Pennsylvania Fishing License and Regulations
License and permit fees, openers, inland limits, general rules and the border agreements from the 2026 Summary.
For weighing a catchPiscifun Lip gripper with digital scale27% OFFSale $39.99 Photo of Presque Isle State Park: Andre Carrotflower, CC BY-SA 4.0
Who must carry a Pennsylvania fishing license
A current license is required of persons age 16 and over to fish or angle for any species, take fishbait or baitfish, or take reptiles and amphibians from Commonwealth waters. Trout permit needed to fish for trout; Lake Erie permit needed on Lake Erie, Presque Isle Bay and tributaries.
Bona fide Pennsylvania residents qualify for a resident license (proof: PA driver's license, PA non-driver photo ID, prior-year PA income tax or local earned income tax return, or PA voter registration card). Military stationed in PA under PCS orders of 6 months or more qualify; out-of-state students need a tourist or Non-Resident PA Student license.
2026 Pennsylvania Fishing Summary (PA Fish and Boat Commission; in effect or proposed as of October 1, 2025, PDF revised February 27, 2026), page 4. Retrieved October 23, 2026.
Pennsylvania fishing license fees for 2026
| License | Fee | Residency | Valid | Age |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Resident (Annual) | $27.97 | resident | Calendar year | 16-64 |
| Senior Resident (Annual) | $14.47 | resident | Calendar year | 65 & up |
| Senior Resident (Lifetime) | $86.97 | resident | Lifetime | 65 & up |
| 1-Day Resident (not valid March 15-April 30) | $14.47 | resident | 1 day | 16 & up |
| Disabled Veterans Reduced Resident License** | $2.97 | resident | Calendar year | 16 & up |
| Disabled Veterans Resident Annual License** | $0.00 | resident | Calendar year | 16-64 |
| POW Resident Annual License ** | $2.97 | resident | Calendar year | 16-64 |
| Non-Resident (Annual) | $60.97 | nonresident | Calendar year | 16 & up |
| Non-Resident PA Student (Annual) | $27.97 | nonresident | Calendar year | 16 & up |
| 1-Day Tourist *** (not valid March 15-April 30) | $31.97 | nonresident | 1 day | 16 & up |
| 3-Day Tourist | $31.97 | nonresident | 3 days | 16 & up |
| 7-Day Tourist | $39.47 | nonresident | 7 days | 16 & up |
| Voluntary Youth Fishing License (Annual) | $2.97 | Calendar year | Less than 16 | |
| Mentored Youth Permit | $0.00 | Calendar year | Less than 16 | |
| 3-Year Resident | $79.97 | resident | 3 years (valid through 2028) | 16-64 |
| 3-Year Non-Resident | $178.97 | nonresident | 3 years (valid through 2028) | 16 & up |
| 3-Year Senior Resident | $39.47 | resident | 3 years (valid through 2028) | 65 & up |
| 5-Year Resident | $131.97 | resident | 5 years (valid through 2030) | 16-64 |
| 5-Year Non-Resident | $296.97 | nonresident | 5 years (valid through 2030) | 16 & up |
| 5-Year Senior Resident | $64.47 | resident | 5 years (valid through 2030) | 65 & up |
| 10-Year Resident | $261.97 | resident | 10 years (valid through 2035) | 16-64 |
| 10-Year Non-Resident | $591.97 | nonresident | 10 years (valid through 2035) | 16 & up |
All prices include the $1.00 issuing agent fee and $0.97 transaction fee. PFBC license page, retrieved October 23, 2026.
