N.C. fishing, hunting license fees increasing on July 1
The price for a license to fish and hunt in North Carolina will be increasing between 18% and 19% on July 1.
The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission announced last week the fee adjustments are based on the total increase in the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers.
“The fee increase will help the agency address funding issues related to increased operating costs exacerbated by inflation, increased demand for agency services, and stagnant state appropriations,” according to statements from both the NCWRC and the Division of Marine Fisheries.
“Revenue from the proposed increase will better equip the NCWRC (to) meet the demands on its operating budget and the rising cost of employee salaries and benefits that have increased, on average, by approximately $5.6 million per year (6.28% per year) since the last fee increase that became effective January 1, 2020,” the agency’s staff told Wildlife Resources Commission members prior to the 18-member panel approving the changes in April.
Increases for some of the most popular licenses sold on the Outer Banks include:
- Annual Resident Coastal Recreational Fishing License, rising from $16 to $19
- Annual Nonresident Coastal Recreational Fishing License, $32 to $38
- Ten-Day Resident Coastal Recreational Fishing License, $6 to $8
- Ten-Day Nonresident Coastal Recreational Fishing License, $11 to $14
- Infant Lifetime Coastal Recreational Fishing License, $106 to $126
- Youth Lifetime Coastal Recreational Fishing License, $159 to $189
- Resident Adult Lifetime Coastal Recreational Fishing License, $265 to $315
- Nonresident Adult Lifetime Coastal Recreational Fishing License, $530 to $630
- Resident Age 70-older Lifetime Coastal Recreational Fishing License, $16 to $19
- Resident Disabled Veteran Coastal Recreational Fishing License, $11 to $14
- Resident Totally Disabled Coastal Recreational Fishing License, $11 to $14
- Resident Unified Sportsman/Coastal Recreational Fishing License, covering basic hunting privileges and allows fishing in all state waters, $69 to $82
- Resident Annual Sportsman License, basic hunting, fishing in just inland and joint waters, $53 to $63
- Infant Lifetime Unified Sportsman/Coastal Recreational Fishing License, $292 to $347
- Youth Lifetime Unified Sportsman/Coastal Recreational Fishing License, $477 to $567
- Resident Adult Lifetime Unified Sportsman/Coastal Recreational Fishing License, $716 to $851
- Nonresident Adult Lifetime Unified Sportsman/Coastal Recreational Fishing License, $1,643 to $1,952
- Resident Lifetime Unified Inland/Coastal Recreational Fishing License, $477 to $567
To purchase a license, visit gooutdoorsnorthcarolina.com or a Wildlife Service Agent.
Click here to download the full list of changes (.pdf)
