Hunter Credentials

Residency and hunting credentials prove you're qualified to hunt in British Columbia. They're displayed on your Fish & Wildlife ID (FWID) profile.

Apply for Credentials

To apply for your residency and hunting credentials please click here to sign in to the BC Hunting online service.

Within three business days of applying, you'll receive an email confirmation of your application, which will direct you to log into BC Hunting and check your Fish & Wildlife ID profile page. Click on Profile Options to view the status of your Transaction. If your credentials application is approved, your credentials will show as Active.

Please note that online applications may take up to three business days to process.

Requirements

To apply for credentials, you'll need the following:

  • Proof of B.C. residency
  • Proof of age (if proof of residency does not include your birth date)
  • One of the following:
    • For new hunters: Conservation and Outdoor Recreation Education training or equivalent.
    • For persons with Status as defined in the Indian Act (Canada): Proof of Indian Status. Persons with Status as defined in the Indian Act (Canada) are not required to provide proof of hunter safety training.

You'll be required to provide supporting documentation, as outlined in the following section.

B.C. Residency

Resident hunters are required to prove they are a resident of British Columbia every 3 years.  Hunter's Fish and Wildlife online profile will display the residency expiry date.  If your residency credential has not yet expired, but will within six months, visit a Service BC, or FrontCounter BC office to show your proof of residency and ask the counter agent to renew your residency credential for another 3 years.  You can also update your residency by logging into your online Fish and Wildlife profile, and selecting “Update Residency”.  Log in to your online profile at www.gov.bc.ca/hunting,

Supporting documentation accepted as proof of B.C. residency include the following, with an issue date being at least six months prior to the date of the application.  Please note if you are renewing your B.C. residency credential then your documentation must be valid with no restriction on the issue date:

  • B.C. Driver's Licence
  • B.C. ID
  • B.C. Services Card
  • B.C. Driver’s Licence and B.C. Services combination card

If the issue date is within the six months preceding the date of the application, one of the following may be considered along with one of the documentation listed above. The documentation must include contact information to allow for reference checking:

  • ICBC vehicle insurance
  • A legal tenancy agreement
  • A letter from a school, confirming attendance in person

Persons registered under the Indian Act (Canada) are not required to establish residency six months preceding the date of application.

Hunters under 18 years of age can use documentation from a parent or legal guardian to prove residency.

Residency Exemption

In some cases, a hunter may not be required to be a B.C. resident to obtain B.C. resident hunting credentials. This applies to any hunter who is:

  • Currently serving full-time in the Canadian military and who has made his or her permanent residence in B.C. for 30 consecutive days prior to applying for B.C. resident hunting credentials. Appropriate military identification and posting documentation is required.

OR

  • A Canadian citizen or permanent resident of Canada, who leaves British Columbia to attend a recognized educational institution, and who returns to British Columbia on completion of studies at the institution concerned.

OR

  • Under 18 years of age, has resided with a parent or guardian in another province and returns to B.C. to reside with another parent or guardian who is a resident.

Hunter Safety Training

Proof of hunter safety training includes:

  • Conservation and Outdoor Recreation Education certificate
  • A confirmation letter from the B.C. Wildlife Federation or the Fish and Wildlife Branch
  • A document issued by a territory or province of Canada, other than British Columbia, or a government of an international jurisdiction evidencing successful completion of a hunter safety training course.

Conservation and Outdoor Recreation Education

The Conservation and Outdoor Recreation Education (CORE) program is designed for individuals wishing to obtain their first B.C. resident hunting licence. It is offered through a partnership agreement with the Provincial Government and the British Columbia Wildlife Federation (BCWF).

The program is valuable for anyone interested in outdoor recreation, wildlife and firearms safety. The successful completion of the program is required for B.C. residents age 10 or older who wish to obtain a B.C. Fish & Wildlife ID and hunting credentials, both of which are required to get a B.C resident hunting licence.

The course requires about 21 hours of self-study and firearm handling practice based upon the CORE manual.

The BCWF is responsible for CORE program administration, the keeping of graduate records and the public availability of the CORE examinations through a provincial network of certified CORE examiners.

Proof of Age

If the hunter’s proof of residency does not include date of birth, the hunter must provide proof of age, which may include any of the following:

  • Driver’s licence from another Canadian province or territory
  • ID from another Canadian province or territory
  • Birth certificate
  • Passport
  • Permanent Resident card
  • Citizenship card

Indian Status

Proof of Indian Status, as defined in the Indian Act (Canada), includes:

  • Indian status card (expired status cards are acceptable)
  • A Temporary Confirmation of Registration Document (TCRD)
  • A letter confirming status from the hunter’s Band Office or First Nations government