North Carolina Coastal Recreational Fishing License
Types and Fees
Sales Agents
Coastal Recreational Fishing Licenses are available for purchase from any WRC license agent, online, by phone and and any Division of Marine Fisheries office.
For-hire, pier and 10/Ten licenses are available only at Division of Marine Fisheries offices.
Annual License
State Residents*, age 16 or older - $15
Nonresidents, age 16 or older - $30
10-day License
State Residents*, age 16 or older - $5
Nonresidents, age 16 or older - $10
Blocks of Ten 10-day CRFLs (available Jan. 1, 2009) - $150
Lifetime CRFL Licenses
Infant Lifetime: younger than one year - $100
Youth Lifetime: age 1 through age 11 - $150
Resident Adult*: age 12 through age 64 - $250
Nonresident Adult: age 12 and older - $500
Resident Age 65 Lifetime: age 65 and older - $15
(Residents born on or before Aug. 1, 1953 are eligible to purchase senior lifetime license when they turn 65 years of age. Those born after Aug. 1 1953 are eligible to purchase a senior lifetime license when they turn 70 years of age.)
Based on age; see G.S. 113.351(c)e
Resident Senior Age 70 Lifetime - $15
Resident Disabled Veteran: 50 percent or more disabled - $10
Resident Totally Disabled: totally and permanently disabled - $10
Wildlife Resources Commission Lifetime Sportsman License holders are exempt from
purchasing the CRFL if they purchased their license prior to Jan. 1, 2006.
Blocks of 10 Ten-Day Coastal Recreational Fishing Licenses
Beginning January 1, 2009, vessel owners or operators may purchase a block of 10, Ten-Day Coastal Recreational Fishing Licenses to cover anglers fishing aboard their boat. Each block contains ten licenses that are each valid for 10 consecutive days from the date first used. This block of licenses costs $150 and is available to owners of private vessels, or the responsible party of a business owned vessel. The boat must be 23 feet or more in length and either registered in North Carolina or documented with the U.S. Coast Guard. These licenses cannot be used aboard a vessel licensed for, or engaged in, for hire (charter) fishing. There is no limit on how many blocks of licenses an individual can purchase. The licenses are not transferable or assignable – they must be used on the vessel for which they were issued. Each license, once issued and expired, must be returned to the Division in a postage paid envelope provided with each license. Each block of licenses is valid for two years from date of purchase. Blocks of 10 Ten-Day Coastal Recreational Fishing Licenses are only available from the Division of Marine Fisheries license offices or by mail.
10/Ten Application Ocean Fishing Pier: $4.50 per linear foot
Annual Unified Sportsman (Hunting and Fishing Licenses)
Resident Unified Sportsman/Coastal Recreational Fishing License* - $65
Resident Unified Inland/Coastal Recreational Fishing License* - $40 Lifetime Unified Sportsman (Hunting and Fishing Licenses)
Infant Lifetime Resident and Non-resident: younger than one year - $275
Youth Lifetime Resident and Non-resident: age 1 through age 11 - $450
Resident Adult*: age 12 through age 64 - $675
Nonresident Adult: age 12 and older - $1,550
Resident Unified Age 65 Sportsman /CRFL Lifetime: age 65 and older - $30
(Residents born on or before Aug. 1, 1953 are eligible to purchase senior lifetime license when they turn 65 years of age. Those born after Aug. 1 1953 are eligible to purchase a senior lifetime license when they turn 70 years of age.)
Based on age; see G.S. 113.351(c)e
Resident Disabled Veteran: 50 percent or more disabled - $110
Resident Totally Disabled: totally and permanently disabled - $110 Lifetime Unified Inland/Coastal Recreational Fishing Licenses
Resident Legally Blind Unified Inland/Coastal Recreational Fishing License – No charge
Resident Adult Care Home Unified Inland/Coastal Recreational Fishing License – No charge
Resident Subsistence Unified Inland/Coastal Recreational Fishing License Waiver – No charge
* Out-of-state students attending a university, college, or community college in North Carolina are considered residents. For more license information, see Frequently Asked Questions
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