Illinois hunting license

How much is an Illinois hunting license?

A resident Illinois hunting license costs $12.50 and a nonresident annual license costs $57.75, as listed by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources for the current license year. Most hunters 18 and older also need the $5.50 State Habitat Stamp, and deer or turkey hunters buy separate permits on top of that. The full fee lists are on the IDNR resident fee page and nonresident fee page.

Don't be surprised if the printed digest shows slightly lower numbers. The 2026-27 digest lists $12.00 resident and $57.00 nonresident because it leaves out vendor and transaction fees, while the IDNR fee tables show what you actually pay at checkout.

Residents have a couple of ways to stretch their money. A 3-year hunting license costs $36.50, so you skip the yearly renewal, and anyone who also fishes can bundle both with the Sportsmen's Combo at $26.25. A resident adult who needs the habitat stamp pays $18.00 for the license and stamp together at the listed prices, before any deer or turkey permits.

Do you need hunter education for an Illinois hunting license?

Yes, if you were born on or after January 1, 1980, you must complete hunter safety education before you can buy an Illinois hunting license. Showing a prior-year hunting license from Illinois or another state also satisfies the rule. IDNR sets no minimum age for taking the course.

An online course is available, but it is only part of the process: you still attend an in-person field day to finish. Field days are scheduled sessions, so sign up well before the season you want to hunt. Course options and registration are on the IDNR hunter safety page.

Keep your proof in a safe place. Your hunter safety certificate, or last year's hunting license from Illinois or any other state, is what clears you to buy. If you move here from another state, that prior-year license from your old state counts the same way.

Not ready for the class yet? The Apprentice Hunting License costs $7.50 and needs no hunter education. It is open to residents and nonresidents of any age. You must hunt under the supervision of a licensed hunter 21 or older, and on public land your mentor must also hold a hunter ed certificate. The apprentice license expires March 31.

Where to buy an Illinois hunting license

IDNR's preferred way to buy is online through ExploreMoreIL, its license system. You can also buy in person from a license vendor, which you can find with the agent locator. Either way, have your Social Security number ready, because Illinois requires one for any license purchase.

Think of the purchase in layers: the license, then the habitat stamp if you are 18 or older, then a deer or turkey permit for each species you hunt. IDNR's getting started page explains what new hunters need.

Before you pay, double-check what your hunt actually calls for. A resident adult starts with the license and habitat stamp, a deer trip adds a permit and the same-day harvest report, and other species may carry their own stamps or permits listed in the digest. A youth or apprentice hunter buys a different license altogether, at $7.50.

1. Complete hunter safety education if you were born on or after January 1, 1980, or choose the Apprentice license instead.
2. Go to ExploreMoreIL online or visit a license vendor, with your Social Security number handy.
3. Buy your hunting license, plus the $5.50 State Habitat Stamp if you are 18 or older.
4. Add deer or turkey permits, through a lottery or over the counter, before you hunt those species.

Buy a Illinois hunting license on the official site

Deer and turkey permits in Illinois

Your Illinois hunting license does not cover deer or turkey by itself. Both need separate permits, sold through lotteries or over the counter, on top of the license and habitat stamp.

For 2026 firearm and muzzleloader deer, the first lottery (residents only) ran March 3 to April 30, the second May 11 to June 30 and the third July 13 to August 21. Leftover permits go on sale over the counter from October 20. Turkey also uses spring and fall lotteries; check the 2026-27 Illinois hunting and trapping digest for those dates.

Timing matters with the lotteries. The first deer drawing opened March 3, two days after the new license year's licenses went on sale on March 1, so renewing early leaves you ready to apply. If you miss all three drawings, the over-the-counter sale from October 20 is your fallback, limited to whatever permits remain.

After you take a deer, tag it immediately. You then have until 10 p.m. the same day to report the harvest, either online or by phone at 1-866-452-4325. Keep the number in your phone before you head out.

Youth hunting license rules in Illinois

Hunters under 18 can buy the Youth Hunting and Trapping License for $7.50, and it is open to both residents and nonresidents. A young hunter must stay under the close supervision of a licensed adult who is 21 or older. The State Habitat Stamp is not required until age 18.

Every young hunter today was born after the 1980 cutoff, so the hunter safety rule applies to them. Since IDNR lists no minimum age for the course, a child can take it whenever the family feels ready. Until then, the $7.50 Apprentice license is another way to get started alongside a qualified mentor.

Costs stay low for families with more than one young hunter. The youth license is $7.50 per hunter, the same price as the Apprentice license, and neither needs the habitat stamp until the hunter turns 18. Deer and turkey permits are still bought separately for each species.

Illinois hunting license for nonresidents

A nonresident Illinois hunting license costs $57.75 for the year, or $35.75 for a 5-day license, as listed by IDNR for the current license year. The 5-day option fits a single short trip, while the annual license covers repeat visits.

Nonresidents 18 and older still need the $5.50 habitat stamp, plus a permit for each species. An over-the-counter either-sex firearm deer permit costs nonresidents $300.50, and the first deer lottery is open to residents only. The hunter safety rule is the same as for residents, and a prior-year hunting license from another state satisfies it.

Visitors buy through the same ExploreMoreIL system or a license vendor. The Social Security number requirement covers any license purchase, so have yours ready before you start checkout.

Planning a trip that crosses a state line? Compare the Indiana hunting license and Iowa hunting license guides, or see every hunting license by state on one map.

Other Illinois hunting rules to know

The license year is the rule that trips people up most. Annual licenses and stamps go on sale March 1 and stay valid through March 31 of the following year, so a license bought in October still expires the next March 31. A few other rules are worth reviewing before opening day.

Seasons, bag limits and legal methods change each year and differ by species, so read the current digest for the game you plan to hunt. This guide covers licensing only.

• Blaze orange: during firearm deer seasons, wear a solid blaze orange or blaze pink cap plus an upper garment with at least 400 square inches of solid orange or pink. Camouflage orange does not count.
• Landowners: whether you can hunt your own land without a license depends on conditions such as whether you live on the property, so check the Illinois digest before you skip one. Free landowner deer permits require 40 or more acres.
• Seniors: residents 65 to 74 pay $6.50 for a hunting license, and those 75 and older pay $1.50.
• Veterans and disabled hunters: certified Illinois veterans who served overseas pay half price ($6.50 for hunting). Residents with a qualifying disability ID, and veterans at least 10% service-disabled, may hunt without a license.
• Lifetime licenses: residents can buy a Lifetime Hunting License for $360.50 or a Lifetime Sportsmen's Combination Hunting/Fishing License for $765.75.