Minnesota Fishing License & Regulations
Switch states with the selector, or jump back to the full engine.
Minnesota — License & Regulations
Agency: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (MN DNR)
| Resident annual fee | $25.00 (2026) |
|---|---|
| Non-resident annual fee | $51.00 |
| Source | Minnesota Department of Natural Resources — 2026 fishing license fees (mn.gov/dnr). |
Size & bag limits (representative)
| Species | Min size | Bag limit | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Largemouth & Smallmouth Bass | — | 6 | MN DNR 2026 Fishing Regulations. |
| Walleye | — | 6 | MN DNR 2026 Fishing Regulations (special limits on some waters). |
MN DNR 2026: resident individual angling $25; nonresident $51. License year Mar 1–Feb 28. Trout/salmon stamp ($10) required for designated trout waters and Lake Superior.
How the Minnesota rules fit together
A Minnesota fishing trip is governed by four separate layers, and they are set by different parts of the same agency. The license establishes that you may fish at all. The statewide size, bag, and possession limits set the default for any water not given special treatment. Waterbody-specific regulations override those defaults on named lakes, rivers, and zones. And season and gear restrictions can close a fishery entirely for part of the year or limit it to artificial lures or catch-and-release.
The order matters. Where a specific water has its own rule, the specific rule wins over the statewide default — so a legal statewide limit does not make a fish legal on a special-regulation lake, and a statewide season does not override a closed section of river. Whatever a summary page tells you, the enforceable answer for the water in front of you comes from the current Minnesota regulation booklet or the agency’s own site.
Two further layers are easy to miss. A stamp, validation, or report card may be required on top of the license for specific species or waters — you can hold a valid license and still be non-compliant. And aquatic invasive species rules apply to your boat and trailer rather than your catch, which means they can stop the trip at the ramp before a line is ever wet.
Because fees, limits, and seasons are revised annually and often mid-season, treat every number on this page as a starting point dated to 2026 and confirm the current figure with Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (MN DNR) before you buy a license or keep a fish.
Minnesota license, limits and reporting
Drawn from FishFig's verified Minnesota data layer. Every figure names the agency source it came from, and anything unverified is shown as "verify locally" rather than estimated.
What a Minnesota fishing license costs
A resident annual license for Minnesota is $25.00, and the non-resident annual license is $51.00 — a difference of $26.00. The non-resident rate is roughly 2.0 times the resident rate — meaning the license is usually the smallest expense in the trip budget.
Short-term options as published: Resident 24-hour $12.00; Resident 72-hour $14.00; Nonresident 24-hour $14.00; Nonresident 72-hour $36.00; Nonresident 7-day $43.00.
At the published short-term prices, a resident annual license breaks even at about 1 seven-day passes. Below that trip count the short-term pass is cheaper; above it the annual license is. (Break-even arithmetic from the published fees — confirm current products with Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (MN DNR).)
Saltwater: Trout/Salmon Stamp $10.00 required for Lake Superior and designated trout waters (Great Lakes species stamp, not a saltwater license)..
Senior and reduced-rate options: Conservation individual angling (reduced limits) $17.00; no standard senior discount listed.
Separate aquatic-invasive-species stamp: Minn. Stat. 86B.135: $10 motorized watercraft under 26 ft licensed in state; $20 motorized watercraft licensed in another state; $5 nonmotorized under 26 ft (state); $10 nonmotorized out-of-state; $15 for watercraft 26 ft or greater. Valid Jan 1-Dec 31..
Reciprocal border waters to check before travelling: Mississippi River (main channel) and Lake Superior (U.S. ↔ Ontario).
Source: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources — 2026 Fishing License Fees. https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/licenses/fishing/index.html
Size and bag limits tracked for Minnesota
Minnesota has 13 statewide limits resolved in this tool — Bluegill, Brook Trout, Brown Trout, Channel Catfish, Crappie, Flathead Catfish, Largemouth Bass and Muskellunge (Muskie), among 13 in the tracked set. Each entry below carries the agency citation it came from.
Bluegill: bag 20 (sunfish aggregate); season Year-round; Quality-sunfish waters use reduced limits.. Citation: Minnesota DNR — 2026 Minnesota Fishing Regulations (Minn. R. 6262.0200).
