How to Get a Hunting Licence in British Columbia
BC hunting licences: CORE hunter education, the FWID and hunting credential, the $32 resident licence, species licences, and the $19 initiation licence.
How to Get a Fishing Licence in British Columbia
BC freshwater fishing licences: the FWID and WILD system, 2026-27 fees from $1.14 to $91.44, and the separate federal tidal licence from DFO.
Applies in: British Columbia
British Columbia runs two separate fishing licences, issued by two different governments, and buying the wrong one does not cover you. Freshwater fishing in lakes, rivers, and streams is provincial, and the licence is sold through the province's Wildlife Information and Licensing Data system, known as WILD. Tidal saltwater fishing is federal, and the licence comes from Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO). This guide covers the provincial freshwater licence first, then the federal tidal licence, so you buy the right one for the water you will actually fish.
Step 1: Work out which water you will fish
A freshwater licence is required to fish for any species in non-tidal waters, and it does not apply in tidal salt waters. If you plan to fish the ocean, a tidal river section, or harvest shellfish, you need the federal BC Tidal Waters Sport Fishing Licence instead. The two licences are bought in different systems, have different fees, and their salmon stamps are not interchangeable. Decide where you will fish before you buy anything, and if you will fish both kinds of water, budget for both licences.
Step 2: Register for a Fish and Wildlife ID
Freshwater fishing licence sales moved to WILD for the 2026-27 season, and a Fish and Wildlife ID (FWID) is required to buy a licence in WILD. The FWID is a free, permanent identification number that links to your personal profile in WILD, and the old angler numbers were retired after the 2025 licence year. Register online in WILD using a Basic BCeID, or a BC Services Card Account if you live in Canada, which the province says offers a streamlined registration process with automatic identity and residency verification. If you prefer in-person service, register for an FWID at FrontCounter BC, a Service BC office, or a participating vendor location.
Step 3: Pick a one-day, eight-day, or annual licence
Freshwater licences are available as one-day, eight-day, or annual licences, and the licence year runs April 1 to March 31. For BC residents aged 16 and older, the annual basic licence is $41.15, the eight-day licence is $22.86, and the one-day licence is $11.43. Residents aged 65 and over can buy the annual licence for $5.71, and residents with disabilities can apply for the annual licence at the reduced fee of $1.14 through the province's fee reduction program. Non-residents aged 16 and older also need a basic freshwater licence: the annual licence is $62.87 for other Canadians and $91.44 for non-resident aliens, the eight-day licence is $41.15 and $57.14, and the one-day licence is $22.86 for both. You may buy as many one-day and eight-day licences as you need, but only one annual licence per year.
Step 4: Add stamps for salmon, steelhead, or classified waters
A basic licence alone does not cover every species or every water. Depending on where you fish and what you plan to catch, you may also need a conservation surcharge stamp, a conservation licence, or a Classified Waters Licence. The province's licence page directs anglers to the Freshwater Fishing Regulations Synopsis for the full water- and species-specific requirements, so check the synopsis for your exact water before you buy. Add the stamps in WILD at the time of purchase, or log back into WILD later to add them.
Step 5: Buy in WILD or in person
Buy your freshwater licence online in WILD once your FWID is set up, or in person at FrontCounter BC, a Service BC office, or a participating vendor. Pre-sales for the 2026-27 licence year opened in early March 2026, and the season started April 1, 2026. Licences are linked to your FWID profile, and you can log in to WILD to view, download, or reprint your licence at any time. With few exceptions, licences are non-refundable and non-transferable, so review your licence details before completing the purchase.
Step 6: Carry your FWID and photo ID while fishing
From April 1, 2026, anglers no longer need to carry a paper or digital copy of most fishing licences: your FWID and government photo identification serve as proof of authorization for all basic angling, classified waters, and white sturgeon conservation licences. There are two exceptions. If you fish where a conservation surcharge stamp is required, you must carry an unmodified paper or digital copy of your licence. When a conservation surcharge stamp and retention record are required, you must carry an unmodified paper copy of your licence to record your catch.
If you fish tidal waters, buy the federal licence instead
Every person fishing in BC tidal waters needs a federal BC Tidal Waters Sport Fishing Licence, at any age, and juvenile licences for fishers under 16 are free but still required. Buy it online through DFO's National Recreational Licensing System, or from an Independent Access Provider in Canada; non-Canadian residents fishing for halibut in Areas 121, 23, and 123 may only buy from an Independent Access Provider. Annual licences are valid April 1 to March 31, and prices do not include GST. For 2026-27, the annual licence is $25.86 for Canadian residents aged 16 to 64, $13.54 for residents aged 65 and over, and $124.41 for non-residents, with one-day, three-day, and five-day licences also available. If you keep salmon, add the annual salmon conservation stamp for $7.39. Adult licence holders must also complete an iREC report on their fishing activity by the deadline printed on the licence, even if they did not fish.
