Tennessee hunting license

How much is a Tennessee hunting license?

A resident Tennessee hunting license costs $33 for the Combination Hunt/Fish Annual (ages 16 to 64), as listed by the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency for the current license year. That one license is the minimum for fishing and small game. It does not cover deer, bear, turkey or waterfowl: for those you stack supplemental licenses on top, and processing fees are added to every purchase.

Supplementals are sold by method, not by species. Big Game Gun, Big Game Archery and Big Game Muzzleloader are $33 each, and the waterfowl supplemental is $37. A resident who wants to hunt deer with a bow and a rifle therefore pays $33 for the base plus $66 for two supplementals.

That math is why many residents skip straight to the Annual Sportsman at $165. It folds hunting, trapping and fishing into one card with no supplementals needed, and quota hunt applications cost nothing extra. The table below compares the main options; the full list is on TWRA's license sales page.

Expect these prices to change. In August 2026 the Tennessee Fish and Wildlife Commission approved a new license structure with higher fees (the resident combo would go from $33 to $42, for example). It still needs legislative approval, and the earliest it could take effect is July 1, 2027.

Who needs hunter education for a Tennessee hunting license?

Every hunter born on or after Jan. 1, 1969 must carry proof of hunter education, whether a resident or a visitor. If you were born in 1968 or earlier, the course is not required.

Kids younger than 10 do not need a card, but they must hunt with an adult at least 21. TWRA offers a completely online course to anyone 9 or older, and there is no field day to schedule afterward, so a family can finish it at the kitchen table. Course options are on the TWRA hunter education page.

Not ready for the class? The Apprentice Hunter Education Permit ($11) is sold to hunters 10 and older. It replaces the certificate for one year from purchase and can be bought for up to three consecutive years. An apprentice must be accompanied by an adult 21 or older who meets the hunter-ed rule. You still need the normal license and permits on top of it.

Where can you buy a hunting license in Tennessee?

The quickest route is GoOutdoorsTennessee, the agency's online store, or the TWRA On The Go app. In person, licenses are sold by TWRA licensed agents such as county clerks, sporting goods and hardware stores and boat docks, plus TWRA regional offices around the state.

Have a plan before you check out, because the cheapest cart depends on how you hunt. A resident who only chases squirrels and rabbits needs the $33 combo and nothing else. Add one $33 supplemental per big game method, or the $37 waterfowl supplemental for ducks and geese. If your cart is heading past $165, the Annual Sportsman is the better buy. The TWRA license department answers questions at (615) 781-5270.

1. Finish hunter education if you were born on or after Jan. 1, 1969, or add the $11 Apprentice Hunter Education Permit.
2. Log in to GoOutdoorsTennessee, open the On The Go app or visit a licensed agent.
3. Pick the $33 combo plus the big game supplementals for your method, or the $165 Annual Sportsman.
4. Pay the processing fee at checkout and carry your license whenever you hunt.

Buy a Tennessee hunting license on the official site

How do deer, turkey and elk permits work in Tennessee?

Big game hunting in Tennessee runs on supplementals: you add Big Game Gun, Archery or Muzzleloader to your base license for each method you plan to use, unless you hold a Sportsman license. Waterfowl hunters add the waterfowl supplemental instead.

Once you take a deer, turkey or other big game animal, TWRA's rule is tag before you drag: tag and check in the harvest before you move it. You can do that in the On The Go app, online, or at a check station. The Tag Before You Drag page shows each option.

Some hunts are limited by quota draw, including elk, bear, turkey, WMA deer, waterfowl and sandhill crane hunts. The Elk and Youth Elk application period for the 2027 season is Feb. 3 to 24, 2027, through the elk quota hunt page. Each quota application carries a $12 fee unless you hold a Sportsman license.

Do kids need a license to hunt in Tennessee?

No license is needed for anyone under 13, resident or nonresident. Children under 10 also skip hunter education but must hunt beside an adult 21 or older.

From 13 through 15, resident youth buy the Junior Hunt, Fish and Trap license for $9. It covers hunting, trapping and fishing with no supplementals, so a teen can hunt deer and turkey on that one $9 card. Nonresident youth 13 to 15 can choose a $10 Junior combo (no big game), a $26 7-Day Junior All Game, or the $41 Annual Junior All Game. Young hunters 10 and up who have not passed the course can use the apprentice permit.

How much is a nonresident Tennessee hunting license?

A nonresident all-game license, deer and turkey included, costs $305 a year. If you only want small game and waterfowl, the annual license drops to $110. Processing fees apply here too.

Short trips are where Tennessee stands out for visitors. The 7-Day All Game license is $214 and covers big game, and the 7-Day Small Game/Waterfowl license is $61. Compare the week-long price with the annual one: two separate deer trips in a year already cost more than the $305 annual license. Hunter ed rules apply to visitors exactly as they do to residents.

Planning a trip that crosses state lines? Read the Kentucky hunting license guide for the northern border or the Virginia hunting license guide if you head east.

Other Tennessee license rules worth knowing

Most annual licenses and permits are valid 365 days from the day you buy them, so a license bought on Feb. 1 runs until Feb. 1 of the next year. The Migratory Bird (HIP) permit is the exception and expires June 30. Compare other states on our hunting license by state map, and see TWRA's big game page for field rules.

• Fluorescent orange or pink: big game hunters wear at least 500 square inches on the head and upper body, visible front and back. Archery-only and turkey hunts are exempt, and a hat plus vest meets the rule.
• Landowners: residents hunting their own farmland, plus spouses, children and children's spouses, need no license with the Farmland Owner License Exemption form. It does not apply when unrelated people own the land jointly. Resident tenants who live on and farm the land are exempt too.
• Lifetime Sportsman: residents with 12 months of residency pay by age: $320 under 3 (and for adopted children under 13), $659 for ages 3 to 6, $988 for 7 to 12, $1,976 for 13 to 50, $1,153 for 51 to 64 and $329 for 65 and older.
• Seniors and disabled hunters: residents 65 and up can buy the Annual Senior Hunt/Fish/Trap for $4, or the Permanent Senior or Senior Sportsman for $49 each. Qualifying disabled veterans and wheelchair-restricted residents pay $10, and Tennessee National Guard members get a free Sportsman license.