Photo credit
Fly fishing Meadow Creek in the Scapegoat Wilderness, Montana. Photo: Brandan W. Schulze, US Forest Service, public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
New York fishing license
You need one to fish in New York. Buy it from NYS Department of Environmental Conservation.
Where to buy it
Online from NYS Department of Environmental Conservation. Many fly shops and sporting goods stores sell them too.
Buy a license on the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation website (opens in a new tab)
Where this link comes from
The agency's license page, as linked from our destination pages; we opened it in October 2026.
Before you go
Prices, age rules and free fishing days are on the agency's page. We list them here only once we've quoted them from it.
Who needs one
- No license needed under 16 Source (opens in a new tab) (Nov 8, 2026)
- Carry it while you fish, on paper or on your phone if the state allows.
- Fishing for trout? Some states also need a trout stamp or permit; the agency's page says.
- Read the special regulations for the water you pick: seasons, lures and limits can differ.
- Veteran or service member? New York concessions, quoted from the agency.