TRIP PLANNING
ALASKA FISHING
LICENSE & KING STAMP
2026 PRICES • WHO NEEDS ONE • HOW TO BUY
THE QUICK ANSWER
DO YOU NEED A FISHING LICENSE IN ALASKA?
Yes: every nonresident 16 or older and every Alaska resident 18 or older needs an Alaska sport fishing license, sold by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) for $15 (1 day), $30 (3 days), $45 (7 days), $75 (14 days), or $100 (annual) for nonresidents and $20 a year for residents. To fish for king salmon you also need a king salmon stamp, which costs nonresidents the same $15–$100 by duration and residents $10 a year.
People often search for an “Alaska fishing permit”; for rod-and-reel fishing, the sport fishing license (plus the king stamp, if you target kings) is the permit you need. Buy both online at the ADF&G store and print them right away. Prices are from ADF&G's official license price list.
Last reviewed October 2026.
THE NUMBERS
HOW MUCH IS AN ALASKA FISHING LICENSE?
Nonresidents choose a license length that matches the trip; residents buy an annual license only. Annual licenses and stamps are valid for the calendar year from the purchase date.
| LICENSE OR STAMP | NONRESIDENT | RESIDENT |
|---|---|---|
| 1-day sport fishing license | $15 | — |
| 3-day sport fishing license | $30 | — |
| 7-day sport fishing license | $45 | — |
| 14-day sport fishing license | $75 | — |
| Annual sport fishing license | $100 | $20 |
| 1-day king salmon stamp | $15 | — |
| 3-day king salmon stamp | $30 | — |
| 7-day king salmon stamp | $45 | — |
| 14-day king salmon stamp | $75 | — |
| Annual king salmon stamp | $100 | $10 |
Source: ADF&G License, Stamp, and Tag Prices. ADF&G also lists a $20 nonresident military annual license and a $30 nonresident military annual king stamp for active-duty members stationed in Alaska, a $5 duplicate license or stamp, and resident low-income ($5) and blind ($0.50) licenses.
THE RULES
WHO NEEDS AN ALASKA FISHING LICENSE?
ADF&G requires a sport fishing license for all resident anglers 18 and older and nonresident anglers 16 and older, in both fresh and salt water. You must carry it (paper or electronic) while fishing, and you cannot use or borrow anyone else's.
ADF&G defines an Alaska resident as someone who has lived in Alaska for the past 12 consecutive months with the intent to stay and who is not claiming residency or receiving benefits elsewhere. Everyone else buys a nonresident license and follows nonresident regulations.
Sources: 2026 Southcentral Sport Fishing Regulations, licensing section and ADF&G General License Information.
KING SALMON
DO YOU NEED A KING SALMON STAMP?
You need a current-year king salmon stamp to sport fish for king (Chinook) salmon anywhere in Alaska, fresh or salt water, including catch-and-release. The only waters exempt are stocked landlocked lakes.
ADF&G says these anglers do not need a king stamp:
- Residents under 18 and nonresidents under 16
- Residents with an ADF&G senior (PID) or disabled veteran (DV) card
- Residents with a low-income or blind sport fishing license
If you buy a physical stamp, sign it in ink and attach it to your license. Online stamps print immediately.
A stamp doesn't mean a fishery is open. ADF&G closed both the early-run and late-run Kenai River king salmon sport fisheries for 2026 by emergency order, including catch-and-release. Check current emergency orders before you plan a king trip, and see our king salmon guide.
RECORDING YOUR CATCH
WHAT IS A HARVEST RECORD CARD?
Every angler, of any age, must record each fish they keep from a species with an annual limit, such as king salmon in many fisheries. Licensed adults write it on the harvest record section of their license. Anglers without a license use a free Sport Fishing Harvest Record Card.
The card is required for residents under 18, nonresidents under 16, and PID/DV card holders. Right after landing and keeping the fish, record the date, location, and species in ink. Carry the card while fishing; you don't turn it in. Fishing without one, or failing to record a fish, can bring a citation.
Cards are free online, at ADF&G offices, and at license vendors. Species with annual limits are listed in each management area's general regulations.
EXEMPTIONS
DO KIDS AND SENIORS NEED A LICENSE?
| ANGLER | LICENSE | KING STAMP | HARVEST RECORD CARD |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nonresident under 16 | Not required | Not required | Required for annual-limit fish |
| Nonresident 16+ | Required ($15–$100) | Required for kings ($15–$100) | Record on license |
| Resident under 18 | Not required | Not required | Required for annual-limit fish |
| Resident 18–59 | Required ($20/yr) | Required for kings ($10/yr) | Record on license |
| Resident 60+ or disabled veteran | Free PID or DV card instead | Not required | Required for annual-limit fish |
Alaska residents 60 or older who meet ADF&G's residency definition can apply for a senior permanent identification card (PID) to hunt, sport fish, and trap for free. Applicants must be physically in Alaska to apply, and processing can take up to a week. The card is void if the holder stops being an Alaska resident.
The senior card is for residents only; ADF&G's price list has no separate nonresident senior rate. Sources: ADF&G age requirements and ADF&G Sport Fishing Licenses and King Salmon Stamps.
BUYING
WHERE DO YOU BUY AN ALASKA FISHING LICENSE?
