How to Get Your Maine Hunting License
Maine requires hunter education for anyone applying for an adult firearms hunting license, unless that person can show proof of having held an adult firearms license in any year since 1976. Once you're certified, if required, you'll need a hunting license, which costs $26 for residents and $115 for non-residents, plus any species-specific permits for the game you're after.
You can purchase a license through the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife (MDIFW) or an approved license agent, and licenses run on a calendar year, expiring every December 31. Hunter-Ed is a delegated provider for Maine's hunter safety course, and the certificate itself never expires once you've earned it.
Today, we give you the details about how to get your Maine hunting license and Hunter Education Certificate, step by step.
What Is a Hunting License in Maine?
A hunting license is the base document MDIFW requires before you can legally pursue game in the state. It's separate from the species-specific permits you'll need for bear, moose, turkey, or migratory birds, which are purchased individually once you hold a valid license.
Your Hunter Education Certificate works differently. It's a one-time credential proving you completed an MDIFW-approved safety course, and it lasts for life, while your hunting license has to be renewed every calendar year.
Who Needs a Hunting License in Maine?
Maine requires a hunting license for anyone who hunts wild birds or animals in the state. So, hunter education adds an extra requirement depending on your hunting history rather than a flat age cutoff. Whether you've held an adult license before determines which path applies to you.
Hunter education runs on a separate track from the license itself. Anyone applying for an adult firearms license must complete an approved hunter education course, unless they qualify for one of Maine's exceptions instead:
- Under 16: Must hold a Junior Hunting License and complete hunter education, since a junior license holder has never held an adult license to qualify for the grandfather exception.
- 16 and older, never held an adult license before: Must complete an approved hunter education course, or hunt temporarily under Maine's Apprentice Hunter License while supervised by a qualified adult instead.
- 16 and older, held an adult firearms license in any year since 1976: Exempt from the hunter education requirement.
- Resident landowners on their own land (10 or more contiguous acres): May hunt without a license at all, using firearms, archery, or muzzleloader, though hunter education is still encouraged.
How to Get Your Maine Hunting License (Step-by-Step)
Getting licensed in Maine comes down to a few specific steps, though the order shifts slightly depending on your hunting history. Here's the full process from start to finish.
- Complete an approved hunter education course unless you've held an adult firearms license in any year since 1976 then attend the required Skills and Exam Day if you registered for the course before turning 16.
- Choose your license type: Junior, adult Big Game, adult Small Game, Combination, or Apprentice Hunter License.
- Purchase your license through the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife website, by mail, or through an approved agent.
- Add any species-specific permits you need, such as bear, turkey, or migratory bird permits.
- Carry your license, permits, and Hunter Education Certificate any time you hunt.
Moose permits are drawn by lottery each spring, so plan ahead if that's on your list. Once your license and any needed permits are in hand, you're ready for the field.
The sections below cover the hunter education course and license purchase in more detail.
Step 1: Complete an Approved Hunter Education Course
Maine's hunter education path splits by format and, for younger hunters, by registration age. Anyone required to certify can complete the course online, through a workbook-based homestudy option, or in a full in-person class.
- Online course only (16 and older at registration): Complete the Hunter-Ed Maine course ($29.95) and pass the final exam to print your certificate immediately, no Skills and Exam Day required.
- Online course plus Skills and Exam Day (younger than 16 at registration): Complete the same Hunter-Ed course online, then register separately for the required in-person Skills and Exam Day, typically 6 to 7 hours, to receive your certificate.
- Homestudy or in-person traditional course: Complete the printed workbook or the online course, then attend a Skills and Exam Day, or take a full in-person class taught by MDIFW-certified volunteer instructors, with the exam and skills check built into the course itself.
Passing the online course doesn't guarantee a Skills and Exam Day seat, so hunters younger than 16 should register for both well ahead of the season they're planning to hunt.
Step 2: Buy Your Hunting License
Once you have your Hunter Education Certificate, if it applies to you, you can buy your license through the MDIFW website, by mail, or at an approved license agent.
You'll need proof of residency, a government-issued photo ID, proof of hunter education if required, and payment.
Step 3: Add Species Permits and Go Hunting
A standard Maine hunting license doesn't cover bear, turkey, moose, or migratory birds. Those species each require their own permit, purchased separately, and moose permits are lottery-only.
Once your license and any needed permits are in hand, you're ready to hunt.
Maine Hunting License Requirements by Age
Here's a high-level overview of the requirements for hunting licenses in Maine by age.
Maine Hunting License Requirements (by Age) | ||
| Age | Requirement | Supervision/Hunter Education |
| Junior, resident (ages 0 through 15) | Junior Hunting License ($8.00) | Certification required, online course has a minimum age of 10, plus a required Skills and Exam Day |
| Junior, non-resident (ages 0 through 15) | Junior Hunting License ($35.00) | Certification required |
| Adult, resident (16 and older, never held an adult license) | Big Game Hunting License ($26.00) or Combination Hunting and Fishing License ($48.00) | Certification required |
| Adult, non-resident (16 and older, never held an adult license) | Big Game Hunting License ($115.00) or Combination Hunting and Fishing License ($169.00) | Certification required |
| Adult, resident or non-resident (held an adult firearms license in any year since 1976) | Same license types and costs as above | Certification not required |
| Apprentice, resident (16 and older, never held an adult license) | Apprentice Hunter License ($26.00 resident, $115.00 non-resident), usable up to 5 times | Must hunt under direct supervision of a qualified adult who has held a valid license for the prior three consecutive years |
| Senior resident lifetime license (65 through 69) | Graduated one-time fee from $50 at age 65 down to $10 at age 69 | Certification status depends on whether an adult license was held since 1976 |
| Senior resident lifetime license (70 and older) | One-time fee of $8.00, covers hunting, fishing, trapping, and archery | Certification not required for virtually all hunters this age |
| Resident landowners on their own land (10 or more contiguous acres) | No license required | Certification not required |
Privileges and stamps:
- Bear, turkey, and moose hunting each require a separate species-specific permit beyond the base license.
