While youth aren’t required to have a fishing license in Michigan, voluntary youth fishing licenses are available to anglers 16 and under for only $2 (plus $1 for the required Michigan DNR Sportcard). Buying a youth fishing license is a great way for kids to get used to the process of getting their license, so it’s a habit if they keep fishing when they’re older.
It’s also a great way for kids to learn about how conservation and fishing opportunities are funded—the dollars they pay for their fishing license help support fisheries research, habitat restoration, and fish stocking throughout the state. Michigan has such great fishing in part because of the conservation work that fishing and hunting license fees support, from enforcing regulations to managing invasive species and more.
You can purchase a fishing license
During the process, you’ll need to provide some identifying information about yourself and pay the license fee. You’ll also receive a physical or digital copy of your license and the Michigan Fishing Regulations (depending on your method of purchase). You can access the regulations digitally at Michigan.gov/DNRRegs or in the Hunt Fish app.
Using the Michigan DNR Hunt Fish App to purchase a voluntary youth license requires assistance from an adult, use of a smartphone, and access to a credit or debit card for payment.
Complete these steps if you do not already have an account on the Michigan DNR Hunt Fish App or MDNR E-License platform. Otherwise, skip to the next step.
If you have an account in the Michigan DNR Hunt Fish App or MDNR E-License platform, complete these steps to log in.
On the Confirm Account dialog box that appears, ensure that the correct account (for the youth angler) is selected. If so, click Confirm. If not, click Switch Account and select the desired account.
Under the Fishing category, click the “Select” button beside the “Voluntary Fish All Species Youth” license.
In the Provide Identification dialog box that appears, click the “Purchase a Sportcard instead” button. If this dialog does not appear, you may have already purchased a Sportcard; skip to the next step.
Scroll to the bottom of the screen and confirm that “(000) DNR Sportcard” ($1.00) [if needed] and “(204) Voluntary Fish All Species Youth” ($2.00) appear in the Shopping Cart section.
In the Hunters Feeding Michigan dialog, make a donation selection, then click “Donate” or click “No, Thank You” to proceed without making a donation.
In the Credit Card Information section, enter the required information in the appropriate fields.
Click “Purchase Product(s)”. You should then see a Sales Confirmation screen and receive a digital copy of the fishing license to the email address you provided. The license can also be viewed in the app by selecting “Licenses & Harvest Reporting”.
Using Michigan.gov/DNRLicenses (also known as MDNR E-License) to purchase a voluntary youth license requires assistance from an adult, use of a computer or tablet, and access to a credit or debit card for payment.
Complete these steps if you do not already have an account on MDNR E-License or the Michigan DNR Hunt Fish App. Otherwise, skip to the next step.
If you have an account in the Michigan DNR Hunt Fish App or MDNR e-License platform, complete these steps to log in.
Click the “Select” button beside the “Voluntary Fish All Species Youth” license.
In the Provide Identification dialog box that appears, click the “Purchase a Sportcard instead” button. If this dialog does not appear, you may have already purchased a Sportcard; skip to the next step.
Confirm that “(000) DNR Sportcard” ($1.00) [if needed] and “(204) Voluntary Fish All Species Youth” ($2.00) appear in the Shopping Cart section appear in the Shopping Cart section on the right side of the screen.
In the Hunters Feeding Michigan dialog, make a donation selection, then click “Donate” or click “No, Thank You” to proceed without making a donation.
In the Credit Card Information section, enter the required information in the appropriate fields.
Click “Purchase Product (s)”. You should then see a Sales Confirmation screen and receive a digital copy of the fishing license to the email address you provided. The license can also be viewed in the E-License system under the Purchase History tab.
Purchasing a voluntary youth license at an in-person location requires assistance from an adult and access to cash, check, money order or a credit or debit card for payment.
Go to a license retailer near you, either a DNR Customer Service Center or a license agent location.
Provide the associate with the required information, such as first and last name, birthdate and address.
Pay the license fee. The associate will then provide you with a physical copy of the fishing license. If you provided an email address, you will also receive a digital copy. Your license will also be available through the E-License portal or the Hunt Fish app.
