How to Get Your Mississippi Hunting License

A Mississippi hunting license starts with either the All Game Hunting/Freshwater Fishing license ($25 resident) or the more complete Sportsman's License ($45 resident), which adds archery, primitive weapon, and crossbow privileges. Non-residents pay considerably more, starting at $300 for an annual All Game Hunting license.

Mississippi requires a hunter education course for anyone born on or after January 1, 1972, before that person can purchase a license, unless they're hunting under direct adult supervision. Licenses are sold through the MDWFP's online licensing system at outdoors.ms, by phone, or through authorized vendors statewide, and they run from July 1 through June 30 of the following year rather than a rolling 365-day window.

This guide walks you through how to get your Mississippi hunting license and hunter education certification, step by step.

What Is a Hunting License in Mississippi?

A Mississippi hunting license authorizes you to hunt legal game and fowl, though deer and turkey hunters must specifically hold either the All Game Hunting/Freshwater Fishing license or the Sportsman's License. Archery, primitive weapon, and crossbow privileges come bundled with the Sportsman's License or can be added separately for $14.

The license itself is separate from your hunter education certification. The certification proves you completed an MDWFP-approved course and, once earned, it's good for life and accepted across all fifty states, Canada, and Mexico. The license, by contrast, expires every June 30 and has to be purchased again for the next license year.

Who Needs a Hunting License in Mississippi?

Mississippi requires a hunting license for residents ages 16 through 64 and for nearly all non-residents, but hunter education runs on a birth-year cutoff rather than a first-time-hunter rule. Age, birth date, and supervision status all play a role in what applies to you.

Anyone born on or after January 1, 1972 must complete an approved hunter education course before hunting unsupervised, unless one of the following applies:

1. Under 12: must always hunt in the presence of a licensed or exempt adult at least 21 years old, regardless of certification status.
2. Ages 12 to 15: may hunt without certification only while directly supervised by a licensed or exempt adult at least 21 years old; without that supervision, certification is required.
3. Non-resident minors under 16: exempt from needing a Mississippi hunting license at all, though hunter education rules still apply if hunting unsupervised.
4. Age 65 and older: exempt from purchasing a hunting license, though a one-time $2.30 Resident Senior Exempt license is available as a lifetime alternative to carrying separate proof of age.

Whichever category applies to you, keep your license and hunter education certification, if required, on hand while hunting.

How to Get Your Mississippi Hunting License (Step-by-Step)

Getting licensed in Mississippi means confirming your hunter education status first, since the requirement is tied to your birth date rather than your current age. Here's the full process from start to finish.

1. Complete an approved hunter education course if you were born on or after January 1, 1972.
2. Create an account through the MDWFP's outdoors.ms licensing portal, or visit an authorized vendor.
3. Select your license type: All Game Hunting/Freshwater Fishing, Sportsman's License, or one of the bundled packages.
4. Add permits and stamps as needed: Archery/Primitive Weapon/Crossbow ($14), WMA User Permit ($15), or the Electronic State Waterfowl Stamp ($10).
5. Carry your license and hunter education certification any time you hunt, either on paper or through the MDWFP HuntFish app.

Once you've completed these steps, you're fully licensed and 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

Mississippi residents age 12 and older can complete the entire hunter education requirement online, while younger residents and all non-residents complete it in person.

1. Online, residents age 12 and older: Pass the course and print your permanent certification immediately, with no in-person classroom required.
2. In-person classroom, all other hunters: Attend a full 10-hour, MDWFP-taught course and score at least 70% on the written exam.

However you complete it, your certification never expires and travels with you for life, so there's no annual renewal to track.

Step 2: Purchase Your License

Once you have your hunter education certification, if required, you can buy your license through the MDWFP's licensing requirements page via outdoors.ms or an authorized vendor.

You'll need a government-issued photo ID or proof of Mississippi residency, proof of hunter education if required, and payment.

Step 3: Add Permits and Go Hunting

An All Game Hunting license doesn't cover everything. Archery, primitive weapon, and crossbow privileges, WMA access, and waterfowl hunting each require their own permit or stamp, purchased after your base license.

Once your license and any needed permits are in hand, you're ready to hunt. Before you head out, review general hunting safety practices to make sure you're field-ready.

Mississippi Hunting License Requirements by Age

Let's look at the requirements for hunting licenses in Mississippi by age.