Brook Trout: bag 5 (combined trout); season Streams: 2nd Sat Apr – Sep 30; lakes: open periods (varies). Citation: Minnesota DNR — 2026 Minnesota Fishing Regulations (Minn. R. 6262.0200).
Brown Trout: bag 5 (combined trout); season Streams: 2nd Sat Apr – Sep 30; lakes: open periods (varies). Citation: Minnesota DNR — 2026 Minnesota Fishing Regulations (Minn. R. 6262.0200).
Channel Catfish: bag 5 (combined with flathead; no more than 1 over 24 in); season Year-round. Citation: Minnesota DNR — 2026 Minnesota Fishing Regulations (Minn. R. 6262.0200).
Crappie: bag 10; season Year-round; Many lakes use 5-fish special limits.. Citation: Minnesota DNR — 2026 Minnesota Fishing Regulations (Minn. R. 6262.0200).
Flathead Catfish: bag 5 (combined with channel; no more than 1 over 24 in); season Year-round. Citation: Minnesota DNR — 2026 Minnesota Fishing Regulations (Minn. R. 6262.0200).
These are statewide general rules only. Slot limits, special-regulation waters, catch-and-release stretches, and zone-by-zone seasons override them — and a general rule that is absent from this list is not the same as no restriction. Confirm the rule for the exact water you are fishing with Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (MN DNR) before keeping a fish.
Mandatory harvest reporting in Minnesota
Minnesota requires mandatory harvest reporting or registration for specific species. The tracked rule set covers Lake Sturgeon.
Reporting window: Register within 48 hours of capture.. How to report: To harvest, angler must have a sturgeon tag/endorsement; a kept fish must be immediately tagged/endorsed by the angler and registered with the MN DNR within 48 hours of capture. One fish per calendar year; legal size 45-50 inches inclusive or over 75 inches. Tag/endorse immediately; register via MN DNR.. Citation: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources - Lake Sturgeon Regulations (https://mndnr.gov/fishing)
A reporting requirement usually attaches to the fish, not the license: you can be fully licensed and still be out of compliance for failing to register a tagged or sensitive species within the stated window. Record the tag number and the date before you leave the water.
Free fishing days in Minnesota
Reported license-free dates for 2026: Minnesota residents fish free in most state parks year-round. Most states waive the license only, not the rules — size and bag limits, gear restrictions, seasons, and any required report card still apply, and some states still require a free or zero-cost license to be issued before you fish.
Reported for 2026 by public aggregators and may not match the official state schedule. Always confirm the current year’s dates and any species/stamp exceptions with the agency before planning.
Source: Compiled from 2026 public Free-Fishing-Day roundups (modefreefinds.com, heyitsfree.net, fishkillflea.com). Not an official source — verify with the state agency. (compiled 2026-08-29).
Boat inspection and invasive species rules in Minnesota
Minnesota has a tracked aquatic-invasive-species requirement for boaters: AIS (Aquatic Invasive Species) Rules Decal.
Fee or cost: Minn. Stat. 86B.135: $10 motorized watercraft under 26 ft licensed in state; $20 motorized watercraft licensed in another state; $5 nonmotorized under 26 ft (state); $10 nonmotorized out-of-state; $15 for watercraft 26 ft or greater. Valid Jan 1-Dec 31..
Inspection: Clean all aquatic plants/invasive species from watercraft/trailers before leaving; drain all water-related equipment and remove drain plugs before leaving shoreland..
Education requirement: AIS affirmation acknowledging educational information required at purchase..
Practice Clean, Drain, Dry between waters. Confirm current AIS rules with the state agency before launching.
Citation: Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes - Minnesota Statutes 86B.508 & 86B.135 Aquatic Invasive Species Rules Decal (https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/2011/cite/86B.508)
State agency & contact
Licenses, regulations, and stocking are set by the agency below. When FishFig can’t verify a figure, contact them directly.
Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (MN DNR)
FishFig is an independent guide and is not affiliated with Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (MN DNR). Verify every figure with the agency before purchasing a license, keeping fish, or relying on stocking data.