How Much Does a Massachusetts Hunting License Cost?

A Massachusetts hunting license costs $40 a year for residents and $112 a year for non-resident big game hunters, according to MassWildlife, the state's Division of Fisheries and Wildlife. That base license includes two antlered deer tags valid statewide, but antlerless deer, bear, turkey, pheasant and quail, and waterfowl all require a separate permit or stamp on top of it.

Massachusetts runs its license on the calendar year, so every hunting license expires December 31 no matter when you buy it. A $5 Wildlands Conservation Stamp is also added automatically to the first resident license you buy each year, and to every non-resident license.

Once you add an antlerless deer permit, a bear or turkey permit, or the stamps needed for waterfowl, the total cost of a Massachusetts season can add up beyond the base license price. Here's an overview of the costs for a Massachusetts hunting license.

How Much Does a Massachusetts Hunting License Cost?

Massachusetts prices its license by age and by whether you want hunting alone or a combined hunting-and-fishing Sporting license, and non-resident rates split by big game versus small game rather than a single flat fee.

Massachusetts doesn't sell a standard non-resident hunting license the way most states do. Non-residents choose between a Big Game license and a cheaper Small Game license instead.

Hunters 70 and older, and residents or non-residents with paraplegia, qualify for a free hunting license.

Required Stamps and Permits

A Massachusetts hunting license alone doesn't cover antlerless deer, bear, turkey, pheasant, quail, or waterfowl. You'll need to add the right permit or stamp for whatever you're hunting, and non-residents pay roughly three times the resident rate on most of them.

Waterfowl hunters also need the federal duck stamp along with the state stamp listed above. The $5 Wildlands Conservation Stamp is folded into your first license purchase each year rather than sold separately.

Youth and Discounted Licenses

Massachusetts offers a few ways to bring costs down for younger and older hunters.

• Minor Hunting License (ages 15–17): Priced at just $6.50, a steep discount from the standard $40 adult license.
• Hunting License (ages 65–69): Reduced to $20, half the standard resident rate.
• Free license at 70 and older, or for paraplegic hunters: Massachusetts waives the license fee entirely for residents 70 and up, and for residents or non-residents with paraplegia who apply directly through MassWildlife.

These discounts make it considerably more affordable for younger hunters to get started and for longtime resident hunters to stay in the field into retirement.

What Is a Massachusetts Hunting License?

A Massachusetts hunting license is the legal document issued by MassWildlife that allows you to hunt in the state. It comes in several forms, including the standard resident license, a discounted Minor license for ages 15 to 17, a discounted license for ages 65 to 69, and a combined Sporting license that bundles hunting with freshwater fishing.

The license is separate from your Basic Hunter Education certificate. The certificate proves you completed an approved safety course, and once earned, it's valid for life. The license itself, by contrast, runs on the calendar year and must be renewed every January to keep hunting.

Who Needs a Massachusetts Hunting License?

Massachusetts residents and non-residents age 15 and older need a hunting license to legally hunt in the state. Hunters ages 12 to 14 may hunt without their own license, but only while accompanied by a licensed adult 18 or older, sharing a single firearm or bow and a single bag limit

Note: No one under 12 can hunt at all.

A narrow exemption also applies to qualifying farmers and landowners with large, undeveloped parcels hunting their own land.

For the full breakdown of license types and current fees, MassWildlife's license fee schedule lays out every option in detail.

What Are the Requirements to Get a Hunting License in Massachusetts?

Before buying a license, most Massachusetts hunters need to clear the state's hunter education requirement.

All first-time hunters 18 and older must complete an approved Basic Hunter Education course before buying a license, unless they can show proof of a hunting or sporting license held before January 1, 2007.

The course covers:

• Wildlife identification and conservation
• Firearm and archery safety
• Massachusetts-specific hunting laws and ethics

Massachusetts always requires an in-person component, and every course format is free. Hunters can take a multi-day in-person classroom course, or review the Hunter-Ed study guide online before your required in-person Field Day.

How to Get a Massachusetts Hunting License

Getting licensed in Massachusetts means budgeting time for the required in-person Field Day or classroom session if you're a first-time adult hunter.

