Announcements
Licenses/Stamps
Hunting and Trapping Licenses
All residents and nonresidents will need an applicable base hunting license. For exemptions see Section 3.1 of the Illinois Wildlife Code.
Anyone born on or after January 1, 1980 is required to complete a hunter safety education course (certificate of competency) or provide evidence of holding a hunting license issued by Illinois or another state in a prior year before purchasing a hunting license. Exemptions apply, see Section 3.2 of the Illinois Wildlife Code.
Every person holding a hunting license shall have it, including all appropriate stamps, in his/her possession for immediate presentation for inspection to any authorized law enforcement officer while hunting. A physical or electronic license is valid for hunting and presentation to law enforcement. Purchase licenses or read the Exceptions section below to find out if you do not need a license.
Annual hunting licenses and state stamps go on sale 1 March and are valid through 31 March of the following year.
Additional licenses, permits and stamps required to hunt or trap particular species are listed on the species webpages. See the tables below or use the License Finder to know what licenses, stamps and permits you need to hunt a specific animal or season.
| Base Hunting Licenses (does not include vendor or transaction fees) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| License Type | Fee | 3-year Option* | Online | Vendors | Specifications |
| Resident | $12.00 | X | X | X | |
| Resident Senior | $6.00 | X | X | X | Only available to hunters age 65 to 74 (inclusive). |
| Resident Super Senior | $1.00 | X | X | X | Only available to hunters age 75 or older. |
| Illinois Veteran | $6.00 | X | X | X | Illinois veterans who served overseas or were mobilized by the President of the United States and have a form DD214 can submit their form to IDNR’s Springfield office at DNR.License@illinois.gov and ask to be certified as qualifying for half priced licenses. Please redact your SSN before emailing your DD214. |
| Apprentice | $7.00 | X | X | Apprentice hunters must be supervised by a validly licensed Illinois resident or nonresident hunter who is 21 years of age or older. A hunter safety course is not required to purchase this license. | |
| Youth Hunt/Trap | $7.00 | X | X | Any hunter/trapper under 18 years of age may purchase this license. Hunters/trappers with this license must be supervised by an adult who is 21 years of age or older and has the appropriate Illinois hunting or trapping license. The youth hunter shall not hunt or trap or carry a hunting device, unless the youth is accompanied by and under close personal supervision of that adult. See Wildlife Code (520 ILCS 5/3.1-9) for supervisory requirement exemptions. | |
| Resident Lifetime | $360.00 | X | X | ||
| Resident Sportsman Combo Hunt/Fish | $25.50 | X | X | X | |
| Illinois Veteran Sportsman Combo Hunt/Fish | $12.75 | X | X | X | See specification on veteran license above. |
| Resident Senior Sportsman Combo Hunt/Fish | $12.75 | X | X | X | Only available to hunters age 65 to 74 (inclusive). |
| Resident Super Senior Sportsman Combo Hunt/Fish | $2.00 | X | X | X | Only available to hunters age 75+. |
| Resident Lifetime Sportsman Combo Hunt/Fish | $765.00 | X | X | ||
| Nonresident | $57.00 | X | X | ||
| Nonresident (5 day) | $35.00 | X | X | ||
| Disabled | Illinois residents with a disability may hunt without a license if they have an Illinois Driver’s License or Illinois Disability Identification Card indicating that they have a Type 1 or Type 4, Class 2 disability. Veterans with a disability (both resident and nonresident) may hunt without a license if they possess an Affidavit of Disability Card (resident) from the IL Department of Veteran’s Affairs or documentation (nonresident) that they are at least 10% disabled with service-related disabilities. Certain stamps are still required. | ||||
| Active Duty - Armed Forces | A person on active duty in the Armed Forces, who entered the service from Illinois and is an Illinois resident, may, while on ordinary or emergency leave, hunt without a license. Illinois resident military, guard or reserve members who served overseas within the last 2 years may be eligible for the Illinois Resident Armed Forces Special Pass, which waives fees for fishing, hunting and camping. See details at dnr.illinois.gov or call (217) 782-2965. | ||||
