License Purchasing

Fishing licenses are available at all authorized license sales agents and at wildohio.gov.

Social Security Number Requirement

Any customer who applies for a license is required to provide their Social Security Number (SSN). Federal Statute 42 requires the SSN of any individual to whom the state issues a recreational hunting or fishing license. Applicants who do not have an active SSN must affirm their status at the time of application. Applicants must also declare their residency and provide their full name, date of birth, gender, address, height, weight, hair color, and eye color. Once provided and recorded in the licensing system, applicants will only be required to update their information on file if it changes.

• A fishing license is required to take fish, frogs, and turtles from Ohio waters.
• Persons fishing in privately owned ponds, lakes, or reservoirs to and from which fish do not migrate are not required to have a license to take fish, but must have one to take frogs or turtles.
• Persons fishing in privately owned ponds, lakes, or reservoirs that are open to public fishing through an agreement or lease with the ODNR Division of Wildlife are required to have a fishing license.
• Persons fishing must have their license in their possession while fishing and must show the license to anyone on request. Licenses can be displayed using a mobile device.
• Members of the U.S. Armed Forces on active duty stationed in Ohio, but not on leave or furlough are required to purchase a resident license.

A fishing license is not required of persons who are:

Free Licenses

• Free Fishing License Application: Mobility Impaired & Residents of Institution
• Free Fishing License Application: Disabled Veterans & Former POWs

Purchase Options

• Option 1: Purchase Online
• The Ohio Division of Wildlife offers a safe and secure Web site for purchasing with your credit card. All license buyers (resident and non-resident) may purchase license and permits online.
• • Ohio's Wildlife Licensing System


• Option 2: Purchase from a Participating Agent
• There are License Agents in every county in Ohio.
• • View a list of all agents in Ohio


• Option 3: Mail-Order License Form
• Call 1-800-WILDLIFE or (614) 265-6300 to request a Mail Order License Application Form.


• Option 4: Telephone 1-and-3-Day Licenses
• If you wish to purchase a 1- or 3-day fishing license, you may now do so by telephone with the following two options:
• Call 1-866-703-1928 to talk to a live operator who will walk you through the transaction. An additional $5.50 convenience fee will apply.
• Call 1-855-764-3474 to use an interactive voice response (IVR) system to complete the transaction. To use this option, you must have and provide your customer ID number. A $3.25 convenience fee will apply.
• In both cases, you will be issued a license number and must carry it along with picture ID as proof that you are properly licensed. No printed license is provided.

Social Security Requirement

Due to federal law, the license purchasing system requires all customers to provide their Social Security Number (SSN) in order to obtain hunting licenses, fishing licenses, and associated permits. SSNs are required to be collected to receive a recreational license, regardless of age, for the purpose of child support collection enforcement under Federal Statute 42 and the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services.

As a recreational license provider, the Division of Wildlife is obligated to comply with these laws, and cannot issue a license or permit without the SSN of the customer. The Division has a proper security system in place to protect SSNs and any databases that contain them.

• Each license buyer must have a Social Security Number recorded in the system. Sportsmen and women who have purchased licenses in the past and who provided an Ohio Driver's License or state ID card will most likely be unaffected.
• Youth hunters and those hunters that have never had a driver's license or state ID swiped during the license buying process must provide their SSN.
• In the rare instance that a U.S. resident does not have a Social Security Number, they are asked to fill out a form that no SSN exists. An application for SSN exemption is available at wildohio.com or by calling 1-800-WILDLIFE. This form needs to be mailed to the Ohio Division of Wildlife prior to purchasing a license and will take a few weeks to process.
• The Division will collect a customer’s SSN only once (the first time he or she purchases a license or permit). This primarily affects those who have never used a driver’s license to purchase a license and/or permit to fish, hunt or trap.
• The customer will then receive a Customer Account Number that will be used for any future transactions. The number will be printed on the license and/or permit.
• Using this number, customers will have the ability to manage their own account online using secured access.

• Application for Social Security Number Exemption [pdf 63Kb]