Recreational freshwater fishing licences

Freshwater fishing licences are available as one‑day, eight‑day, or annual licences (April 1 to March 31). The licence you need depends on where you plan to fish, what you are fishing for, and your residency.

On this page

• Which licences you need
• Buy your licence
• Basic licences and fees
• Licence requirements
• Lost licences
• Residency explained
• Refunds

Which licences you need

The licence you need depends on your residency, age and where you plan to fish.

Review the residency definitions to determine your residency type.

B.C. residents

Residents 16 years of age or older

If you are 16 or older and a B.C. resident, you must:

• Have a valid basic freshwater fishing licence
• Buy any required supplementary licences or stamps

Residents under 16 years of age

If you are under 16 and a B.C. resident:

• You do not need any licence or stamp to fish in fresh water
• You do not need to fish with a licence holder
• You may keep your own quota of fish

Fee reduction program for residents with disabilities

B.C. residents who qualify may be eligible for a reduced fee basic licence.
For details, visit the Fishing Licence Fee Reduction page.

Non-residents and non-resident aliens

Non‑residents and non-resident aliens aged 16 and over

If you are 16 or older and not a B.C. resident, you must:

• Have a valid basic freshwater fishing licence
• Buy any required supplementary licences or stamps

Non-residents and non-resident aliens under 16 years of age

If you are under 16 and not a B.C. resident:

• You do not need a licence to fish in fresh water
• You must fish with someone aged 16 or older who has the correct licences and stamps
• Any fish you keep count toward the accompanying adult’s quota
• To keep your own quota, you must buy your own licence and any required stamps

First Nations

If you are a First Nations person who is eligible to be registered under the Indian Act (Canada) and a B.C. resident, you don’t need freshwater fishing licences.

Licences you need based on where and what you're fishing

Buy your licence

Online

Freshwater fishing licences can be bought online.

Buy a 2026-2027 licence in WILD.

• WILD quick reference guides

Buy a 2025-2026 licence in E-Licensing.

• E-Licence Tutorial (PDF, 1.5MB)

Scheduled maintenance may limit access to the e-Licensing system on Sunday mornings from 5 am to 11 am PT (6 am to noon MT).

In person

Buy freshwater fishing licences in-person at:

• FrontCounter BC offices
• Service BC offices
• Vendor locations

Basic licences and fees

100% of licence sales revenue goes to the Freshwater Fisheries Society of B.C. and the Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation. Prices subject to change. Tax not included.

*B.C. residents aged 65 and over have the option to purchase an annual basic licence at the reduced rate of $5.71 or at the full B.C. resident rate of $41.15.**You may purchase as many one-day and eight day licences as you need, but only one annual licence.

Licence requirements

Current licence year (until March 31, 2026)

• You must carry your licence and government issued photo identification while sport fishing and, if asked, produce them for inspection by a Conservation Officer, Fishery Officer, RCMP constable, Park Ranger in a park, or an Officer under the Wildlife Act
• Your basic non-tidal fishing licence must be legible and can be provided in the following formats:
  • An unmodified paper copy printed on 8.5" by 11" paper
  • An unmodified electronic copy on your digital device (for example, a photo on your phone, tablet, computer)
• When a Conservation Surcharge retention record is required, an unmodified paper copy printed on 8.5" by 11" paper is required to record your catch

Upcoming licence year (starting April 1, 2026)

When you buy a licence, it’s linked to your online Fish and Wildlife ID (FWID) profile. You must carry your FWID and photo ID

• If you have a Conservation Surcharge Stamp you must carry an unmodified paper or digital copy of your licence
• When a Conservation Surcharge retention record is required, an unmodified paper copy of your licence is required to record your catch

Lost licences

You cannot go fishing without a valid licence. Do not buy a new licence. You are only permitted one annual angling licence per year. Your retention record must be transferred to the new copy.

Licences can be reprinted online:

• E-Licensing (2025-2026 licences)
• WILD (2026-2027 licences)

Reprint a licence

You will need to know your angler number to reprint a lost licence. If you have forgotten your angler number, you may be able to retrieve it using the e-Licensing system. If you are unable to use the e-Licensing options for retrieving it, you can contact FrontCounter BC for assistance.

If you bought your licence through the e-Licensing system, you can:

1. Log in to the e-Licensing system
2. You will be asked to provide your angler number, date of birth and the phone number associated with your profile
3. Download an electronic copy to keep on your electronic device or reprint

You can also visit a FrontCounter BC location, Service BC location or licence vendor to reprint a copy. Vendors may charge a fee for reprinting.

Residency explained

B.C. resident

Under the Wildlife Act, a B.C. resident is a person who is:

• A Canadian citizen or permanent resident of Canada, whose only or primary residence is in B.C. and who has been physically present in B.C. for the greater portion of each of 6 calendar months out of the 12 calendar months immediately before doing a thing under the Wildlife Act

Or

• A person who is not a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident of Canada, whose only or primary residence is in B.C. and who has been physically present in B.C. for the greater portion of each of the 12 calendar months immediately before doing a thing under the Wildlife Act

Residency exemption

In some cases, an angler may not be required to be a B.C. resident to purchase a B.C. resident fishing licence. This applies to any angler 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 purchasing a B.C. fishing licence. Appropriate military identification and posting documentation is required

Or

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

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

Definition of non-resident

Under the Wildlife Act a non-resident is a person who in not a B.C. resident, but:

• Who is a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident of Canada

Or

• Whose only or primary residence is in Canada, and has resided in Canada for the 12 month period immediately before making an application under the Wildlife Act or doing another thing relevant to the operation of the Wildlife Act

A non-resident alien means a person who is neither a B.C. resident nor a non-resident.

Non-resident anglers must be familiar with B.C. fishing laws and regulations before hunting in B.C.

If you plan to fish in B.C., review the Freshwater Fishing Regulations Synopsis.

Refunds

It's important to review licences to ensure they are correct, prior to completing your purchase. As per the Refund Policy (PDF, 1.9MB), with few exceptions, licences are non-refundable and non-transferable.

Refund requests must be received in writing, include licence and profile details, and be forwarded for review to FishandWildlife@gov.bc.ca, with the subject line "Refund Request."

Refunds will not be issued if you bought a licence and did not use it, or if you bought an incorrect or duplicate licence.