Virginia anglers often call the required add-on a trout stamp, but the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources officially lists it as a trout fishing license. Whether you need one depends on your age, the water you plan to fish, and the time of year. The prices below reflect Virginia’s posted fees as of July 29, 2026.
Quick Answer
Virginia’s trout license costs $23 for residents and nonresidents. Most anglers age 16 or older also need a freshwater fishing license, making the usual annual total $46 for residents and $70 for nonresidents when fishing designated stocked trout waters during the license-required season.
Key Takeaways
- The Virginia trout license currently costs $23 for both residents and nonresidents.
- It is generally required in designated stocked trout waters from October 1 through June 15.
- Residents and nonresidents under age 16 do not need a freshwater or trout license.
- The usual annual total is $46 for a resident and $70 for a nonresident.
- Special-regulation, Urban Program, fee-fishing, National Forest, and private-land waters may have additional or different requirements.
At a Glance
| Time Required | About 5–10 minutes for an online purchase |
| Difficulty | Easy once you identify the water and required licenses |
| Tools Needed | Phone or computer, payment method, and identifying information for a Go Outdoors Virginia account |
| Cost | $23 for the trout license; typical annual total is $46 for residents or $70 for nonresidents |
Note: These are the fees posted by Virginia DWR on July 29, 2026. The agency has proposed changes to several license fees, with public comments open through August 5, 2026. Confirm the current price on the official Virginia fishing license page before purchasing.
Who Needs a Virginia Trout License?
Residents and nonresidents who are 16 or older generally need two credentials when fishing Virginia’s designated stocked trout waters during the regulated period:
- A qualifying Virginia freshwater fishing license.
- An additional Virginia trout fishing license.
The standard trout-license period for designated stocked trout waters runs from October 1 through June 15. From June 16 through September 30, anglers may fish those waters without the additional trout license, although a freshwater fishing license is still required unless an exemption applies.
Virginia’s Urban Program waters use a different schedule. They are considered designated stocked trout waters from November 1 through April 30, so the additional trout license is not required there from May 1 through October 31.
The presence of trout does not automatically mean an additional trout license is required. The deciding factors are the water’s official classification and the date you fish it.
Wild trout streams and special-regulation waters may follow different licensing, gear, harvest, or land-access rules. Check the individual water on the Virginia DWR Trout Fishing Guide before your trip.
Trout License Costs for Virginia Residents
The annual Virginia resident trout license costs $23. It must be paired with a qualifying freshwater license when fishing designated stocked trout waters during the license-required season.
| Resident option | Freshwater fee | Trout fee | Combined cost |
| One-year state freshwater license | $23 | $23 | $46 |
| County or city freshwater license | $16 | $23 | $39, valid only in the county or city of residence |
| Five-day freshwater license | $14 | $23 | $37 |
| Resident age 65 or older annual freshwater license | $9 | $23 | $32 |
Virginia also offers a $100 Sportsman’s License that includes a freshwater fishing license and trout license along with several hunting privileges. It may offer value to residents who also hunt, but it is not the cheapest option for someone who only fishes.
The listed prices include the standard issuance fee. Review all current resident products on the Virginia DWR license fee page.
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Trout License Costs for Nonresidents
Virginia’s annual nonresident trout license also costs $23. For 2026, Virginia reduced this fee to match the resident trout-license price.
| Nonresident option | Freshwater fee | Trout fee | Combined cost |
| Annual freshwater license | $47 | $23 | $70 |
| Five-day freshwater license | $21 | $23 | $44 |
Warning: Virginia’s $8 one-day nonresident freshwater license is not valid in designated stocked trout waters. A nonresident planning to fish those waters must use an eligible annual or five-day freshwater license and add the trout license when required.
Nonresidents should also check whether their location requires a National Forest Permit, state forest permit, daily fee-fishing permit, or no-cost landowner permit.
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Exemptions for Young Anglers
Age Requirements
Virginia residents and nonresidents under age 16 do not need a freshwater fishing license or trout license. Once an angler turns 16, the standard licensing requirements apply unless another exemption covers that person.
Young anglers must still follow all applicable fishing hours, daily limits, minimum sizes, bait rules, and catch-and-release restrictions. Being exempt from buying a license does not exempt anyone from fishing regulations.
Other License Exemptions
Virginia DWR lists several additional fishing-license exceptions. Examples include:
- Landowners and specified immediate family members fishing within the boundaries of their own land and inland waters.
- Guests fishing in an individually owned private pond.
- Legally blind persons.
- Qualifying members of Virginia-recognized tribes who carry the required tribal identification or certification.
- A person who is not fishing but is helping a properly licensed disabled angler.
