State license guide · checked October 2026
Mississippi hunting license
What it costs to hunt in Mississippi this year, which license covers deer and turkey, who needs hunter education, and how to buy, taken from MDWFP's own pages.
The short answer
How do you get a Mississippi hunting license?
You buy a Mississippi hunting license online from MDWFP, on the MDWFP HuntFish app, or at a licensed vendor. Residents pay $25 for the All Game Hunting/Freshwater Fishing license and nonresidents pay $300 for All Game Hunting, plus small agent and process fees. Hunter education is required if born on or after Jan 1, 1972.
How much is a Mississippi hunting license?
A resident Mississippi hunting license that covers deer, turkey and hog starts at $25 for the All Game Hunting/Freshwater Fishing license, as listed by the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks (MDWFP) for the current license year. Each sale adds a $1.00 agent fee and a $2.49 process fee for residents. Deer, turkey and hog hunters must hold either the All Game license or the Sportsman's License.
The Sportsman's License costs $45 and adds archery, primitive weapon and crossbow privileges to all game hunting and freshwater fishing. It is the natural pick for anyone who plans to hunt the bow or primitive weapon seasons, since the All Game license leaves those out. Bird and rabbit hunters who never chase deer, hogs or turkey can get by with the $10 Small Game Hunting/Freshwater license, which does not cover big game.
Some add-ons are easy to miss. A $10 Wild Turkey Stamp is required for turkey, the $15 Wildlife Management Area User Permit is needed before using any WMA, and waterfowl hunters need the state stamp plus the federal stamp. None of these come with the All Game license, so add them at checkout if your plans include a WMA, a gobbler or a duck blind. The full price list is on MDWFP's hunting and fishing license prices page.
| Type | License and what it covers | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Resident | Resident All Game Hunting/Freshwater Fishing Plus $1.00 agent fee and $2.49 process fee. Needed (or the Sportsman's) for deer, turkey and hog; excludes archery/primitive weapon, turkey stamp ($10), waterfowl stamps and WMA permit ($15). Sportsman's License $45 adds archery/primitive weapon/crossbow. Small Game/Freshwater $10. | $25.00 |
| Nonresident | Non-Resident All Game Hunting Plus $3.00 agent fee and $4.42 process fee. Deer need a separate $100 Non-Resident Deer Permit; turkey stamp $100; archery/primitive $75. Small Game Hunting $95. 7-Day All Game $150; NR Deer Hunter Package $475. | $300.00 |
| Short-term | Nonresident: 7-Day All Game $150, 3-Day All Game Archery/Primitive Weapon $150, 7-Day Small Game $38 (plus agent and process fees). Residents: one-time Apprentice 3-Day Sportsman $7. | |
| Youth | Residents under 16 need no hunting license (optional $2.30 Exempt Under 16 license); nonresident minors under 16 are also exempt. Youth 12-15 without hunter ed may hunt only with a licensed or exempt hunter 21 or older. | |
| Lifetime | Lifetime Sportsman's License (residents with 18 months' domicile): $500 birth through age 12, $1,000 age 13 and over. Non-Resident Mississippi Native Lifetime: $1,500. | |
| Discounts | Residents 65+ need no license (optional $2.30 Senior Exempt license). Residents who are visually impaired, paraplegic, multiple amputees, SSA totally disabled or 100% VA service-connected disabled are exempt. Nonresident Armed Forces 14-Day license $32. |
Who needs hunter education for a Mississippi hunting license?
Anyone born on or after Jan 1, 1972 must complete an approved hunter education course before buying a Mississippi hunting license. Hunters born before that date can buy without a card, though the course is still worth taking for the safety and ethics material it covers.
MDWFP runs free, 10-hour in-person courses across the state for students at least 10 years old, with pre-registration required. Residents 12 and older can instead finish the whole course online through one of the two approved providers, and the card from either can be shown to a vendor in digital or paper form. Details and class listings are on MDWFP's hunter education page.
Young hunters have a middle path. Kids 12 to 15 need the card to hunt alone, but they may hunt without it while supervised by a licensed or exempt hunter who is at least 21.
If you have not taken the course yet, residents can buy an apprentice license one time. The apprentice Sportsman's license is $32, apprentice All Game is $17, apprentice Small Game is $13 and the Apprentice 3-Day Sportsman is $7. Apprentices must hunt with a licensed or exempt resident 21 or older.
