West Virginia hunting license

How much is a West Virginia hunting license?

A resident West Virginia hunting license (Class A, Hunting and Trapping) costs $19, and a nonresident one (Class E) costs $119, as listed by the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources for the current license year. Neither works alone. Residents must add the Class CS Conservation Stamp for $5, and nonresidents must add the Conservation/Law Enforcement Stamp for $13.

West Virginia builds a license out of a base class plus stamps. The Class A license covers small game and the buck firearms season. If you also want archery, crossbow or muzzleloader deer, bear, turkey or boar, residents add the Big Game Stamp (Class BG) for $10.

Many residents aged 18 to 64 skip the math and buy the Class X Sportsman license for $35. It bundles Class A, the Conservation Stamp, the Big Game Stamp and fishing into one purchase. The table below lists every option. Small issuing fees apply: $3 for your first agent purchase and $1 after, or $2 online.

Here is how a typical resident setup adds up. A deer and turkey hunter aged 30 who buys pieces separately pays $19 for Class A, $5 for the Conservation Stamp and $10 for the Big Game Stamp, or $34 in all. Class X costs $35 and includes fishing, so most adults under 65 choose it. Antlerless deer stamps are bought on top of either option. Prices can change from one license year to the next, so confirm them in the current WVDNR summary before you buy.

Who needs hunter education in West Virginia?

Anyone born on or after Jan. 1, 1975 needs it. WVDNR will not issue a base hunting license to a person in that group until they have passed a certified hunter education course. Hunters born before that date are not required to take it.

The state offers free in-person classes. Paid online courses are also available, but they only replace the classroom portion: the hands-on session and the written test still happen in person. Dates and sign-up details are on the WVDNR hunter education page.

Not ready for a class? West Virginia sells apprentice licenses so newcomers can try hunting first. Residents pay $19 for Class AH (Class AHJ for juniors is $16), and nonresidents pay $119 for Class AAH ($16 for the junior AAHJ). They are only for people who have never held a base hunting license, and you must be directly supervised by a licensed adult.

Where can you buy a hunting license in West Virginia?

The quickest route is WVhunt.com, the state's online system, which charges $2 per transaction. You can also call (304) 558-6200 and pay the same $2 fee, or visit one of about 175 license agents or a designated county clerk office, where the issuing fee is $3 for the first purchase and $1 after that.

Plan your stamps before you check out. A resident who wants to bow hunt deer and chase spring gobblers needs Class A, the Conservation Stamp and the Big Game Stamp, which adds up to $34 before fees. The $35 Class X adds fishing for one more dollar, so it is usually the better buy for adults under 65. WVDNR's license page links to each sales option.

1. Pass a hunter education course if you were born on or after Jan. 1, 1975, or choose an apprentice license instead.
2. Go to WVhunt.com, call (304) 558-6200, or visit a license agent or county clerk.
3. Pick your base license (Class A, Class X or Class E) and add the required Conservation Stamp plus any big game, archery, muzzleloader, turkey or antlerless stamps.
4. Pay the issuing fee, then carry your license and stamps while hunting.

Buy a West Virginia hunting license on the official site

How do deer, turkey and bear stamps work in West Virginia?

Your base license already covers the buck firearms season. Everything else is an add-on: deer in the archery or muzzleloader seasons, turkey and bear each need the matching stamp, and antlerless deer need a Class N stamp (Class NN for nonresidents).

Think of the stamps as switches that turn on each season. A resident with Class A alone can hunt bucks during the firearms season. Add the Big Game Stamp and the same hunter can bow hunt, use a muzzleloader, and pursue turkey, bear or boar. Antlerless deer are a separate decision, made with the Class N stamp for residents or Class NN for visitors.

Nonresidents buy separate stamps instead of the resident Big Game Stamp. Archery (Class UU), muzzleloader (Class VV) and turkey (Class WW) are $32 each, and the nonresident bear license (Class EE) is $162.

Every big game animal must be checked electronically. You can do it online, at a license agent, or by calling 844-982-4325. The full rules for tagging and checking are in the 2026-2027 regulations summary.

Do kids need a license to hunt in West Virginia?

Resident children under 15 do not need a license to hunt or trap, as long as a licensed adult is with them. Some stamps may still apply, so check the regulations before a big game hunt.

Residents aged 15 through 17 buy the Junior Sportsman license (Class XJ) for $16. Visiting kids are covered too: nonresidents from 8 through 17 can buy the nonresident Junior Sportsman (Class XXJ) for $16. That is a bargain, because it includes the archery, muzzleloader, turkey and national forest stamps that an adult visitor would pay for separately.

Young hunters born on or after Jan. 1, 1975 (which is every child today) still need hunter education before buying a base license, unless they use the junior apprentice option and hunt directly supervised by a licensed adult.

How much does a nonresident West Virginia hunting license cost?

A nonresident pays $119 for the Class E statewide hunting and trapping license plus $13 for the required Conservation/Law Enforcement Stamp, so $132 before fees. That covers small game and the buck firearms season. Bow, muzzleloader and turkey hunting each add a $32 stamp, and bear requires the $162 Class EE license.

Here is a sample budget. A visiting bowhunter who wants deer and spring turkey pays $119 for Class E, $13 for the Conservation/Law Enforcement Stamp, $32 for the archery stamp and $32 for the turkey stamp, which is $196 before fees. Add a Class NN stamp if you also plan to take antlerless deer. Visitors usually pay more than residents, and West Virginia follows that pattern.

Coming for a short small game trip? The Class H Small Game Hunting License costs $27 and is valid for six consecutive days. You still need the $13 Conservation/Law Enforcement Stamp with it. Residents have no short-term hunting license option.

Visitors must meet the same hunter education rule as residents. Hunting near the border? Compare the Virginia hunting license and Kentucky hunting license guides, since each state sells its own license.

Other rules to know before you hunt West Virginia

These points come up every season, so read them before you head into the woods. Each one is drawn from the WVDNR 2026-2027 regulations summary, which is the place to settle any question in the field. For every other state, see our hunting license by state guide.

• License year: hunting, trapping and fishing licenses are good for the calendar year, so you buy a new one at the start of each year, not each fall.
• Blaze orange: wear at least 400 square inches of blaze orange as an outer garment wherever a deer firearms or muzzleloader season is open, including the youth, Class Q, Class XS antlerless and Mountaineer Heritage seasons. Waterfowl hunters are exempt.
• Landowners: resident landowners, their resident children, parents or resident tenants may hunt or trap their own land without a license during open seasons, and may take as many deer as a licensed hunter.
• Seniors: residents born before Jan. 1, 1947 hunt free with West Virginia ID. Residents 65 and older born on or after that date buy Class XS for $25.
• Veterans and military: totally disabled veterans and former POWs can get a free Class V license, and residents on active duty may hunt without a license while home on leave.
• Lifetime licenses: residents can buy lifetime Class A-L ($782) or Class AB-L with fishing ($805), with lower child rates. Nonresidents can buy lifetime Class E-L for $3,036.