Pennsylvania trout and Lake Erie permit fees
| Permit | Fee | Valid | Age |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trout Permit | $14.97 | Calendar year | 16 & up |
| Lake Erie Permit | $9.97 | Calendar year | 16 & up |
| Senior Lifetime Lake Erie Permit | $9.97 | Lifetime | 65 & up |
| Combination Trout Lake Erie Permit | $20.97 | Calendar year | 16 & up |
| 3-Year Trout Permit | $40.97 | 3 years (valid through 2028) | 16 & up |
| 3-Year Lake Erie Permit | $25.97 | 3 years (valid through 2028) | 16 & up |
| 3-Year Combo Trout Lake Erie Permit | $58.97 | 3 years (valid through 2028) | 16-64 |
| 5-Year Trout Permit | $66.97 | 5 years (valid through 2030) | 16 & up |
| 5-Year Lake Erie Permit | $41.97 | 5 years (valid through 2030) | 16 & up |
| 5-Year Combo Trout Lake Erie Permit | $96.97 | 5 years (valid through 2030) | 16 & up |
| 10-Year Trout Permit | $131.97 | 10 years (valid through 2035) | 16 & up |
| 10-Year Lake Erie Permit | $81.97 | 10 years (valid through 2035) | 16 & up |
| 10-Year Combo Trout Lake Erie Permit | $191.97 | 10 years (valid through 2035) | 16 & up |
Required to fish for trout (see regs.trout.trout_permit). Exempt: under 16, license-exempt persons, 1-Day Tourist license holders. Senior Resident Lifetime holders issued before Jan. 1, 1991 exempt; other lifetime holders depending on purchase date.
Required on Lake Erie, Presque Isle Bay and tributaries including waters flowing into them; combination trout/Lake Erie permit available.
A 3-year license is valid through 2028, a 5-year through 2030 and a 10-year through 2035; multi-year trout, Lake Erie and combo permits are also sold.
Pennsylvania season openers, 2026 and 2027
| Species | Water | 2026 | 2027 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trout (all species) | Commonwealth inland waters (statewide) | 2026-04-04 8 a.m. | April 3, 2027 |
| Walleye, saugeye and sauger | Commonwealth inland waters | 2026-05-02 | May 1, 2027 |
| Bass (harvest) | Commonwealth inland waters | 2026-06-13 | June 12, 2027 |
| Trout extended season | Commonwealth inland waters | 2026-09-08 | September 7, 2027 |
2026 dates from the seasons table p.10; 2027 dates from p.41 ("subject to change by regulation"). 2026 Pennsylvania Fishing Summary.
Pennsylvania Commonwealth inland waters limits
| Species | Where | Limit | Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| All species of trout | Commonwealth inland waters (all waters not under Lake Erie, Pymatuning, Conowingo or Delaware River and Estuary rules or special r | 5 (combined species), streams, lakes and ponds; minimum 7 inches | Regular season: April 4 at 8 a.m. through Sept. 7 (statewide opening day) |
| All species of trout | Stocked trout waters (extended season) | 3 (combined species); minimum 7 inches | Jan. 1 through Feb. 15 and Sept. 8 through Dec. 31 |
| All species of trout | Waters not managed as stocked trout waters (extended season) | NO HARVEST – catch and immediate release only | Jan. 1 through Feb. 15 and Sept. 8 through Dec. 31 |
| Largemouth, smallmouth and spotted bass | Lakes, rivers and streams | 4 (combined species); minimum 15 inches | Jan. 1 through April 10 and Oct. 1 through Dec. 31 |
| Largemouth, smallmouth and spotted bass | Lakes, rivers and streams | NO HARVEST – catch and immediate release only (no tournaments permitted) | April 11 through June 12 (no harvest begins 12:01 a.m.) |
| Largemouth, smallmouth and spotted bass | Lakes, rivers and streams | 6 (combined species); minimum 12 inches | June 13 through Sept. 30 |
| Muskellunge and tiger muskellunge | Commonwealth inland waters (all waters not under Lake Erie, Pymatuning, Conowingo or Delaware River and Estuary rules or special r | 1 (combined species); minimum 40 inches | Open year-round |
| Pickerel | Commonwealth inland waters (all waters not under Lake Erie, Pymatuning, Conowingo or Delaware River and Estuary rules or special r | 4; minimum 18 inches | Open year-round |
| Northern pike | Commonwealth inland waters (all waters not under Lake Erie, Pymatuning, Conowingo or Delaware River and Estuary rules or special r | 2; minimum 24 inches | Open year-round |
