SALTWATER

LICENSES AND PERMITS

      Recreational licenses and permits for residents and nonresidents are available at county tax collectors' offices. In addition, they are available from subagents, such as sporting goods stores or other retailers selling hunting or fishing equipment. All license, permit, and issuance fees may be subject to change pending the outcome of this year's legislative session. Prices listed include tax collector's fee. In addition to the cost of a license or permit given in this section, an issuance fee of $.50 may be charged by the subagent selling the license or permit.

If you have a major credit card, the Florida Wildlife Commission offers you two ways to buy your hunting or fishing license without leaving your home:

•  Dial toll-free, 1-888-FISH-FLORIDA (347-4356) from anywhere in the United States or Canada. (A $3.25 + 2.5% surcharge of total sale per person will be added to your purchase), and

• Buy your license directly over the internet at https://www3.wildlifelicense.com/fl/start.php. *(A $2.25 + 2.5% surcharge of total sale per person will be added to your purchase)

With either method, you'll have a temporary license number within minutes, enabling you to hunt (in season) or fish right away. Your permanent license will be mailed within 48 hours.

     The law says anyone who takes, attempts to take, or possesses marine fish for noncommercial purposes must have a saltwater fishing license, except for those qualifying for exemptions listed below.

Florida Residents

     When applying for a saltwater fishing license, you are considered to be a Florida Resident if you are:

-- any person who has resided in this state for six continuous months prior to the issuance of a license and who has an intent to continue to reside in Florida as their primary residence.

-- any member of the U.S. Armed Forces who is stationed in this state (includes spouse and dependent children residing in household).

     Florida residents may buy a lifetime saltwater fishing license or a lifetime sportsman license. Holders of lifetime saltwater fishing licenses may fish in saltwater as long as they live and will pay no additional fees. The license fee includes the taking of snook or crawfish - which would otherwise require a separate fee. A lifetime sportsman license allows holders to fish in fresh water or salt water and to hunt in Florida. Both of these licenses require holders to obey fishing or hunting laws in effect at any given time. Costs for the four types of licenses:

* Service charge and Snook and Crawfish permits not included

** Purchased only at county tax collectors office and
does not include snook or crawfish permits.

    Tax collectors and the bait-and-tackle shops that act as their
agents will assess an additional service charge of $1.50 or $2.00 per license. *

-- A Florida resident fishing from land or a structure fixed to the land - a pier, bridge, dock, floating dock, jetty or similar structure - but not from a boat.

-- A Florida resident who is 65 years old or older.

-- A Florida resident who is a member of the U.S. Armed Forces, who is not stationed in this state, while on leave for 30 days or less, upon submission of orders. This does not include family members.

-- A Florida resident who is fishing for mullet in fresh water--with a valid Florida fresh water license.

-- A Florida resident who is fishing for saltwater fish in fresh water from land or from a structure fixed to the land.

-- Under 16 years of age.

-- Fishing from a boat that has a valid recreational vessel saltwater fishing license.

-- A non-resident fishing from a pier that has a valid pier saltwater fishing license.

-- A holder of a valid commercial saltwater products license. (Only one person fishing under a vessel saltwater products license may claim the exemption on the vessel for which the saltwater product license is registered.)

-- Any person who has been accepted as a client for development services by AHCA (Florida's Agency for Health Care Administration) or any licensed provider of services through contract with AHCA, where such service involves the need, normally, for possession of saltwater fishing license and such service is provided as part of a court-decided rehabilitation program involving training in Florida's aquatic resources.

     A Florida resident who is certified permanently and totally disabled may obtain a "disabled persons certificate" which allows them to fish in both saltwater and freshwater at no charge from a county tax collector.

Other Saltwater Fishing Fees

     Vessel licenses are required for all vessels that charge a fee to take passengers out to catch marine fish.

Eleven or more customers...$801.50
Five to Ten Customers.........$401.50
Four or fewer customers.....$201.50

Optional fees include the annual Recreational Vessel fee ($2,001.50) for not-for-hire pleasure craft and the annual Pier license, ($501.50) for piers that charge an access fee.

     The money collected from saltwater fishing licenses is used to improve and restore fish habitat and for marine fisheries research, law enforcement, and public education on marine resources.