Recreational fishing licences and fees

Most people require a recreational fishing licence or deemed licence to legally fish in Ontario. If you purchased a recreational fishing licence, other than a 1-day licence, you must carry your Outdoors Card when fishing. You must carry your licence summary if the current fishing licence is not listed on the Outdoors Card or if you have not yet received your Outdoors Card. If requested, you must present these documents to a conservation officer. An Outdoors Card is a plastic, wallet-sized card valid for 3 calendar years and used for administration purposes.

A licence summary is a document that lists all valid fishing and hunting licences. The licence summary can be either a printed copy or saved as a digital format.

Digital format: You can carry your licence summary in a digital format, such as on a mobile device. You can have a copy of your licence summary sent to your email address by accessing your account using the Fish and Wildlife Licencing Service. If you choose to carry your licence summary on your mobile device, it must be in the PDF format provided to you from the Fish and Wildlife Licensing Service (a photograph or screenshot of your licence summary is not valid). You are responsible for ensuring that your device has battery power and is protected from the elements to be able to display it when and where requested by a conservation officer (unless you are also carrying a paper copy with you).

The province of Ontario sells 2 different types of recreational fishing licences.

• Sport fishing licence: For anglers who want full catch and possession fishing privileges. In this summary, S refers to limits under a sport fishing licence (such as S-4 = catch and possession limit of 4).
• Conservation fishing licence: A reduced catch and possession limit licence that is ideal for anglers who want to live-release the majority of fish caught. In this summary, C refers to limits under a conservation fishing licence (for example, C-2 = catch and possession limit of 2).

Contact us: For more information on purchasing an Ontario fishing licence, visit Fish and Wildlife Licensing Service or call the Natural Resources Information and Support Centre at 1-800-387-7011.

Residency definitions

Ontario resident:

A person whose primary residence is in Ontario and has lived in Ontario for a period of at least 6 consecutive months during the 12 months immediately before applying for a licence. This also includes a member or civilian employee of the RCMP or Canadian Armed Forces, or their immediate family, who is stationed and resides in Ontario for at least one month.

Canadian resident:

A person who is not an Ontario resident, whose primary residence is in any part of Canada and has lived in Canada for a period of at least 6 consecutive months during the 12 months immediately before applying for a licence.

Non-Canadian resident:

A person who is neither an Ontario nor Canadian resident.

When you don’t need to purchase a fishing licence — Deemed licences

Instead of purchasing and carrying an Outdoors Card and recreational fishing licence, persons described below carrying the specified documents while fishing may use them as a fishing licence. Catch and possession limits for a sport fishing licence apply in these situations.

Regardless of residency, a person who has been issued any of the following documents may use it as a fishing licence:

• an accessible parking permit issued under Ontario’s Highway Traffic Act
• the Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB) national identity card

The persons described below can carry a licence, permit, certificate or identification card issued by a federal, provincial or territorial government of Canada that indicates their name and date of birth and use it as a fishing licence.

• Ontario and Canadian residents who are under 18 or 65 years of age or older.
• Individuals, regardless of residency, who require the direct assistance of another person to fish and to follow applicable laws due to a disability defined in the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act. If the accompanying person is only assisting, they do not require a fishing licence, but must have one if they engage in fishing.
• A person, regardless of residency, who also holds a black and white photocopy or printed version of an accessible parking permit issued under Ontario’s Highway Traffic Act. A visitor who holds an out-of-province accessible parking permit can apply for an Ontario visitor accessible parking permit, more information at get an accessible parking permit.

Ontario residents who are active members or veterans of the Canadian Armed Forces can use one of the following documents as a fishing licence:

• Canadian Forces Identification Card (NDI 20)
• Record of Service Card (NDI 75)
• Canadian Armed Forces Veteran’s Service Card (NDI 75)

Family fishing opportunities

Ontario and Canadian residents are also provided 4 opportunities throughout the year to fish without having to purchase a fishing licence. These dates include:

• Family Fishing Weekend (February 15–17, 2025)
• Mother’s Day Weekend (May 10–11, 2025)
• Father’s Day Weekend (June 14–15, 2025)
• Ontario Family Fishing Week (June 28–July 6, 2025)

Anglers participating in family fishing opportunities must carry government issued identification and must follow catch and possession limits for conservation fishing licences. For more information on these fishing opportunities, contact the Natural Resources Information and Support Centre at 1-800-387-7011 or visit free family fishing.

Requirements for Indigenous persons

Many Indigenous communities in Ontario hold Aboriginal or treaty rights to fish. We are committed to respecting these constitutionally-protected rights. After conservation goals are met, Aboriginal and treaty rights to fish take priority before allocation and management of the resource for other purposes.

