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Do You Need a Fishing License in North Dakota?
Yes. Anyone 16 or older needs a fishing license to fish in North Dakota. The North Dakota Game and Fish Department (NDGF) issues all licenses and regulates fishing statewide.
Anglers 15 and younger fish free with no license but still must follow daily and possession limits. Residents need an additional $1 Fishing, Hunting, and Furbearer Certificate plus a $13 General Game and Habitat License to fish.
Devils Lake, Lake Sakakawea, and the Missouri River are open to fishing year-round, including through the ice. No separate ice fishing license is required.
North Dakota Fishing License Cost 2026
Resident fishing license: $18 (includes the $1 certificate). Required add-ons: Resident General Game and Habitat License $13, bringing the total fishing-only cost to $32 if not already a hunter. Resident senior (65+) fishing: $5.
Nonresident annual fishing license: $50. Nonresident 10-day: $40. Nonresident 3-day: $25. Nonresident under 16: $10. Nonresident husband-wife combo: $70 annual.
Special tags: Paddlefish snagging tag $10 resident / $25.50 nonresident. A second-pole permit is $15 for residents only (nonresidents are limited to one rod).
Where to Buy a North Dakota Fishing License
Buy online instantly at the NDGF Online Licensing System at gf.nd.gov. The temporary license is valid immediately and a permanent card arrives by mail within two weeks.
In-person purchases work at 300+ vendors statewide including Scheels, Cabela's, Walmart, and most bait shops. The NDGF main office in Bismarck also sells licenses.
Licenses run April 1 – March 31 each year. A license bought April 1 gives you a full 12 months; one bought in March covers only the remainder of the season.
North Dakota Free Fishing Weekend 2026
North Dakota's Free Fishing Weekend is December 26-27, 2026 (the Saturday and Sunday after Christmas). Anyone can fish state waters without a license that weekend — perfect for the early ice-fishing season.
Residents and nonresidents are both covered. All daily limits, possession limits, and special-water regulations remain in force during free fishing weekend.
Key North Dakota Fishing Regulations
Statewide walleye daily limit: 5 with a possession limit of 10. Walleye must be 14 inches on most waters; Devils Lake has no minimum but a slot limit may apply — check current proclamations.
Northern pike: 3 daily, 10 possession, no size limit on most waters. Yellow perch: 20 daily and 40 in possession. Smallmouth bass: 5 daily, 14-inch minimum.
Residents may use 2 lines (4 hooks total) with a second-pole permit; nonresidents are restricted to 1 line. Ice anglers may use up to 4 lines per person. Live baitfish are legal but cannot be transported between waters.
Best Fishing Spots in North Dakota
Devils Lake is the perch capital of the world and a top-three walleye lake in the US. Multiple bays, the Pelican Lake area, and East Bay produce big walleyes year-round.
Lake Sakakawea — a 178-mile reservoir on the Missouri — holds trophy walleye, northern pike, smallmouth, and chinook salmon. The Garrison Dam tailrace offers exceptional fall walleye and trout fishing.
Smaller gems include Lake Oahe (walleye and smallmouth), the Sheyenne River (smallmouth and pike), and Lake Audubon. GilledIt maps every NDGF boat ramp and fishing pier statewide.
Frequently Asked Questions
A North Dakota resident fishing license is $18 plus a $13 General Game and Habitat License — about $32 total. Nonresidents pay $50 for an annual license or $40 for a 10-day from the NDGF.
Yes, but at a steep discount. North Dakota residents 65 and older buy a senior fishing license for $5. Veterans and disabled anglers also qualify for reduced-fee licenses through NDGF.
North Dakota Free Fishing Weekend is December 26-27, 2026. Anyone can fish without a license that weekend — a great chance to try early-ice walleye and perch on Devils Lake or Sakakawea.
No. Nonresidents are limited to one line while open-water fishing. Only North Dakota residents can purchase the $15 second-pole permit. All anglers may use up to four lines while ice fishing.
Devils Lake follows the statewide rule of 5 walleye daily and 10 in possession. There is no minimum size on most of Devils Lake, but slot limits and special rules can change — check NDGF proclamations annually.
Yes. Paddlefish snagging requires a separate tag — $10 for residents and $25.50 for nonresidents — in addition to a regular fishing license. The season is short and tags are limited each year.