Permits and stamps: Archery/Primitive Weapon/Crossbow ($14 resident / $75 nonresident), WMA User Permit ($15 / $30), and the Electronic State Waterfowl Stamp ($10 / $19) each require separate purchase, along with the Federal Duck Stamp for waterfowl hunters age 16 and older.

Season dates and bag limits vary by species, weapon type, and management unit, so check the current listing before you plan a hunt.

Hunter Safety Course: Format and Cost

Mississippi stands out for offering its in-person classroom course entirely free to hunters of any age, while reserving the paid online option for residents 12 and older only. The chart below offers a quick overview of those formats.

Whichever format you choose, the certification you earn is good for the rest of your hunting life, with no renewal required. Only your hunting license needs replacing, and in Mississippi that happens every July 1.

What to Bring When Buying Your License

Make sure you have the right documentation handy to purchase your Mississippi hunting license. You'll need:

• Government-issued photo ID, such as a driver's license, or a birth certificate for proof of age
• Hunter education certification, if required for your birth year
• Payment (credit or debit card online, or check or card in person)
• Proof of Mississippi residency, if applying for resident rates

Mississippi Hunting Laws and Penalties

Hunting without a required license in Mississippi is a misdemeanor under Mississippi's hunting laws and regulations, though a resident who shows proof of a valid license at the hearing date has the case dismissed entirely, and one who purchases a license before the hearing sees the fine reduced to $100.

Non-residents face steeper consequences: a first offense carries a fine of $500 to $1,000 plus a one-year forfeiture of hunting and trapping privileges.

What About Reciprocity?

Mississippi accepts hunter education certifications from any other U.S. state, Canadian province, or jurisdiction that meets IHEA-USA standards, since the state's own program is built to the same guidelines. Other IHEA-USA-compliant states and provinces return the favor and accept a Mississippi Hunter Education Completion Card.

The hunting license itself, however, is not transferable. Hunters visiting from out of state still need to purchase a Mississippi non-resident license, unless they're a minor under 16.

What Out-of-State Visitors Need to Know

Non-residents can hunt in Mississippi with an All Game Hunting license ($300), a 7-Day All Game Hunting license ($150), or a bundled package like the NR Deer Hunter Package ($475). Non-resident minors under 16 are exempt from needing a license at all, making Mississippi more accessible than many states for visiting families.

Start Your Mississippi Hunter Safety Course Today

The Hunter-Ed Mississippi course is approved by MDWFP, self-paced, and available on any device for residents 12 and older. Complete the course and get your lifetime Mississippi hunter education certification.

Approved by Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks (MDWFP) | Last verified August 11, 2026

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q: Do I need a hunting license in Mississippi?

A: Yes, if you're a resident age 16 through 64 or a non-resident age 16 or older, you need a hunting license to hunt in Mississippi. Non-resident minors under 16 are exempt from the license requirement entirely.

Q: How old do you have to be to get Mississippi hunter education certification?

A: You must be at least 10 years old to receive Mississippi hunter education certification, and residents can take the online course starting at age 12. Younger hunters and all non-residents complete the requirement through the free in-person classroom course instead.

Q: How much does a Mississippi hunting license cost?

A: A resident All Game Hunting/Freshwater Fishing license costs $25, and the more complete Sportsman's License costs $45. Non-residents pay considerably more, with an annual All Game Hunting license starting at $300.

Q: Does a Mississippi hunting license expire?

A: Yes. Mississippi hunting licenses run from July 1 through June 30 of the following year, so every license expires at the same point in the summer regardless of when you bought it.

Q: Can I complete Mississippi hunter education entirely online?

A: Yes, if you're a Mississippi resident age 12 or older, since the online course alone satisfies the full certification requirement. Non-residents and residents under 12 must complete the free in-person classroom course instead.

Q: Do I need hunter education in Mississippi?

A: Yes, if you were born on or after January 1, 1972 and plan to hunt without direct adult supervision. Hunters supervised by a licensed or exempt adult at least 21 years old can hunt without certification regardless of their own birth year.

Q: What's the penalty for hunting without a license in Mississippi?

A: A resident caught hunting without a license can have the case dismissed by showing proof of a valid license purchased before the violation, or pay a reduced $100 fine otherwise. Non-residents face a first-offense fine of $500 to $1,000 plus a one-year forfeiture of hunting and trapping privileges.