01/15/2026
Today's the last day to get your fishing license at the cheaper price. Beginning tomorrow, it's going to go up.
Last Chance to Buy at Today’s License Prices ⏳🎣🦌
Sportsmen and women across Kentucky still have a short window to purchase their hunting and fishing licenses and permits at the current price.
Kentucky has moved to a bi-annual license fee adjustment tied to the Consumer Price Index (CPI). Very soon—potentially within the next day or so—license costs will be adjusted to reflect inflation from the past two years. With CPI at 3% in 2024 and 2.7% in 2025, we expect to see an increase of about 5.7% across license costs.
What does that look like in real dollars?
• A resident fishing license currently $23 will likely increase to about $24.31
• A senior license currently $12 will likely increase to about $12.68
You can still buy your license at the unadjusted price right now, but that opportunity won’t last long.
This CPI-based system means license costs will stay relatively stable over time, with small, predictable adjustments every two years. It helps avoid the larger, less-frequent price increases of the past and provides consistency for sportsmen and women.
License dollars are a critical part of the North American Model of Wildlife Conservation—the most successful conservation model in the world. Along with excise taxes on hunting and fishing equipment, license sales fund wildlife management, public access, and outdoor opportunities for everyone. This model is why wildlife in the U.S. is publicly owned, accessible to all, and among the most diverse and healthy on Earth.
Get your license now at fw.ky.gov and be ready for the year ahead.