Figures the opened official pages do not state
The opened provincial licence page states the basic licence fees set out above. It does not state the dollar amounts of the conservation surcharge stamps, the Classified Waters Licence, or the white sturgeon conservation licence on that page, so those figures were cut from this guide rather than filled in from a secondary source. Check the stamp and classified waters fees in WILD or on the province's conservation surcharge pages before you buy.
Related guides:
- How to get a fishing licence in Ontario: Ontario's separate provincial system, with its OUTDOORS Card and Sport or Conservation licence.
- How to start reporting lost fishing gear to DFO in Canada: what to do when fishing gear is lost in federal waters, under the same DFO system that issues the tidal licence.
The BC fishing licence path
- Work out which water you will fishFreshwater lakes and rivers need the provincial licence; tidal salt water needs the separate federal DFO licence
- Register for a Fish and Wildlife IDA free, permanent FWID in the WILD system, using a Basic BCeID or a BC Services Card Account
- Pick a one-day, eight-day, or annual licenceAnnual basic licence $41.15 for BC residents, $62.87 for other Canadians, $91.44 for non-resident aliens
- Add stamps for salmon, steelhead, or classified watersConservation surcharge stamps are added to the basic licence where the species or water requires one
- Buy in WILD or in personBuy online in WILD, or in person at FrontCounter BC, a Service BC office, or a participating vendor
- Carry your FWID and photo IDFrom April 1, 2026, your FWID plus government photo ID is the proof for most basic freshwater licences
Questions people ask
Do I need a licence to fish in British Columbia?
Yes, in almost every case. BC residents aged 16 and older must hold a valid basic freshwater fishing licence to fish in non-tidal waters. Residents under 16 do not need a licence or stamps and may keep their own quota. BC resident First Nations individuals eligible under the Indian Act do not require a freshwater fishing licence.
How much does a BC freshwater fishing licence cost?
For BC residents, the annual basic licence is $41.15, the eight-day licence is $22.86, and the one-day licence is $11.43. The annual licence is $5.71 for residents aged 65 and over and $1.14 under the fee reduction program for residents with disabilities. For other Canadians the annual licence is $62.87, and for non-resident aliens it is $91.44.
What is a Fish and Wildlife ID, and do I need one?
A Fish and Wildlife ID, or FWID, is your permanent identification number in the province's Wildlife Information and Licensing Data system, known as WILD. You need an FWID to buy a freshwater fishing licence in WILD. It is free to register, and you can do it online with a Basic BCeID or a BC Services Card Account, or in person at FrontCounter BC, a Service BC office, or a participating vendor.
Does my BC freshwater licence cover saltwater fishing?
No. A freshwater licence covers non-tidal waters only. To fish in tidal salt water you need a separate BC Tidal Waters Sport Fishing Licence issued by Fisheries and Oceans Canada. For 2026-27 the federal annual licence is $25.86 for Canadian residents and $124.41 for non-residents, before GST, with a $7.39 salmon conservation stamp if you keep salmon.
What extra stamps might I need on top of the basic licence?
Depending on where you fish and what you catch, you may need a conservation surcharge stamp, a conservation licence, or a Classified Waters Licence. The province's recreational freshwater fishing licence page directs anglers to the Freshwater Fishing Regulations Synopsis for the full water- and species-specific requirements, and the stamp fees are set out on the province's conservation surcharge pages.
Do I still need to carry a paper licence?
From April 1, 2026, your FWID plus government photo identification serves as proof of authorization for most basic freshwater licences, so you no longer need to carry a paper or digital copy of those licences. If you fish where a conservation surcharge stamp is required, you must still carry an unmodified paper or digital copy of your licence, and a paper copy is required where a stamp and retention record are needed.
Sources
- Government of British Columbia, Recreational freshwater fishing licences — the provincial freshwater licence types and fees, the FWID requirement, where to buy, and what to carry while fishing.
- Government of British Columbia, Making freshwater fishing licences available online in new system — the move of freshwater licences to WILD for 2026-27, FWID registration routes, and the April 1, 2026 proof change.
- Government of British Columbia, Freshwater Fishing Regulations Synopsis 2025-2027 — the full water- and species-specific licence requirements, the $5.71 senior rate, and the $1.14 disability fee reduction.
- Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Learn about and apply for a recreational fishing licence — the BC Tidal Waters Sport Fishing Licence, the 2026-27 fees, the salmon conservation stamp, and the purchase routes.