How Much Does a North Dakota Hunting License Cost?

A North Dakota hunting license costs $20 for a resident Small Game License and $150 for the non-resident equivalent, per the North Dakota Game and Fish Department (NDGF). Every hunter also needs a $20 General Game and Habitat License and a small Fishing, Hunting, Furbearer Certificate fee layered on top, so the real starting cost runs higher than the base license alone suggests.

North Dakota runs its license year from April 1 through March 31, so every hunter renews on the same annual cycle. Big game species like deer, elk, pronghorn, and bighorn sheep are priced and issued separately through an annual lottery, with fees that climb sharply for non-residents, such as a $355 first-lottery deer gun license that includes the application fee.

Between a stacked base-license structure, a lottery system for big game, and waterfowl add-ons that pile up fast, North Dakota's true cost depends heavily on what you're after. Here's what to know before you buy.

How Much Does a North Dakota Hunting License Cost?

North Dakota's licensing works differently than most states, since nearly every hunting license requires two or three separate purchases stacked together.

Big game licenses run separately through North Dakota's lottery system, and the spread between residency classes is steep: a resident deer gun license costs $35, while a non-resident first-lottery deer gun license runs $355, application fee included.

Required Stamps and Permits

Waterfowl hunters need a couple of add-ons beyond the base license structure.

Non-resident waterfowl hunters also pay a separate $153 zone-restricted license covering two seven-day hunting periods, on top of the certificate and general license fees.

Youth and Discounted Licenses

North Dakota builds several discounts into its fee structure by age, service history, and residency status.

• Hunters 15 and younger: Pay reduced fees across nearly every license category, such as $10 for a deer license instead of the $35 adult rate.
• Nonresident youth under 16: Can purchase North Dakota's resident-rate fishing, hunting, and furbearer certificate along with a resident-rate general game and habitat license to hunt small game and waterfowl under adult supervision.
• Resident veterans with a 50 percent or greater service-connected disability: Qualify for a $10 Veteran Combined Hunting License.
• Nonresident full-time students at a North Dakota college, university, or tribal college: May qualify to purchase nonlottery licenses at resident rates.
• Active-duty military residents on leave: Can hunt small game or trap during the season without a license.

What Is a North Dakota Hunting License?

A North Dakota hunting license isn't a single document. Most hunters need a species license, a General Game and Habitat License, and a Fishing, Hunting, Furbearer Certificate together before heading afield, with big game requiring a separate lottery-issued license on top of all three.

Your Hunter Education Certificate runs on a completely different timeline than any of your licenses. It's a one-time credential that never expires once issued, while every license in North Dakota's stack resets annually on March 31, regardless of purchase date.

Who Needs a North Dakota Hunting License?

North Dakota requires a hunting license for anyone pursuing protected game species in the state, though there's no minimum age to hunt small game, waterfowl, or furbearers on its own.

NDGF's hunting licensing information page breaks down every license type, exception, and lottery requirement in more detail if you want to confirm your specific situation.

What Are the Requirements to Get a License?

North Dakota ties its hunter education mandate to a birth-year cutoff rather than your current age, so it's worth checking where you fall before assuming a requirement applies.

Anyone born after December 31, 1961, must complete an approved Hunter Education course before purchasing a North Dakota hunting license. Qualifying for an exception includes hunting only on land they own, or taking a one-time Apprentice Hunter validation that covers small game and deer for a single license year without the course.

The hunter education for North Dakota course covers:

• Firearm and archery safety fundamentals
• North Dakota game laws and wildlife identification
• Hunter responsibility toward landowners and the public

North Dakota's path is unusual among the other states: hunters must attend a required Initial Classroom Session before starting the online coursework, then a Final Classroom Session afterward to receive their certificate.

How to Get a North Dakota Hunting License

North Dakota's stacked license structure means a few extra steps compared to states with a single base license.

1. Complete an approved Hunter Education course if you were born after December 31, 1961, including both required classroom sessions, unless an exception applies to you.
2. Choose your species license: Small Game, Combination (residents only), or a big game license through the annual lottery.
3. Add the required General Game and Habitat License and Fishing, Hunting, Furbearer Certificate, since nearly every license needs both.
4. Add a Waterfowl Restoration Stamp and Federal Duck Stamp if you plan to hunt ducks, geese, or swans.
5. Register for HIP if you're hunting migratory birds like doves, snipe, or cranes.
6. Carry your license, certificate, and stamps any time you're in the field.

You can purchase your hunting license directly through NDGF, including online, through the NDGF mobile app, in person at a Department office, or at a retail license vendor statewide.

Why It's Important to Have a License to Hunt

A North Dakota hunting license supports far more than legal access to the field. Your purchase also supports:

• Legal Compliance: Hunting without a valid license in North Dakota can result in fines, confiscated equipment, and suspended hunting privileges.
• Wildlife Conservation Funding: License and certificate revenue funds NDGF's ongoing management of deer, upland game, and waterfowl populations statewide.
• Population Management: North Dakota's lottery system lets NDGF control big game harvest precisely by unit and species where herds need it most.
• Ethical Hunting: Tying every hunt to a license and the right stamps keeps take within legal seasons and protects long-term wildlife health.
• Public Land Access: License revenue helps fund the PLOTS program, which opens private land to public hunting access across the state.

Season dates and bag limits vary by species and unit, so check NDGF's season dates before finalizing your plans.

Note: Hunting license costs and requirements vary by state. North Dakota's stacked-license approach is one of the more layered systems you'll come across.

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

A North Dakota hunting license starts at $20 for residents, but between the required General Game and Habitat License, the certificate fee, and North Dakota's lottery system for big game, the real cost adds up well before you're in the field. Knowing the full fee stack upfront, plus the state's two-part classroom requirement, keeps first-time hunters from getting caught off guard.

Start your Hunter Education path through Hunter-Ed's North Dakota course if you were born after 1961, then head to NDGF's online system or a retail vendor to complete your purchase.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

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

A: No, North Dakota's hunting licenses must be renewed every license year, which runs from April 1 through March 31. The Hunter Education requirement, by contrast, is a one-time certification that never needs repeating once you're certified.

Q: Are there discounts for North Dakota hunting licenses?

A: Yes. North Dakota offers reduced fees for hunters 15 and younger across nearly every license category, along with a $10 Veteran Combined Hunting License for residents with a qualifying service-connected disability. Non-resident students at North Dakota colleges and universities may also qualify for resident-rate licenses.

Q: Why does North Dakota require so many separate licenses?

A: North Dakota stacks a species license, a General Game and Habitat License, and a Fishing, Hunting, Furbearer Certificate together for most hunting activity, rather than bundling them into one base license. Big game species like deer and elk require an additional lottery-issued license on top of that stack.

Q: Who needs to complete hunter education in North Dakota?

A: Anyone born after December 31, 1961, must complete an approved Hunter Education course before purchasing a North Dakota hunting license. Exceptions exist for hunters on land they own and for individuals 12 and older who take a one-time Apprentice Hunter validation instead.

Q: Does North Dakota's hunter education course require an in-person session?

A: Yes. North Dakota requires two in-person classroom sessions: an Initial Classroom Session attended before starting the online coursework, and a Final Classroom Session completed afterward. This two-part structure is more involved than the single field day required in many other states.

Q: Can non-residents hunt big game in North Dakota?

A: Yes, but non-resident big game licenses cost significantly more than resident rates and are issued through an annual lottery, such as a $355 first-lottery deer gun license including the application fee. Non-residents also can't hunt NDGF-owned or leased land, including PLOTS acreage, during the first week of pheasant season.