2019 Connecticut General Statutes
Title 26 - Fisheries and Game
Chapter 490 - Fisheries and Game
Section 26-28 - Hunting, trapping and sport fishing license fees.

(a) Except as provided in subsections (b) to (f), inclusive, of this section, the fees for firearms hunting, archery hunting, trapping and sport fishing licenses or for the combination thereof shall be as follows: (1) Resident firearms hunting license, nineteen dollars; (2) resident fishing license, twenty-eight dollars; (3) resident marine waters fishing license, ten dollars; (4) one-day resident marine waters fishing license, five dollars; (5) resident all-waters fishing license, thirty-two dollars; (6) resident combination license to fish in inland waters and firearms hunt, thirty-eight dollars; (7) resident combination license to fish in marine waters and firearms hunt, twenty-five dollars; (8) resident combination license to fish in all waters and firearms hunt, forty dollars; (9) resident combination license to fish in all waters and bow and arrow permit to hunt deer and small game issued pursuant to section 26-86c, sixty-five dollars; (10) resident firearms super sport license to fish in all waters and firearms hunt, firearms private land shotgun or rifle deer permit issued pursuant to section 26-86a, and permit to hunt wild turkey during the spring season on private land issued pursuant to section 26-48a, seventy dollars; (11) resident archery super sport license to fish in all waters, bow and arrow permit to hunt deer and small game issued pursuant to section 26-86c and permit to hunt wild turkey during the spring season on private land issued pursuant to section 26-48a, eighty-two dollars; (12) resident firearms super sport license to fish in all waters and firearms hunt, firearms private land shotgun or rifle deer permit, muzzleloader private land deer permit, pursuant to section 26-86 and private land permit to hunt wild turkey during spring season pursuant to section 26-48a, eighty-four dollars; (13) resident firearms super sport license to fish in all waters and firearms hunt, migratory bird conservation stamp, and migratory bird harvest permit (HIP), fifty dollars; (14) resident trapping license, thirty-four dollars; (15) resident junior trapping license for persons under sixteen years of age, eleven dollars; (16) junior firearms hunting license, eleven dollars; (17) nonresident firearms hunting license, ninety-one dollars; (18) nonresident inland waters fishing license, fifty-five dollars; (19) nonresident inland waters fishing license for a period of three consecutive days, twenty-two dollars; (20) nonresident marine waters fishing license, fifteen dollars; (21) nonresident marine waters fishing license for a period of three consecutive days, eight dollars; (22) nonresident all-waters fishing license, sixty-three dollars; (23) nonresident combination license to firearms hunt and inland waters fish, one hundred ten dollars; (24) nonresident combination license to fish in all waters and firearms hunt, one hundred twenty dollars; (25) nonresident combination license to fish in marine waters and firearms hunt, ninety-four dollars; and (26) nonresident trapping license, two hundred fifty dollars. Persons sixty-five years of age and over who have been residents of this state for not less than one year and who meet the requirements of subsection (b) of section 26-31 may be issued an annual license to firearms hunt or to fish or combination license to fish and firearms hunt or a license to trap without fee. The issuing agency shall indicate on a combination license the specific purpose for which such license is issued. The town clerk shall retain a recording fee of one dollar for each license issued by such clerk.

(b) Any nonresident residing in one of the New England states or the state of New York may procure a license to hunt or to fish or to hunt and fish for the same fee or fees as a resident of this state if such nonresident is a resident of a state the laws of which allow the same privilege to residents of this state.

(c) The fee for a group fishing license, as described in subsection (h) of section 26-30, shall be one hundred twenty-five dollars.

(d) (1) The fee charged for any firearms hunting, archery hunting, trapping or sport fishing license that is issued to any Connecticut resident who is sixteen or seventeen years of age shall be equal to fifty per cent of the fee provided for such license in subsection (a) of this section, rounded to the next highest dollar.

(2) The fee charged pursuant to section 26-27b, 26-48a, 26-86a or 26-86c for any firearms hunting, archery hunting, trapping or sport fishing permit, tag or stamp that is issued to any Connecticut resident who is less than eighteen years of age shall be equal to fifty per cent of the fee provided for such permit, tag or stamp in said sections, rounded to the next highest dollar.

