Hunting Licenses & Permits

Every person who is required to have a license must carry such license and shall show the license immediately upon demand of any officer whose duty it is to enforce the game and inland fish laws, or upon the demand of any owner or lessee, or any employee or representative of such owner or lessee, upon whose land or water such person may be hunting, trapping or fishing.

A license is not valid unless signed by the licensee.

Residency Qualifications:

  • Persons who have been a bonafide resident of the city, county, or state for six consecutive months immediately preceding the date of purchasing a license.
  • Persons who have been domiciliary residents of the state for at least two months upon approval of a completed affidavit to be furnished by the Game Department.
  • Legal voters in Virginia.
  • Members of the armed forces if they reside in the Commonwealth and are on active duty and are stationed at military installations within, or on ships based in the Commonwealth.
  • Students (including nonresident students boarding on campus) residing in Virginia who are enrolled in bonafide Virginia schools.
  • Unnaturalized owners of real property in Virginia who have resided in a county for five years immediately prior to making application for a license may apply for resident licenses only in the county where they qualify.

Exceptions

All persons, except those listed below, must purchase the proper licenses before hunting or trapping. Where exempt, the exemption means the individual is exempt from the basic hunting license, bear, deer, turkey license, archery license, crossbow license, muzzleloading license, and Virginia Migratory Waterfowl Conservation Stamp.

  • Resident or non-resident landowners, their spouses, their children and grandchildren and the spouses of such children and grandchildren, or the landowner's parents, resident or non-resident, do not need a license to hunt, trap or fish within the boundaries of their own lands and inland waters.
  • Tenants, on the land they rent and occupy, are not required to have a license, but must have the written permission of the landowner. Persons that lease property and do not reside there are not exempt from license requirements.
  • Residents, 65 years of age and over, do not need a license to hunt or trap on private property in their county of residence.
  • Resident hunters under the age of 12 are not required to have a hunting license or hunter education. Non resident hunters under the age of 12 need a hunting license but do not need hunter education to purchase one. All hunters under the age of 12 may not hunt unless immediately supervised by a licensed adult.
  • Residents under the age of 16 are not required to have a license to trap when accompanied by any person 18 years of age or older who possesses a valid Virginia trapping license.
  • Any person who is not hunting, but is aiding a disabled person to hunt when such disabled person possesses a valid Virginia Disabled Resident Lifetime hunting license or a Virginia Resident Disabled Veteran Lifetime license is not required to have a license.
  • Any American Indian who resides on a Virginia Indian reservation or a member of the Virginia recognized tribes who resides in the Commonwealth is not required to have a license; however, such Indian must have on his person an identification card or paper signed by the chief of his tribe, a valid tribal identification card, written confirmation through a central tribal registry, or certification from a tribal office.

Where to Obtain a License

  • Online: At www.HuntFishVA.com. Select the license(s) you want, pay with your VISA or Master- Card, and print your license(s) after you pay.
  • In Person: Sold by some clerks of the Circuit Court and hundreds of license agents around the state.
  • By Mail: Download and complete the proper form from the Department's Web site and mail it to the address provided.
  • By Phone: Customer Service at 1-866-721-6911, Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m.- 5:00 p.m.

Customer Service Center for Purchasers of Hunting Licenses

A customer service center has been established to help purchasers of hunting and fishing licenses. The center is open from 8:00 a.m.- 5:00 p.m., Monday- Friday, except holidays. The customer service center phone number is 1-866-721-6911 or e-mail customerservice@dgif.virginia.gov. Representatives at the center will be available to answer questions about licensing, assist you in purchasing the licenses appropriate for your hunting or fishing outing, correct information on a current license or re-issue a lost license or hunter education certificate.

What License Do I Need?

Hunting

Unless license exempt, some type of hunting license is required. Ahunting license may be one of the following: Sportsman's License, Hunting License, County or City Hunting License, Apprentice Hunting License, Junior Hunting, Junior Combination, Junior Lifetime, Lifetime, Service-Connected Totally and Permanently Disabled Veteran Resident Lifetime, Totally and Permanently Disabled Resident Special Lifetime, Senior Citizen or Nonresident 3-Day Trip.

Small Game

A hunting license is required. National Forest Stamp, or State Forest Stamp, if applicable, is also required.

Bear, Deer, and Turkey

A bear, deer, turkey license is required in addition to a hunting license. National Forest Stamp, State Forest Stamp, County Damage Stamp and Bonus Deer Permits, if applicable, are also required.

Archery

Archery License is required in addition to a hunting license if hunting with a bow and arrow (longbow, recurve or compound) during any archery season. National Forest Stamp, State Forest Stamp, County Damage Stamp and Bonus Deer Permits, if applicable, are also required.

Crossbow

Crossbow license is required in addition to a hunting license if hunting with a crossbow during any archery season. National Forest Stamp, State Forest Stamp, County Damage Stamp and Bonus Deer Permits, if applicable, are also required.

Muzzleloading

Muzzleloading license is required in addition to the hunting license if hunting with a muzzleloading firearm during any muzzleloader deer season. National Forest Stamp, State Forest Stamp, County Damage Stamp and Bonus Deer Permits, if applicable, are also required.

If hunting with archery tackle or muzzleloading rifle during the firearms deer season you do not need an archery, crossbow or muzzleloading license.

Trapping

A Trapping License is required to trap. National Forest Stamp or State Forest Stamp, if applicable, are also required in addition to this license.

Waterfowl

A hunting license, Federal Duck Stamp and Virginia Migratory Waterfowl Conservation Stamp is required. A National Forest Stamp or State Forest Stamp, if applicable, may also be required.

Virginia Apprentice Hunting License

The new apprentice hunting license serves as a first-time Virginia resident or nonresident hunting license and is good for 2 years.

The license holder must be accompanied and directly supervised by a mentor over 18 who has on his or her person a valid Virginia hunting license. "Accompanied and directly supervised" occurs when a person over 18 maintains a close visual and verbal contact with,provides adequate direction to,and can immediately assume control of the firearm from the apprentice hunter.

The license entitles the holder to a one-time deferral of the hunter education requirement.

The apprentice license does not qualify the holder to purchase a regular hunting license,nor exempt the holder from compliance with Department regulations.

A bear,deer,turkey license and all applicable stamps or permits are required in addition to the apprentice license.

Previous Virginia resident and nonresident hunting license holders may not use an apprentice license.

To learn more about the Virginia Apprentice Hunting License,call (866) 721-6911 or log on to www.HuntFishVA.com.

Lifetime Licenses

Resident and nonresident lifetime licenses are purchased by an application and require supporting documentation of age, residency and/or disability. They are issued only through the Richmond office. Retail license agents cannot issue these licenses. Applications can be submitted in person at the Richmond office or mailed in. License applications can be found on the Department's Web site at www.HuntFishVA.com or by calling customer service at 1-866-721-6911.

Replacement License

If you purchased a license from a retail license agent, such as a sporting goods store, you can request a replacement at any retail license agent. If you purchased a license online, by phone, by mail, or from the Richmond office you will need to request a replacement from customer service by calling toll free 1-866-721-6911, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday-Friday (except holidays).