Saltwater Fishing Licensing - Florida-Offshore.Com

Saltwater Fishing Licensing
(Image & Document Source: www.MyFWC.org)

Licenses

SALTWATER FISHING
*Resident Saltwater Fishing Licenses**
	Annual	Five-Year
Gold Sportsman's License (includes Hunting, Saltwater Fishing and Freshwater Fishing licenses; and Wildlife Management Area, Archery, Muzzleloading Gun, Crossbow, Turkey and Florida Waterfowl, Snook and Lobster Permits)	$100.00
Military Gold Sportsman's License (includes Hunting, Saltwater Fishing and Freshwater Fishing licenses; and Wildlife Management Area, Archery, Muzzleloading Gun, Crossbow, Turkey and Florida Waterfowl, Snook and Lobster Permits) (sold only at tax collector's office)	$20.00
Annual Saltwater Fishing	$17.00	$79.00
Saltwater/Freshwater Fishing Combo	$32.50
Saltwater/Freshwater Fishing/Hunting Combo	$48.00

Nonresident Saltwater Fishing Licenses

Nonresident Annual Saltwater Fishing	$47.00
Nonresident 3-Day Saltwater Fishing	$17.00
Nonresident 7-Day Saltwater Fishing	$30.00

Saltwater Fishing Permits (Resident and Nonresident) If you are not required to buy a license, you are not required to buy permits (except tarpon)
	Annual	Five-Year Residents Only
Snook Permit	$2.00	$10.00
Lobster Permit	$2.00	$10.00
Tarpon Tag	$51.50

*Resident -(Valid for 12 months from specified beginning date - For the purpose of fishing in Florida, a person is a resident if he or she has lived in Florida for six continuous months prior to applying for licenses and claims Florida as his or her primary residence. Active military personnel stationed in Florida, including their spouses and dependent children residing in the household, are considered residents when purchasing fishing licenses.

Recreational Saltwater Fishing License Exemptions:

You do not need a license if you are:

·         Any child under 16 years of age.

·         Any resident who is a member of the United States Armed Forces and not stationed in this state, when home on leave for 30 days or less, upon submission of orders.

·         Any person fishing who has been accepted as a client for developmental disabilities services by the Children & Family Services, provided the department furnishes proof thereof.

·         Any resident fishing in saltwater from land or from a structure fixed to the land.

·         Any person fishing from a for-hire vessel (guide, charter, party boat) that has a valid vessel license.

·         Any person fishing from a vessel, the operator of which has a valid vessel license issued in the name of the operator of the vessel.

·         Any person who holds a valid saltwater products license (SPL).

·         Any person fishing for recreational purposes from a pier that has been issued a valid pier saltwater fishing license.

·         Any resident fishing for a saltwater species in fresh water from land or from a structure fixed to land.

·         Any resident fishing for mullet in fresh water who has a valid Florida freshwater fishing license.

·         Any resident 65 years of age or older who has in her or his possession proof of age and residency or a no-cost Florida Resident Senior Citizen license. A no-cost license may be obtained from any tax collector's office upon proof of age and residency and must be in the possession of the resident during hunting, freshwater fishing, and saltwater fishing activities.

·         Any employee of the commission who takes freshwater fish, saltwater fish, or game as part of employment with the commission, or any other person authorized by commission permit to take freshwater fish, saltwater fish, or game for scientific or educational purposes.

For-Hire License (Charter, Headboat, and Guide Operations)

Charter, headboat and guide operations require this license to cover your passengers who are not required to hold a recreational fishing license.

For-Hire Licenses
CHARTER CAPTAIN - 4 OR LESS CUSTOMERS	$ 201.50
CHARTER CAPTAIN - 10 OR LESS CUSTOMERS	$ 401.50
CHARTER CAPTAIN - 11 OR MORE CUSTOMERS	$ 801.50
CHARTER BOAT - 4 OR LESS CUSTOMERS	$ 201.50
CHARTER BOAT - 6 OR LESS CUSTOMERS	$ 401.50
CHARTER BOAT - 10 OR LESS CUSTOMERS	$ 401.50
CHARTER BOAT - 11 OR MORE CUSTOMERS	$ 801.50
** Note that the costs include tax collector surcharge

In order to purchase a charter boat license, you must register your boat as a commercial vessel. The vessel registration documentation will be required in order to obtain a state vessel license.

The license can be purchased at your local tax collectors office. The county you are doing business in may require you to have an occupational license.

The Coast Guard requires a Captain's License for all operators of for-hire vessels. In order to purchase a charter captain's license, you must have a Captain's license. You can call 1-800-982-9374 for information on the Coast Guard Captain's license. This documentation will be required in order to obtain a state vessel license.

If you are operating a for-hire vessel in a Park or a Refuge, you may be required to have additional permits (example: Everglades National Park). Please check with the local Park or Refuge headquarters for any specific permitting requirements for those areas.

If you are operating a for-hire vessel in federal waters (outside of 9 nautical miles on the Gulf and 3 nautical miles on the Atlantic), some species do require a federal charter vessel/headboat permit in order to fish for them. Contact the National Marine Fisheries Management Service, Licensing and Permitting office at (727) 570-5326 for information on federal charter/headboat permits.

Vessel and Pier Licenses

Optional Licenses (Not Required)
Vessel - Recreational An optional license that is available to cover anyone saltwater fishing from a recreational vessel where no fee is paid.	$ 2,001.50
Saltwater Fishing Pier An optional license issued to an owner, operator or custodian of a pier to cover everyone saltwater fishing from such pier.	$ 501.50
** Note that the costs include tax collector surcharge

The license can be purchased at your local tax collectors office.


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