Maine · License · 2026 Edition
Maine Hunting License Cost 2026: Fees, Deer & Turkey Permits
A year costs $26 for residents and $115 for nonresidents. The cheapest short-term option for nonresidents is the 6-Day Archery Hunting (Nonresident) at $26.
Maine's Big Game license is the base deer/bear/moose/raccoon/bobcat license itself — there's no separate 'deer tag' purchase the way Ohio or Pennsylvania sell one; an Antlerless Deer Permit ($12) is only needed for an extra antlerless deer via lottery. A Small Game license covers everything except deer/bear/moose/raccoon/bobcat, so a hunter who only wants birds or coyotes can buy the cheaper tier. A separate Federal Migratory Waterfowl Permit (sold at any U.S. post office) is required on top of the $7.50 State Migratory Waterfowl Permit listed below — no price is asserted for the federal stamp since it isn't sold by MDIFW. Left out of the tables: Bear Permit and Moose Permit (both priced on their own dedicated pages, not the fee table), the multi-tier Lifetime License schedule (ages 0-69 pay one of 7 different price bands per activity — see MDIFW's Lifetime License page rather than risk misquoting a band), Taxidermist/Hide Dealer/Guide licenses (commercial, contact-only pricing), and Outdoor Partners Program ($15, a mentor-matching add-on rather than a hunting authority). The $212 Super Pack (residents only) bundles muzzleloader, migratory waterfowl, pheasant, spring/fall turkey, bear hunting, coyote night hunt, dog training permit, one either-sex + three antlerless expanded-archery permits, a free moose lottery entry, and a special antlerless-deer lottery category — cheaper than buying most of those separately, but it does not include the Big Game license itself, which residents still need underneath it.
01 — Base hunting license
| Type | Total | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Big Game Hunting (Resident) | $26 | Covers deer, bear, moose, raccoon, bobcat (moose/bear permits sold separately). Age 16+. |
| Small Game Hunting (Resident) | $15 | All legal species except deer, bear, moose, raccoon, bobcat. Age 16+. |
| Junior Hunting (Resident, 0-15) | $8 | |
| Archery Hunting (Resident) | $26 | Age 16+. Bow and arrow or crossbow. |
| Combination Hunting & Fishing (Resident) | $48 | |
| Combination Fishing & Archery (Resident) | $48 | |
| Apprentice Resident Hunting | $26 | 16+, never held an adult license before. Includes bear & turkey permits. Must hunt with a qualified supervisor; usable up to 5 times. |
| Apprentice Resident Archery | $26 | |
| Super Pack License (Resident) | $212 | Residents only. Includes muzzleloader, migratory waterfowl, pheasant, spring/fall turkey, bear hunting, coyote night hunt, dog training permit, expanded-archery permits, moose-lottery entry, and antlerless-deer-lottery category — does not include the Big Game license itself. |
| Serviceman (Resident) Combination Hunting & Fishing | $3 | Maine resident active-duty military stationed outside Maine (home of record verification required). |
| Serviceman (Dependent) Combination Hunting & Fishing | $20 | |
| Serviceman (Dependent) Hunting | $10 | |
| Disabled War Veteran (Complimentary) | Free | 50%+ service-connected disability, honorable discharge. Includes hunting, trapping, archery, fishing plus bear hunt/trap, muzzleloader, migratory waterfowl, pheasant, spring/fall turkey, coyote night hunt, and expanded-archery permits. Antlerless deer and moose permits still applied for separately. Also open to nonresident veterans where their home state offers reciprocal privileges. |
| Big Game Hunting (Nonresident) | $115 | Age 16+. Same species coverage as the resident Big Game license. |
| Small Game Hunting (Nonresident) | $75 | |
| 3-Day Small Game Hunting (Nonresident) | $50 | |
| Junior Hunting (Nonresident, 0-15) | $35 | |
| Archery Hunting (Nonresident) | $75 | |
| 6-Day Archery Hunting (Nonresident) | $26 | |
| Combination Hunting & Fishing (Nonresident) | $169 | |
| Apprentice Nonresident Hunting | $115 | 16+, never held an adult license before. Includes bear & turkey permits. Must hunt with a qualified supervisor; usable up to 5 times. |
| Apprentice Nonresident Small Game | $75 | Includes turkey permit. |
| Apprentice Nonresident Archery | $75 |
02 — Deer permits
| Permit | Total | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Antlerless Deer Permit | $12 | Awarded by lottery for an additional antlerless deer beyond the Big Game license's one buck. |
| Expanded Archery Permit, Antlerless | $12 | Designated expanded-archery zones only (mostly suburban/limited-access deer-management areas). |
| Expanded Archery Permit, Either-Sex | $32 |