- Waterfowl hunters age 16 and older also need Maine's State Migratory Waterfowl Permit and a Federal Migratory Waterfowl Permit.
- Maine's Super Pack License bundles the base license with muzzleloader, waterfowl, pheasant, turkey, bear, and coyote night hunting privileges at a flat resident rate.
Season dates and bag limits vary by species and wildlife management district, so check before you plan a hunt.
Hunter Safety Course: Format and Cost
Maine stands out for letting hunters skip devices altogether if they'd rather learn from a printed workbook, an option most states have phased out entirely. The chart below offers a quick overview of those formats.
Maine Hunter Safety Course Formats Comparison | ||||
| Format | Provider | Cost | Time | Exam |
Online course (16 and older) | Hunter-Ed | $29.95 | Self-paced, a few hours online | Final exam only (print certificate immediately upon passing) |
Online course plus Skills and Exam Day (younger than 16) | Hunter-Ed | $29.95 | Self-paced online, plus a 6- to 7-hour Skills and Exam Day | Final exam, then a required Skills and Exam Day |
Homestudy or in-person traditional course | MDIFW volunteer instructors | Free workbook, or registration fee up to $10 depending on venue | Varies, typically one or more in-person sessions | Written exam and skills check included in the course |
However you complete it, Maine's Hunter Education Certificate stays valid forever once issued. Only your hunting license needs renewing, and since Maine runs on a calendar year, that happens every December 31.
The Documents You Need To Buy Your License
Make sure you have the right documentation handy to purchase your Maine hunting license. You'll need:
- A government-issued photo ID
- Proof of residency, if applying for a resident license
- Proof of hunter education certification, or proof of a prior adult license held since 1976
- Payment for your license and any species-specific permits
Maine Hunting Laws and Penalties
Maine's most common hunting violations include:
- Hunting without a valid license
- Hunting deer, bear, moose, or turkey during closed season
- Night hunting
- Hunting over bait without following the rules
- Hunting under the influence.
Many of these violations carry a minimum mandatory license revocation on top of any court-imposed fine, ranging from one year for a first baiting or closed-season offense up to five or even ten years for the most serious violations, such as those resulting in injury from failure to properly identify a target.
Maine also participates in the Interstate Wildlife Violator Compact, so a suspension here can follow you into other member states. You can read more on Maine's hunting laws and regulations before you head out.
What About Reciprocity?
Maine accepts hunter education certificates from any U.S. state, Canadian province, or country that meets International Hunter Education Association (IHEA-USA) standards.
States and provinces with their own mandatory hunter education requirements return the favor and accept a Maine Hunter Education Certificate, so your card travels with you if you hunt elsewhere.
What Out-of-State Visitors Should Know
Non-resident hunters pay $115 for an annual Big Game license, with species permits priced separately and, in some cases, notably higher for non-residents, such as the $585 non-resident moose permit if drawn.
Hunters who've never held an adult license must still meet Maine's hunter education requirement regardless of home state, and hunters from New Brunswick or Quebec pursuing bear, deer, moose, or turkey must be accompanied by a licensed Maine Guide unless they own or lease qualifying Maine land.
Start Your Maine Hunter Safety Course Today, Then Get Your Hunting License
The Hunter-Ed Maine course is approved by MDIFW, self-paced, and available on any device. Hunters 16 and older can complete it with no Skills and Exam Day required, while hunters younger than 16 at registration also need to attend and pass the in-person Skills and Exam Day. Complete the course and get your lifetime Maine hunter education certificate.
Approved by Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife (MDIFW) | Last verified August 13, 2026
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q: Do I need a hunting license to hunt in Maine?
A: Yes, anyone who hunts wild birds or animals in Maine needs a hunting license, with the exact type depending on age and residency. Resident landowners hunting on their own land of 10 or more contiguous acres are a notable exception and may hunt without a license.
Q: How much does a Maine hunting license cost?
A: A Maine resident adult Big Game hunting license costs $26, while a non-resident license costs $115. Junior, Apprentice, and Combination license types are priced separately, and species-specific permits like bear or turkey cost extra.
Q: Who needs hunter education certification in Maine?
A: Maine requires hunter education certification for anyone applying for an adult firearms hunting license who hasn't previously held one. Hunters who can show proof of having held an adult firearms license in any year since 1976 are exempt from the requirement, regardless of their current age.
Q: Can I take Maine's hunter education course entirely online?
A: Yes, if you're 16 or older when you register, Maine's online hunter education course lets you print your certificate immediately after passing the final exam. Hunters younger than 16 at registration must also attend an in-person Skills and Exam Day to complete certification.
Q: What is Maine's Skills and Exam Day?
A: Maine's Skills and Exam Day is the mandatory in-person session that completes hunter education certification for hunters who registered for the online course before turning 16. It runs 6 to 7 hours and covers safe firearms handling, map and compass use, survival skills, and other topics beyond what the online course covers.
Q: Is there a way to hunt in Maine without completing hunter education right away?
A: Yes, Maine offers an Apprentice Hunter License for residents and non-residents 16 or older who've never held an adult license. It's usable up to five times and requires the apprentice to hunt only under the direct supervision of a qualified adult who has held a valid hunting license for the prior three consecutive years.
