With a New Year, comes Fishing License renewals, here is a look at the costs for 2015 from the California Department of Fish and Game. The following information was taken from their website.
The State also announced that free fishing days in 2015 will be held on July 4 and September 15.
Valid January 1, 2015 through December 31, 2015
Fish and Game Code Section 70 defines “Resident” as any person who has resided continuously in the State of California for six months or more immediately prior to the date of their application for a license or permit, any person on active military duty with the Armed Forces of the United States or auxiliary branch thereof, or any person enrolled in the Job Corps established pursuant to Section 2883 of Title 29 of the United States Code.
Fish and Game Code Section 86 defines “Take” as hunt, pursue, catch, capture, or kill, or attempt to hunt, pursue, catch, capture or kill.
Fees for licenses that are available from license agents include 5% license agent handling fee.
Fees for licenses that are available from license agents and CDFW offices include 3% nonrefundable application fee. $7.50 maximum per item (Section 700.4, Title 14, California Code of Regulations).
Annual Sport Fishing Licenses | ||
|---|---|---|
| Title | Fee | Description |
| Resident Sport Fishing | $47.01 | Required for a resident 16 years of age or older to take fish, mollusks, crustaceans, invertebrates, amphibians or reptile in inland or ocean waters. Additional validations and report cards are required for certain species and areas. |
| Nonresident Sport Fishing | $126.36 | Required for a nonresident 16 years of age or older to take fish, mollusks, crustaceans, invertebrates, amphibians or reptile in inland or ocean waters. Additional validations and report cards are required for certain species and areas. |
| Reduced-Fee Sport Fishing License – Disabled Veteran | $6.95 at CDFW Offices $7.30 from license agents | Available for any resident or nonresident honorably discharged disabled veteran with a 50 percent or greater service-connected disability who takes fish. Certification from the United State Department of Veterans’ Affairs is required at the time of application or a copy of a previous year’s California Reduced Fee Sport Fishing License. First license must be purchased from a CDFW License Sales Office. Subsequent licenses may be purchased from any license agent. |
| Reduced-Fee Sport Fishing License – Recovering Service Member | $6.95 | Available for any recovering service member. A recovering service member is defined as a member of the Armed Forces, including a member of the National Guard or a Reserve, who is undergoing medical treatment, recuperation, or therapy and is in an outpatient status while recovering from a serious injury or illness related to the member’s military service. The Recovering Service Member Reduced-Fee Sport Fishing License is only available at CDFW License Sales Offices. |
| Reduced Fee Sport Fishing License – Low Income Senior | $6.95 | Available for any California resident, 65 years of age and older and whose total monthly income from all sources does not exceed the specified annual income levels. Certification of income is required annually from the United States Department of Social Security. The Reduced-Fee Sport Fishing License for Low Income Seniors is only available at CDFW License Sales Offices. |
| Free Sport Fishing License – Low Income Native American | NO FEE | Available for any American Indian or lineal descendant who is a resident of the State, 16 years of age or older and whose total annual income does not exceed the specified annual income levels for the number of people living in the household. Certification by the Bureau of Indian Affairs (B.I.A) or proof of being on a tribal registry is required. Verification of income on Form FG371 is required annually. The Free Sport Fishing License for Low Income Native Americans is only available at CDFW License Sales Offices. |
| Free Sport Fishing License – Mobility Impaired, Blind or Developmentally Disabled | NO FEE | A person meeting one of the three specific criteria described below may qualify for a Free Sport Fishing License. First license must be purchased from a CDFW License Sales Office. Subsequent licenses may be purchased from any license agent.(A) Available for any resident or nonresident with central vision acuity of 20/200 or less in the better eye with the aid of the best possible correcting glasses, or central vision acuity better than 20/200 if the widest diameter of the remaining visual field is no greater than 20 degrees. Certification of blindness by an optometrist or an ophthalmologist is required. (B) Available for any person who is a resident of the State and who is so severely physically disabled as to be permanently unable to move from place to place without the aid of a wheelchair, walker, forearm crutches or a comparable mobility-related device. Verification by a licensed physician or a copy of the previous year’s free fishing license is required. (C) Available for any developmentally disabled person. Certification by a licensed physician or the director of a State regional center is required. |
