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Hunting Licenses, Permits, and Tags

Residents and nonresident hunters age 18 or older must have a Basic Hunting License to hunt, take, possess or transport any wild birds or quadrupeds (for which hunting is permitted and seasons are opened).

All youth (age 17 and younger) who are actively harvesting deer or turkey, participating in a lottery hunt, or trapping are required to have a Youth Hunting License. Youth who are spectating (not actively hunting) are not required to have a license.

Additional special licenses are required to hunt, take, possess, or transport deer, turkey, or migratory waterfowl.

Hunters must have licenses (or license numbers) and a physical form of identification on their person while hunting.

No person born on or after September 1, 1969, shall hunt unsupervised unless that person has been issued a certificate of satisfactory completion of a Hunter Education course approved by LDWF. Please see Mandatory Hunter Education for exceptions, requirements, and methods for taking approved hunter education courses. 

Licenses are available at special rates for seniors, military, students, and people with disabilities. Lifetime licenses are also available.

The following individuals are not required to have a hunting license:

  • Residents and nonresidents under age 18 (i.e. age 17 and under) who are hunting game animals besides deer or turkey or are spectators of another person hunting
  • Residents born before June 1, 1940 who have lived in Louisiana for 6 months.

However, these individuals must have proof of age in their possession whenever hunting.

Hunting licenses are valid from the date of purchase and expire one year (365 days) from the date of purchase. If you purchase your license online, you can select an option to have your license renewed automatically every year.

 

License and Permit Types and Fees

License/Permit Type Resident, Military, Student Fee Nonresident Fee Nonresident Native 10-Day3 Nonresident 5-Day
Basic Hunting (required for all hunters) $20 $200 $20 $65
Deer (includes archery and primitive privileges and deer tags; required for all deer hunters in addition to Basic Hunting) $15

 $100 $15 $35
Waterfowl (required for all waterfowl hunters in addition to Basic Hunting) $12 $50 $12 $35
Federal Duck Stamp (required for all waterfowl hunters 16 years of age and older, even those who are not otherwise required to purchase a license) $29.79
HIP Certification (required in addition to all other applicable licenses for migratory game birds—mourning doves, ducks, geese, woodcock, rails, snipe, coots or gallinules) Free
Turkey (includes tags; required for all turkey hunters in addition to Basic Hunting) $12 $50 $12 $35
Bear (must hold a bear harvest permit and basic hunting license) $25 — — —
Youth Hunting (under age 18; required for hunting deer and turkey, trapping, and youth lottery hunts; includes deer and turkey tags; no ID or proof of residency required for purchase) $5 $5 — —
WMA Access Annual Permit (this permit is included in the Sportsman's Paradise license, Senior Hunt/Fish License, and all lifetime licenses, not required for youth 17 and under) $20 $20 — —
WMA Access 5-Day Permit (valid for a five-consecutive day period) $5 $5 — —
WMA Camping Permit (required for each camping party of up to five adults camping
together. Youth 17 and under are not required to have a camping permit. The WMA Camping Permit(s) or LDWF number(s) shall be displayed at each camping party's campsite.  A campsite is defined as any tent, RV, camper, vehicle or site occupied within a campground or vessel/houseboat moored adjacent to a campground.)		 $7/night $7/night — —
Senior Hunting/Fishing1 $5 — — —
Louisiana Sportsman's Paradise2 $100 $400 $100 $120
 Hunting Preserve  $420 --    
Game Breeder’s License for Falconry (Falconry License; to practice falconry in Louisiana; must also have a current, valid Hunting License; Falconry Licenses will not be issued for pets or the pet trade/industry)4 $50 plus one-time $100 facility inspection fee — — —

1Any resident age 60 or older must instead have a Senior Hunting/Fishing License. This license is in lieu of Basic and Saltwater Fishing Licenses; Basic, Deer, Waterfowl, and Turkey Hunting Licenses; and the WMA Access Permit. It also includes all legal gear privileges. This license is free for residents born before June 1, 1940.
2The Louisiana Sportsman’s Paradise License includes Basic and Saltwater Fishing Licenses; Basic, Deer, Waterfowl, and Turkey Hunting Licenses; and the WMA Access Permit.
3If you were born in Louisiana but are not currently a resident, you may purchase Nonresident Native Hunting Licenses, which are valid for ten consecutive days. These temporary hunting licenses are available for Basic Hunting as well as other licenses or permits required in addition to the Basic Hunting License, such as Deer, Waterfowl, or Turkey. These licenses are available at any Louisiana license vendor. You must present an original or certified original birth certificate from the Louisiana Department of Health and photo identification when you purchase these licenses.
4Only allows you to hunt pen-raised birds on a hunting preserve; in lieu of a Basic Hunting License. However, if you are taking or hunting mallards, you must also have a Waterfowl Hunting License..

How do I purchase a hunting license?

You can purchase a hunting license*:

*This does not apply to most military, student, disability, and lifetime licenses. See Special Licenses for details.

Online payment options include Visa, MasterCard, Discover, or American Express; these purchases include a small handling fee.

If you purchase your license online (via smartphone, laptop, tablet, etc.), you will not receive a license in the mail. You will receive a text with a temporary authorization number and an email with the temporary authorization number and a PDF of your licenses, which you can print and/or save to the electronic device you take hunting.

Louisiana citizens with a Louisiana driver’s license or ID card can also now use the LA Wallet app to display their purchased LDWF licenses on their smartphone. 

How do I qualify for resident rates?

To purchase a license at the resident rate, you must meet the bona fide residency requirements defined below and present one of the following valid forms of identification:

  • Louisiana driver’s license (valid for 6 months or more)
  • Louisiana identification card (issued by the Louisiana Department of Public Safety)

If you obtain a resident license but do not comply with the bona fide residency requirements as stated below, you will be subject to criminal and/or civil sanctions.

Bona Fide Residency Requirements:

You’re a bona fide resident if you’ve resided in the state of Louisiana continuously during the 6 months immediately prior to the date you apply for any license and if you’ve established Louisiana as your legal domicile. You must demonstrate compliance with all of the following, as applicable:

  • If you’re registered to vote, you’re registered to vote in Louisiana
  • If you’re licensed to drive a motor vehicle, you have a valid Louisiana driver’s license
  • If you own a motor vehicle located within Louisiana, you have a valid Louisiana registration for that vehicle
  • If you earn an income, you have filed a Louisiana state income tax return and have complied with state income tax law and regulations.

Any person, corporation, or other legal entity that possesses a resident license from any other state or country shall not qualify for a resident license in Louisiana.

How do I replace a lost license?

If you lost your license, you can purchase a duplicate for $2 per license. If you purchased it online or through a mobile device, you can reprint it for free. No duplicates are allowed for temporary licenses.

Louisiana/Mississippi Agreement

If you hold a Mississippi hunting license, you have the same rights and privileges as provided by law for a Louisiana hunting license holder to hunt wild game birds and quadrupeds on islands in and around the waters of the Mississippi River and other land resulting from accretion along the Mississippi River at the Louisiana and Mississippi border.

 

Did you know?

Next time you renew your driver’s license at the Office of Motor Vehicles, you can add a Lifetime Hunting/Fishing, Boater Education, and/or Hunter Education endorsement to your license for free. If you have one or more of these endorsements, you do not have to carry the applicable license or certification card with you as long as you have your driver’s license.

In addition, Louisiana citizens with a Louisiana driver’s license or ID card can now use the LA Wallet app to display their purchased LDWF licenses on their smartphone.