Missouri Fishing License
Issued by Missouri Department of Conservation
Fishing in Missouri
Missouri is anchored by huge Ozark reservoirs — Lake of the Ozarks, Table Rock, Bull Shoals, Truman, and Stockton produce nationally ranked bass, white bass, and crappie. Missouri's four trout parks — Bennett Spring, Roaring River, Maramec Spring, and Montauk — are stocked daily through the season. The Current, Niangua, and Meramec rivers offer wild brown and rainbow water. The Missouri and Mississippi rivers give up blue cats over 100 pounds; sauger and walleye are in solid numbers below the dams.
License Types & Fees
| License | Fee |
|---|---|
| Resident Annual Fishing | $14.00 |
| Resident Daily Fishing | $9.00 |
| Resident Trout Permit Required to keep trout outside trout parks; required year-round on Lake Taneycomo above the Hwy 65 bridge | $12.00 |
| Resident Youth Trout Permit (0–15) | $6.00 |
| Resident Small Game Hunt + Fish Combo | $22.50 |
| Resident 65+ Exempt from needing a fishing permit | Free |
| Resident Military Reduced-Cost Permit For active-duty National Guard or reserves currently or recently mobilized | $5.50 |
| Resident Lifetime Fishing — Youth (0–15) | $320.00 |
| Resident Lifetime Fishing — Age 16–29 | $465.50 |
| Resident Lifetime Fishing — Age 30–39 | $407.00 |
| Resident Lifetime Fishing — Age 40–59 | $349.00 |
| Resident Lifetime Fishing — Age 60–64 | $40.50 |
| Resident Lifetime Conservation Partner — Age 16–29 Hunt + fish + trout + migratory bird; deer/turkey not included | $930.50 |
| Resident Lifetime Conservation Partner — Age 60–64 | $81.50 |
| White River Border Lakes Permit MO/AR reciprocal — fish either state's Bull Shoals, Norfork, and Table Rock waters with home-state license | $10.00 |
| Non-Resident Annual Fishing | $57.00 |
| Non-Resident Daily Fishing | $9.00 |
| Non-Resident Trout Permit | $24.00 |
Fees are subject to change. Confirm current pricing on the Missouri Department of Conservation website before purchasing.
Missouri residents 65 and over fish without a permit (they can still purchase the Lifetime Fishing Permit as a lifetime trout permit). The White River Border Lakes Permit is a $10 reciprocal arrangement with Arkansas — pay it once and you can fish either state's portion of Bull Shoals, Norfork, and Table Rock without a non-resident license. Lifetime permits are mail-only via MDC's order form, not online. Daily Fishing Permits can be purchased for multiple days.
Log Your Missouri Catches
CatchVault is available on iOS. Identify species with AI, measure with LiDAR, and keep a private journal of every fish you land in Missouri.