The hunting and fishing licenses go on sale February 18 each year, the beginning of prime fishing, and are valid until the last day of February the following year. Seasons are subject to change. License fees are subject to change. Migratory bird seasons are determined by federal regulations. Most licenses, except the Lifetime Sportsman License and specialty licenses, such as Wheelchair, Disabled Veteran, SSI (Supplemental Security Income), and Blind Fishing licenses, are available from most county clerks, sporting goods stores, hardware stores, boat docks and other interested merchants and from all TWRA offices. All license prices, except the Lifetime Sportsman include an agent's fee.

License Ordering By Phone

Now charge your license(s) to Visa, Discover, or Mastercard!  Call Toll Free: 1-888-814-8972.  Please note, regular license fees plus a $3.95 processing fee will be charged to your credit card when you use the toll-free number above.

Licenses may also be purchased online by clicking here: Tennessee Online Hunting and Fishing License Sales.  There is a $3.25 processing fee for online license sales.

The TWRA is funded by two primary sources: license/permit sales and federal excise taxes (Pittman-Robertson and Wallop-Breaux).  Tennessee's allocation of these federal taxes is based in part, on the number of hunters and fishermen in the state.  The TWRA does not receive any funding from the State's general fund (i.e. state sales tax).   Thank you for buying a license.  Without your support, Tennessee would not have fish and wildlife management programs.

Resident Licenses
Resident licenses can be purchased by:

• Persons who possess a valid Tennessee driver's license.

   

• Persons who have lived in Tennessee for 90 consecutive days with the genuine intent of making Tennessee their permanent home.

   

• Military personnel on active duty in this state and their immediate families, who reside with them, regardless of resident status.

   

• Students who are enrolled in a Tennessee school, college, or university for at least six months.

* Supplemental Licenses
Supplemental Licenses (Types 005, 009, 010, or 011) are required, in addition to the Hunting and Fishing Combination license, to hunt deer, bear, boar, turkey and waterfowl. The type of hunting equipment to be used determines which supplemental license is necessary.

Waterfowl (Type 005) __________ $31.00
Annual Big Game Gun (Type 009) __________ $28.00
Annual Big Game Archery (Type 010) __________ $28.00
Annual Big Game Muzzleloader (Type 011) __________ $28.00

Annual Sportsman (Type 004) __________ $136.00
An all-inclusive license valid for hunting, trapping, and sport fishing without any state supplemental licenses or non-quota permits and allows holders to apply for quota permits at no additional fee.  Sportsman licenses can be purchased from all license agents.

To order your Sportsman License or other hunting and fishing licenses by credit card: Visa or Master Card, call Toll-Free 1-888-814-TWRA (8972). Please note, in addition to the cost of the license, there is an additional $3.95 processing fee for credit card orders using the toll-free number above.

You can order your Sportsman license (must be a TN resident) online by clicking here: Tennessee Online Hunting and Fishing License Sales.  There is a $3.25 processing fee for online license sales.

Junior Hunt/Trap/Fish (Type 002) __________ $8.00
Ages 13-15. Good for hunting all game, fishing, and trapping. Must be purchased prior to 16th birthday. No supplemental licenses are required, but special season and WMA permits will need to be purchased in addition to this license. 

Permanent Senior Citizen Hunt/Fish/Trap (Type 166) ______ $11.00
Available at all license agents and can only be purchased when the 65th birthday is reached. A valid Tennessee driver's license or proof of age and residency is required. No supplemental licenses are required, but special season and WMA permits will need to be purchased in addition to this license. 

Annual Senior Citizen Permit (Type 167) ______ $41.00
May be purchased only by holders of a Type 166 license.  It covers all non-quota permits required by TWRA and allows holders to apply for quota permits without payment of additional fees.

Permanent Wheelchair Hunting and Fishing (Type 189) ____ $10.00
Available only by application from the TWRA License Sales Office (615-781-6585).  The application must be accompanied by a doctor's statement stating that the applicant is permanently confined to a wheelchair.  Covers all license requirements to hunt and fish but holder must purchase any applicable permits.

Permanent DAV Hunting and Fishing (Type 198) _____ $10.00
Available only by application from the TWRA License Sales Office (615-781-6585) for resident veterans certified by the VA as 30 percent disabled by reason of war service or 100 percent service connected. Covers all license requirements to hunt and fish but holder must purchase any applicable permits.

Trapping (Type 019) __________ $28.00

Lifetime Sportsman ________ Age determines the cost (see below).
An all inclusive lifetime license valid for hunting, trapping, and sport fishing without any state supplemental licenses or permits. Allows holders to apply for quota permits at no additional fee.  Applications are available at your local TWRA office and on this web site (see below). 

Type 401 (Under 3 years of age) _____ $200.00

Type 406 (Ages 3-6) _____ $540.00

Type 402 (Ages 7-12) _____ $810.00

Type 403 (Ages 13-50) ____ $1620.00

Type 404 (Ages 51-64) _____ $945.00

Type 405 (Ages 65 and older) ______ $270.00

Click on Lifetime Sportsman License application information (includes the form to print and fill out - to mail to TWRA)

Nonresident Licenses

These do not include WMA or special season permits.