| Walleye and saugeye (hybrids) | Commonwealth inland waters (all waters not under Lake Erie, Pymatuning, Conowingo or Delaware River and Estuary rules or special r | 6; minimum 15 inches | Jan. 1 through March 14 and May 2 through Dec. 31 |
| Sauger | Commonwealth inland waters (all waters not under Lake Erie, Pymatuning, Conowingo or Delaware River and Estuary rules or special r | 6; minimum 12 inches | Jan. 1 through March 14 and May 2 through Dec. 31 |
| American shad | Commonwealth inland waters (all waters not under Lake Erie, Pymatuning, Conowingo or Delaware River and Estuary rules or special r | 3 | Open year-round |
| American shad | Lehigh River upstream of the first dam in Easton and tributaries; Schuylkill River upstream of the I-95 bridge and tributaries | NO HARVEST – catch and immediate release only | Open year-round |
| American shad | Susquehanna River and tributaries | 0 | CLOSED YEAR-ROUND |
| River herring (alewife and blueback herring) | Susquehanna, Lehigh and Schuylkill rivers and tributaries, West Branch Delaware, Delaware River and estuary, Delaware tributaries | 0 | CLOSED YEAR-ROUND |
| Hickory shad | Commonwealth inland waters (all waters not under Lake Erie, Pymatuning, Conowingo or Delaware River and Estuary rules or special r | 0 | CLOSED YEAR-ROUND |
| Herring, gizzard shad | Commonwealth inland waters (all waters not under Lake Erie, Pymatuning, Conowingo or Delaware River and Estuary rules or special r | 50 (combined species) | Open year-round |
| American eel | Commonwealth inland waters (all waters not under Lake Erie, Pymatuning, Conowingo or Delaware River and Estuary rules or special r | 25; minimum 9 inches | Open year-round |
| Striped bass and striped bass/white bass hybrids | Commonwealth inland waters (all waters not under Lake Erie, Pymatuning, Conowingo or Delaware River and Estuary rules or special r | 2 (combined species); minimum 20 inches | Open year-round |
| Sunfish, yellow perch, white perch, crappies, catfish, rock bass, suckers, carp, white bas | Commonwealth inland waters (all waters not under Lake Erie, Pymatuning, Conowingo or Delaware River and Estuary rules or special r | 50 (combined species) | Open year-round |
| Baitfish/fishbait (except mudbugs; includes crayfish) | Commonwealth inland waters (all waters not under Lake Erie, Pymatuning, Conowingo or Delaware River and Estuary rules or special r | 50 (combined species) | Open year-round |
| Mudbugs (dragonfly nymphs) | Commonwealth inland waters (all waters not under Lake Erie, Pymatuning, Conowingo or Delaware River and Estuary rules or special r | Unlimited if taken from lakes, ponds, swamps and adjacent areas; 50 per day from moving waters | Open year-round |
| Mussels/clams | Commonwealth inland waters (all waters not under Lake Erie, Pymatuning, Conowingo or Delaware River and Estuary rules or special r | 0 | CLOSED YEAR-ROUND |
| Paddlefish, spotted gar and other threatened and endangered species | Commonwealth inland waters (all waters not under Lake Erie, Pymatuning, Conowingo or Delaware River and Estuary rules or special r | 0 | CLOSED YEAR-ROUND |
2026 Pennsylvania Fishing Summary (PA Fish and Boat Commission; in effect or proposed as of October 1, 2025, PDF revised February 27, 2026), page 10. Retrieved October 23, 2026.
Pennsylvania general fishing rules worth knowing
- Except for trout season, which begins at 8 a.m., all regulatory periods are based on the calendar day.calendar day
- It is unlawful to cast repeatedly into a clearly visible bass spawning nest or redd. No harvest of bass 12:01 a.m. the second Saturday in April to 12:01 a.m. the second Saturday in June on inland waters.bass nests
- It is unlawful to conduct a fishing tournament on the North Branch, West Branch or main stem of the Susquehanna River that allows a tournament angler to harvest bass.Susquehanna tournaments
- For all crayfish species, the head must be immediately removed behind the eyes upon capture unless used as bait in the water from which taken.crayfish
- Total length (tail slightly compressed) is used in Pennsylvania; fork length is not used.measuring
2026 Pennsylvania Fishing Summary (PA Fish and Boat Commission; in effect or proposed as of October 1, 2025, PDF revised February 27, 2026), page 10, 41. Retrieved October 23, 2026.
