Kansas Fishing License: Requirements, Cost, and Age Limits (2026)

Kansas residents ages 16–74 generally need a resident fishing license. Nonresidents age 16 or older generally need a nonresident license. The youth, age-75, and private-water exceptions are listed separately.

The resident annual license has a $25 base price. With the standard $2.50 in agent and transaction fees, the subtotal is $27.50 before any online card-processing charge.

The nonresident annual license has a $75 base price. With the standard $2.50 in agent and transaction fees, the subtotal is $77.50 before any online card-processing charge.

A Kansas resident age 65–74 still needs a license but receives a half-price $12.50 base rate. The standard subtotal is $15 after agent and transaction fees.

The resident one-day license has a $3.50 base price and a $6 standard subtotal after agent and transaction fees. It expires on the day bought.

The nonresident one-day license has a $10 base price and a $12.50 standard subtotal after agent and transaction fees.

The nonresident five-day license has a $25 base price and a $27.50 standard subtotal after agent and transaction fees.

A resident or nonresident age 15 or younger does not need a base fishing license. Other permits and fees may still apply.

The adult trout permit has a $17.50 base price and a $20 standard subtotal; the youth permit for age 15 or younger has a $4.50 base price and a $7 subtotal. From December 1 through March 31, every angler on Type 1 trout water needs the permit, while Type 2 water requires it only when fishing for or possessing trout. The applicable base license is also required.

Kansas's 2026 Free Fishing Days were June 6–7. Anyone could fish by legal means without a Kansas fishing license, but length and creel limits and all other fishing regulations remained in effect.

The optional children's lifetime hunting-and-fishing combination license is available now by mailed application. The standard subtotal is $302.50 for a child age 5 or younger, based on a $300 price, or $402.50 for ages 6–15, based on a $400 price.

KDWP charges no separate base price for a duplicate license. The standard $2.50 subtotal consists only of the agent and transaction fees.

Senate Bill 364 restored KDWP's authority to offer a discounted ten-year senior license, but the product is not yet available. KDWP says it must complete the standard regulatory process and lists November 2026 as the earliest availability. No current price is published.

A nonresident fishing a qualifying private pond that is not leased for public fishing may be exempt from the license requirement. KDWP's detailed private-water rules impose additional ownership, water-source, stocking, and access conditions, so private ownership alone does not create a blanket exemption.

The primary prices on this page include KDWP's standard $1 agent fee and $1.50 transaction fee. KDWP publishes lower base prices; online and app purchases also carry a 2.95% card-processing charge.

A Kansas resident age 75 or older does not need a base fishing license. Other permit, tag, and fee requirements may still apply.

The ordinary resident five-year fishing license has a $100 base price and a $102.50 standard subtotal. It expires 1,825 days after purchase; the $50 base figure belongs to the senior product, not this license.

The resident annual hunting-and-fishing combination license has a $45 base price and a $47.50 standard subtotal after agent and transaction fees.

The resident lifetime fishing license has a $500 base price and a $502.50 standard subtotal. It requires at least one year of Kansas residency, a mailed application, and a notarized signature.

The resident senior five-year fishing license has a $50 base price and a $52.50 standard subtotal. It is limited to residents ages 65–74.

The three-pole permit has a $6 base price and an $8.50 standard subtotal after agent and transaction fees. It is valid for 365 days.