Junior Hunt/Fish (Type 070) __________ $9.00
Required for nonresidents ages 13-15. A Type 073 or 074 is required to hunt big game.
7-Day Hunt-Small Game/Waterfowl (Type 072) __________$50.50
Hunt-Small Game/Waterfowl (Type 071) __________ $91.00
7-Day All Game (Type 074) __________ $175.50
Annual All Game (Type 073) __________ $251.00
Trapping (Type 120) ____________ $401.00

Wildlife Management Area Permits

Everyone who hunts on a Wildlife Management Area is required to have a WMA permit except the holder of a Lifetime Sportsman License, Annual Sportsman License, Annual Senior Citizen Permit (Type 167), and youths under age 16 hunting small game and waterfowl. The youth hunters must be accompanied by an adult with a valid WMA permit.  Youths under age 6 may not hunt big game on a WMA.  All ages need a Type 094 permit for county non-quota hunts.

WMA Small Game and Waterfowl (Type 091) __________ $51.00
1-Day Small Game and Waterfowl (Type 092) __________ $10.50
WMA Small Game only (Type 093) __________ $17.00
Special Season/WMA Nonquota Big Game (Type 094) _______ $21.00
Valid for all County Special Season and WMA non-quota big game hunts, including Cherokee.
Cherokee WMA Big Game Nonquota (Type 095) __________ $16.00
Valid only for Cherokee WMA non-quota big game hunts.

Reelfoot Preservation Permit - required for all users except:

• those under 16 years of age
• residents 65 years or older
• holders of the Annual Sportsman license, Lifetime Sportsman license, or the Annual Senior Citizen Permit (Type 167).

Annual Reelfoot Preservation Permit (Type 089) __________ $17.00
3-Day Reelfoot Preservation Permit (Type 088) __________ $10.50
1-Day Reelfoot Preservation Permit (Type 090) __________ $3.50

Royal Blue and Sundquist Special Use Permits
These permits may be purchased for horseback riding, bicycling, and ORV use.  Youths under age 13 and persons holding a valid annual or permanent hunting license with a valid permit to hunt on these areas are exempt.

Resident Annual Permit (Type 035) ______________ $61.00
Resident Daily Permit (Type 036) ________________ $12.50
Non-resident Annual Permit (Type 037) ___________ $191.00
Non-resident Daily Permit (Type 038) _____________ $30.50

At least one occupant of an enclosed vehicle must possess the proper permit(s).  No permit shall be required on certain roads/trails as designated.

Federal Duck Stamp - $15

Federal law requires that each waterfowl hunter, age 16 and over carry on his/her person, in addition to a hunting license and permit, a valid Federal Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp, (federal duck stamp), signed in ink across the face. These can be obtained through the Post Office, National Wildlife Refuge offices, and some discount and sporting goods stores.

Migratory Bird Permit - TYPE 006 - $2.00

All persons who hunt migratory game birds (doves, woodcock, rails, snipe, coots, ducks, or geese) are required to have in their possession a Tennessee Migratory Bird Permit (TMBP) in addition to other required Tennessee licenses and permits, with the following exceptions: Landowners hunting on their land; disabled veterans; residents of Tennessee who are 65 or older, Lifetime Sportsman License holders, and residents of Tennessee under 13 years of age. Military personnel on leave or furlough will be required to possess the TMBP when hunting migratory birds even though they are not required to possess a hunting and fishing license. The TMBP is not required to hunt crows. 

Note: For Sportsman License holders who wish to obtain a Migratory Bird Permit, you may get the Type 007 Migratory Bird Permit at no charge to you.  This free permit is only available for Sportsman License holders. 

Landowner License Exemption

Persons hunting without a license under a resident farmland owner exemption must complete and sign a statement, attesting where the property is located and how this land qualifies for a landowner exemption.   Persons may complete the form in advance and carry it with them while hunting or they may complete the form when requested in the field by a TWRA official or when checking game.  Resident landowners and their children hunting on their parent's land under this exemption are also exempt from Hunter Education Certification requirements. Click here to download the Farmland Owner License Exemption Statement (Adobe Acrobat Reader Format).  

No License Needed For

• Residents born before March 1, 1926 (with proof of age and residency).

   

• Military personnel on leave carrying leave papers. 

   

• Landowners, their spouses, and children who hunt on farmland which is owned by said landowners. The aforementioned must be residents of Tennessee but need not reside on the land. This license exemption does not apply if the farmland is owned jointly or in common by unrelated persons.
   

• Resident grandchildren (under the age of 16) and resident great-grandchildren (under the age of 16) who hunt on farmland which is owned by their resident grandparents or great-grandparents.
   
• Tenants, their spouses, and their dependent children who hunt on farmland owned by an individual or family. The aforementioned must be residents of Tennessee and must actually reside on the land and have the permission of the landowner to hunt. A tenant is a person who, for money, free rent, or other consideration, cares for farmland. The tenancy must be agricultural in nature.
   
• First cousins who own farmland jointly or in common may fish and hunt small game on the farmland. Their children may fish and hunt small game as well.
   
• Resident and nonresident youths under 13. Hunters ages 10-12 need only a hunter education certificate to hunt.  However, youths 6-16 hunting big game on a WMA must have a valid Type 094 or Type 095 permit or quota permit, as applicable.

   

Misplaced A License

• If you purchased your license at a license agent, you may go to any  agent and get a duplicate. All hunting and fishing licenses can be replaced, including the Lifetime Sportsman License.  All duplicate licenses cost $7.00.