Overview

To hunt and fish in Ontario, you need a valid Outdoors Card and a valid hunting or fishing licence.

An Outdoors Card is a plastic, wallet-sized identification card issued by the ministry that allows you to hunt or fish.

A valid Outdoors Card is required for:

  • Ontario residents
  • Canadian residents
  • non-residents
  • apprentice hunters (only Ontario residents 12 to 14 years old are eligible to participate in the Hunter Apprenticeship Safety Program)
image of a sample Outdoors Card. Card includes Card number, expiry date, height and eye colour of cardholder, cardholder’s name and date of birth.

You are required to carry this card with you at all times while hunting or fishing.

If you buy a 1-year or 3-year fishing and/or small game licence at the same time you renew or buy an Outdoors Card, these licences will be printed on the back of the card. All your valid fishing and hunting licences will also be listed on your licence summary.

Hunters must also have the appropriate hunter accreditation added to their Fish and Wildlife Licensing Service account to:

Buying or renewing an Outdoors Card

An Outdoors Card is valid for three calendar years. The Outdoors Card renewal period starts the first Tuesday of December every year.

You can buy or renew your Outdoors Card:

Requirements

To buy, renew or replace an Outdoors Card, you need to provide your:

  • legal first, middle and last name
  • date of birth
  • mailing and/or residential address
  • height and eye colour
  • parental consent (for resident hunters 12 to 15 years old)

Cost

The cost to buy, renew or replace your lost, stolen or damaged Outdoors Card is $8.57 +HST.

You can pay by VISA, VISA debit, MasterCard or Debit Mastercard. We do not accept American Express.

Delivery and shipping

Your card will be sent to you by mail.

It may take up to 20 days to receive your Outdoors Card.

If you have been waiting longer than 20 days, log into your Fish and Wildlife online account to check that your address is correct or call us at 1-800-387-7011.

While you are waiting for your Outdoors Card to arrive, you can carry your licence summary, given to you when you purchased your card, as temporary proof of purchase. This means you can go fishing or hunting immediately before your card arrives. You can carry your licence summary in paper or digital format, such as on a smartphone.

Updating your name or address on your Outdoors card

To update the name on your Outdoors Card, contact us within 10 days of the change.

You can update your address through the Fish and Wildlife Licensing Service by either:

Licence summary

A licence summary is provided to you each time you purchase a hunting and/or fishing licence.

You must carry your licence summary when you hunt or fish unless your licence is listed on the back of your Outdoors Card (such as a small game or fishing licences).

You can carry your most up-to-date licence summary in a paper or digital format (such as on a smartphone).

Fishing licences

Visit our fishing page to learn about:

  • how to get a fishing licence
  • fishing rules and limits
  • fishing seasons

Fees for fishing licences

Hunting accreditation, licences and tags

Hunter accreditation

Before you can buy hunting licences and tags, your hunter accreditation must be on file with the Fish and Wildlife Licensing Service.

Ontario residents ages 12 and over must provide proof of successfully completing Ontario's Hunter Education Program (or an Ontario-recognized equivalent) to a participating ServiceOntario location.

Non-Ontario residents should plan ahead and submit their hunting accreditation in advance.

Firearms licence requirements

Small game hunting

There are two licences available to hunt small game:

  • one year
  • three year

If you buy a 1-year or 3-year small game licence at the same time you renew or buy an Outdoors Card, it will be printed on the back of the card. If your small game licence is not listed on the back of your Outdoors Card, you must carry your licence summary with you when you are small game hunting.

In some cases, a tag for the small game species you wish to hunt is required (such as wild turkey or wolf/coyote in certain areas).

For more information, visit:

Big game hunting

In Ontario, species-specific hunting licences are available for the following:

  • black bear
  • moose
  • white-tailed deer
  • elk

These hunting licences are valid for one calendar year, in the relevant open season, and only for the type, age and sex of animal specified on your licence summary or tag.

You must enter a draw or allocation if you wish to hunt a particular type, age and sex of animal (or to hunt during a controlled deer hunt season), including:

  • antlerless white-tailed deer
  • bull, cow/calf or calf moose
  • bull or cow elk

Visit the Fish and Wildlife Licensing Service to:

  • buy all hunting products, including licences
  • enter big game draws and allocations

Learn more about:

Tags

A tag is a component of a hunting licence. Tags are required for some species, including:

  • white-tailed deer
  • moose
  • elk
  • black bear
  • wild turkey
  • wolf or coyote (in select Wildlife Management Units)

Your tag will specify the type, age and sex of the animal you are permitted to harvest, as well as the location, season and firearm type (if applicable).

For species that require a tag

You must carry the paper tag along with your valid Outdoors Card and licence summary listing the hunting licence for the species you are hunting.

Learn more in the tags section of Ontario Hunting Regulations Summary.

Collecting personal information (Outdoors Card)

Personal information is collected under the authority of the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act, 1997, S.O. 1997 and will be used for the purposes of identification, enforcement, research, communications and administration.

While some of the personal information may be stored outside Canada and is subject to the laws of the jurisdiction where it is stored, private companies under contract to provide the licencing services are contractually obligated to comply with Ontario’s Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act with regard to personal information in their custody.

For information about our collection practices, contact:

Manager, Licensing and Client Services Section
Fish and Wildlife Services Branch
Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry
300 Water Street
Peterborough, Ontario
K9J 3C7
1-800-387-7011