Idaho hunting license

How much is an Idaho hunting license?

An adult resident Idaho hunting license costs $15.75 and an adult nonresident license costs $185.00, as listed by the Idaho Department of Fish and Game for the current license year. Those are base prices. Idaho sells the license and the big game tags separately, so most deer or elk hunters spend more than the license alone.

Two Idaho details change what you actually pay. Residents who keep their license every year can join Price Lock, which drops the adult resident license to $12.75. Adults also pay an access-depredation fee on their first annual license of the year: $5.00 for residents and $10.00 for nonresidents. Buying online or by phone adds a 3% card fee plus a small transaction charge.

If you hunt several seasons in a row, the 3-year licenses save trips to the counter: $43.75 for residents and $551.50 for nonresidents. Residents who want the license plus the main tags in one purchase can buy the Sportsman's Package for $144.60. The table below lists each option with the fee notes from the 2026 Big Game Seasons and Rules.

Do you need hunter education for an Idaho hunting license?

Yes, if you were born on or after January 1, 1975. Idaho asks for proof of a hunter education course before it will sell you a hunting license, unless you have held a hunting license in Idaho or another state before. Hunters born before 1975 can buy without a course.

You can take the class in a room with an instructor (about 12 to 13 hours, with a field day and an exam) or through a self-paced online course. Bowhunters need separate bowhunter education before they can buy an archery permit. Course listings are on the IDFG hunter education page.

Not ready for a course yet? The Hunting Passport costs $1.75 and lets a first-time hunter, age 8 or older, try hunting for one calendar year. It is a once-in-a-lifetime option for people who have never held a hunting license. You must hunt with a mentor who is at least 18 and holds a current Idaho license, a mentor can take no more than two passport holders, and passport holders can't apply for controlled hunts.

Where can I buy a hunting license in Idaho?

The fastest way is online through GoOutdoorsIdaho, the state's license system, or its phone app. You can also call 1-800-554-8685, walk into a license vendor, or visit a Fish and Game office. Online orders add a 3% card fee plus $4.00, and phone orders add the 3% fee plus $6.50.

Lifetime and disability licenses are the exception. Those are sold only at IDFG offices, so plan a visit if you are buying one.

Buying early helps. Next year's licenses go on sale December 1, and the first controlled hunt application period opens May 1, so setting up your customer record ahead of time makes those windows easier. Save or print your documents after checkout, and make sure the name and birth date on your record match your ID.

1. Have your hunter education card ready if you were born on or after January 1, 1975, or proof of a past hunting license.
2. Open GoOutdoorsIdaho.com or the Go Outdoors Idaho app and look up or create your customer record.
3. Choose your license (annual or 3-year), then add the deer, elk, turkey or other tags you plan to use.
4. Pay the license, tag and access-depredation fees, then save or print your documents before you head out.

Buy a Idaho hunting license on the official site

Does an Idaho hunting license include deer and elk tags?

No. The license lets you hunt, but deer, elk, pronghorn, bear, turkey and other big game each need their own tag. For residents the deer tag is $24.75, elk $36.75 and turkey $22.75. Some hunts are general season, where you buy a tag over the counter, and others are controlled hunts filled by a drawing.

Controlled hunts for deer, elk, pronghorn and fall bear have two 2026 application periods: May 1 to June 5, then August 5 to 15. Spring black bear applications run January 15 to February 15, 2027. Check the IDFG rules for each unit before you apply, since hunt numbers and quotas change.

Harvest reporting is mandatory. For every deer, elk or pronghorn tag, file a report within 10 days of taking the animal. If you don't fill the tag, report within 10 days after the season closes.

A practical tip: decide which species you want before you buy, because tags are priced per animal and youth, seniors and disabled veterans can get some of them at reduced prices. The rules brochure lists every tag and its price, so read it alongside your unit's season dates before you check out.

How much does a youth Idaho hunting license cost?

Young residents ages 10 to 17 buy the Resident Junior Hunting license for $8.25, about half the adult price. Nonresident kids in the same age range buy the Junior Mentored Hunting license for $91.75. Hunters under 12 must be with an adult who holds a hunting license.

Children age 8 and up who have never hunted can also start with the $1.75 Hunting Passport and a licensed mentor, which is a low-cost way to see if a young hunter likes it before signing up for a course. Youth tags are offered at reduced prices too.

A simple plan for a new young hunter: start with the Hunting Passport in year one, finish hunter education before the passport runs out at the end of the calendar year, then switch to the junior license. Parents should still read the age and accompaniment rules in the IDFG rules brochure before the first hunt.

What does a nonresident Idaho hunting license cost?

A nonresident adult Idaho hunting license costs $185.00 a year, and it includes a three-day fishing license. Add the $10.00 access-depredation fee and the tags for your game: deer $351.75, elk $651.75 and turkey $88.00. Nonresidents usually pay much more than residents, and Idaho is no exception.

The big change for 2026 is how nonresidents get general deer and elk tags. They are now issued by random draw, so a tag is no longer a sure thing at the counter. Idaho said details for the 2027 draw would come in October 2026, so watch the IDFG site before you plan a trip.

Only after birds, rabbits or other small game? The Three-Day Small Game Hunting license is $71.75 and the season-long Small Game Hunting license is $141.75. A Nongame Hunting license is $39.00 and a Shooting Preserve Hunting license is $26.00. Nonresident veterans with a service-connected disability rating of 40% or more can buy a hunting license for $31.75.

What else should Idaho hunters know before opening day?

A standard Idaho hunting license runs on the calendar year, valid through December 31, and next year's licenses go on sale December 1. Residents with at least five years in Idaho can buy a lifetime certificate at an IDFG office instead, though tags are never included. Hunting lifetime licenses cost $276.75 (age 0 to 1), $386.75 (age 2 to 50) and $221.75 (51 and older).

Discounts help seniors, disabled residents and service members. Residents 65 and older pay $13.75 for a combination license, the resident disabled combination is $5.75 and the military furlough combination is $20.50. Planning a trip next door? Compare the Washington hunting license or read our Montana hunting license guide.

• Hunter orange: the 2026 rules brochure we checked lists no requirement, so check the Idaho Department of Fish and Game rules for your hunt before you go.
• Landowners: no landowner exemption is stated in the brochure, so check with IDFG before hunting your own land without a license.
• Archery: bowhunter education is required before you can buy an archery permit.
• Mandatory reports: every deer, elk and pronghorn tag needs a harvest report within 10 days.
• More states: see prices and hunter ed rules in our hunting license by state guide.