The fastest way is online at the ADF&G online store, which issues your license and king stamp right after you pay. You can buy for several people in one transaction, which is handy for families and groups.
- Go to store.adfg.alaska.gov (or use the ADF&G mobile app).
- Pick a sport fishing license for the number of days you will fish.
- Add a king salmon stamp of matching length if you plan to fish for kings.
- Print it or keep the electronic copy on your phone. ADF&G accepts either while you fish.
In person, licenses and stamps are sold at ADF&G offices and licensed vendors, such as sporting goods stores. ADF&G has an office in Soldotna, (907) 262-9368 (Fishing the Kenai River, ADF&G).
DIPNETTING
CAN NONRESIDENTS DIPNET IN ALASKA?
No. Personal use fisheries, including the well-known Kenai and Kasilof River dipnet fisheries, are open only to Alaska residents. ADF&G's 2026 regulations say nonresidents may not handle or clean personal use fish, handle the gear, or operate a boat being used for personal use fishing.
Residents need a resident sport fishing license (or PID/DV card) plus an Upper Cook Inlet Personal Use permit, which is issued one per household and sold online through the ADF&G store or mobile app. Harvest must be reported online by August 31, even if you caught nothing. Source: 2026 Southcentral personal use regulations.
STAYING WITH US
HOW SHOULD MARLOW'S GUESTS HANDLE LICENSES?
Buy your license online before you leave home. Marlow's on the Kenai is a family-run lodge in Sterling, on the middle Kenai River, about 3 hours from Anchorage. With a license already on your phone, you can fish from your cabin's private dock the evening you arrive.
Match the license to the days you will actually fish. A 7-day ($45) or 14-day ($75) nonresident license usually covers a week-long stay. If you are fishing for anything other than kings, you don't need the king stamp. The lodge's four riverfront cabins each have a full kitchen, and the fish cleaning station is on site.
Plan what to fish for with our guide to Alaska's five salmon species, the Kenai River fishing report, and the sockeye and silver salmon guides.
COMMON QUESTIONS
ALASKA FISHING LICENSE FAQ
HOW MUCH IS A NONRESIDENT ALASKA FISHING LICENSE? +
ADF&G sells nonresident sport fishing licenses for $15 (1 day), $30 (3 days), $45 (7 days), $75 (14 days), and $100 (annual). Nonresidents fishing for king salmon also need a king salmon stamp, priced the same by duration: $15, $30, $45, $75, or $100.
HOW MUCH IS A RESIDENT ALASKA FISHING LICENSE? +
An Alaska resident annual sport fishing license costs $20, and the resident annual king salmon stamp costs $10. Residents 60 and older and resident disabled veterans can fish without buying a license by getting a free ADF&G permanent identification card.
DO KIDS NEED A FISHING LICENSE IN ALASKA? +
Nonresidents under 16 and residents under 18 do not need a sport fishing license or a king salmon stamp. They do need a free Sport Fishing Harvest Record Card to keep any fish that has an annual limit, such as king salmon in many fisheries.
DO I NEED A KING SALMON STAMP FOR CATCH-AND-RELEASE? +
Yes. ADF&G requires a current-year king salmon stamp to sport fish for king salmon, including catch-and-release, except in stocked landlocked lakes. Nonresidents under 16, residents under 18, and residents with a PID, disabled veteran card, low-income license, or blind license are exempt.
WHERE DO I BUY AN ALASKA FISHING LICENSE? +
Buy it online at the ADF&G store (store.adfg.alaska.gov), through the ADF&G mobile app, at ADF&G offices, or from licensed vendors such as sporting goods stores. Online licenses can be printed immediately, and ADF&G accepts a paper or electronic license while you fish.
CAN NONRESIDENTS GO DIPNETTING ON THE KENAI RIVER? +
No. Personal use fisheries, including the Kenai River dipnet fishery, are open only to Alaska residents. Nonresidents may not fish, handle or clean personal use fish, handle the gear, or run a boat used for personal use fishing. Nonresidents fish the Kenai under sport fishing rules with a sport license.
HOW LONG IS AN ANNUAL ALASKA FISHING LICENSE VALID? +
ADF&G states that annual sport fishing licenses and annual king salmon stamps are valid for the calendar year from the date of purchase. Nonresidents on a short trip can buy a 1, 3, 7, or 14-day license instead.
SOURCES
WHERE THESE FIGURES COME FROM
All prices and rules come from the Alaska Department of Fish and Game and were last checked in October 2026. Regulations change, so confirm with ADF&G before you fish.
- ADF&G: License, Stamp, and Tag Prices
- ADF&G: General License Information (age requirements, king stamp)
- ADF&G: Sport Fishing Licenses and King Salmon Stamps
- ADF&G: 2026 Southcentral Sport Fishing Regulations, licensing (PDF)
- ADF&G: Sport Fishing Harvest Record Card (PDF)
- ADF&G: Senior Resident License Information
- ADF&G: 2026 Southcentral personal use regulations (PDF)
- ADF&G: Southcentral emergency orders
- ADF&G online store
START PLANNING
LICENSE SORTED?
BOOK YOUR KENAI RIVER CABIN
Marlow's on the Kenai is a family-run lodge in Sterling, Alaska, with four riverfront cabins, private docks, and a fish cleaning station. Our guests rate us 5.0 on Google. Call Dan Rusk or check open dates.