(e) In addition to the calendar day designated pursuant to subsection (f) of section 26-27, the Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection may designate two additional days in each calendar year on which a one-day license for sport fishing may be issued free of charge. The commissioner may make such one-day license available to all members of the public or to all members of an age group designated by said commissioner.

(f) From time to time and for the purpose of increasing participation, the Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection with the concurrence of the Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management, may reduce, but not completely waive, the fee or cost for any license, permit, tag or stamp, or combination thereof, as provided for in this section or section 26-27b, 26-48a, 26-86a or 26-86c. Any such reduction shall: (1) Be for a portion of a calendar year, (2) remain in effect only during the calendar year in which such reduction is made, and (3) be made only if such reduction is provided to all members of the public, to all members of a certain age group, or to individuals who, in such calendar year, successfully complete a course of instruction in fishing techniques, as provided for in section 26-31a or a conservation education course of instruction, as provided for in subsection (a) of section 26-31.

(1949 Rev., S. 4869; 1949, 1955, S. 2462d; 1957, P.A. 90; 458, S. 1, 2; 1963, P.A. 329, S. 1; 1967, P.A. 244, S. 1; 1969, P.A. 330, S. 1; 1971, P.A. 9, S. 1; P.A. 77-171, S. 1; P.A. 78-46; 78-270, S. 1; P.A. 79-81, S. 1, 3; P.A. 80-375, S. 1, 2; P.A. 81-298, S. 2, 9; P.A. 82-91, S. 18, 38; 82-472, S. 101, 183; Nov. Sp. Sess. P.A. 91-3, S. 1, 21; P.A. 93-256, S. 5, 6; May 9 Sp. Sess. P.A. 02-1, S. 84; P.A. 03-123, S. 8; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 09-3, S. 443; Sept. Sp. Sess. P.A. 09-8, S. 28; P.A. 10-3, S. 35; 10-106, S. 13; P.A. 14-201, S. 2; P.A. 16-27, S. 2.)