Aboriginal rights to fish stem from customs, practices or traditions that are integral to the distinctive culture of an Indigenous community. Treaty rights to fish are reserved through treaties between the Crown and Indigenous peoples. Aboriginal and treaty rights are collectively held and are associated with an Indigenous community’s traditional or treaty territory. These rights are not generic and different communities may hold different rights.

Aboriginal and treaty rights to fish can be exercised using modern means.

Members of Indigenous communities exercising an Aboriginal or treaty right generally do not require an Outdoors Card and Ontario fishing licence when fishing for food, social or ceremonial purposes within their traditional or treaty territory. Indigenous individuals should be prepared to provide identification showing their community membership if requested by conservation officers. Members of Indigenous communities fishing outside of their traditional or treaty area must hold a valid fishing licence and follow the corresponding seasons, limits, slot sizes and gear restrictions, or have permission from a First Nation to fish within their traditional or treaty territory. Licensing requirements are also applicable to members of Indigenous communities from the United States who do not have Aboriginal or treaty rights in Ontario. Non-Indigenous people fishing with Indigenous people must have a licence and follow appropriate regulations when fishing on their own behalf.

Non-Canadian residents

Anyone who is not an Ontario or Canadian resident is considered a non-Canadian resident for the purposes of fishing licence regulations. Most non-Canadian residents require an Outdoors Card and recreational fishing licence to fish in Ontario, including those 65 years of age or older. In addition to the general exceptions, the following exceptions apply:

• Non-Canadian residents under 18 years of age may fish without an Outdoors Card and licence if accompanied by a person who has a valid Ontario recreational fishing licence. Any fish kept are part of the catch and possession limit of the person who holds the licence. Alternatively, non-Canadian residents under 18 years of age may purchase an Outdoors Card and recreational fishing licence to have their own limits.
• Non-Canadian youth, under 18 years of age, attending an organized camp may use a government issued photo identification (or a photocopy) together with a camp identification card as a deemed licence to fish. The camp identification card must state the name and location of the camp, the name and date of birth of the camper and the dates that the camper is at the camp.
  • For the purpose of these rules, an organized camp means a camp for youth under 18 years of age operated for recreational or educational purposes which provides accommodation and meals for a minimum of five campers at a time.
  • These campers fishing under a deemed licence must follow Conservation Fishing Licence limits.

Non-Canadian residents camping on Crown lands in certain areas of Northwestern Ontario are subject to conservation fishing licence limits. Read Crown Land Camping Regulations for more details.

Applying for your Outdoors Card and licence

An Outdoors Card will be automatically mailed to you after you have completed your card purchase. The delivery time for an Outdoors Card is approximately 20 days. You will be able to fish while you wait for your Outdoors Card to arrive in the mail by carrying your licence summary, which lists your valid Outdoors Card and your fishing licence. If you’ve applied for an Outdoors Card and haven’t received it within the stated timeframe or have additional questions related to your Outdoors Cards, call 1-800-387-7011.

Note the following rules:

• All fishing licence products are issued on a calendar year basis from January 1 to December 31.
• You must notify us within 10 days of any changes to your name, contact information, address and/or residency. You can update your information by calling 1-800-387-7011, or online.
• Your Outdoors Card, recreational fishing licence or licence summary is not transferable to another person – they provide privileges to you alone.
• Regardless of the date of purchase, a 1-year fishing licence expires on December 31 of the year printed on the licence, while a 3-year fishing licence expires on December 31 of its third year.
• It is against the law to attempt to obtain more than one Outdoors Card or provide false information when applying for your Outdoors Card, recreational fishing licence or licence summary.
• If your Outdoors Card, recreational fishing licence or licence summary is lost or stolen, you can reprint your licence summary online at no charge and/or order a replacement plastic card for a fee. You can also visit a local licence issuer or participating ServiceOntario centre that offers our services for replacement.
• Anglers are able to purchase their Outdoors Card and fishing licences online.
• Outdoors Cards are not required when purchasing a 1-day licence.

Licence fees

The 2025 annual licence fees are in effect until December 31, 2025. For the location of the licence issuer nearest you, visit get an Outdoors Card and licence summary or call 1-800-387-7011.

The following licences are available online or through all licence issuers or participating ServiceOntario locations. A 3-year sport and conservation fishing licence can also be purchased through our automated telephone line at 1-800-288-1155 when renewing your Outdoors Card.

Some anglers may use other documents instead of purchasing and carrying an Outdoors Card and recreational fishing licence. Learn more: fishing licence (Canadian residents).

All products with a fee are subject to 13% HST.

Outdoors Card

Ontario residents:

Canadian residents:

Non-Canadian residents: