It’s Time To Renew Your Indiana Fishing License for 2021

I think one of the greatest pleasures in life is being in nature. Especially when you can be in nature, sitting beside a body of water with a fishing pole in your hands. If you live in Indiana, you may want to make sure you check your license before you head out to drop a line.

There really is something magical about sitting on the bank or in a boat with a line in the water. Of course, to fish in the Hoosier State, you have to have an Indiana state-issued fishing license. With the 2021-2022 fishing season officially, it's time to renew your (or get a new) fishing license. In Indiana, it is required by law that anyone over the age of 18 fishing in public waters carry a signed license.

There are a couple of ways to go about getting your fishing license. You can visit an authorized retailer - there are over 500 hundred across the Hoosier state or you can actually purchase your license online although there are some additional fees associated with purchasing online. If you are a resident of the state of Indiana, the licensing fee is $17 for an annual license and $9 for a single-day permit. Non-Indiana-residents can purchase an annual license for $35, a single-day permit for $9 or there is a 7-day license for non-Indiana-residents that is $20.

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There are exceptions for who is required to carry a license to fish in Indiana, some of them include,

• Indiana residents born before April 1, 1943. Such residents should carry their driver’s license or other identification to verify age and residency.
• Residents and non-residents under age 18.
• Residents who are legally blind. Proof of being legally blind is not required while fishing.
• Residents of a state-owned mental rehabilitation facility.
• Residents of any licensed health care facility in Indiana taking part in a supervised fishing activity sponsored by the facility.
• Residents who have a developmental disability as defined by IC 12-7-2-61. Proof of the disability is not required while fishing.
• Fishing in a private pond that does not allow fish entry from or exit to public waters. An angler must have permission from the property owner to fish.
• Residents of Indiana engaged in full-time military service while on approved military leave. The angler must carry leave orders and a valid Indiana Driver’s License or voter registration card.

Indiana does offer a handful of free fishing days throughout the year where anyone can fish on those selected days without a license. To learn more about Indiana fishing laws and licensing, visit the Indiana Department of Natural Resources.