| *3-year License Option - Illinois residents may obtain three-year hunting, sportsmen and trapping licenses for three times the cost of an annual one. | |||||
| Furbearer Trapping Licenses | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price | How to apply for or purchase | |||||
| License Type | Resident | Nonresident | Lottery | Online | Vendors | Specifications |
| Trapping | Variable | X | X | First-time trappers born on or after Jan. 1, 1998 are required to complete a trapper education course before purchasing a license. 3-year license option available. | ||
| Youth Hunting and Trapping | $7.00 | X | X | Any hunter/trapper under 18 years of age may purchase this license. Hunters/trappers with this license must be supervised by an adult who is 21 years of age or older and has the appropriate Illinois hunting or trapping license. The youth shall not hunt or trap or carry a hunting device, unless the youth is accompanied by and under close personal supervision of that adult. See Wildlife Code (520 ILCS 5/3.1-9) for supervisory requirement exemptions. | ||
| Trapping (with state reciprocity) | $175.00 | X | X | Reciprocity means your state of residence allows Illinois residents to trap. | ||
| Trapping (without state reciprocity) | $250.00 | X | X | See reciprocity specification above. | ||
Novice Hunting Licenses
Want to try hunting before taking the Hunter Safety course? Purchase one of these licenses:
Apprentice License
- Can be purchased by a person of any age, including residents and non-residents.
- Can be purchased annually.
- Allows the licensee to hunt on public property while supervised by a validly licensed resident or nonresident who is 21 years of age or older and has a hunter education certificate.
- Allows the licensee to hunt on private property while supervised by a validly licensed resident or nonresident hunter who is 21 years of age or older.
Youth Hunting and Trapping License
- Allows the youth (less than 18 years of age) to hunt and/or trap while supervised by an adult who is 21 years of age and has a valid Illinois hunting license.
- If the youth has a valid certification of competency from a hunter safety or trapper safety course approved by the IDNR, he/she is exempt from the supervision requirements for that activity.
- License is renewable until the age requirement is exceeded.
Exceptions
You do not need a hunting license if you meet one or more of the following criteria below. Hunting shall be done only during periods of time and with devices and methods as are legally allowed. A State Habitat Stamp and appropriate permits are still required.
- Owners residing on, or bona fide tenants of, farmlands and their children, parents, brothers, and sisters permanently residing on their lands shall have the right to hunt any legal game species upon their private lands and waters only.
- Any person on active duty with the Armed Forces of the United States who is now and who was at the time of entering the Armed Forces a resident of Illinois and who entered the Armed Forces from Illinois, and who is presently on ordinary or emergency leave from the Armed Forces. For more information, see IDNR’s website.
- Any resident of Illinois who has a legally documented disability may hunt any legal game species without procuring a hunting license. A person is considered legally disabled when that person has a Type 1 or Type 4, Class 2 disability as defined in Section 4A of the Illinois Identification Card Act.
Stamps
Use the License Finder to know what stamps you need to hunt a specific animal or season.
State Habitat Stamp
- Mandatory for anyone age 18 or older to hunt deer, turkey, upland birds, squirrels/rabbits or furbearers.
- Mandatory for anyone age 18 or older to trap furbearers.
- Disabled veterans and former POWs are exempt from needing this stamp
State Migratory Waterfowl Stamp
- Mandatory for anyone age 18 or older hunting migratory waterfowl.
- Disabled individuals and disabled veterans are exempt from needing this stamp.
- Landowners with at least 39.5 acres hunting on their own property are exempt from needing this stamp. Stamp is required if hunting elsewhere.
Federal Migratory Waterfowl Stamp
- Mandatory for anyone age 16 or older hunting migratory waterfowl.
- Note: Be sure to sign your name on the face of the stamp before you go hunting.
License Finder
Use the License Finder to know what licenses, stamps and permits you need to hunt a specific animal or season.