Hunting | Fishing License. Fee going up this month

State legislators have approved a new, standardized method for adjusting license, tag, registration and permit fees charged by the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources, tying future increases to inflation rather than periodic legislative action.

The changes were finalized following adjournment of the Interim Joint Committee on Natural Resources and Energy meeting Nov. 6 and took effect through administrative regulation 301 KAR 5:022.

Among the updates is a new reduced-cost $35 sportsman’s license for resident first-time buyers who have not purchased an annual Kentucky hunting or fishing license since 1996. The license includes resident hunting and fishing privileges along with spring and fall turkey permits, a trout permit, migratory bird and waterfowl permit, and a statewide deer permit.

Hunters will now be required to purchase a $10 permit to hunt bobcats, which was previously free. The motorboat registration fee structure has also been simplified, with fees now based solely on vessel length. Additional amendments adjust fees for boat manufacturers and dealers, as well as hunting and fishing guides and outfitters.

Going forward, Fish and Wildlife will make incremental fee adjustments every other year based solely on the Consumer Price Index calculated by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Federal Duck Stamp and application fees are exempt from the CPI-based adjustments.

All licenses, permits, tags and registrations will be adjusted in January using CPI data from 2024 and 2025. The change will affect the remainder of the 2025-26 license year through Feb. 28, 2026, and the 2026-27 license year beginning March 1, 2026.

Agency officials said the new approach replaces an unpredictable system with smaller, more consistent adjustments.

“Relying on a widely accepted federal economic indicator to determine price adjustments for user fees helps our customers know when to anticipate changes,” said Gabe Jenkins, deputy commissioner for Fish and Wildlife.

Licenses, tags and permits for the 2026-27 license year went on sale Dec. 1, 2025. Officials encouraged hunters and anglers to consider purchasing before the anticipated January increase later this month.

Purchases can be made through the My Profile app on the Fish and Wildlife website at fw.ky.gov. For more information, the public may contact the Kentucky Fish and Wildlife Information Center at 800-858-1549 or by email at info.center@ky.gov during weekday business hours.