Hunter Safety Education Requirement
All first-time hunters must pass one or more courses before they can get a hunting license in New York. Visit the Hunter Education page to learn more and find a free course near you.
Purchase Your Hunting License/Privilege/Permit
- At a License Issuing Agent Location
Online or by Phone
**IMPORTANT: Purchases made online will NOT BE MAILED TO YOU, they will be emailed. Beginning with the 2024/2025 license year, all New York sporting licenses, tags, and other printable items will be formatted to fit on 8.5 x 11 plain paper. At the end of your transaction, you will be able to download and print the items you purchased as well as receiving them in an email. DO NOT PRINT LICENSES AND TAGS DOUBLE SIDED.Additional copies of your license can be obtained by navigating to your "My Account" page and visiting the "Active Licenses, Permits and Privileges" section. Select "Print Active Licenses" from that page to download a new copy of your licenses.
In the field, hunters and trappers will have the option of carrying a plain paper copy of their license or an electronic copy of their license in the free HuntFishNY mobile app. In addition to the paper copy of their license and the electronic license in the HuntFishNY app, anglers can also provide an officer with their 12-digit, DEC ID number. Currently, the only option for carcass tags is plain paper.
Customers without access to a printer or the HuntFishNY app needing a physical print out of the items they wish to purchase must make their purchase through a license issuing agent or by phone at 1-866-933-2257. If you order over the phone and request to have your tags mailed to you, you must wait up to 14 business days to receive your license/tags by mail before going hunting.
NOTE: Transactions that cannot be made via the links above: Permits for hunters with disability, the Harvest Information Program, Migratory Duck Stamp, and some reduced fee/free licenses require a separate application system or process. Please follow the links provided on this page for details on how to apply to these permits, stamps or licenses.
License Types and Fees
Annual Hunting License (View residency qualifications)
With this license you can hunt big game and small game.
***This license is required before other privileges (i.e. bowhunting, muzzleloading & turkey permit) can be purchased.***
| Resident Fee | Nonresident Fee |
|---|---|
| $22 (ages 16-69) $5 (ages 70+) $5 (ages 12-15) | $100 (ages 16+) $5 (ages 12-15) (Note: It is not necessary to purchase a separate bear tag when buying a hunting license. Small game and big game hunting is now included in the annual hunting license for both residents and nonresidents.) |
Additional Annual Hunting Privileges/Permit/Stamps (View residency qualifications)
An annual hunting license (above) must be purchased before purchasing the following privileges/stamps.
| Type | Resident Fee | Nonresident Fee | Needed For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bowhunting Privilege | $15 (ages 16-69) No fee (ages 70+) $4 (ages 12-15) | $30 (ages 16+) $4 (ages 12-15) | To know when you need a privilege, permit or stamp, visit the Hunting Licenses/Privileges Needed page. |
| Muzzleloading Privilege | $15 (ages 14-69) No fee (ages 70+) | $30 (ages 14+) | |
| Turkey Permit | $10 (ages 12+) | $20 (ages 12+) | |
| Harvest Information Program | No fee (ages 12+) | No fee (must register in New York even if registered in another state) | |
| Federal Duck Stamp (link leaves DEC website) | $25 (ages 16+) | ||
| Deer Management Permit | $10 (ages 16+) No fee (ages 12-15) No fee (holders of lifetime sportsman licenses purchased prior to October 1, 2009) | Harvesting antlerless deer (antlers less than 3" long) in select Wildlife Management Units. | |
| Permits for Hunter's with Disability | No fee | Using specialized equipment to aid in discharging a bow, or to discharge a firearm from a motorized vehicle. | |
Valid Dates of Annual Licenses/Privileges
- Annual hunting licenses and privileges are valid from September 1 through August 31 each year.
- The Harvest Information Program and Federal Duck Stamp is valid July 1 through June 30 annually.
Free/Reduced Fee and Lifetime Licenses
- Free/Reduced Fee Licenses: You may qualify for free/reduced fee annual hunting licenses/privileges if you are:
(For information on required documents and qualifications click the links below. In most instances, you must be a New York resident): - Lifetime Licenses: Hunt for life with our lifetime licenses! Available to residents only.
Who Needs a Hunting License
You need a hunting license if you are:
- 12 years and older and using a firearm or bow to hunt or take wild game. Persons under age 12 cannot hunt.
- Junior Hunters (12-15): review regulations and information for junior hunters, ages 12-15.
- Additional Privileges/Permits: depending on the season and species you are hunting you may need additional privileges or permits. These are listed in the table above.
You do not need a hunting license if you are:
- A resident landowner primarily engaged in farming (including lessees and members of their immediate families) when small game hunting on farm lands they are occupying and cultivating.
- A Native American living and hunting on reservation land.
- Hunting on a licensed shooting preserve or big game shooting facility..
Note: To hunt turkey, all hunters must purchase a turkey permit. There are no exceptions.
General License Information
Other Helpful Links/Resources
- Hunting Seasons
- Hunting Regulations
- Access Permits: Some state and municipal lands require a special access permit for fishing, hunting and trapping. Details on how to get the permit can be found in the links below:
