- You need a Sport Fishing licence to fish in the NWT unless you are under 16 years of age or over 65 years of age.
- Special Management Areas and National Parks may require additional licenses or validation – for all ages.
- See the table below for licence classification, eligibility, and costs.
- All annual sport fishing licences expire on March 31.
Remember to always:
- Carry your fishing licence with you at all times when fishing.
- Use barbless hooks: they are mandatory for sport fishing in the NWT.
- Stay within daily catch and possession limits.
- Stay safe: practice safe boating, make sure all campfires are completely out before leaving and be Bear Aware.
Buying a fishing licence
Fishing licences are available online through the secure NWT eServices online portal or in person at select locations. If you don’t have “Fishing Licence” set up on your NWT sServices account, you can simply “add a service”.
Fishing licence types and fees
| Class | Type | fee | gst | total fee | valid for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| F1 | NWT Resident | $11.99 | $0.60 | $12.59 | Season (Valid until March 31st each year) |
| F2 | Resident Canadian | $23.98 | $1.20 | $25.18 | Season (Valid until March 31st each year) |
| F3 | Non-resident | $47.97 | $2.40 | $50.37 |
Season (Valid until March 31st each year) |
| F4 | Over 65 | Free | -- | -- |
Season (Valid until March 31st each year) |
| F5 | Under 16 | Free | -- | -- |
Season (Valid until March 31st each year) |
|
F6 |
3 day Resident Canadian |
$17.99 | $0.90 | $18.89 | 3 days |
| F7 | 3 day Non-resident |
$35.98 | $1.80 | $37.78 | 3 days |
| F9 | 1 day Resident Canadian |
$11.99 | $0.60 | $12.59 | 1 day |
| F10 | 1 day Non-resident |
$11.99 | $0.60 | $12.59 | 1 day |
Special Management Areas
Visit Closed waters and special permit areas for more information on each area.
| Class | type | eligibility | fee | gst | total fee | Valid for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| F8 | Beneficiary | Not available online as you must provide extra documentation to the regional office before it can be issued | Free | -- | -- | -- |
| I1 | Inuvialuit Settlement Region Special Management Area | Required for any person to fish in this area. You will need your standard licence AND an I1 authorization (regardless of age or residency). |
Free | -- | -- | The period of your licence |
| M1 | Great Bear Lake Special Management Area | Required for any person to fish this area. You will need your standard licence AND an M1 authorization (regardless of age or residency). |
$11.98 | $0.60 | $12.58 | The period of your licence |
| -- | Edéhzhíe National Wildlife Area | An NWT Sport Fishing Licence AND a separate National Wildlife Area Permit are required for sport fishing inside the boundary of this wildlife area. Request a permit by emailing: CWSPermitNorth@ec.gc.ca |
-- | -- | -- | -- |
| -- | National Parks, National Park Reserves, or National Historic Sites | An NWT Sport Fishing Licence is not valid in national areas. A separate Parks Canada sport fishing licence is required for each area. |
-- | -- | -- | -- |
Residency and Age Descriptions
| NWT Resident | NWT resident with a valid NWT address (for at least 3 months prior to licence date). |
| Resident Canadian | Canadian citizen or permanent resident with a valid Canadian address. |
| Non-resident | Not a Canadian resident and does not have a valid NWT or Canadian address (16 years of age or younger must be accompanied by a person holding a valid Sport Fishing Licence). |
| Under 16 | Must have a valid NWT or Canadian address AND be 16 years of age or younger. |
| Over 65 | Must have a valid NWT or Canadian address AND be 65 years of age or older. |