758. ( $2 issuing fee )
    4.
For additional information please contact the Hunting and Fishing License Unit at:

Phone: (304) 558-2758

Mail: WVDNR
        324 Fourth Ave
        South Charleston, WV 25303

Email: wvdnrcustomerservice@wv.gov

Reciprocal Fishing

Ohio residents who carry fishing licenses valid in Ohio may fish on the Ohio River and its embayments or from the West Virginia banks of the Ohio River and embayments without obtaining West Virginia license.

West Virginia residents who carry fishing licenses valid in West Virginia may fish on Ohio River embayments in Ohio or from the Ohio banks of the Ohio River and embayments without obtaining an Ohio license.

West Virginia fishing laws and regulations must be followed when fishing on the Ohio River mainstream and on embayments or tributaries that are within the boundaries of West Virginia .

Ohio fishing laws and Ohio River fishing regulations for the Eastern Unit, which cover the West Virginia / Ohio border, must be followed while fishing on embayments or tributaries that are within the boundaries of Ohio .

The embayment and tributary reciprocal boundaries for each state are listed in the Waterfowl Hunting and Fishing on the Ohio River brochure available from West Virginia DNR offices, and online at www.wvdnr.gov. Ohio and West Virginia anglers may travel and fish embayments and tributaries to the landmark locations listed in the brochure. These locations are also defined by distance from the mouth of the tributary and GPS coordinates for convenience.

Potomac River - West Virginia residents who possess valid West Virginia fishing licenses may fish by angling in the waters of the Potomac River including the North Branch and Jennings Randolph Lake which are opposite both the West Virginia and the Maryland shores, and they may fish from the Maryland shore, without obtaining a Maryland fishing license, subject, however, to all other Maryland laws, rules and regulations applicable to fishing.

Maryland residents who possess valid Maryland fishing licenses may fish by angling in the waters of Jennings Randolph Lake which are opposite both the Maryland and West Virginia shores, and they may fish from the West Virginia shore of the Potomac River, including the North Branch and Jennings Randolph Lake without obtaining a West Virginia fishing license, subject, however, to all other West Virginia fishing laws, rules and regulations applicable to fishing. This agreement is limited to the Potomac River including the North Branch and Jennings Randolph Lake and does not extend to any of their tributaries. The State of Maryland has joint law enforcement jurisdiction on Jennings Randolph Lake .

Fishing License not required for

(a) Residents who are totally blind.

(b) Residents who turned 65 years of age before January 1, 2012. Such persons shall carry a WV driver's license or photo ID card issued by the DMV while fishing.

(c) Nonresidents or residents under 15 years of age.

(d) Residents on active duty in the U.S. armed forces while on military leave. Leave papers shall be carried while fishing.

(e) Resident landowners or their resident children, resident parents, or bona fide resident tenants of such land may fish on their own land during open seasons in accordance with the laws and regulations applying to such fishing.

(f) Residents honorably discharged from the U.S. armed forces receiving total permanent service-connected disability benefits or former prisoners of war as determined by the Veterans Administration or resident disabled veterans who qualify under West Virginia Code §17A-10-8 and are exempted from payment of any motor vehicle registration fee by the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles.

Residents or in-patients of any state mental hospital, health or benevolent institution.Such persons must be under proper supervision and carry a written statement or certificate signed by the superintendent of the institution or facility.

(h) Developmentally disabled residents. A DDFL card issued by the DNR must be carried while fishing.

Point System for Fishing Violations

Persons making false application for a license will have their license privileges suspended for 1 year.

Points are assigned to individuals for other hunting and fishing violations:

10 points for use of explosives or poison material in taking fish.
6 points for illegal possession or sale of wildlife.
4 points for all other violations.

When a violator accumulates 10 or more fishing or hunting points combined, his/her license(s) will be revoked for period of 2 years. Points will be removed on their second anniversary or upon restoration of the license(s).

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