New Jersey · License · 2026 Edition
New Jersey Hunting License Cost 2026: Fees, Deer & Turkey Permits
A year costs $27.50 for residents and $135.50 for nonresidents. The cheapest short-term option for nonresidents is the 2-Day Small Game Firearm License (Nonresident) at $36.50 — Not valid for deer or turkey.
New Jersey splits its base license by weapon rather than selling one general hunting license: a hunter buys a Firearm License and/or a Bow & Arrow License, and either (or both) is required before any deer permit can be bought — the deer permits themselves are zone-specific tags layered on top, not included with the base license. Turkey pricing here covers spring only; no separate fall turkey permit price could be confirmed. Both the state ($10 resident/$15 nonresident) and Federal ($25 flat) migratory bird stamps are required together to hunt brant, ducks, and geese — even for 16-year-olds still on a youth license — and NJ is one of the few states in this project where the federal stamp has one clean, source-confirmed price rather than a vendor-dependent range. Youth ages 10-16 hunt free on either license type. Disabled veterans and active National Guard members (after DMAVA/NJFW certification) get every resident and nonresident license and permit free except the Buddy fishing add-ons — not itemized below since it's an eligibility category, not a separate product. Left out: the $62.25 Buddy All-Around Sportsman variant (requires a second person to buy a fishing license in the same transaction), the $12.50 Special One-Day Firearm (commercial shooting preserves only, not sold online), and farmer permit exemptions (free, CID-number gated).
01 — Base hunting license
| Type | Total | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Firearm License (Resident, ages 16-64) | $27.50 | |
| Bow & Arrow License (Resident, ages 16-64) | $31.50 | |
| Firearm License (Resident, 65+) | $15.50 | |
| Bow & Arrow License (Resident, 65+) | $16.50 | |
| Firearm License (Resident Youth, ages 10-16) | Free | |
| Bow & Arrow License (Resident Youth, ages 10-16) | Free | |
| All-Around Sportsman License — Firearm + Bow + Fishing (Resident) | $72.25 | |
| Apprentice Firearm License (Resident, ages 18-64) | $27.50 | No hunter education required; must hunt under direct mentor supervision. Lifetime limit of two apprentice licenses per weapon type. |
| Apprentice Bow & Arrow License (Resident, ages 14-64) | $31.50 | No hunter education required; must hunt under direct mentor supervision. Lifetime limit of two apprentice licenses per weapon type. |
| Firearm License (Nonresident, 16+) | $135.50 | |
| Bow & Arrow License (Nonresident, 16+) | $135.50 | |
| 2-Day Small Game Firearm License (Nonresident) | $36.50 | Not valid for deer or turkey. |
| Apprentice Firearm License (Nonresident, 18+) | $135.50 | No hunter education required; must hunt under direct mentor supervision. |
| Apprentice Bow & Arrow License (Nonresident, 14+) | $135.50 | No hunter education required; must hunt under direct mentor supervision. |
02 — Deer permits
| Permit | Total | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Zone-Specific Antlerless Deer Permit — Bow/Muzzleloader/Shotgun (Adult) | $28 | Valid only in its Deer Management Zone and for the season stated on the permit. Same price resident or nonresident. |
| Zone-Specific Antlerless Deer Permit — Bow/Muzzleloader/Shotgun (Youth) | $12 | |
| DRS Multi-Zone Antlerless Deer Permit (Adult) | $56 | Valid across every zone in a Regulation Set (Set 7 or 8) for the stated season. |
| DRS Multi-Zone Antlerless Deer Permit (Youth) | $24 | |
| Antlered Buck Permit — Bow/Muzzleloader/Shotgun (Adult) | $28 | Valid in any zone where the hunter also holds an antlerless zone-specific or DRS Multi-Zone permit. |
| Antlered Buck Permit — Bow/Muzzleloader/Shotgun (Youth) | $12 |
03 — Turkey permits
| Permit | Total |
|---|---|
| Spring Turkey Permit (Adult) | $21 |
| Spring Turkey Permit (Youth) | $12 |
04 — Waterfowl & migratory bird permits
| Stamp | Total | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| NJ Waterfowl Stamp (Resident) | $10 | Required alongside the Federal Migratory Bird Stamp to hunt brant, ducks, or geese. |
| NJ Waterfowl Stamp (Nonresident) | $15 | |
| Federal Migratory Bird Hunting & Conservation Stamp | $25 | |
| HIP Certification | $2 | Required for all hunters, including apprentices, before hunting ducks, geese, brant, coot, woodcock, rails, snipe, or gallinules. |
Waterfowl hunters 16 and older also need HIP registration and a Federal Duck Stamp. New Jersey duck season dates →
05 — Other permits
| Permit | Total | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Rifle Permit (Adult) | $10.50 | Requires a Hunter Education course covering rifle use. Apprentice License holders may not buy this permit. |
| Rifle Permit (Youth) | $6 | |
| Pheasant & Quail Stamp | $40 | Required on properties where NJFW releases pheasant or quail. |
| Coyote & Fox Permit | $2 | Valid Jan. 1-Mar. 15. Apprentice License holders may not hunt coyote or fox. |
06 — Hunter education
New Jersey requires a hunter education certificate for most first-time license buyers. A Hunter Education course completion card is required for a first-time regular license, no birth-year cutoff found. Apprentice licenses skip this requirement entirely but require hunting under direct supervision of a mentor, and can't later be used as hunter-ed proof for a regular license.
