Louisiana hunting license

How much is a Louisiana hunting license?

A resident Louisiana hunting license (the Basic Hunting License) costs $20.00, and the nonresident version costs $200.00, as listed by the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries for the current license year. Basic Hunting is required for every hunter 18 and older, but on its own it does not cover deer, turkey or ducks. Think of it as the base layer: you add a species license on top for each kind of game you plan to hunt.

Residents add a Deer license for $15 (it includes archery and primitive weapon privileges plus your tags), a Turkey license for $12 with tags, and a Waterfowl license for $12. If you hunt a bit of everything, the resident Sportsman's Paradise combo at $100 bundles basic hunting, deer, turkey, waterfowl, fishing and wildlife management area (WMA) access into one purchase.

Nonresidents pay more at every step: Deer $100, Turkey $50 and Waterfowl $50 on top of the $200 basic license, or $400 for the nonresident Sportsman's Paradise. Buying online adds a small handling fee. The table below lays out the main options, including short-term, youth, lifetime and discount licenses, so you can compare them before you buy.

Do you need hunter education for a Louisiana hunting license?

Yes, if you were born on or after September 1, 1969, you must complete LDWF-approved hunter education before you hunt unsupervised. Hunters born before that date are not required to take the course. The cutoff falls in September rather than on January 1, so check your birth date carefully if you were born in 1969.

The minimum age to certify is 9. Hunters 16 and older can finish the whole course online. Students 9 to 15 have two options: take the in-person class, or complete the online course and then attend a field day. Class listings and registration are on the LDWF hunter and trapper education page.

Louisiana has no apprentice license. Instead, an uncertified hunter may hunt under direct supervision, meaning within voice range and line of sight, of a licensed hunter born before September 1, 1969, or an adult 18 or older who can show hunter-ed proof. Children under 12 must always be directly supervised. Active and veteran military members and POST-certified officers can apply for an exemption that is valid in Louisiana only.

Where can you buy a hunting license in Louisiana?

You can buy one online, in person at LDWF headquarters, or from a local license retailer. Online sales run through LDWF's Louisiana Outdoors licensing site (louisianaoutdoors.com), and the official license and fee page lists every license sold. For help with a purchase, the licensing line is 225-765-2898.

After you buy, you can show your licenses in the LA Wallet app instead of keeping paper copies. Online buyers can also opt into automatic yearly renewal, which helps because each license runs on its own clock rather than ending on a set date.

1. Check whether you need hunter education (born on or after Sept. 1, 1969) and finish it first if you do.
2. Go to LDWF's Louisiana Outdoors licensing site, or visit LDWF headquarters at 2000 Quail Drive in Baton Rouge or a local license retailer.
3. Buy the Basic Hunting License, then add Deer, Turkey or Waterfowl licenses, or choose the Sportsman's Paradise combo instead.
4. Save your license and, if you like, add it to the LA Wallet app so it is on your phone in the field.

Buy a Louisiana hunting license on the official site

How do deer, turkey and bear tags work in Louisiana?

Deer and turkey each require a separate license on top of Basic Hunting, and the tags come with that license. Holders of lifetime or senior licenses claim their deer and turkey tags free. Read the LDWF deer tag rules before the season so you know the steps.

Tag each deer before you move it, then validate the harvest within 72 hours by text, online or by calling 225-267-9998. Black bear works differently: you need a $25 bear license plus a harvest permit drawn by lottery.

There is no statewide big-game draw. Instead, LDWF runs lottery hunts on WMAs, with applications online. For 2026-27, the published deadlines are August 31 for the youth deer lottery, September 30 for the waterfowl lottery and February 8 for the turkey lottery. The 2026-27 Louisiana hunting regulations have the full details. A 5-day WMA access permit costs $5 for visitors on a short trip.

Do kids need a license to hunt in Louisiana?

Hunters 17 and under need no license for small game, but they do need a $5 Youth Hunting License to hunt deer or turkey, to trap, or to join youth lottery hunts. The youth license costs the same $5 for residents and nonresidents and includes deer and turkey tags, which makes it an inexpensive way to start a young hunter.

Young hunters must carry proof of age. Spectators who come along without hunting need no license. The hunter education rules still apply to kids: the minimum certification age is 9, ages 9 to 15 need a classroom course or a field day, and anyone under 12 must stay under direct supervision while hunting.

What does a nonresident pay to hunt in Louisiana?

A nonresident Louisiana hunting license costs $200.00 for the year, but visitors on a short trip can buy a 5-day Basic Hunting license for $65 instead. The 5-day options continue with Deer $35, Turkey $35 and Waterfowl $35, or a 5-day Sportsman's Paradise for $120, which covers a weekend or week-long hunt for much less than the annual price.

Louisiana also gives a break to people born in the state who now live elsewhere. Native nonresidents, with a birth certificate as proof, can buy 10-day Native licenses at resident prices: Basic $20, Deer $15, Turkey $12 and Waterfowl $12. Active-duty military members and their dependents pay resident rates as well. Have the birth certificate ready when you buy, since the Native price depends on it.

Planning to hunt across a state line too? Compare the Texas hunting license and Mississippi hunting license guides, or browse every state on our hunting license by state page.

What other rules apply to Louisiana hunters?

Each Louisiana hunting license is valid 365 days from the date you buy it, not on a fixed season calendar. A license bought in mid-October stays good until roughly the same date the following year, and online buyers can turn on automatic renewal so coverage does not lapse.

Prices and rules change each license year, so confirm the details on LDWF's pages before you buy. If something on your license or tags looks wrong, the licensing help line at 225-765-2898 is the quickest fix, and the 2026-27 regulations cover the season dates and bag limits that this guide leaves out.

• Hunter orange: deer hunters using firearms during gun season must wear 400 square inches of hunter orange or blaze pink on the head, chest and/or back. On private land a cap is enough, and hunters in elevated stands on private land are exempt, though they must wear orange walking to and from the stand.
• Landowners: LDWF does not publish a clear landowner exemption, so check with the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries before hunting your own land without a license.
• Lifetime licenses: residents can buy a Lifetime Hunting/Fishing combo for $500 or a Senior Lifetime license (65+) for $100. A nonresident lifetime license is $4,000 ($1,000 under age 3). Both are sold only through the Baton Rouge office and take about three weeks to process.
• Seniors and other discounts: LDWF sells a $5 Senior Hunt/Fish license to qualifying residents, and from June 1, 2027 the senior license becomes a 65+ license at $20. Retired military pay $20, disabled residents pay $4, and veterans rated 50% or more disabled are licensed free.