Resident active-duty military members fishing while on official leave may qualify for a basic-license exemption when they carry their leave papers. However, Virginia DWR states that a trout license is still required if they fish designated stocked trout waters during the applicable period.
Note: Exemptions depend on the angler, property, water, and activity. Read the complete Virginia DWR exceptions list rather than assuming an exemption applies.
How to Purchase a Virginia Trout License
The fastest method is to purchase through Virginia DWR’s official license portal, which connects customers to Go Outdoors Virginia.
- Identify the water. Confirm whether it is a designated stocked trout water, Urban Program water, fee-fishing area, wild trout stream, or special-regulation water.
- Choose a freshwater license. Select an annual, five-day, county/city, senior, or other eligible license based on your residency and trip.
- Add the trout license when required. The current resident and nonresident price is $23.
- Complete payment. Sign in to an existing account or create a Go Outdoors Virginia customer account.
- Save your license. Keep an electronic copy, print a paper copy, or use an annual hard card if purchased.
Virginia licenses are also available through authorized license agents, some Circuit Court clerks, DWR headquarters, the Go Outdoors Virginia mobile app, or by calling DWR at 804-367-1000 during regular business hours.
Anyone required to hold a license must carry it while fishing and show it when requested by an authorized officer, landowner, lessee, or their representative.
Pro Tip: Check the water classification before buying. A wild trout stream may not require the additional trout license, while a nearby stocked section may require it during the regulated season.
Warning: Purchase only through Virginia DWR, Go Outdoors Virginia, or an authorized license agent. Third-party websites may charge unnecessary fees or imitate official licensing services.
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Validity Period of Virginia Trout Licenses
Duration of Validity
Virginia states that resident and nonresident licenses are generally valid for one year from the date of purchase, unless a license is specifically sold for a different period.
The license’s expiration date and the period when it is legally required are separate issues. An annual trout license may remain active for one year, but the additional license is generally required in designated stocked trout waters only from October 1 through June 15.
Short-term freshwater licenses expire according to their stated duration. A county or city resident license also limits where the holder may fish.
Renewal Process Explained
Before your license expires, sign in to Go Outdoors Virginia and purchase the next license you need. You may also renew through an authorized agent, the mobile app, or DWR’s phone service.
Review your plans before renewing. A change in residency, trip length, fishing location, or age may make a different license product more suitable.
License Options for Seniors, Military Members, Veterans, and Anglers With Disabilities
Virginia Residents Age 65 or Older
A Virginia resident age 65 or older may purchase an annual freshwater fishing license for $9. The separate $23 trout license is still required when that angler fishes designated stocked trout waters during the license-required season.
Virginia also offers age-based lifetime freshwater and trout licenses. Costs and application methods vary, so review the current Virginia lifetime license information.
Active-Duty Military Members
Active-duty military personnel and their immediate family members may buy resident licenses when the service member lives in Virginia and is stationed at a Virginia military base or aboard a ship based in Virginia.
Disabled Veterans
Virginia residents with a service-connected disability rating of at least 30% may apply for discounted resident veteran lifetime licenses. The discount depends on the documented disability rating.
A discounted veteran lifetime freshwater fishing license does not automatically include a trout license. A separate trout license is required when fishing designated stocked trout waters unless the applicant also holds a qualifying lifetime trout license.
Virginia also offers an application-based discounted annual fishing license for certain nonresident veterans rated at least 70% service-connected or rated totally and permanently disabled by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Additional trout licenses and permits remain required where applicable.
Other Disability Licenses
Qualifying Virginia residents with permanent disabilities may apply for disabled lifetime fishing licenses. These products require official documentation and may not include every permit or trout privilege.
Applications and current eligibility details are available through the Virginia DWR forms page.
Differences Between Freshwater and Trout Licenses
A freshwater license and a trout license serve different purposes. Most adult anglers need the freshwater license first. The trout license is an additional credential for certain waters and dates.
| Credential | What it covers | Current annual fee |
| Resident freshwater license | General inland freshwater fishing privileges, subject to regulations | $23 |
| Nonresident freshwater license | General inland freshwater fishing privileges, subject to regulations | $47 |
| Trout license | Additional privilege required in designated stocked trout waters during the applicable period | $23 for residents and nonresidents |
Additional Permits You May Need
- National Forest Permit: $4 for many waters in the George Washington and Jefferson National Forests, subject to listed exemptions.
- Daily fee-fishing permit: $8 at Clinch Mountain, Crooked Creek, and Douthat State Park fee-fishing areas during their fee periods.
- Virginia State Forest Use Permit: $16 for fishing in a state forest when required.
