Ohio hunting license

How much is an Ohio hunting license?

A one-year resident Ohio hunting license costs $19.00 for ages 18 to 64, as listed by the Ohio Division of Wildlife for the current license year. Nonresidents 18 and older pay $180.96. All listed costs include a writing fee, and a transaction fee may apply when you buy online or in the app.

The license is the foundation, not the whole bill. Hunting deer, turkey, waterfowl or furbearers requires an extra game-specific permit on top of it. For residents, an either-sex deer permit is $31.20, a spring or fall turkey permit is $31.20 and the Ohio Wetlands Habitat Stamp is $15.

Ohio residents also get a choice most states do not offer: multiyear licenses that lock in the price. A 3-year license is $54.08, a 5-year license is $90.14 and a 10-year license is $180.27. Permits and stamps are still bought each year. The table below shows the main prices, and the official rule book is the 2026-27 Ohio Hunting and Trapping Regulations.

Do you need hunter education for an Ohio hunting license?

Yes, for a first license. Every first-time buyer, whatever their age, must complete hunter education before buying a regular license. Ohio has no birth-date exemption, but there are shortcuts for experienced hunters: you can show a previously held hunting license instead, or attest that you are 21 or older and have held a legal hunting license before, from any state.

Courses come in two styles. Instructor-led classes are offered around the state, and an online course is available to residents 12 and older. Call 1-800-WILDLIFE (1-800-945-3543) or visit wildohio.gov to find a class near you.

Ohio's apprentice license is the generous part. Residents and nonresidents of any age can buy an apprentice hunting license, at the same price as the regular license, without taking the course. Apprentices must hunt with a licensed hunter 21 or older, who can accompany no more than two apprentices at once. There is no limit on how many years you can buy it, but it never counts toward a regular license: for that, you still need the course.

Where do you buy a hunting license in Ohio?

Ohio sells licenses three ways: online through the Ohio Wildlife Licensing System at wildohio.gov or HuntFishOH.gov, in the HuntFish OH mobile app, and at authorized license agents, which are located in every county.

Online and app purchases are the fastest, but they may add a transaction fee. Buying from an agent avoids that, and it is handy if you want help choosing permits. If you do not know where the nearest agent is, the Division of Wildlife's 1-800-WILDLIFE line can point you to one. Lifetime licenses are the exception: they are sold only at Division of Wildlife offices, online, or by mailed application, not at regular agents.

1. Complete hunter education, or plan to buy an apprentice license and hunt with a licensed adult 21 or older.
2. Buy online at wildohio.gov, in the HuntFish OH app, or from a license agent in your county.
3. Choose a 1-year license, or a 3, 5 or 10-year license if you are a resident.
4. Add deer or turkey permits and the wetlands stamp for the seasons you plan to hunt.

Buy a Ohio hunting license on the official site

How do deer and turkey permits and game check work?

Deer and turkey in Ohio are over the counter. There is no statewide big-game draw: you buy your hunting license, add an either-sex deer permit or a turkey permit, and go hunting. The Division of Wildlife does run controlled hunts by lottery for some areas, which are separate from the general permits.

Every harvested deer or turkey must go through game check. For deer, complete the check and get a confirmation code by noon the day after the kill. Turkey is stricter: it must be checked by 11:30 p.m. the same day you shot it. Missing either deadline is a violation, so build the check into your plan for the day.

Because the turkey deadline falls on the same evening, a late-afternoon bird leaves little slack. Know how you will complete the check before you head out, and keep your permit number handy so the process takes a few minutes rather than an hour.

What does a youth hunting license cost in Ohio?

Ohio has no free youth exemption: every hunter, regardless of age, needs a license. The upside is the price. Youth 17 and under pay $10.00 for a one-year hunting license, and the price is the same for residents and nonresidents, which makes Ohio an easy state to bring a young hunter from out of state.

Youth deer and turkey permits cost $16.00 each, also for residents and nonresidents alike. Young hunters who have not taken the course can hunt on an apprentice license instead.

Supervision rules are firm. Hunters 15 and younger must be accompanied by an adult, and any apprentice must hunt with a licensed adult 21 or older.

How much is a nonresident Ohio hunting license?

A nonresident one-year license costs $180.96. Deer hunting adds a nonresident either-sex deer permit at $218.40, while turkey permits are $38.48. A visiting deer hunter should plan on roughly $400 before any extra permits.

Visitors who only want small game have a cheaper path: the Nonresident (Tourist) 3-Day Hunting License for $40.56. It is not valid for deer, turkey or furbearers, but for a short small game trip it costs a fraction of the annual license.

Crossing state lines? Compare the Pennsylvania hunting license to the east and the Kentucky hunting license to the south.

Other rules that come with an Ohio hunting license

Annual licenses are valid from March 1 through the last day of February, so buying in March gives you a full year. Multiyear licenses run from the purchase date to the same date 3, 5 or 10 years later. To see how Ohio stacks up against other states, use our hunting license by state guide.

• Hunter orange: during the youth deer gun, deer gun and deer muzzleloader seasons, anyone hunting any animal except waterfowl during legal hours must wear a solid or camo orange vest, coat, jacket or coveralls, on public and private land.
• Landowners: resident landowners, their spouse, parents, children and grandchildren under 18 may hunt their own land without a hunting license, deer or turkey permit, fur taker permit or wetlands stamp. Some nonresident landowners may qualify. Harvests still must be game-checked.
• Lifetime licenses: residents only, at $449.28 for adults, $430.56 for youth and $84.24 for seniors.
• Seniors and veterans: residents 65 and older born on or after Jan. 1, 1938 pay $10.00 for the license and $12.00 for deer and turkey permits. Residents born on or before Dec. 31, 1937 hunt free, and qualifying disabled veterans and former POWs can apply in writing for free licenses.