Questions and Answers: Delaware Fishing Licenses - DNREC

Questions and Answers: Delaware Fishing Licenses - DNREC
Divisions
Office of the Secretary
Div. of Climate, Coastal and Energy
Div. of Air Quality
Div. of Water
Div. of Waste and Hazardous Substances
Div. of Fish and Wildlife
Div. of Parks and Recreation
Div. of Watershed Stewardship
About DNREC
DNREC Divisions
Boards and Councils
Vision and Mission
Delaware Coastal Cleanup
Environmental Justice at DNREC
Civil Rights and DNREC
Work for DNREC!
Internships with DNREC
Natural Resources Police
Topics of Interest
Open Data
Online Apps
E-Mail Lists
Coastal Zone Act
Admin. Law
Regulatory Development
Regulations
Environmental Permitting
DNREC Permit Fees
Secretary’s Orders
Public Notices
Public Meetings
Public Hearings
Environmental Appeals Board
Coastal Zone Industrial Control Board
FOIA Requests
DNREC News
Newsroom
Meetings and Events
Outdoor Delaware
Brand and Logo
Social Media
Digital Newsletter
Be the First to Know
DNREC Menu
Listen
Fish and Wildlife
I’m an Angler
Recreational Fishing
Buy a Fishing Licensing
Delaware Fishing Report
Delaware Fishing Guide
Delaware Fish and Shellfish Facts
Boating and Fishing Access Locations
Family Fishing Programs
Freshwater Fishing Ponds
Sport Fishing Tournament
Freshwater Trout Fishing
Gamefish and Freshwater Fishing Restrictions
Largemouth Bass Tournaments
Boating or Fishing Event Application
Fish Consumption Advisories
I’m a Hunter
Delaware Hunting and Trapping Guide
Hunting in Delaware
Delaware’s White-Tailed Deer
Trapping and Furbearers
Wild Turkey Hunting
Buy a Hunting License
Conservation Access Pass
Wildlife Area Maps and Regulations
Hunter Education
Hunter Education Training Centers and Ranges
Delaware Hunters Against Hunger
Operation Game Theft
Becoming an Outdoors-Woman
I’m a Boater
Boating Safety
Boating Registration
Boating and Fishing Access Locations
Boating or Fishing Event Application
Conserving Wildlife
Conservation Programs
Wildlife Action Plan
Plants and Plant Communities
Wild Turkeys
Bats in Delaware
Beach-Nesting Birds
Delaware Shorebirds
Peregrine Falcons
Delaware Hawk Watch
American Barn Owls
American Kestrels
Osprey
When Wildlife Cause Problems
Reporting Sick or Dead Wildlife
Private Lands Assistance
Managing Fisheries
The Fisheries Section
Recreational Fishing
Licensing and Regulations
Research and Monitoring
Commercial Fishing
Artificial Reef Program
Shellfish Aquaculture
Invasive Aquatic Species
Aquatic Plants and Herbicides
Resources for Delaware Pond Owners
A Guide for Shoreline Residents
Fish Consumption Advisories
Mosquitos and Ticks
Mosquito Control
Mosquito Spraying
Tick Program
Wetland Management and Restoration
Law Enforcement
Natural Resources Police Fish and Wildlife Unit
Natural Resources Police Recruitment
Operation Game Theft
Delaware Natural Resources Police 411
Interstate Wildlife Violator Compact
Boating or Fishing Event Application
Education & Outreach
Education and Outreach Programs
For Grades K Through 12
DuPont Nature Center
Aquatic Resource Education Center
Training Centers and Ranges
The following are many of the questions that have come in about fishing licenses in Delaware. If you have a question, and don’t find the answer here, please send us an email at
DFWRecLic@delaware.gov
Recreational Licenses
When was it required to have a fishing license to fish, crab, or clam in Delaware’s tidal waters?
The license requirement went into effect January 1, 2008.  A license is required in all waters to fish, clam or crab.
In addition to the license requirements, do I need anything else to recreationally fish (or shellfish) in Delaware?
Yes, you will need a Delaware-issued Fisherman Information Network (FIN) number. If you purchased your fishing license (with the exception of the Non-Resident Boat Fishing License), your FIN number was automatically generated and appears on your license with no further FIN registration necessary. In some cases, such as
when you are exempt from licensing requirements
, you may need to
apply separately for a FIN number
though the ePermitting system.
What are my options when purchasing licenses?
There are
a number of options
available to anglers, including annual resident and non-resident licenses, temporary licenses for non-residents, boat fishing licenses, head boat licenses, and fishing guide licenses.
At what age do I need a license?
Residents age 16 to 64 inclusive, and non-residents 16 and older, need a license.
Will I need both a boat fishing license and a general fishing license?
No, you will need one or the other not both, depending on individual circumstances. During public hearings and workshops on fishing licenses, anglers asked for the option for a boat fishing license. Residents will receive a complimentary general fishing license when they purchase a boat fishing license (only for the owner of the boat). Non-residents will receive only the boat fishing license.
If someone owns a boat, and only uses it one week a year to fish, must they buy the special boat fishing license?
No one must buy a boat fishing license. This is one of two options. You may buy a boat fishing license or you may buy an individual license. It is up to each angler to make the determination that is best for him/her depending on how they fish. The boat license covers everyone on the licensed vessel while they are fishing on that vessel.
Can the owner of a boat license and his guests walk out to clam or crab from a shoreline access site without the boat?
Only if they have purchased an individual Delaware fishing license. Individuals who purchased a Delaware boat fishing license were issued a complimentary Delaware fishing license.
If I have a boat license and I anchor my boat out in the Bay, may I wade and clam without further licensing as long as the boat is nearby? Can the rest of my party from the boat do the same?
