General Information

• Hunting and Fishing Licenses are regulated by the State of Florida, with fees for licenses and permits set by the State Legislature.
• Licenses and permits are issued by the State of Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) and are available at County tax collector's offices as well as subagents (for example, a sporting goods store or a retailer selling hunting and fishing equipment).
• For recreational hunting and fishing, licenses and permits may be purchased on an annual basis. Florida residents also have the option to purchase five-year and lifetime licenses.

Hunting Licenses and Permits

• There are a variety of hunting licenses for different seasons (for example, alligator, migratory game birds, and waterfowls). Each one is subject to different hours and bag limits or quotas.
• To obtain a hunting license, anyone born on or after June 1, 1975 must take the FWC Hunter Education Course.
• To sell furbearing animals or use live traps or snares to take furbearers for commercial purposes, a Trapping License is required. A Dealer's License is required for any persons other than the trapper who engages in the buying and selling of furbearing animals for commercial purposes.

Fishing Licenses and Permits

• There are two types of fishing licenses: freshwater and saltwater. Each one has certain restrictions for the type of fish the holder can take. Combination licenses are also available for added convenience.
• There are six sub-categories of commercial freshwater fishing licenses available:
  1. Resident Commercial Fishing License: Allows a resident to take freshwater fish or frogs for the purpose of sale; can sell to anyone but cannot buy fish for resale; allows for noncommercial fishing.
  2. Resident Freshwater Fish Dealer: Allows a resident to import, export, or sell freshwater fish, frogs, or living bait; an import permit is also required to import certain live freshwater fish.
  3. Nonresident Commercial Fishing License: Same as the resident license, but does not allow for noncommercial fishing.
  4. Nonresident Retail Fish Dealer:  May buy freshwater fish from licensed persons and sell freshwater fish and live bait directly to consumers.
  5. Nonresident Wholesale Fish Dealer: May buy freshwater fish for resale from licensed persons and may sell fish within the state.
  6. Nonresident Wholesale Fish Buyer: Permits a nonresident who does not sell freshwater fish or frogs in Florida to buy them from resident freshwater fish dealers for resale outside the state.

Click here for help on finding the nearest office to buy your fishing and/or hunting licenses and permits in Miami-Dade County. We've also included a link for you to buy these items online. For additional information, go to the State of Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission web site.