Short Term Sport Fishing Licenses | ||
| Title | Fee | Description |
| One-day Sport Fishing License | $15.12 | Allows a resident or nonresident 16 years of age or older to take fish, mollusks, crustaceans, invertebrates, amphibians or reptiles in inland or ocean waters. Additional validations or report cards are required for certain species or areas. One-day sport fishing licenses are exempt from the Ocean Enhancement Validation requirement. |
| Two-day Sport Fishing License | $23.50 | Allows a resident or nonresident 16 years of age or older to take fish, mollusks, crustaceans, invertebrates, amphibians or reptiles in inland or ocean waters for two consecutive days. Additional validations and report cards are required for certain species and areas. Two-day sport fishing licenses are exempt from the Ocean Enhancement Validation requirement. |
| Ten-day Nonresident Sport Fishing License | $47.01 | Allows a nonresident 16 years of age or older to take fish, mollusks, crustaceans, invertebrates, amphibians or reptile in inland or ocean waters for ten consecutive days. Additional validations and report cards are required for certain species and areas. |
Validations and Report Cards | ||
| Title | Fee | Description |
| Ocean Enhancement Validation | $5.14 | Required for all persons taking fish in ocean waters south of Point Arguello (Santa Barbara County). An Ocean Enhancement Validation is not required when fishing under the authority of a One or Two-Day Sport Fishing License. |
| Second Rod Validation | $14.61 | Required for all persons taking fish with two rods or lines in inland waters, except for waters in which only artificial lures or barbless hooks may be used. |
| Colorado River Validation | Discontinued – Anglers who possess either a valid California sport fishing license or a valid Arizona sport fishing license can fish from either shore of the portion of the Colorado River that makes up the California-Arizona boundary. | |
| Abalone Report Card | $22.42 | Required for all persons taking abalone from ocean waters north of the center of the mouth of San Francisco Bay, including persons who are not required to have a sport fishing license, such as persons who are under 16 years of age, persons who are fishing from a public pier and persons who are fishing on free fishing days. Only one Abalone Report Card may be issued per person each license year. |
| Sturgeon Fishing Report Card | $8.13 | Required for all persons taking sturgeon, including persons who are not required to have a sport fishing license, such as persons who are under 16 years of age, persons who are fishing from a public pier and persons who are fishing on free fishing days. Only one Sturgeon Fishing Report Card may be issued per person each year. |
| North Coast Salmon Report Card | $6.22 | Required for all persons taking salmon in the Smith River System or Klamath-Trinity River System, including persons who are not required to have a sport fishing license, such as persons who are under 16 years of age, and persons who are fishing on free fishing days. |
| Steelhead Report Card | $7.05 | Required for all persons taking steelhead in inland waters, including persons who are not required to have a sport fishing license, such as persons who are under 16 years of age, and persons who are fishing on free fishing days. |
| Spiny Lobster Report Card (valid for the entire lobster season – September 27, 2014 through March 18, 2015). | $9.46 | Required for all persons taking spiny lobster including persons who are not required to have a sport fishing license, such as persons who are under 16 years of age, persons who are fishing from a public pier and persons who are fishing on free fishing days. Report cardholders who fail to return their Spiny Lobster Report Card or report their harvest online by the April 30 following season, will be assessed a $20 non-return fee when they purchase a spiny lobster report card for the following season. |
Lifetime Fishing Licenses | ||
| Title | Fee | Description |
| Ages 0-9 Ages 10-39 Ages 40-61 Ages 62+ | $ 517.00 $ 844.50 $ 761.00 $ 517.00 | Available to residents of California. Lifetime fishing licensees receive an annual sport fishing license each year for life. Lifetime License Information |
| Fishing Privilege Package | $349.75 | Lifetime licensees who purchase the Fishing Privilege Package receive a Second-Rod Stamp, an Ocean Enhancement Stamp, a North Coast Salmon Report Card and a Steelhead Report Card. |
Duplicate Fees | ||
| Title | Fee | Description |
| Duplicate Sport Fishing License | $10.54 | Replaces lost or stolen original sport fishing license. |
| Sport Fishing Validation | $3.24 | (Second-Rod and Ocean Enhancement) Replaces lost or stolen sport fishing validations. |
| Sturgeon Report Card | $15.45 | Replaces lost or stolen Sturgeon Report Card. Available only at CDFW license sales offices. Sturgeon Fishing Report Card Affidavit |
| Abalone Report Card | $18.03 | Replaces lost or stolen Abalone Report Card. Available only at CDFW license sales offices. Duplicate Abalone Report Card Affidavit |
