Fresh-water fishing: Anyone 16 years old or older who wants to fish for any species of fish in provincial waters in Nova Scotia.  This includes all fresh water sources, such as rivers and lakes.

Please see the Nova Scotia Angler's Handbook for information on fees, bag limits, season dates and size limits.

Anyone under the age of 16, either resident or non-resident, can fish provincial waters in Nova Scotia without a licence. (Note that there are special rules governing the fishing of salmon by people under 16; see Fishing Licence: Salmon, "Additional Information").

Note: This licence is not valid for salmon; see Fishing Licence: Salmon

Salt-water fishing: You do not need a licence to fish in tidal or salt water in Nova Scotia.  However, you must respect Canadian federal fishing seasons and bag limits. See Additional Information, below.

This licence is made available to the public through nearly 700 Authorized Vendors, and at Offices of the N.S. Department of Natural Resources, on behalf of the N.S. Department of Agriculture and  Fisheries

Authorized vendors (including most sporting goods stores)

OR

Any Access Nova Scotia Centre

OR

Service Delivery Division
Business Registration Unit
Service Nova Scotia and Municipal Relations

Phone: (902) 424-4467 or 424-4821
Fax: (902) 424-0660

Mailing Address:
P.O. Box 698
Halifax, NS B3J 2T9

NOTE: The Maritime Centre is located at the intersection of Barrington Street and Spring Garden Road (the Aliant Building at the foot of Spring Garden).

OR

Any of the Local or Area Offices of the N.S. Department of Natural Resources .

Applicants must provide proof of age and residency to the person issuing the licence and pay the fee directly to the authorized vendor or government office. It is not necessary for applicants to appear in person.  Licences may be purchased by a third party as long as they provide the name, address, date of birth and correct fee of the person requesting the licence.  It is the responsibility of the license holder to sign the license to make it valid.

It is the sole responsibility of the vendors to fill out the required information on the licence.  If the requirements are met the licence is issued. Season licences become effective April 01 of a given year, and remain valid until March 31 of the following year.

None

Resident: $ 23.92
Resident Senior (65 years and above) : $ 5.70
Non-Resident (seasonal): $ 54.26
Non-Resident (7 Day): $ 29.98
One-Day Licence:  $11.78

*Harmonized Sales Tax

This licence is good for one season only. Once it expires, it is invalid, and you have to buy a new one.

None

1. Each licence fee, except the Resident Senior, includes a $5.00 fee that is deposited into a Sportfish Habitat Fund to be used for volunteer projects to conserve and enhance fish habitat and improve public access.  The Fund is administered by Fisheries and Aquaculture. For more information, contact the Inland Fisheries Division, PO Box 700, Pictou, NS B0K 1H0. Phone: (902) 485-5056, Fax: (902) 485-4014, E-mail: InlandFish@gov.ns.ca.
2. See also Nova Scotia Fisheries and Aquaculture home page at:
         http://www.gov.ns.ca/nsaf/
3. In tidal or salt-water, which is federal jurisdiction in Canada, seasons and bag limits vary from place to place within the province. For more information, contact Fisheries and Oceans Canada in Halifax at 902-426-9010 (weekdays 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.), or the Department 24-hour phone at 1-800-565-1633, or this web site:
         http://www.maritimes.dfo.ca.
4. Fishing in Canadian National Parks requires a transferable National Parks Fishing Licence, which is available in park offices.  For more information on National Parks see the National Parks website at:
         http://www.parkscanada.gc.ca/

Fisheries and Coastal Resources Act, Chapter 25 of the Acts of 1996.

Wildlife Act, Revised Statutes of Nova Scotia, 1989, Chapter 504