An Official Website of the Commonwealth of Kentucky
Licenses are valid from March 1 (or date of purchase thereafter) through February 28 (29th on leap years) of the following year. Before purchasing a license, please determine which permit or license you may need. Please consult our license and permit fees page for more information about purchase fees.
If you have licensing questions, call Kentucky Fish and Wildlife at 1-800-858-1549 on weekdays from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (Eastern time).
HUNTING LICENSES allow the holder to take legal game species statewide by gun, bow, dog, or falconry. Deer and turkey hunters must have deer or turkey permits in addition to the appropriate hunting license. Migratory bird hunters must have a Kentucky Migratory Bird/Waterfowl permit in addition to the hunting license.
FISHING LICENSES allow the holder to take sport and rough fish statewide by rod and reel, pole, line, or other specified legal methods. Trout fishermen must also have a trout permit.
COMBINATION (HUNTING AND FISHING) LICENSES allow the holder to perform any act authorized by either a hunting or fishing license but does not include any additional permits.
TRAPPING LICENSES are required of all trappers, regardless of age or residence. None of the hunting or fishing license exemptions apply to trappers. Trapping licenses are valid from March 1 through the last day of February.
Combination Fishing and Hunting License - Available only to Kentucky residents. Includes both Hunting and Fishing Licenses and not any additional permits.
Sportsman's License - Includes Combination Hunting and Fishing License, Resident Deer Permit, Spring Turkey Permit, Resident Fall Turkey Permit, Kentucky Migratory Bird/Waterfowl Permit and Trout Permit
Youth Sportsman's License - Includes annual hunting and fishing License, a Youth Deer Permit and two Youth Turkey Permits. Available to residents only up to age 15; holders of this license who turn 16 may continue using the license through the license year (Feb. 28). Parent or guardian must sign the license at the time of purchase. (Children younger than the age of 12 are license and permit exempt.)
Resident Hunting - Available only to Kentucky residents.
1-Day Hunting - Valid only for one (1) day, specified by the purchaser. Date may be today or any date in the future. MAY NOT BE USED FOR DEER, ELK OR TURKEY HUNTING.
Youth Hunting - Available to residents and nonresidents who have not yet reached their 16th birthday. Valid for the entire year in which issued, even if the license holder turns 16 during that year. Parent or guardian must sign the license at the time of purchase. Children under the age of 12 are license exempt (effective with the 2008 license season)
Resident Fishing - Available only to Kentucky residents.
Joint Fishing (husband-wife) - Available only to Kentucky residents. Costs 10% less than two fishing licenses bought separately.
1-Day Resident Fishing - Valid only for one (1) day specified by the purchaser. Starting date may be today or any date in the future.
3-Year Resident Fishing - Available only to Kentucky residents. Available online only.
Senior Sportsman's License - allow qualified residents to perform any act authorized by either a hunting or a fishing license and to take trout, deer, turkey, waterfowl and other migratory game birds, including those statewide permits. License holders are still required to complete the HIP Survey each year and either reprint their license or write the HIP certification number on it if they intend to hunt migratory birds or waterfowl, and purchase the Federal Duck Stamp to hunt waterfowl.
Senior Lifetime Sportsman's License - allows qualified residents to perform any act authorized by either a hunting or a fishing license and to take trout, deer, turkey, waterfowl and other migratory game birds, including those statewide permits. License holders are still required to complete the HIP Survey each year and either reprint their license or write the HIP certification number on it if they intend to hunt migratory birds or waterfowl, and purchase the Federal Duck Stamp to hunt waterfowl.
Disabled Sportsman's License - Available only to Kentucky residents. Includes Combination Hunting and Fishing License, all statewide Deer Permit, Spring Turkey Permit, Resident Fall Turkey Permit, Kentucky Migratory Bird/Waterfowl Permit and Trout Permit. Requires disability authorization to purchase
Resident Trapping - Required of all trappers except landowners or tenants, who must have the landowner/tenant trapping license.
Resident Landowner/Tenant Trapping - Not available to nonresident, even those trapping on the property they own.
Youth Trapping - Required of all trappers younger than age 16. Available only to Kentucky residents who have not yet reached their 16th birthday. Valid for the entire year in which issued, even if the license holder turns 16 during that year. Children younger than 12 are license exempt.
Annual Nonresident Fishing - Valid for entire license year.
1-Day Nonresident Fishing - Available only to nonresidents. Valid only for one (1) day specified by the purchaser. Starting date may be today or any date in the future.
7-Day Nonresident Fishing - Available only to nonresidents. Valid only for a consecutive seven-day period, specified by the purchaser. Starting date may be today or any date in the future.
Annual Nonresident Hunting - Identical to a resident license, except required of persons who are not Kentucky Residents. REQUIRED FOR DEER, ELK, BEAR OR TURKEY HUNTERS.
1-Day Nonresident Hunting - Valid only for one day, specified by the purchaser. Date may be today or any date in the future. MAY NOT BE USED FOR DEER, TURKEY, ELK OR BEAR HUNTING.
7-Day Nonresident Hunting - Valid only for a consecutive (7) seven-day period, specified by the purchaser. Starting date may be today or any date in the future. MAY NOT BE USED FOR DEER, ELK OR TURKEY HUNTING.
Nonresident Trapping - Required of all nonresident trappers.
Youth Hunting - Available to residents and nonresidents who have not yet reached their 16th birthday. Valid for the entire year in which issued, even if the license holder turns 16 during that year. Parent or guardian must sign the license at the time of purchase. Children under the age of 12 are license exempt.