03 — Turkey permits
| Permit | Total |
|---|---|
| Wild Turkey Permit | $20 |
04 — Waterfowl & migratory bird permits
| Stamp | Total | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| State Migratory Waterfowl Permit | $7.50 | Age 16+. A separate Federal Migratory Waterfowl Permit (from any U.S. post office) is also required — MDIFW does not set or list its price. |
Waterfowl hunters 16 and older also need HIP registration and a Federal Duck Stamp. Maine duck season dates →
05 — Other permits
| Permit | Total | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Muzzleloader Permit (Resident) | $13 | Age 16+; under-16 junior license holders may hunt muzzleloader without this permit. |
| Muzzleloader Permit (Nonresident) | $69 | |
| Pheasant Permit (Cumberland & York Counties) | $27 | |
| Coyote Night Hunting Permit (Resident) | $4 | |
| Coyote Night Hunting Permit (Nonresident) | $56 | Season runs Dec. 16-Aug. 31 only. |
| Falconry Permit | $26 | |
| Dog Training and Hunting Permit | $12 |
06 — Hunter education
Maine requires a hunter education certificate for most first-time license buyers. No birth-year cutoff. To buy an adult firearms license you must show either that you held an adult firearms license in any year from 1976 onward, or completed an approved hunter safety course. Archery works the same way against 1979 (crossbow safety is folded into the archery course). A first-time adult with neither can instead buy an Apprentice Hunter License (up to 5 times) and hunt under a supervisor who has held a license for the prior 3 consecutive years.
Maine hunter safety course — options, costs and where to register →
07 — Where to buy
Licenses and permits are sold through MOSES (Maine Online Sportsman's Electronic System), the state's official portal.
MOSES (Maine Online Sportsman's Electronic System) →
Where to hunt public land in Maine — WMAs by county & access rules →
MDIFW's own license-fees page does not publish a stated validity window (start/end date) for the annual hunting license the way it does for the trapping license (July 1-June 30) — so no license-year date is asserted here. Check MOSES or MDIFW directly for exact expiration terms.
FAQ
Can I hunt on my own land in Maine without a license?
A Maine resident and their immediate family may hunt without a license on land they're legally entitled to possess and actually live on, if it's 10 or more contiguous acres. Moose still needs a license regardless of land ownership.
How much is a hunting license in Maine?
A resident annual Maine hunting license costs $26, and the nonresident annual license costs $115. Species permits for deer, turkey and waterfowl are charged on top — see the tables above. Prices are set by Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife and were read from their own license document on Aug 13, 2026.
How much is a nonresident hunting license in Maine?
$115 for the annual nonresident license. The cheapest short-term option is the 6-Day Archery Hunting (Nonresident) at $26. Species permits come on top of the base license.
How much is a deer permit in Maine?
Antlerless Deer Permit — $12. Expanded Archery Permit, Antlerless — $12. Expanded Archery Permit, Either-Sex — $32. A deer permit is charged on top of the base hunting license.
What do I need to get a hunting license in Maine?
Maine requires a hunter education certificate for most first-time license buyers. Licenses are sold through MOSES (Maine Online Sportsman's Electronic System), the state's official portal. MDIFW's own license-fees page does not publish a stated validity window (start/end date) for the annual hunting license the way it does for the trapping license (July 1-June 30) — so no license-year date is asserted here. Check MOSES or MDIFW directly for exact expiration terms.
Do I need a hunter safety course to buy a Maine hunting license?
Yes, for most first-time buyers. No birth-year cutoff. To buy an adult firearms license you must show either that you held an adult firearms license in any year from 1976 onward, or completed an approved hunter safety course. Archery works the same way against 1979 (crossbow safety is folded into the archery course). A first-time adult with neither can instead buy an Apprentice Hunter License (up to 5 times) and hunt under a supervisor who has held a license for the prior 3 consecutive years.
Verified · Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife · Last verified 2026-08-13
Publisher's note. Prices read from the MDIFW license offerings document, retrieved 2026-08-13. Review due 2027-07-01. Fees are set by the state and change without notice — confirm current prices before purchase.