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Do You Need a Fishing License in South Carolina?
Yes. Anyone 16 and older needs a fishing license to fish public waters in South Carolina. The South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR) issues all licenses and enforces fishing rules statewide.
Anglers 15 and younger fish for free with no license. South Carolina residents 64 and older qualify for free senior lifetime licenses covering hunting and fishing — apply once at any SCDNR office.
A separate Saltwater Recreational Fishing License is required for marine waters. Trout-stocked mountain streams require an additional Trout Stamp.
South Carolina Fishing License Cost 2026
Resident annual freshwater fishing license: $10. Resident 14-day: $5. Resident annual saltwater: $10. Combined freshwater + saltwater annual: $17. Resident 3-year freshwater: $30.
Nonresident annual freshwater: $35. Nonresident 14-day freshwater: $11. Nonresident annual saltwater: $35. Nonresident 14-day saltwater: $11. Nonresident 7-day combined: $5.
Trout Stamp: $5 resident / $5 nonresident annual. Lifetime licenses are available for residents — Lifetime Combination (hunt + fish) starts at $300 depending on age.
Where to Buy a South Carolina Fishing License
Buy online at the SCDNR Go Outdoors SC portal (gooutdoorssc.com). The license is valid immediately. Save the PDF, print it, or use the Go Outdoors SC mobile app — all are legally valid in the field.
Phone orders: 1-866-714-3611. In-person purchases work at over 500 license agents including Walmart, Bass Pro Shops, Academy Sports, and most bait shops. SCDNR regional offices also sell licenses.
Annual licenses are valid 12 months from the purchase date (not a calendar year). A license bought in May 2026 is good through May 2027.
South Carolina Free Fishing Day 2026
South Carolina's Free Fishing Day is the first Saturday in July — July 4, 2026. No license is required for any public fresh or salt water that day, for residents or nonresidents.
All bag limits, size limits, gear restrictions, and special-area rules remain in effect. SCDNR runs free fishing clinics at multiple state parks during the day with loaner rods and bait.
Key South Carolina Fishing Regulations
Largemouth bass: 5 daily, 12-inch minimum on most waters; some lakes use a 14-inch minimum or slot. Smallmouth bass (Lake Jocassee and Lake Keowee): 10 daily aggregate with redeye and spotted bass.
Striped bass: 3 daily on most reservoirs at 26 inches; closed June 16 – September 30 on Lake Marion, Lake Moultrie, and the Cooper River. Catfish: 25 daily, only 1 over 36 inches on the Santee Cooper system.
Saltwater: Spotted seatrout 5 daily at 14 inches; red drum 2 daily slot 15-23 inches; flounder 5 daily at 16 inches (October-May closure on some species — check SCDNR saltwater regs).
Best Fishing Spots in South Carolina
Santee Cooper (Lake Marion and Lake Moultrie) is one of the top blue and flathead catfish fisheries in the country, plus striped bass, crappie, and largemouth. The Diversion Canal connects the two lakes.
Lake Murray near Columbia produces striped bass and trophy largemouth. Lake Hartwell on the Georgia line is a tournament bass favorite. Lake Jocassee delivers spotted bass, trout, and kokanee in clear mountain water.
The Lowcountry coast — Charleston, Beaufort, Hilton Head — offers year-round redfish, spotted seatrout, and tarpon in summer. The Chattooga and East Fork rivers hold wild brown trout. GilledIt maps all SCDNR public access sites.
Frequently Asked Questions
A South Carolina resident annual freshwater fishing license is $10 and a saltwater license is also $10. The combined freshwater + saltwater is $17. Nonresidents pay $35 for either annual license from SCDNR.
Yes. Anglers 16 and older need a separate Saltwater Recreational Fishing License — $10 resident, $35 nonresident — to fish coastal waters. The combined freshwater/saltwater license is the best value at $17.
South Carolina Free Fishing Day is Saturday, July 4, 2026. No license is required for any public fresh or salt water that day. All bag limits, size limits, and gear rules still apply.
Yes. South Carolina residents 64 and older can apply for a free Senior Lifetime License at any SCDNR office, covering both freshwater and saltwater fishing and hunting for the rest of their life.
On the Santee Cooper system, the limit is 25 catfish per day combined, with only 1 fish over 36 inches per day. This rule protects trophy blue and flathead catfish and was enacted by SCDNR in recent years.
Yes. To fish in designated trout waters in the upstate mountains, you need a $5 Trout Stamp on top of your base fishing license. The stamp applies to both residents and nonresidents through SCDNR.