Yes to both questions.
If I have a boat license and my boat is docked, can I crab from the pier?
Yes, residents that purchased a Delaware boat fishing license were issued a complimentary Delaware fishing license. Other individuals would had to have purchased an individual Delaware fishing license.
If two people have a surf fishing permit/vehicle license for their vehicles, can the two people go in one vehicle to fish without a special fishing permit? Also, if they take friends along to surf fish, do the friends need a special permit?
Only the operator of the vehicle that is permitted may fish without a license on the beach. Any other anglers will need to have a resident non-resident license regardless of whether or not they have another vehicle permit. The exemption in the code is only for the vehicle operator who has the surf tag.
I am a resident and 65 years or older. What are my exemptions from licensing?
Delaware residents aged 65 and older are exempt from licensing whether they are on their boat or fishing from shore. Non-residents 65 years and older are still required to purchase a license.
If you are on your boat and there are people who are not exempt from licensing, they must have licenses. Your options are to have each individual obtain a license or you may purchase a boat fishing license. You would need to purchase a boat fishing license because your age exemption does not allow you to transfer that exemption to other people.
Anglers that are exempt from purchasing a license are still required to obtain an annual free FIN number.
Is my boat registration the same or does it take the place of the boat fishing license?
There is no relationship between a boat registration and a boat fishing license. The boat registration would still need to be renewed when due.
I am a non-resident who enjoys fishing in both tidal and non-tidal areas. If I have a Delaware boat license for my big boat, will it cover me when I fish in the freshwater pond from shore?
No. A non-resident would be required to purchase a general fishing license or 7-day license.
I own more than one boat. Do I need a boat license for both, or can I transfer it from one to the other?
A boat license cannot be transferred from one boat to another. Therefore, it does not cover you if you were on someone else’s boat, and it does not cover both boats.
What determines if a boat fishing license is a resident or a non-resident license?
The residency of the owner determines if a person can buy a resident or a non-resident boat fishing license – not the state in which the boat is registered.
I have a boat fishing license that I use on a boat in tidal water. Can I use the boat in non-tidal waters with the same boat fishing license?
Yes.
How many crabs and clams can I take with my recreational fishing license?
A resident may take a bushel of crabs and 100 clams. A non-resident may take a bushel of crabs and 50 clams. If a person wishes to take more than 100 clams up to and including 500 clams per day, he or she needs to purchase a Non-Commercial Clamming Permit for an additional $5.75; the Non-Commercial Clamming Permit costs $57.50 for non-residents.
If I fish exclusively in federal ocean waters outside of Delaware’s 3-mile limit, do I need a Delaware fishing license?
No, unless you drop a line inside of the 3-mile limit.
If I launch from Delaware and fish in Delaware Bay only on the New Jersey side of the Bay, do I need a Delaware fishing license?
No. However, if you return to Delaware waters by boat, any catches you made in NJ waters must still conform to Delaware possession limits (minimum size, daily harvest limits).
If I launch my boat from New Jersey and fish in the Delaware River between the upstream tip of Artificial Island and the Delaware/Pennsylvania line, do I need a Delaware fishing license?
Yes, because Delaware’s jurisdiction extends to the New Jersey low tide line between the upstream tip of Artificial Island and the DE/PA line. If you fish from shore in New Jersey, you do not need a Delaware fishing license.
Do I need a fishing license if I fish on a private pond?
The only exemption is for residents who own or live upon farms in Delaware containing 20 or more acres, and the members of their immediate families who reside on the farm. They may hunt, fish and trap on the farm without being licensed. Exempt anglers are required to obtain an annual free FIN number or exempt hunters and trappers an annual free LEN number.
Do I need a fishing license to fish for bait?
A general fishing license is required for the taking of bait fish (finfish) with the following gear types: dredge, tool, net, line, instrument, device, gear, harpoon, spear, hook or hook and line.
I have a boat registered in Delaware and I have a Maryland Boat Fishing License. Do I need a Delaware Boat Fishing License?
You need a Delaware Boat Fishing License to fish in any of Delaware’s waters. Delaware does not have reciprocity agreement with any other state at this time.
May I launch my boat in Delaware without a Delaware boat fishing license to travel to Maryland or another state to fish where I have a legal license to fish in that state?
Yes, but you cannot fish in Delaware waters and your catch must conform to Delaware possession limits (minimum size and harvest limits).
What are the licensing requirements and exemptions for residents and non-residents for hunting and fishing?
See
7 Delaware Code, Chapter 5
Related Topics:
answers
dfw
fish and wildlife
fishing
licenses
permitting and regulation
questions
Office of the Secretary
Division of Air Quality
Division of Waste and Hazardous Substances
Division of Water
Division of Climate, Coastal and Energy
Division of Fish and Wildlife
Division of Parks and Recreation
Division of Watershed Stewardship
DNREC Newsroom
Public Meetings
Public Notices
DNREC Regulations
Environmental Justice
Non-Discrimination Notice
DNREC Open Data
FOIA Requests
DNREC Divisions
About DNREC
Work for DNREC!
Delaware's Government
Delaware's Governor
State Agencies
Elected Officials
General Assembly
Delaware Courts
State Employees
Cities & Towns
Delaware State Code
State Regulations
Business First Steps
Phone Directory
Locations Directory
Public Meetings
Voting & Elections
Transparency
Health Insurance
Tax Center
Personal Income Tax
Weather & Travel
Corporations
Franchise Tax
Gross Receipts Tax
Withholding Tax
Delaware Topics
Mobile Apps
E-mail / Text Alerts
Social Media
Make Text Size Smaler
Reset Text Size
Make Text Size Bigger
Built by the
Government Information Center
©MMXXVI
Delaware.gov