How To Get A Fishing License At Walmart

Aside from a limited number of exemptions, anybody that wants to fish anywhere in the United States needs an official fishing license.

Buying A Fishing License At Walmart (Everything You Need To Know)

Without one, you can’t legally fish unless you’re lucky enough to be complying with specific state laws. 

While obtaining a fishing license can sometimes be a slow process, did you know Walmart provides a quick solution.

Not everyone realizes it but Walmart sells official fishing licenses that can be used all over the United States. 

The licenses on offer are a convenient, quick way to ensure your fishing legal. In fact, the documents are exactly the same as the ones issued by natural resource departments. 

If you’re in need of a new fishing license, quickly, you’ve come to the right place.

Today, we’re going to show you how to get a Walmart fishing license and everything you need to know about them.

We’ll look at why you should get one, who needs one, how much they cost, and the type of licenses available.

Let’s get started!

Why Would You Buy A Walmart Fishing License?

Before we look at how you can buy a Walmart fishing license, it’s a good idea to explain why you might want to buy one. 

Most people decide to buy a Walmart fishing license because it’s convenient.

Walmart is a store most people visit frequently. Therefore, it makes sense to pick your license up when you pay the store a visit. 

Walmart also sells a wide range of fishing essentials and supplies.

This makes it perfect for picking up your license and anything else you need for your fishing trip from one place. This might include lures and lines. 

Thanks to Walmarts flexible opening hours, you can also purchase your fishing license any time of day. 

If you’re an angler visiting an area, there’s also a good chance you don’t know where the nearest departmental office is. 

Who Needs A Walmart Fishing License?

The fact of the matter is, unless you fall into an exemption category, you’ll have purchased a fishing license from somewhere.

Of course, you can purchase this license from a wide range of places, but for convenience and speed, you should strongly consider Walmart.

The rules, regulations, and exemptions regarding fishing licenses vary depending on the state you find yourself in. With that in mind, it’s always sensible to check who needs a fishing license with the authorities in your state. 

There are a number of states that allow teenagers under the age of 16 or 17 and those over the age of 65 to fish without a license.

Some states also have exemptions for individuals suffering from disabilities and veterans. 

Aside from those exemptions, you’ll almost always need a Walmart fishing license if you reside in the area or consider yourself a non-resident angler.

How To Get A Walmart Fishing License?

Now you know if you need a Walmart fishing license or not, we can start looking at how you go about getting one. 

When it comes to getting your fishing license from Walmart, you have one option available. That option is buying your fishing license in-store.

You used to be able to buy a Walmart fishing license on the Walmart website too but that capabitility has now been removed from their site. 

We’ll now take you through the process of getting your fishing license!

Buying Your Walmart Fishing License In-Store

If you’ve never done it before, you need to carefully follow the instructions below in order to purchase your Walmart fishing license successfully. 

1. Before you head to the nearest Walmart, make sure you have proof of residency and your ID with you. A household bill will be enough evidence to prove residency.

2. When you arrive at Walmart, head over to the Sports and Outdoor section.

3. Enquire about a fishing license and a member of staff will give you a form to fill out. 

4. Fill the form out in-store.

5. Hand over the completed form. The staff member will then check your details and the type of license you need and for how long. They should then inform you of the price.

6. At this point, you will probably be given a booklet outlining fishing rules and regulations. You may already know everything the book entails, but it’s handy to keep hold of.

7. Pay for your chosen fishing license.

8. All done, you can now head out and start fishing.

Buying Your Walmart Fishing License Online

Unfortunately, despite many claims from other articles, buying a fishing license online on Walmart’s website is no longer possible.

There are claims that for a period of time Walmart allowed online purchases but we can’t find any proof to back those claims up.

Therefore, if you don’t have time to visit your nearest Walmart, you’ll have to buy your fishing license online through another website.

Fishing licences are usually sold online via natural resource departments.

The natural resource department you use to buy your license online will vary depending on the state you live in.

For convenience, some of the websites let you print your license out.

Most resource department websites also have links to other websites that you can buy your license from.

What Types of Fishing Licenses Do Walmart Sell?

What Types of Fishing Licenses Do Walmart Sell?

If you’re an experienced angler that’s had a fishing license before, you’ll already be fully aware that there are different types of fishing licenses available.

The one you need will depend on how long you plan on fishing. 

At Walmart, anglers have three different fishing licenses to choose from.

These licenses are the 24-hour fishing license, 3 or 5-day fishing license, and the annual fishing license. 

For those that also enjoy hunting, there is also a fishing and hunting license available. 

How Much Do The Licenses Cost?

Walmart’s fishing licenses usually cost a little less or the same as the licenses you would normally buy from natural resource departments.

The prices will also vary slightly depending on the state you’re in and the type of water you plan on fishing in. 

However, we can give you a rough guide to the sort of prices you can expect. We’ve listed the average costs below. 

  • Individual residents license – $19 
  • Individual residents over the age of 66 – $10
  • 24-hour non-resident or resident license – $11
  • Non-resident annual fishing license – $40
  • Three-day tourist license – $19

What Will You Be Asked For?

Aside from being asked for ID, proof of residency, and general details about yourself, there are a few other things you can expect to be asked.

So you don’t get a nasty surprise when filling out any of the forms, we’ve listed the important things to know before you apply for your license. 

Make sure you know all of the following things!

  • Proof of residency
  • ID
  • General details including age, gender, etc.
  • The kind of water you’ll be fishing in (freshwater or saltwater)
  • How many licenses do you require? (How many of you are fishing?)
  • How long do you plan on fishing?

Finding A Walmart Near You That Sells Fishing Licenses

Walmart has nearly 5,000 stores across the United States so you should have no problem finding your nearest store. To make things even better, Walmart sells fishing licenses in their stores in almost every state. 

As a result, you should be able to quickly open the maps on your phone, find the nearest Walmart and get your fishing license bought.

Unfortunately, if you’re not lucky enough to have a Walmart nearby, or one that sells licenses, you’ll have to look for another outdoor retailer that sells them or head to the local natural resource department.

Walmart currently has an agreement with forty seven states to sell fishing licenses.

They have permission to issue valid resident and non resident fishing licenses that have the same validity as government issued licences. 

Final Thoughts

If you’re in need of a fishing license for your next fishing trip, Walmart offers a convenient and quick service. 

Whether you need a 24-hour license that allows you to fish for one day in a new state or an annual license that permits you to fish across the state in which you reside, Walmart has everything you need.

In this post, we have shown you everything you need to know in regard to purchasing a Walmart fishing license.

We’ve shown you the types of licenses available, who needs one, how to go about getting one, where you can find them, and how much it might cost. 

All that’s left for you to do now is take all of this information and use it to purchase the fishing license you need from your nearest Walmart. Good luck!

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Tommy Bull
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