Vermont Fishing License 2026: Under 15 Free, 5-Year, and Permanent 66+
Vermont 2026 fishing license: under-15 free, youth 15-17, annual, 3/7-day, 5-year, and permanent 66+ rows. Official fees, Champlain and CT River rules.
Vermont is an age-first license state. Anglers under 15 do not need a fishing license, ages 15-17 use youth pricing, and adults compare annual, 3-day, 7-day, 5-year, or permanent-license paths depending on residency and trip length.
The resident 66+ permanent license is the cleanest long-term row at $60, paid once. The 5-year license is a small prepay discount rather than a dramatic bargain, so occasional anglers should compare it against annual renewal and Vermont’s two free-fishing days before buying.
Lake Champlain and Connecticut River rules deserve separate checks. A New York or New Hampshire license can matter in specific shared-water situations, but those agreements do not turn into blanket permission for every Vermont bay, tributary, or shore stop.
Vermont age, permanent-license, and shared-water rules
| Topic | What to check |
|---|---|
| Under 15 free | No fishing license is needed under age 15. |
| Youth 15-17 | Ages 15-17 use low-cost youth resident or nonresident rows. |
| Permanent 66+ path | Resident anglers 66+ can buy the permanent fishing license for a one-time $60 fee; it must be reprinted or updated annually but never expires. |
| Free fishing days | Vermont sets one open-water and one ice-fishing free day each year; 2026 dates are Saturday, January 31 (ice fishing) and Saturday, June 13 (open water). No license is needed on those days, for residents or nonresidents. |
| Free mentored fishing weekend | Labor Day weekend lets one unlicensed angler fish alongside one licensed angler. |
| Lake Champlain reciprocity | A Vermont or New York license covers the “Main Lake” and “South Lake” portions between the two states. It does not cover the Inland Sea, Malletts Bay, Missisquoi Bay, or “The Gut” (Vermont license required), or South Bay (New York license required). Rivers and tributaries feeding the lake are excluded entirely. |
| Connecticut River reciprocity | Vermont-resident and New Hampshire-resident licenses are both valid on the Connecticut River (including bays, setbacks, and tributaries up to the first highway bridge). Nonresident NH licenses only cover fish taken east of the Vermont low-water mark; nonresident VT licenses only cover the west side. |
| No saltwater license | Vermont has no coastline and no separate saltwater fishing license path. |
2026 Vermont Price Rows
Use the Vermont Fish & Wildlife license table and the official sales site for live totals.
| Product | Resident | Nonresident | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under age 15 | $0 | $0 | No Vermont fishing license required. |
| Youth fishing, ages 15-17 | $8 | $15 | Youth annual row. |
| Annual fishing | $28 | $54 | Standard adult annual row. |
| 5-year fishing | $134 | $264 | Prepay row; compare against five annual renewals. |
| 1-day fishing | $21 | Nonresident short-trip row. | |
| 3-day fishing | $11 | $23 | Consecutive days. |
| 7-day fishing | $31 | Visitor week row. | |
| Permanent fishing, age 66+ | $60 | One-time fee, resident-only permanent-license path. |
Vermont does not use a saltwater fishing license path. Check Lake Champlain and Connecticut River location rules before relying on reciprocity — the boundaries above are drawn by specific waterway, not by general agreement.
FAQs
Do anglers under 15 need a Vermont fishing license?
No. Anglers under 15 fish without a license anywhere in Vermont.
Is Vermont permanent fishing available at 65?
No. Vermont residents must be 66 or older to buy the permanent fishing license; it costs $60 one time and is reprinted annually rather than repurchased.
Is the Vermont 5-year license cheaper than renewing each year?
Usually only slightly. Five resident annual licenses would total $140 versus $134 for the 5-year row, and five nonresident annuals total $270 versus $264. Compare that small discount against Vermont’s two free-fishing days before buying, since occasional anglers may not need five straight years of coverage.
Can a New York license cover Lake Champlain fishing?
Sometimes, but not everywhere. A Vermont or New York license works in the Main Lake and South Lake portions shared by both states. It does not cover Vermont’s Inland Sea, Malletts Bay, Missisquoi Bay, or The Gut, and it does not cover New York’s South Bay — each of those needs the license from the state whose waters they sit in.
Can a New Hampshire license cover the Connecticut River?
Yes, for the resident license class. New Hampshire-resident and Vermont-resident licenses are both valid across the shared Connecticut River, including its bays, setbacks, and tributaries up to the first highway bridge. Nonresident licenses are split by the Vermont low-water mark — an NH nonresident license only covers the New Hampshire side, and a VT nonresident license only covers the Vermont side.