Non-Resident Deer Permit – Required to hunt deer. Entitles the holder to four deer. MAY NOT BE USED IN CONJUNCTION WITH A ONE OR SEVEN-DAY NONRESIDENT OR A ONE DAY RESIDENT HUNTING LICENSE.
Youth Deer Permit - Issued to holders of Youth Hunting Licenses only. Entitles the holder to four deer. NOTE: Youth hunting license holders may also buy the regular deer permit. Children under the age of 12 are license exempt.
Additional Deer Permit - This permit entitles the holder to two deer in any zone, in keeping with applicable bag limits. May use unlimited Additional Deer Permits in Zone 1 counties during any deer season. Must purchase a statewide deer permit before using this permit. Only 1 antlered deer per hunter may be taken each year statewide, regardless of deer permit type used.
Bobcat Permit – Required for all hunters who hunt/shoot bobcats during the fall/winter bobcat hunting season. Available online only. FREE.
Resident Bear Permit – Required to hunt bear. Entitles the holder to one bear.
Resident Bear Chase Permit - Required to chase bears with dogs during legal seasons. Only available to residents. (only available through the internet)
Youth Resident Bear Chase Permit - Required to chase bears with dogs during legal seasons. Only available to residents. (only available through the internet)
Kentucky Migratory Bird/Waterfowl Permit - Required to hunt ducks, coots, mergansers, geese, doves, woodcocks, snipes, rails and gallinules. Required of hunters ages 16 and older. NOTE: Waterfowl hunters must also possess a federal duck stamp, available at Post Offices. May be used in conjunction with a 1-Day, 7-Day or annual nonresident or a 1-Day or annual resident hunting license.
Resident Spring Turkey Permit - Entitles the holder to two male or bearded turkeys only. To be used in conjunction with a Resident Annual Hunting License. MAY NOT BE USED IN CONJUNCTION WITH A 1-DAY RESIDENT HUNTING LICENSE.
Nonresident Spring Turkey Permit - Entitles the holder to two male or bearded turkeys only. MAY NOT BE USED IN CONJUNCTION WITH A 1- OR 7-DAY NONRESIDENT HUNTING LICENSE.
Resident Fall Turkey Permit - Entitles the holder to 2 turkeys (please consult Fall Hunting & Trapping Guide for bag limits by season, sex of turkey, and harvest method). MAY NOT BE USED IN CONJUNCTION WITH A 1-DAY RESIDENT HUNTING LICENSE.
Nonresident Fall Turkey Permit - Entitles the holder to 2 turkeys (please consult Fall Hunting & Trapping Guide for bag limits by season, sex of turkey, and harvest method). To be used in conjunction with a Nonresident Annual Hunting License. MAY NOT BE USED IN CONJUNCTION WITH A 1- OR 7-DAY NONRESIDENT HUNTING LICENSE.
Youth Turkey Permit - Issued to holders of Youth Hunting Licenses only. Entitles the holder to one turkey during spring or fall. Two per season may be sold to a Youth license holder. NOTE: Youth hunting license holders may instead buy the regular turkey permits, which include 2 turkeys in spring and up to 2 turkeys total in fall. Statewide bag limits still apply. Children younger than 12 are license- and permit- exempt but standard bag limits and other regulations apply.
Trout Permit - Required for trout fishermen. Joint husband-wife license holders each need trout permits if both will trout fish.
Temporary Hunter Education Exemption Permit - This permit entitles the holder (resident or nonresident) to hunt in Kentucky for up to one year (from the date of purchase) without meeting the hunter education requirement. Must purchase a statewide license and other applicable permits in addition to this permit. Military installations in Kentucky and other states do not recognize this exemption.
Elk Hunt Drawing application - Persons who wish to enter the random quota drawing for Kentucky elk hunting permits must apply before midnight (eastern) on April 30 preceding the fall hunting season. Adults may apply for each of the 3 elk permit types (Bull – Firearm; Cow – Firearm; and Bull or Cow – Archery/Crossbow), and youths under 16 may also apply for the special Youth Elk Permit (see below). Applicants who are selected in the drawing must then purchase a permit before midnight on June 15. A secondary drawing of unbought permits called the “Loyalty Redraw” is then conducted before June 30 to award the leftover permits to applicants who have applied the most years without ever being drawn.
Youth Elk Permit - In addition to applying for permits available in the general elk hunt drawing, youths 15 and younger may also apply for one of a limited number of special youth-only, either sex elk permits that may be used during any elk season with any legal method (modern rifle, muzzleloader, and archery/crossbow) to take a bull or cow elk. To be eligible, applicants must be less than 16 years old on the opening day of the first elk hunting season for that year.
Resident Out-of-Zone Elk Permit - Entitles hunters who wish to hunt Elk out of the elk restoration zone during deer season to take one elk. Hunter must be a legal deer hunter.
Nonresident Out-of-Zone Elk Permit - Entitles hunters who wish to hunt Elk out of the elk restoration zone during deer season to take one elk. Hunter must be a legal deer hunter.
Land Between the Lakes User Permit - Can be purchased on our license sales website at: www.usedirect.com/CampLBL, or at the LBL visitor center or welcome stations.
Land Between the Lakes Hunt/Backcountry Camp - Can be purchased on our license sales website at: www.usedirect.com/CampLBL, or at the LBL visitor center or welcome stations.
Otter Creek Outdoor Recreation Area
*Please Note: Clear Creek, Harris-Dickerson and Tradwater WMAs's Do not require a user permit.