Fishing Licences and Fees

Automated Fishing Licencing System

Recreational fishing licences in Alberta are sold either online through AlbertaRELM, or through Private Licence Issuers (e.g, sporting goods stores, convenience stores and gas stations) in communities throughout the province.

Licence Issuers provide the following services:

• Confirm licence eligibility online
• Print all licences and tags at the point of sale

This automated system integrates all recreational licensing services, providing improved service to anglers, hunters and licence vendors, while also providing Alberta Environment and Parks with important, up-to-date information about the anglers and hunters in the province.

Sportfishing Licences

All persons sportfishing in Alberta are required to hold an Alberta Sportfishing Licence, except:

• Youths under 16 years of age
• Alberta residents aged 65 and older
• First Nations' Persons (defined as an Indian under the federal Indian Act)

Licence Fees for Residents and Canadian Non-Residents and Non Residents from outside of Canada:

Licence fees are based on where an angler lives. Anglers are classified as either Residents, Canadian Non-residents or Non-resident Aliens.

Resident:	A Resident is an individual who makes his home in Alberta and is ordinarily present in Alberta, is a Canadian citizen or is a permanent resident as defined in the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (Canada), or has lived in Canada for the 12 month period immediately preceding the relevant date, or is on full time service with the Armed Forces of Canada and would, if an election were held under the Canada Elections Act (Canada), be eligible to vote in Alberta under that Act.
Canadian Non-resident:	An individual who is a resident of Canada and who makes that individual’s home and is ordinarily present in a province or territory of Canada other than Alberta, and is a Canadian citizen or is a permanent resident as defined in the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (Canada), or has resided in Canada for the 12-month period immediately preceding the date of the person’s application for a licence or the date the person begins to fish
Non-resident Alien:	A Non-resident Alien is a person who is neither a Alberta resident nor a non-resident (Canadian).

Fees for Sportfishing Licences in Alberta

The following table lists the fees for sportfishing licences in Alberta. Fees are in Canadian dollars and do not include the five percent federal Goods and Services Tax.

Before purchasing any licence, a person must hold a valid Wildlife Identification Number (WIN). You can apply for your number at the same time you purchase your licence.

Licence Holder	Sportfishing Licence Cost	Special Harvest Licence* Walleye (Class A) Walleye (Class B) Walleye (Class C)
Alberta Resident
16-64 years of age	$28.00	$11.00
Age 65 or older	No licence required	$11.00
Youth (less than 16 years)	No licence required	$11.00
*Available only through a draw. For more information: Special Harvest Licences
Canadian Resident from outside Alberta
Age 16 or older:
Annual	$60.00
Limited (7-day)	$41.00
Limited (1-day)	$25.00
Youth (less than 16 years)	No licence required
Non-Resident from outside Canada
Age 16 and older
Annual	$85.00
Limited (7-day)	$55.00
Limited (1-day)	$26.63
Youth (less than 16 years)	No licence required
First Nations' Peoples
	No licence required**	No licence required**
**First Nations' persons (defined as an Indian under the federal Indian Act) are not required to obtain a Special Harvest Licence or tag their catch. Size limits will be specified and enforced. For more information on indigenous fishing rights, visit: Indigenous Hunting and Fishing in Alberta
Lost/destroyed licences
All purchased licences can be reprinted either at a licence issuer for a $2.00 fee or online at no charge.
Lost/destroyed tags
You are required to bring your licence and complete a statutory declaration to authorize the replacement at a Fish and Wildlife District Office. See the fishing regulations for District Office contact information.
A portion of the cost of each licence is distributed as follows: Finances the Fisheries Habitat Development Program, the Fisheries Management Enhancement Program and the Enhanced Fish Stocking Program General revenue Licence transaction fee Alberta Conservation Association

Competitive Licencing Events

If you are organizing a competitive fishing event (e.g., a derby or tournament) with more than 25 participants, you will need an event licence.

Purchasing a Licence

Recreational fishing licences are available for purchase at Licence Issuers or online at:

To buy a special walleye licence online that requires a tag(s), you must have a pre-numbered Government of Alberta paper tag & wire before you begin your purchase.

You have 3 options to order tags:

• Contact Us page on AlbertaRelm.com
• Contacting the AlbertaRelm Help Desk at 1-888-944-5494
• In person at a Alberta Fish and Wildlife District office or a Licence Issuer

Updated: Mar 23, 2021