Washington hunting license

How much is a Washington hunting license?

A Washington hunting license for small game costs $55.13 for residents and $252.47 for nonresidents, as listed by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife for the current license year. That Small Game license is the entry point: it covers upland birds, small game and waterfowl (waterfowl and other migratory birds also need a migratory bird permit).

Here is the part that confuses newcomers: Washington has no single basic license that covers everything. Big game is sold as its own set of licenses, and each one already includes the transport tag for that species. A resident Deer license is $61.70, Deer + Elk is $116.85, and the Deer + Elk + Bear + Cougar package with a discounted small game license is $163.39. A turkey tag is a separate $21.75.

The table below lays out the small game, big game, short-term and youth prices side by side. WDFW notes these fees took effect Jan. 1, 2026, following a statewide fee increase, so confirm the current number on the WDFW small game license page before you check out.

Do you need hunter education for a Washington hunting license?

Yes, if you were born after Jan. 1, 1972, you must show proof of hunter education before you can buy your first Washington hunting license. Hunters born earlier are not held to that requirement. The check happens at the point of sale, so have your certificate number ready when you shop online, by phone or at a dealer.

There is no minimum age to enroll. Students pick either a traditional classroom course or a hybrid course, which pairs a self-paced online module with an in-person field skills evaluation. The online part alone does not finish the certification, so leave time to book and attend the field evaluation before the season you want to hunt.

Not ready to take the course this year? Washington offers a one-year hunter education deferral for anyone 10 or older. It can be used only once in a lifetime, carries a $24 processing fee on top of the license, and is requested by email or mail. A deferred hunter must stay within sight and hearing of a licensed Washington hunter who is 18 or older, and that mentor can supervise only one deferred hunter at a time. Details are on the WDFW deferral program page.

Where do you buy a Washington hunting license?

Most hunters buy online through WDFW's WILD licensing system or the MyWDFW app. You can also call the licensing line at 360-902-2464 or walk into one of more than 300 license dealers around the state. If you order online or by phone and need a mailed license, allow about 7 to 10 days for it to arrive.

Because big game is sold by species, it pays to sketch out your season first. Someone planning deer and elk only would likely pick the Deer + Elk license, while a hunter who also wants bear, cougar and birds can save by taking the four-species package, which bundles a discounted small game license. Turkey hunters add a turkey tag either way.

Plan the purchase around the April 1 start of the license year. A license bought in October still expires March 31, so a hunter who waits until fall gets fewer months of use than one who buys in spring. If you want a mailed copy before opening day, order at least two weeks ahead to cover the 7 to 10 day delivery window.

1. Finish hunter education if you were born after Jan. 1, 1972, or apply for the one-time deferral.
2. Open WILD or the MyWDFW app, call 360-902-2464, or visit a license dealer.
3. Choose Small Game, a big game license or package, and any turkey tag or migratory bird permit you need.
4. Pick your transport tag by hunt method and area, pay, and carry your license and tags in the field.

Buy a Washington hunting license on the official site

How do big game tags and special permits work in Washington?

In Washington the tag comes with the license: when you buy a deer, elk, bear or cougar license, you choose a transport tag that matches your hunt method and area. Turkey tags are bought separately. The WDFW big game license page lists every option.

Moose, mountain goat, bighorn sheep and some deer and elk hunts are awarded only through the special permit drawing. For 2026, applications for deer, elk, goat, moose, sheep and turkey permits ran from April 20 through midnight May 20, 2026. Quality permit applications cost $18.72 for residents and $152.30 for nonresidents. Watch WDFW for the next application window.

Reporting is mandatory. Every hunter who buys a big game license or turkey tag must file a harvest report by Jan. 31, even if they never went out or came home empty. Miss that deadline and you pay a $10 fee before you can buy the next year's license. The WDFW harvest reporting page has the online form.

Do kids need a Washington hunting license?

Yes. Washington requires a license for every hunter regardless of age, and there is no minimum hunting age. What changes for kids is the price: anyone under 16 at the time of purchase, resident or nonresident, pays youth rates.

A youth Small Game license is $24.77, and the youth Deer + Elk + Bear + Cougar package with small game is $76.86. Young hunters still have to meet the hunter education rule, and the course has no minimum age, so many families enroll a child before the first season. Children 10 and older can also use the one-time deferral if they hunt beside a licensed adult mentor.

A simple way to start a new young hunter is the youth Small Game license for birds and rabbits, then step up to the youth big game package once they are ready for deer or elk. Because the youth price is set by age on the purchase date, buying before a 16th birthday locks in the lower rate for that license. Remember that the Jan. 31 harvest report applies to youth big game and turkey buyers as well.

How much does a nonresident pay to hunt in Washington?

A nonresident Small Game license costs $252.47, and big game licenses are priced much higher: Deer is $599.07, Elk is $685.60, Deer + Elk is $1,020.06, and the Deer + Elk + Bear + Cougar package with discounted small game is $1,321.62. Each big game license still includes its transport tag, just as it does for residents.

For a short bird trip, the nonresident 3-Day Small Game license is $93.08. There is also a Western Washington Pheasant 3-Day option, $108.26 for nonresidents and $55.13 for residents. WDFW lists no short-term big game licenses, so a visiting deer or elk hunter buys the full license for that species.

Nonresidents follow the same hunter education rule (born after Jan. 1, 1972) and can enter the special permit drawing at the nonresident application rate. Nonresident disabled veterans may qualify for resident-rate pricing. If your trip crosses the Columbia or the Snake, compare the Oregon hunting license and Idaho hunting license guides too.

Other Washington hunting license rules to know

These rules come up most often once you have your license in hand. The 2026 big game regulations pamphlet from WDFW covers the full details, and you can compare other states in our hunting license by state guide.

• License year: licenses run April 1 through March 31. The 2026-27 year covers April 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027.
• Hunter orange: wear at least 400 square inches of fluorescent orange or pink above the waist, visible from all sides, for modern firearm big game hunting (except bear and cougar), for any hunting while modern firearm deer or elk general seasons are open, and for upland bird or rabbit hunting with a firearm. A hat alone does not count.
• Landowners: WDFW's license page says every hunter needs a license, and no landowner exemption was found. Check with WDFW if you hunt only your own property.
• Lifetime licenses: none were found on WDFW's license pages, so check with WDFW before planning on one.
• Discounts: resident seniors 70 and older pay reduced fees (the big game package is $58.19), as do resident disabled hunters. Washington National Guard and State Guard members may qualify for a free annual licensing package.
• Reporting: file your big game and turkey report by Jan. 31 every year to avoid the $10 late fee.