- Landowner permit: A free annual permit is required for certain special-regulation sections of Mossy Creek, Upper South River, and Buffalo Creek.
A valid freshwater fishing license usually satisfies the DWR access-permit requirement at DWR-owned or managed facilities, but it does not replace a National Forest, state forest, fee-area, or private-land permit.
Fishing Regulations for Trout in Virginia
Virginia’s general trout season is open year-round. Under the statewide general rule, an angler may keep six trout per day, and kept trout must measure at least seven inches.
Those limits do not apply uniformly to every trout water. Urban Program waters, delayed-harvest waters, special-regulation areas, fee-fishing areas, heritage waters, and National Park waters may use different dates, limits, sizes, fishing methods, or harvest rules.
Designated Stocked Trout Waters
- The standard trout-license period is October 1 through June 15.
- Normal fishing hours are 5:00 a.m. until one hour after sunset.
- These waters are marked with stocked-trout-water signs.
- Once an angler reaches the applicable daily trout limit, continuing to fish in the designated stocked water is prohibited.
Urban Program Waters
Urban Program waters require the trout license from November 1 through April 30. The general Urban Program harvest limit is four trout per day with a seven-inch minimum. A trout placed in a basket, bucket, stringer, cooler, or other creel becomes part of the daily limit and may not be released later.
Special-Regulation Waters
Individual special-regulation waters may require catch-and-release fishing, artificial lures, single hooks, fly-fishing-only methods, larger minimum sizes, reduced daily limits, or a landowner permit. Never apply the general six-fish rule without checking the specific water.
Warning: Stocking information does not replace the fishing regulations. A water may be stocked but still have special dates, closed hours, bait restrictions, or catch-and-release rules.
Penalty for Fishing Without a Required License
Under Virginia Code § 29.1-335, fishing without a required license is a Class 3 misdemeanor. A person convicted must also pay the clerk a fee equal to the cost of the required license.
Before fishing, review the current Virginia trout season and limits and the page for the exact stream, lake, or pond you plan to visit.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a Virginia trout license all year?
No. It is generally required in designated stocked trout waters from October 1 through June 15. Urban Program waters use November 1 through April 30. Other waters may follow different rules.
Can I fish for trout without a valid trout license?
You may fish without the additional trout license when it is not required for that water and date or when a valid exemption applies. Most anglers age 16 or older need it in designated stocked trout waters during the regulated period.
Are there penalties for fishing without the required license?
Yes. Virginia law classifies fishing without a required license as a Class 3 misdemeanor. A convicted person must also pay a fee equal to the cost of the required license.
What trout species can I catch in Virginia?
Virginia waters contain species such as rainbow, brown, and brook trout. A trout license does not create a separate limit for each species. Follow the species and water-specific harvest rules where you fish.
Can I transfer my Virginia trout license to another person?
No. Each angler who is required to be licensed must obtain and carry a license issued to that individual. Do not lend your electronic, printed, or hard-card license to another person.
Is there a limit on the number of trout I can catch?
The general statewide limit is six trout per day with a seven-inch minimum size. Urban Program waters generally have a four-trout limit, and many special-regulation waters use different limits or require catch and release.
Can a nonresident use a one-day license in stocked trout waters?
No. Virginia’s one-day nonresident freshwater license is not valid in designated stocked trout waters. Use an eligible annual or five-day freshwater license and add the trout license when required.
Do I need a trout license for a wild trout stream?
Not automatically. You generally need an appropriate freshwater license, but the additional trout license depends on the water’s designation. Some wild or special-regulation waters also require a free landowner permit or another access permit.
Conclusion
Virginia’s trout license currently costs $23 for residents and nonresidents. When combined with the standard annual freshwater license, the typical total is $46 for a resident or $70 for a nonresident. The extra license is generally required in designated stocked trout waters from October 1 through June 15, but age exemptions and water-specific exceptions apply.
Before fishing, confirm the water’s classification, check the current fee schedule, and review its harvest, bait, access, and permit rules. That brief check is especially important for Urban Program waters, special-regulation streams, fee-fishing areas, National Forest waters, and private-land sections.
Sources
- Virginia DWR Fishing License Information and Fees — current prices, validity, exemptions, purchase channels, and additional permits.
- Virginia DWR Trout License Requirements — age, base-license, trout-license, and seasonal requirements.
- Virginia DWR Trout Season and Limits — statewide season, daily harvest limit, minimum size, and exceptions.
- Virginia DWR Designated Stocked Trout Waters — stocked-water dates, hours, signs, and fishing restrictions.
- Virginia DWR Special Regulation Trout Waters — water-specific gear, harvest, access, and landowner permit rules.
- Virginia Code § 29.1-335 — penalty for fishing without a required license.
