Colorado Fishing License 2026-2027: Fees, Habitat Stamp, Second-Rod Stamp & Free Weekend
Colorado fishing license 2026-2027: resident/nonresident fees, Habitat Stamp, Second-Rod Stamp, youth rules, June 6-7 free weekend, and official CPW links.
Colorado’s 2026-2027 fishing license runs March 1, 2026 through March 31, 2027 (13 months), and the total in your cart usually stacks a base license, an Annual Habitat Stamp, and sometimes a Second-Rod Stamp. Resident adults pay $44.87 a year, nonresidents pay $124.01, and most anglers ages 18-64 add a separate $12.76 Habitat Stamp. A Second-Rod Stamp adds one attended line for $14.24 but never raises your bag limit, and youth under 16 fish free without any license at all.
Quick Facts
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Who needs a Habitat Stamp | Anyone ages 18-64 buying or applying for a license, one per year, nonrefundable |
| Does Second-Rod Stamp raise bag limit | No — it only permits one extra attended line, non-transferable, one per season |
| Who can skip a license entirely | Colorado youth under 16 — full bag and possession limit, no license needed |
| Free fishing dates | June 6-7, 2026 — first full weekend of June, statewide, both license and Habitat Stamp waived |
| License validity | March 1, 2026 – March 31, 2027 (13 months) |
2026-2027 Colorado Price Table
Live totals and checkout are on the Colorado Parks and Wildlife fishing licenses page and CPWShop.com.
| Product | Resident | Nonresident | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adult Annual Fishing | $44.87 (ages 18-63) | Base resident adult license | |
| Annual Fishing | $124.01 (ages 16+) | Base nonresident license | |
| Five-day Fishing | $41.04 (ages 16+) | Short visitor trip row | |
| Senior Annual Fishing | $12.96 (ages 64+) | Resident seniors only | |
| Youth Fishing License | $12.96 (ages 16-17) | Second-rod charge still applies | |
| One-day Fishing | $18.07 | $21.90 | First two of these per year skip the Habitat Stamp |
| Additional-day Fishing | $9.13 | $9.13 | Same Habitat Stamp exemption rule as one-day |
| Annual Habitat Stamp | $12.76 | $12.76 | Required ages 18-64, one per year, nonrefundable |
| Lifetime Habitat Stamp | $384.16 | $384.16 | One-time optional alternative |
| Second-Rod Stamp | $14.24 | $14.24 | Open to license holders and any youth under 16 |
| Small Game and Fishing Combo | $64.02 | Resident-only combo | |
| Senior Small Game and Fishing Combo | $38.03 (ages 64+) | Resident senior combo | |
| Annual ANS Stamp (motorboat/sailboat) | $25.00 | $50.00 | Separate boating requirement, not part of a fishing license |
All fees include a $1.25 search-and-rescue fee and $1.50 Wildlife Education Fund fee built into the license price.
Youth Rules That Trip People Up
- Under 16: fish free statewide with a full adult bag and possession limit, no license or stamp required.
- Resident 16-17: must buy the $12.96 Youth Fishing License, and the Second-Rod Stamp charge still applies if they run two lines.
- Nonresident 16-18: cannot use a discounted youth rate — they must purchase the full nonresident adult Annual license at $124.01.
- Second-Rod Stamp for kids: any youth under 16 can add a Second-Rod Stamp on its own, even though they don’t need a base license.
Free Fishing Weekend, June 6-7, 2026
CPW waives both the license and the Habitat Stamp for everyone, resident or not, on the first full weekend of June — this year June 6-7, 2026. Bag limits, water-specific rules, and gear regulations (like the Second-Rod Stamp requirement for a second line) are not waived — only the license and stamp purchase is.
Five Common Pitfalls
- Assuming the Habitat Stamp is bundled into the annual price — it is a separate $12.76 line item for ages 18-64, though the first two one-day or additional-day purchases in a year are exempt (the third triggers the fee).
- Buying a Second-Rod Stamp expecting a bigger bag limit — it only adds one attended line and is non-transferable to another angler.
- Treating Free Fishing Weekend as a free season — only June 6-7, 2026 is covered, and all other bag and water rules apply the rest of the year.
- Nonresident families assuming a youth discount exists for ages 16-18 — nonresidents in that age band pay the full $124.01 adult annual rate.
- Forgetting proof-of-residency documents — resident-priced licenses require accepted proof of Colorado residency plus government ID at purchase.
Official Entry Points
- CPW Fishing Licenses and Dates — official fee tables, youth/senior rules, ID requirements
- CPWShop.com — official purchase portal for all licenses and stamps
- Free Fishing Weekend event page — 2026 dates and waived items
FAQs
Does the Second-Rod Stamp increase my bag limit?
No. It only adds one attended line — hand line, tip-up, or extra rod — and does not create an additional harvest limit.
Can a child use two rods without a base license?
Yes for youth under 16 — they need no base license but must still buy their own Second-Rod Stamp to run two lines.
Why is a Habitat Stamp in a Colorado fishing cart?
Because anglers ages 18-64 buying or applying for almost any license owe one Annual Habitat Stamp per year, separate from the base license.
Does free fishing on June 6-7, 2026 cover the whole year?
No. It waives only the license and Habitat Stamp for that single weekend; bag limits and water rules apply the rest of the year.
