NYS DEC Hunting and Fishing Licenses

Requirements:

Purchasing a Sporting License

2008-09 Fishing, Hunting, and Trapping Licenses are valid until September 30, 2009.
2009-10 Fishing, Hunting, and Trapping Licenses may be purchased beginning August 17, 2009.

You may purchase sporting licenses and permits:

• On-line* (all address corrections must be made in DECALS prior to purchasing licenses online), 
• at any license issuing outlet (most town clerks’ offices and many sporting goods stores), 
• by phone:* 1-86-NY-DECALS (1-866-933-2257), or 
• by mail: VERIZONbusiness, P.O. Box 36985, Phoenix AZ 85067-6985 (download a mail order application form (41 kb pdf) If you purchased a sporting license through our computerized licensing system last year, please include the 12-digit Customer ID Number from your license privilege panel in the space provided on the top of the form.

* In order to apply for a hunting license by phone or on-line, you must have proof of hunting qualifications already in the computerized system (currently anyone who has been issued a New York State hunting license through DECALS since August of 2002.) Internet customers will need their Customer ID Number which can be found on the previous year’s license. NYS residents must also have your NYS driver’s license number recorded in the DECALS database in order to apply on-line.

Please allow up to three weeks for delivery when purchasing licenses or permits by phone, mail, or on-line.

License types that require special qualifications, cannot be ordered via the internet or by phone (i.e. disabled veterans, active duty military applying under the Patriot Plan, NYS residents who do not hold a valid NYS driver’s license, young hunters between the ages of 12 and 15 [must appear in person with a parent or legal guardian with proper sportsman education certification and proof of age, if applying for the first time]). Applicants may bring their proof of qualification to a license issuing outlet or use the mail-in method.

For more information see hunting license requirements.

Do you need to change your address in DEC’s Automated Licensing System (DECALS)?

If your address is incorrect in the DECALS database, you will not be able to apply for your sporting license on-line until you have made an address correction. Otherwise, your license will be mailed to the address on file at the time of purchase.

Address changes can be made at any license issuing agent ONLY when you are purchasing or renewing your license.

Any license purchaser may contact us to submit address changes at any time during the year. You MUST include your full name, date of birth, Customer ID number, new address and telephone number. Lifetime Licensees should submit address changes by June 1 to insure that your license arrives on time.

What identification or proof of residency will I need to purchase a license?

1. For hunting and trapping licenses, proof of a prior license or appropriate sportsman education certification 
2. NYS residents applying in person or by mail may use one of the following proofs of residency:
   
   • Your NYS driver’s license or a NYS non-driver’s identification issued by the Department of Motor Vehicles 
   • an IT-201 or W-2 income tax form for the previous year 
   • a current voter registration card 
   • a current NYS vehicle registration 
   • a current lease 
   • military LES (Leave and Earnings Statement) or military orders 
   • a current student ID card 
   • a current pay stub or letter from a current employer on letterhead containing your legal address 

Applying for a Deer Management Permit (DMP)?

DMPs may now be applied for at all license issuing outlets, by phone, by mail, or on-line.

• DMPs must be applied for between August 18 and October 1, 2008. During this period DMPs will be issued via a random selection process, not on a first-come, first-served basis. 
• Make sure you know what Wildlife Management Unit (WMU) you want to apply in before beginning the application process and be familiar with the DMP selection process. You will be allowed to apply for up to two DMPs. 
• If you are applying as a disabled veteran (40% or higher service-related disability), bring your Veteran’s Administration letter with your case number with you when you apply. 
• If you are applying as a landowner (50 acres or more contiguous acres within the WMU for which you are applying), have your tax map identification number and SWIS code (found on your tax bill) ready when you apply. 
• If you were rejected for a permit last year and have a preference credit for the upcoming hunting season, this information is stored in the DECALS database and will be automatically applied during the application process. 

If you apply at a license issuing outlet, by phone, or on-line, you will know the results of the instant lottery immediately. Mail-in applicants will receive notification in approximately three weeks.

Customers who are selected will receive their tags immediately if applying at a license issuing outlet, or by mail in approximately three weeks if applying via other methods.

Sporting License Types & Fees

New York State Nonresident

LICENSE TYPE	FEE (ALL 2008-09 LICENSES; LIFETIME LICENSES TILL 9/30/09)	FEE (ALL 2009-10 LICENSES; LIFETIME LICENSES AFTER 10/1/09)
Super Sportsman	$250	$280
Big Game	$110	$140
Deer Management Permit	$10 (fee exempt for NR Super Sportsman and NR Junior Bowhunting)	$10 (fee exempt for NR Junior Hunting and NR Junior Bowhunting)
Bowhunting	$110	$140
Junior Bowhunting (ages 14-15 yrs)	$9	$9
Muzzleloading	$110	$140
Bear	$30	$50
Small Game	$55	$85
Junior Hunting (ages 12-15 yrs)	$5	$5
Turkey	$30	$50
Trapping	$225	$310
Fishing	$40	$70
7-day Fishing	$25	$35
1-day Fishing	$15	$15
Recreational Marine Fishing		$15
7-day Recreational Marine Fishing		$10
1-day Recreational Marine Fishing		$5

Resident Lifetime Licences

LICENSE TYPE	FEE (ALL 2008-09 LICENSES; LIFETIME LICENSES TILL 9/30/09)	FEE (ALL 2009-10 LICENSES; LIFETIME LICENSES AFTER 10/1/09)
Sportsman1	$300 child under 5 yrs old	$380 child 5-11 yrs old
	$420 Adult	$535 Adult
	$600 (12-64 years)	$765 (12-69 years)
	$50 Senior (65+ years)	$65 Senior (70+ years)
Small and Big Game	$350	$535
Bowhunting	$180	$235
Muzzleloading	$180	$235
Trapping	$300	$395
Fishing	$350 (0-64 years)	$460 (0-69 years)
$50 (65+ years)	$65 (70+ years)
Recreational Marine Fishing		$150
Combination Fishing and Recreational Marine Fishing		$450

Other Stamps and Donations

License Type	Fee (all 2008-09 licenses; lifetime licenses till 9/30/09)	Fee (all 2009-10 licenses; lifetime licenses after 10/1/09)
Conservation Patron2	$12	$12
Federal Duck Stamp3	$15	$15
Habitat & Access Stamp4	$5	$5
Venison Donation5	$1 or more	$1 or more
Conservation Fund Donation6	$1 or more	$1 or more

Notes:

¹ Includes lifetime turkey permit. Annual application for Deer Management Permits is included with Lifetime Sportsman Licenses purchased prior to October 1, 2009.

² Conservation Patron is a purchase package that includes a subscription to the Conservationist and a habitat and access stamp.

³ Federal Duck Stamps are available at most Post Offices and some sporting goods stores.

⁴ Habitat & Access Stamp is a voluntary stamp. Revenue from sale of this item will go into a dedicated account within the Conservation Fund and can only be used for projects to protect and improve habitat and to provide public access for fish and wildlife-related recreation.

⁵ Gifts to New York’s Venison Donation Program go directly to pay for the costs of processing donated venison and helping to provide meals to hungry New Yorkers.

⁶ The Conservation Fund is the primary source of funding that supports the mission and activities of the DEC Division of Fish, Wildlife & Marine Resources.