History: 1963 act combined hunting and trapping licenses, deleting separate trapping licenses for those over 16 and for those under 16 and separate nonresident hunting licenses, imposed single fishing license, deleting special case licenses for those over 65, for nonresidents and for three-day period, reduced fee for combination license to hunt, trap and fish from $8 to $6, deleted nonresident combination license to hunt and fish, clarified combination license for those over 65 as one to fish, trap and hunt and deleted Subsec. (b) which had allowed nonresidents, their spouses and lineal descendants of residents who own property in the state which is assessed at $1,000 or more to obtain licenses for fees charged to residents; 1967 act restored distinction between license fees for nonresidents and residents, restored Subsec. (b) allowing nonresidents to obtain licenses at rates charged to residents and added Subsec. (c) re fees charged to residents of New York or other New England states; 1969 act increased fees for nonresident licenses under Subsec. (a) by $2 for each category; 1971 act clarified residency requirement for those 65 and over and specified that such persons may receive any license without fee where previously mention was made only of combination license to fish, trap and hunt and nominal $1.35 fee was charged; P.A. 77-171 specified that license issued to those 65 and over is “lifetime” license; P.A. 78-46 required in Subsec. (b) that person must own property assessed at $10,000 rather than $1,000 for provisions to apply; P.A. 78-270 increased nonresident license fees for hunting from $13.35 to $26.35, for fishing, from $8.35 to $16.35, for three-day fishing from $3.85 to $7.35 and for combination hunting and fishing from $17.35 to $34.35; P.A. 79-81 increased license fees for residents and nonresidents by $0.65 in each category and increased clerk's recording fee by the same amount; P.A. 80-375 deleted Subsec. (b) which had allowed nonresidents, their spouses and lineal descendants of residents to purchase licenses at rates charged to residents if property in state owned by them is assessed at $10,000 or more; P.A. 81-298 amended Subsec. (a) to establish a fee for trapping licenses for persons under 16 years of age; P.A. 82-91 increased fees for firearms hunting, archery and trapping licenses and combination licenses, established fees for junior licenses and limited combination licenses to firearms hunting and fishing where before trapping could also be combined; P.A. 82-472 made technical changes in the section; Nov. Sp. Sess. P.A. 91-3 amended Subsec. (a) to increase the fee for a resident firearms hunting license from $9 to $10, for a resident fishing license from $9 to $15, for a resident combination license from $12 to $21, for a resident trapping license from $16 to $20, for a nonresident firearms hunting license from $17 to $25, and for a nonresident combination license from $25 to $55, to delete authorization for issuance of general archery hunting licenses, to require those 65 and older to comply with Sec. 26-31 in order to obtain a free license under this section, to authorize the issuance of free annual licenses to those 65 and older and to delete authorization for free lifetime licenses and to include trapping in such free annual licensure; P.A. 93-256 authorized free lifetime licenses for persons aged 65 years or older, effective July 1, 1993; May 9 Sp. Sess. P.A. 02-1 amended Subsec. (a) to increase fee for resident firearms hunting license from $10 to $14 in Subdiv. (1), to increase fee for resident fishing license from $15 to $20 in Subdiv. (2), to increase fee for resident combination license from $21 to $28 in Subdiv. (3), to increase fee for resident trapping license from $20 to $25 in Subdiv. (4), to increase fee for nonresident firearms hunting license from $42 to $67 in Subdiv. (8), to increase fee for nonresident fishing license from $25 to $40 in Subdiv. (9), to increase fee for nonresident three-day fishing license from $8 to $16 in Subdiv. (10) and to increase fee for nonresident combination license from $55 to $88 in Subdiv. (11), effective January 1, 2003; P.A. 03-123 made technical changes in Subsec. (a), effective June 26, 2003; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 09-3 amended Subsec. (a) by increasing fees, by adding new Subdivs. (3) to (5), (7) to (11), (18) to (20), and (22) and (23) and redesignating existing Subdivs. (3) to (11) as Subdivs. (6), (12) to (17), (21) and (24), by adding references to “inland waters” in redesignated Subdivs. (6), (16), (17) and (21), and by substituting “an annual license” for “a lifetime license”; Sept. Sp. Sess. P.A. 09-8 amended Subsec. (a)(3) to change resident marine waters fishing license fee from $30 to $10, effective October 5, 2009; P.A. 10-3 amended Subsec. (a) by reducing fees in Subdivs. (1), (2) and (4) to (11), by adding new Subdiv. (12) re fee for resident firearms super sport license to fish in all waters and firearms hunt, firearms private land shotgun or rifle deer permit, muzzleloader private land deer permit and private land permit to hunt wild turkey during spring season, by adding new Subdiv. (13) re fee for resident firearms super sport license to fish in all waters and firearms hunt, migratory bird conservation stamp and migratory bird harvest permit, by redesignating existing Subdivs. (12) to (24) as Subdivs. (14) to (26) and by reducing fees in redesignated Subdivs. (14) to (25), effective April 14, 2010; P.A. 10-106 amended Subsec. (a) by adding reference to Subsec. (c) and added Subsec. (c) re fee for group fishing license, effective June 21, 2010; P.A. 14-201 amended Subsec. (a) by adding reference to Subsecs. (d) to (f), making a technical change and amending Subdiv. (8) by increasing fee from $38 to $40, Subdiv. (10) by decreasing fee from $80 to $70, and Subdiv. (13) by decreasing fee from $60 to $50, amended Subsec. (b) by making a technical change, amended Subsec. (c) by decreasing fee from $250 to $125, added Subsec. (d) re hunting, trapping or sport fishing license, permit, tag or stamp fee charged to resident who is 16 or 17 years of age, added Subsec. (e) re authority for two additional days in each calendar year on which one-day license for sport fishing may be issued free of charge, and added Subsec. (f) re reduction in license, permit, tag or stamp fee, effective January 1, 2015; P.A. 16-27 amended Subsec. (d)(2) to replace “Connecticut resident who is sixteen or seventeen years of age” with “Connecticut resident who is less than eighteen years of age”, effective July 1, 2016.