Louisiana · Hunter safety · 2026 Edition
Louisiana Hunter Safety Course 2026: Cost & Online Options
Anyone born on or after September 1, 1969 must hold a certificate of completed firearm and hunter education before hunting. 16 and older can certify entirely online, free of charge.
Louisiana partnering with the NRA changed the math here: what used to be a $34.95-and-up decision is now free for anyone who registers through the NRA's course, with hunter-ed.com, Recademics and ilearntohunt.com sitting alongside it at $34.95-$49.95 for hunters who'd rather use a different provider. The age branch is the same shape seen elsewhere in this silo — 16 and older certifies outright online, younger students still owe an in-person field day — and the supervision exemption tracks the same line exactly: only hunters under 16 can skip certification entirely, hunting alongside a qualifying adult, in sight and voice range at all times. From 16 on, that door closes — certify or don't hunt, no supervised workaround left.
01 — Who needs it
Anyone born on or after September 1, 1969 must hold a certificate of completed firearm and hunter education before hunting.
Under 16, hunt uncertified under the direct supervision of a qualified adult instead — within audible voice range and direct line of sight at all times, and that adult must either have been born before September 1, 1969, or be 18 or older with their own completed hunter education. There's no such exemption from 16 on. Active or veteran U.S. Armed Forces members and POST-certified law enforcement officers can separately apply for a Louisiana-only exemption regardless of age.
Statute: La. R.S. 56:699.5
02 — Course options
| Course | Format | Who | Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Traditional in-person course | In person | 10 and older | Free | Free — classroom and field day both. |
| Online course, ages 10-15 | Online + field day | 10 to 15 | — | The same online course adults use, but under 16 it only clears the knowledge half — a 4-6 hour in-person Hunter Education Field Day still follows. Print and sign your completion proof to bring with you. |
| Online course, 16 and older | Online | 16 and older | — | Certifies entirely online — no field day. |
A dash means LDWF publishes no set price for that route — what you pay depends on the provider you pick or on the individual class.
03 — Approved online courses, side by side
| Provider | Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| NRA (via LDWF) | Free | |
| hunter-ed.com | $34.95 | |
| Recademics | $34.95 | Pass guarantee or money back. |
| ilearntohunt.com | $49.95 |
All four certify identically depending on the student's age at registration, so the free NRA course is the one to start with unless a specific provider's extras matter to you.
04 — Your certificate, and other states
Certificates earned at 9 or older are valid for life.
Louisiana accepts certification from every other U.S. state and Canadian province, and Louisiana's own certificate is recognized the same way elsewhere.
Bowhunter education is recommended in Louisiana but not required to hunt with a bow — the standard firearm and hunter education certificate covers archery too.
05 — Where to register
Courses are booked through Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries.
Find and register for a Louisiana course →
Got your certificate? Next step: Louisiana hunting license costs and permits →
Everything else we track for the state: Louisiana hunting seasons →
Looking for somewhere to hunt? Louisiana public hunting land — WMAs by county & access rules →
FAQ
Can I take the Louisiana hunter safety course online?
Yes. 16 and older can certify entirely online free of charge. Anyone born on or after September 1, 1969 must hold a certificate of completed firearm and hunter education before hunting.
Is there a free hunter safety course in Louisiana?
Yes — at least one LDWF-approved online provider certifies at no cost. Every approved provider produces the same certificate, so the free one certifies you just as well as the paid ones.
How much does the Louisiana hunter safety course cost?
Approved online providers run from Free (NRA (via LDWF)). They all produce the same certificate, so the cheapest one certifies you just as well. Prices are set by the providers and change without notice — the table above was read on Aug 8, 2026.
Verified · Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries · Last verified 2026-08-08
Publisher's note. Requirements and course fees read from LDWF, retrieved 2026-08-08. Review due 2027-08-01. Course providers set their own prices and change them without notice — confirm before you pay.