Where can you buy a hunting license in Mississippi?
You can buy online through MDWFP's license site, on the MDWFP HuntFish mobile app, or from a licensed vendor anywhere in the state. The app also stores a digital copy of your license, holds the regulations and season dates, and is where you report deer and turkey through Game Check. MDWFP's licenses page has a vendor locator if you prefer to buy in person.
Have your hunter education number ready if you were born on or after Jan 1, 1972, since the system asks for it before the sale. For help with an order, MDWFP's license support line is 1-800-5GOHUNT.
- Confirm your residency: a current Mississippi driver's license means you buy resident; a driver's license from another state means nonresident.
- Have your hunter education card or number ready, or choose a one-time resident apprentice license.
- Pick your license (All Game, Sportsman's or Small Game) and add the turkey stamp, WMA permit or waterfowl stamps you need.
- Buy online, on the HuntFish app or at a vendor, then keep the license on you or in the app while hunting.
How do deer and turkey work with a Mississippi hunting license?
Residents hunt deer and turkey on the All Game or Sportsman's license, with a $10 turkey stamp added for turkey. Mississippi does not run a statewide big game draw, so most hunters simply buy their license and go, although some wildlife management areas hold their own draw hunts.
Harvests of deer and turkey are reported through Game Check, MDWFP's harvest reporting program, using the HuntFish app or the website. Reporting helps biologists track population trends and set seasons, and the Game Check page walks through how to submit a report from the field.
Nonresidents follow a different setup. Their All Game license does not include deer, so a visiting deer hunter adds the $100 Non-Resident Deer Permit, and turkey takes the $100 nonresident turkey stamp. Residents, by contrast, only add the $10 stamp for turkey, which is a big part of the price gap between the two.
Do kids need a license to hunt in Mississippi?
No. Residents under 16 do not need a hunting license, and nonresident minors under 16 are also exempt from the license requirement. Residents ages 16 through 64 must hold a license unless another exemption applies.
Families who want a license on paper anyway can buy the voluntary Exempt Under 16 license for $2.30. It is optional, so a child under 16 can legally hunt without it, but some parents like having the license in hand or in the app. Hunters turn into license buyers at 16, when the regular resident license rules apply.
Supervision rules still apply. A child aged 12 to 15 who has not passed hunter education may only hunt in the presence of a licensed or exempt hunter at least 21 years old. Once they pass the course, they can hunt alone.
What does a nonresident hunting license in Mississippi cost?
The Non-Resident All Game Hunting license is $300, plus a $3.00 agent fee and a $4.42 process fee. It does not include deer, so visiting deer hunters also buy the $100 Non-Resident Deer Permit, and turkey hunters need the $100 nonresident turkey stamp. Archery or primitive weapon hunting adds a $75 permit.
Shorter trips have cheaper options. A 7-Day All Game license is $150, a 3-Day All Game Archery/Primitive Weapon license is $150 and a 7-Day Small Game license is $38. Bird hunters staying all season can choose the $95 annual Small Game license, and the NR Deer Hunter Package bundles the main deer pieces for $475.
Shorter visits are covered by the 7-day and 3-day options above, which suit a weekend or a week at camp. Planning a trip that crosses the line? Compare the Alabama hunting license and Louisiana hunting license rules, or see every hunting license by state.
What other rules come with a Mississippi hunting license?
Annual licenses are valid for one year from the license start date, not a fixed calendar or fiscal year. That means a license bought in mid-November runs into the following November, so note your start date when you plan the next season.
Rules on weapons, seasons and bag limits change by species and by area, so read MDWFP's current regulations before each trip. The hunting license requirements page covers who must buy a license, the proof that exempt hunters must carry in the field, and how lifetime license eligibility is decided.
- Fluorescent orange or pink: during any firearms deer season, deer hunters wear at least 500 square inches of solid orange or pink, unless in a stand 12 feet or higher or a fully enclosed blind. It is still required walking to and from the stand. See MDWFP's white-tailed deer regulations.
- Landowners: residents do not need a hunting license on land titled in their own name.
- Seniors: residents 65 and older do not need a license; an optional Senior Exempt License costs $2.30.