1. Complete an approved Basic Hunter Education course if you're a first-time hunter 18 or older, either through a multi-day in-person class or with information found in the Hunter-Ed study guide plus a required Field Day.
2. Choose your license type: standard resident, Minor, age 65–69, or a non-resident Big Game or Small Game license.
3. Purchase your license online through MassFishHunt, at a license vendor, or at a MassWildlife office.
4. Add any required permits, such as an Antlerless Deer, Bear, or Turkey permit, depending on what you're hunting.
5. Add the Massachusetts Waterfowl Stamp and federal duck stamp if you're hunting ducks or geese.
6. Carry your license, hunter education certificate, and any required permits any time you're in the field.

You can purchase your hunting license directly through MassFishHunt, MassWildlife's official online licensing system, or in person at license vendors and MassWildlife offices statewide.

Why It's Important to Have a Hunting License

Buying a Massachusetts hunting license does more than keep you legal in the field.

• Legal Compliance: Hunting without a valid license or required permit can lead to fines and a suspension of hunting privileges that cost more than getting licensed correctly from the start.
• Wildlife Conservation Funding: License and permit revenue funds MassWildlife's work managing deer, bear, turkey, and waterfowl populations statewide.
• Ethical Hunting: A license ties every hunt to a defined season and bag limit, keeping the sport fair and sustainable for everyone afield.
• Population Management: Massachusetts's zone-specific antlerless deer permits give MassWildlife the harvest data needed to keep herds balanced across its wildlife management zones.
• Public Land Access: License revenue helps support the nearly 200 wildlife management areas that make up Massachusetts's public hunting land.

Costs and rules vary by species and zone, so it's worth checking current season dates and bag limits before you finalize your plans. And because hunting license costs and requirements vary widely by state, it's worth confirming Massachusetts's specific rules even if you've hunted elsewhere.

Ready to Hunt in Massachusetts? Get Your Hunter Safety Certification and Hunting License

A Massachusetts hunting license costs less than many neighboring states for residents, but the real cost depends on what you're hunting, since antlerless deer, bear, and turkey all require their own permits on top of the base license. Whether you're budgeting for a non-resident Big Game license or getting a young hunter started with the discounted Minor license, knowing the full fee breakdown ahead of time means no surprises at checkout.

Complete your hunter education course if it applies to you and decide which license fits your plans. You'll be ready for opening day.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q: Is the Massachusetts hunting license fee a one-time payment?

A: No. A Massachusetts hunting license expires every December 31 and must be renewed annually to keep hunting, regardless of when you originally bought it. The Basic Hunter Education course, however, is a one-time requirement, and certification never expires once earned.

Q: Are there discounts for Massachusetts hunting licenses?

A: Yes. Massachusetts offers a $6.50 Minor Hunting License for residents ages 15 to 17, a $20 license for residents 65 to 69, and a free license for residents 70 and older or for hunters with paraplegia. Documentation requirements vary by program, so check MassWildlife's licensing page before assuming you qualify.

Q: How much does a non-resident hunting license cost in Massachusetts?

A: In Massachusetts, a non-resident Big Game hunting license costs $112, while a non-resident Small Game hunting license costs $78. Both are separate from any species-specific permits, such as the bear or turkey permit, and both carry the $5 Wildlands Conservation Stamp.

Q: Do Massachusetts hunting licenses expire on a fixed date?

A: Yes. Every Massachusetts hunting license expires on December 31 regardless of when you bought it, since the state runs its license year on the calendar year. That means a license purchased in October is only valid for a few months before it needs renewing.

Q: How much does a Massachusetts deer permit cost?

A: To hunt in Massachusetts, an Antlerless Deer Permit costs $10 for residents and $30 for non-residents, and the same pricing applies to the Archery Deer Season Stamp and Primitive Firearms Deer Season Stamp. A standard hunting license already includes two antlered deer tags valid statewide, so these permits only apply to antlerless deer or specific weapon seasons.

Q: How much does the Massachusetts hunter education course cost?

A: Massachusetts's Basic Hunter Education course is free, whether you take the multi-day in-person classroom option or the online study guide through Hunter-Ed followed by a required in-person Field Day. There's no fully online-only path to certification in Massachusetts, regardless of which format you choose.