New Jersey hunter safety course — options, costs and where to register →
07 — Where to buy
Licenses and permits are sold through NJFishandWildlife.com Licensing, the state's official portal.
NJFishandWildlife.com Licensing →
Where to hunt public land in New Jersey — WMAs by county & access rules →
Hunting licenses run the calendar year, valid through Dec. 31. Several add-ons run their own separate windows instead: the Rifle Permit and Federal Migratory Bird Stamp both run July 1-June 30, the NJ Waterfowl Stamp runs July 1-April 15, and HIP certification runs Sept. 1-April 15.
FAQ
Can I hunt on my own land in New Jersey without a license?
A New Jersey farm occupant who actually lives on a qualifying farm (5 or more acres, at least $500 gross farm income, assessed as farmland) — plus immediate family living there too — may hunt, trap, and fish it without a license. They still need a free Conservation ID for harvest reporting, and the exemption doesn't extend to tenants, employees, or other non-family residents.
How much is a hunting license in New Jersey?
A resident annual New Jersey hunting license costs $27.50, and the nonresident annual license costs $135.50. Species permits for deer, turkey and waterfowl are charged on top — see the tables above. Prices are set by New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife and were read from their own license document on Aug 13, 2026.
How much is a nonresident hunting license in New Jersey?
$135.50 for the annual nonresident license. The cheapest short-term option is the 2-Day Small Game Firearm License (Nonresident) at $36.50 — Not valid for deer or turkey. Species permits come on top of the base license.
How much is a deer permit in New Jersey?
Zone-Specific Antlerless Deer Permit — Bow/Muzzleloader/Shotgun (Adult) — $28. Zone-Specific Antlerless Deer Permit — Bow/Muzzleloader/Shotgun (Youth) — $12. DRS Multi-Zone Antlerless Deer Permit (Adult) — $56. DRS Multi-Zone Antlerless Deer Permit (Youth) — $24. Antlered Buck Permit — Bow/Muzzleloader/Shotgun (Adult) — $28. Antlered Buck Permit — Bow/Muzzleloader/Shotgun (Youth) — $12. A deer permit is charged on top of the base hunting license.
What do I need to get a hunting license in New Jersey?
New Jersey requires a hunter education certificate for most first-time license buyers. Licenses are sold through NJFishandWildlife.com Licensing, the state's official portal. Hunting licenses run the calendar year, valid through Dec. 31. Several add-ons run their own separate windows instead: the Rifle Permit and Federal Migratory Bird Stamp both run July 1-June 30, the NJ Waterfowl Stamp runs July 1-April 15, and HIP certification runs Sept. 1-April 15.
Do I need a hunter safety course to buy a New Jersey hunting license?
Yes, for most first-time buyers. A Hunter Education course completion card is required for a first-time regular license, no birth-year cutoff found. Apprentice licenses skip this requirement entirely but require hunting under direct supervision of a mentor, and can't later be used as hunter-ed proof for a regular license.
Verified · New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife · Last verified 2026-08-13
Publisher's note. Prices read from the NJFW license offerings document, retrieved 2026-08-13. Review due 2027-06-01. Fees are set by the state and change without notice — confirm current prices before purchase.