Buying a Pennsylvania license, display and fee waivers
- Online at HuntFish.PA.gov, at more than 700 license-issuing agents, county treasurers and PFBC offices. Lost licenses can be reprinted online for free.where to buy
- Anglers do not need to display licenses but must provide them in print or on a digital device on request of an officer.display
- 1-Day Tourist and 1-Day Resident licenses are not valid March 15 to April 30; a 1-day license used on March 14 expires at 11:59 p.m. March 14.1-day licenses
- Free resident lifetime license for 100% service-connected disabled veteran residents; reduced fee for 60-99% disabled veterans; POW licenses; eligible active-duty PA residents on leave may fish without a license with proof.fee waivers
Pennsylvania border water license agreements
- A Pennsylvania or New York license is valid on the Delaware River (including West Branch) between New York and Pennsylvania when fishing from a boat or from either shore. A Pennsylvania license is required to fish Kinzua Reservoir in McKean and Warren counties; no agreement has been established with New York there.New York
- A Pennsylvania or New Jersey license is valid on the Delaware River between New Jersey and Pennsylvania when fishing from a boat or from either shore. A Pennsylvania license is required in all other waters identified as part of the Delaware Estuary.New Jersey
- A Pennsylvania or Ohio license is valid on Pymatuning Reservoir when fishing from a boat (not shore fishing); when ice fishing an Ohio or Pennsylvania license is recognized anywhere on the lake.Ohio
- A Pennsylvania or Maryland license is valid on the Conowingo Reservoir or Youghiogheny River Lake when fishing from a boat (excluding coves and tributaries); does not include shore fishing.Maryland
- No PA-Delaware reciprocal agreement is printed; the Summary states no fishing agreements have been made on any other boundary waters. Delaware Estuary rules are in the Delaware River and Estuary table (p.13).Delaware
- No PA-West Virginia agreement is printed; the Summary states no fishing agreements have been made on any other boundary waters.West Virginia
- You must abide by all other rules and regulations of the state in which fishing and where you launch or retrieve your boat. No fishing agreements have been made on any other boundary waters.general
2026 Pennsylvania Fishing Summary (PA Fish and Boat Commission; in effect or proposed as of October 1, 2025, PDF revised February 27, 2026), page 12. Retrieved October 23, 2026.
Pennsylvania regulation pages by topic
- Pennsylvania Lake Erie Fishing RulesLake Erie, Presque Isle Bay and tributary limits
- Pennsylvania Delaware River Fishing Rulesthe Delaware River and estuary table, circle hooks and border licenses
- Pennsylvania Special Regulation WatersBig Bass, panfish, brood stock and catch and release lakes, county waters
- Pennsylvania Trout Regulation Programsstocked, delayed harvest, trophy and fly waters by region
- Fish-for-Free Daystwo license-free days a year
Pictured water for Pennsylvania Fishing License and Regulations
Photo: Andre Carrotflower, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: diego_cue, CC BY-SA 3.0
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Photo: Michael A. Orlando, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: George Neat, CC BY-SA 4.0
Pennsylvania license and regulation questions
Who needs a fishing license in Pennsylvania?
Anyone 16 or older who fishes, takes baitfish or fishbait, or takes reptiles and amphibians from Commonwealth waters.
How much is a Pennsylvania resident fishing license?
$27.97 for the annual resident license and $14.47 for resident seniors, with the issuing and transaction fees included.
What does a nonresident pay to fish in Pennsylvania?
$60.97 for the annual nonresident license; 3-day and 7-day tourist licenses are also sold.
Do I need a trout permit in Pennsylvania?
Yes, to fish for trout: $14.97 a year on top of the license. A combination trout and Lake Erie permit costs $20.97.
When does trout season open in Pennsylvania?
2026-04-04 8 a.m. statewide in 2026 and April 3, 2027 in 2027, per the Summary.
How many trout may I keep in Pennsylvania?
5 (combined species), streams, lakes and ponds; minimum 7 inches during the regular season.
Can I use a 1-day license in April?
No; 1-Day Resident and 1-Day Tourist licenses are not valid March 15 to April 30.
Must I carry my license on the water?
You need not display it, but you must show it on paper or a phone when an officer asks.
Does a New York license work on the Delaware River?
On the Delaware River between New York and Pennsylvania, either state license is valid under the border agreement.