- Disability exemptions: residents who are visually impaired, paraplegic, multiple amputees, totally disabled by Social Security, or 100% service-connected disabled through the VA need no license, but must carry proof.
- Lifetime: the resident Lifetime Sportsman's License is $500 from birth through age 12 and $1,000 at age 13 and over, after 18 months of domicile. A Non-Resident Mississippi Native Lifetime license is $1,500.
- Military: nonresident armed forces members can buy a 14-day hunting and fishing license for $32.
Official links
Official Mississippi hunting links
Every link below goes straight to the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks or its official license system, checked October 2026. Bookmark the ones you need before the season.
Buy or renew
- Buy a Mississippi hunting license onlineMDWFP's official license sales site, linked as Purchase a License.
- MDWFP HuntFish appDigital license display, Game Check and regulations on your phone.
- Find a license vendor near you
Licenses and fees
- Mississippi hunting and fishing license pricesResident, nonresident, apprentice, package and lifetime prices with fees.
- Hunting license requirementsWho needs a license, residency proof and exemptions.
Hunter education
- Mississippi hunter educationRequired if born on or after Jan. 1, 1972; free classes and online options.
Regulations and seasons
- General hunting rules and regulations
- Mississippi hunting seasons and bag limits
- White-tailed deer regulationsIncludes the 500 square inch fluorescent orange or pink rule.
Tags, permits and harvest reporting
Youth, lifetime and special licenses
- Mississippi permits and applications
- Wildlife management areasWMA User Permit required on top of a hunting license.
- License system frequently asked questions
Questions
Mississippi hunting license questions
Can I buy a Mississippi hunting license online?
Yes. MDWFP sells licenses online and through the MDWFP HuntFish app, which also displays your license digitally. You can buy in person from any licensed vendor too. Expect a small agent fee and a process fee on top of the listed price, and have your hunter education number handy if you need one.
How long is a Mississippi hunting license good for?
An annual license in Mississippi is valid for one year from the license start date you choose at purchase. Short-term licenses work differently: the nonresident 7-day licenses expire at midnight after seven consecutive days, and the apprentice 3-day license after three consecutive days.
Do I need hunter education if I was born before 1972?
No. The course is required only for people born on or after Jan 1, 1972. Hunters born earlier can buy a license without a card. If you were born on or after that date and have not taken the course, residents can buy an apprentice license one time and hunt with a licensed adult 21 or older.
Do seniors need a hunting license in Mississippi?
Residents 65 and older are exempt and do not have to buy a hunting license, but they must carry proof of age and residency. A voluntary Senior Exempt License costs $2.30 and bundles all game hunting, archery and primitive weapons, freshwater fishing and the WMA User Permit.
Can a nonresident hunt in Mississippi for just a week?
Yes. Nonresidents can buy a 7-Day All Game license for $150 or a 7-Day Small Game license for $38, each expiring at midnight after seven consecutive days. Bowhunters can choose the 3-Day All Game Archery/Primitive Weapon license for $150. Deer hunters still add the $100 Non-Resident Deer Permit.
Is there a lifetime hunting license in Mississippi?
Yes. Residents who have lived in Mississippi for at least 18 months can buy a Lifetime Sportsman's License for $500 from birth through age 12, or $1,000 at age 13 and older. People born in Mississippi who now live elsewhere can buy a Non-Resident Mississippi Native Lifetime license for $1,500.
Do I need a permit to hunt on a WMA in Mississippi?
Yes. You need a Wildlife Management Area User Permit before any use of a WMA, on top of your hunting license. Residents pay $15 for it, plus the usual agent and process fees. It is not included in the All Game or Sportsman's license, so remember to add it when you buy.
Sources
Checked against official Mississippi sources
Every price and rule on this page comes from the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks or its official license and regulations pages, checked October 2026. Prices and rules change each license year, so confirm on the state site before you buy. HuntReserve doesn't sell licenses or take a fee.
Hunting nearby
License guides for neighboring states
Crossing a state line to hunt? You need a nonresident license from the state you hunt in. See all 50 states on the map →
For outfitters in Mississippi
Every hunter licensed
before opening day.
HuntReserve has each hunter in a party upload their license and sign your waiver from their phone, scans the ID and flags expired or mismatched documents before the hunt.