Idaho Fishing License 2026: Cost, Age 14 Rule & Salmon/Steelhead Permit

Idaho starts the license question with age, then layers on species and gear. Residents and nonresidents age 14 and older need a base fishing license; anglers 13 and under fish free with no license required. Salmon and steelhead need a separate species permit on top of that base license, and permits like two-pole or salmon/steelhead expire every December 31 — even if your underlying license is a 3-year one. Use this page to confirm the shape of the rule, then finish the purchase in Go Outdoors Idaho, where the live cart applies the correct Access/Depredation fee for your license term.

Idaho Rules That Change the Cart

2026 Idaho Price Rows

Verify the live total on the resident fee page, the nonresident fee page, or in the Go Outdoors Idaho cart.

Prices above are current 2026 fees. Residents enrolled in Idaho’s Price Lock program since 2017 keep older, discounted rates — check “Are you price-locked?” on the resident fee page. Idaho annual licenses always run January 1 to December 31 regardless of purchase date; the 3-year license simply repeats that cycle three times.

Where to Buy or Verify

• Resident fee page — official resident price table.
• Nonresident fee page — official nonresident price table.
• Go Outdoors Idaho — live checkout, the source of truth for your final total.
• Go Fish Idaho — plain-language overview, kids’ rule, and Free Fishing Day info.
• 2025–2027 Fishing Seasons & Rules (PDF) — official season notes and permit rules.
• IDFG notice on permit expiration — explains why permits don’t carry across a multi-year license.

Common Pitfalls

• Assuming a 3-year license also locks in a 3-year permit — it doesn’t; two-pole, salmon/steelhead, and similar permits reset every December 31 and must be rebought each year.
• Treating the Access/Depredation fee as a flat $10 — it’s $5 for a resident annual license and $10 for a nonresident annual license, doubling for the 3-year versions.
• Booking the nonresident 3-day salmon/steelhead package ($44.75) expecting it to cover ordinary trout fishing beyond those three days — it only bundles a 3-day general license with the species permit.
• Letting a nonresident minor fish under a parent’s license and assuming that covers their own limit — a separate Junior license is required if the minor wants an individual bag limit.
• Forgetting that all Idaho annual licenses expire December 31 no matter when purchased, so a license bought in November still expires at year-end.

FAQs

Do I need a permit in addition to an Idaho fishing license for salmon or steelhead?

Yes. Salmon and steelhead require the separate species permit — $15.25 for residents, $28.25 for nonresidents — on top of the base fishing license.

What is the nonresident short-trip option for Idaho salmon or steelhead?

The 3-day salmon/steelhead package costs $44.75 and bundles a 3-day general fishing license with the species permit; there is no resident equivalent of this exact bundle.

Where does Idaho’s age-14 rule fit?

Idaho requires a base fishing license starting at age 14; anglers 13 and under fish free without one.

Does the Access/Depredation fee cost the same for everyone?

No. It’s $5.00 on a resident annual license and $10.00 on a nonresident annual license, with 3-year versions doubling those amounts, and reduced Junior/DAV rates of $2.00 (resident) and $4.00 (nonresident).

Do permits carry over on a 3-year license?

No. Species and gear permits like two-pole or salmon/steelhead are only valid for the calendar year they were purchased in, even if attached to a 3-year base license, and must be repurchased annually.