How to Get Your Missouri Hunting License

Missouri doesn't sell a general hunting license the way most states do. Instead, hunters buy species-specific permits, starting with the Resident Small Game Hunting Permit ($11.50) or adding a Firearms Any-Deer Hunting Permit ($19.50) for deer.

Missouri requires hunter education for anyone born on or after January 1, 1967, before that person can purchase a permit, unless they're hunting under a mentor's direct supervision. Permits are sold through the MDC's online system at mdc.mo.gov, the MO Hunting app, by phone, or at retail vendors statewide, and most run from the date of purchase through the last day of February the following year rather than a rolling 365-day window.

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

What Is a Hunting License in Missouri?

A Missouri "hunting license" is really a set of species-specific permits rather than one bundled product. Small game, deer, turkey, and migratory birds each require their own separate permit, and some, like deer and turkey, come with youth and landowner pricing tiers.

The permit itself is separate from your hunter education certification. The certification proves you completed an MDC-approved course and, once earned, it's good for life with no renewal required. Most permits, by contrast, expire every February 28 (or 29) and have to be purchased again for the next permit year.

Who Needs a Hunting License in Missouri?

Missouri requires the appropriate species permit for residents ages 16 through 64 and for nearly all non-residents, but hunter education runs on a birth-year cutoff with a notable youth exception. Age, birth date, and mentorship all play a role in what applies to you.

Anyone born on or after January 1, 1967 must complete an approved hunter education course before buying firearms permits, unless one of the following applies:

1. Under 16, not yet hunting alone: youth hunters don't need hunter education to hunt any game species in Missouri until they're ready to hunt unsupervised, as long as an uncertified youth stays in the immediate presence of a mentor 18 or older who is certified or was born before January 1, 1967.
2. Age 16 or older, new to hunting: the Apprentice Hunter Authorization ($10.50) lets you buy firearms permits and hunt for up to two license years while supervised by a certified mentor.
3. Resident landowners: may hunt on land they own without a permit, except for black bear, deer, elk, and turkey, which always require a permit regardless of land ownership.
4. Age 65 and older: exempt from purchasing most permits, though deer, turkey, elk, and black bear permits are still required at any age.

Whichever category applies to you, keep your hunter education card or Conservation Permit Card on hand while hunting with a firearm.

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

Getting licensed in Missouri means confirming your hunter education status first, since the requirement depends on 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, 1967.
2. Purchase your permits through mdc.mo.gov, the MO Hunting app, by phone, or at a retail vendor.
3. Select the species-specific permits you need: Small Game, Firearms Any-Deer, Archer's, or Turkey.
4. Add the Migratory Bird Hunting Permit ($7.50) and Federal Duck Stamp if you're hunting waterfowl.
5. Carry your permit and hunter education card any time you hunt, either on paper or through the MO Hunting 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 permit purchase in more detail.

Step 1: Complete an Approved Hunter Education Course

Missouri offers two paths to certification depending on your age, and the path you choose determines whether an in-person session is required.

1. Two-part course, age 11 and older: Complete the knowledge portion online, through self-study, or in a classroom, then attend a required four-hour Skills Session and pass a 35-question final exam with an 80% score.
2. All-online, Missouri residents 16 and older: Complete the course entirely online and pass a 60-question final exam with an 80% score, with no Skills Session required.

However you get there, your certification never expires, so there's no annual renewal to track.

Step 2: Purchase Your Permits

Once you have your hunter education certification, if required, you can buy your permits through the MDC's hunting permits page online, by phone, or at a retail vendor.

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

Step 3: Add Species Permits and Go Hunting

A Small Game Hunting Permit doesn't cover everything. Deer, turkey, elk, and black bear each require their own separate permit, purchased after your base permit, with elk and bear allocated only through a random drawing.

Once your 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.

Missouri Hunting License Requirements by Age

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

Species permits: Archer's Hunting Permit, Turkey (spring and fall), Black Bear, and Elk each require separate purchase, with elk and bear allocated only through a random drawing, along with the Migratory Bird Hunting Permit ($7.50) and Federal Duck Stamp for waterfowl hunters age 16 and older.

Season dates and regulations vary by species, weapon type, and portion of the season, so check the current listing before you plan a hunt.

Hunter Safety Course: Format and Cost

Missouri stands out for letting youth hunt without any certification at all until they're ready to hunt alone, while adults 16 and older can skip the in-person Skills Session entirely by completing the course online. 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 species permits need replacing, and in Missouri that happens every year on the last day of February.

What to Bring When Buying Your License

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

• Government-issued photo ID or Conservation Number
• Hunter education certification, if required for your birth year
• Payment (credit or debit card online, or check or card in person)
• Social Security number, required for non-commercial permits under federal and state law

Missouri Hunting Laws and Penalties

Taking wildlife without a required permit in Missouri is a misdemeanor under Missouri's hunting laws and regulations, carrying a fine of up to $2,000, up to one year in jail, or both, since the offense defaults to Missouri's highest misdemeanor class when no other penalty is specified.

Hunting or fishing while a permit is suspended or revoked is a separate class A misdemeanor with the same maximum penalty.

What About Reciprocity?

Missouri 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 Missouri hunter education card.

Missouri also participates in the Interstate Wildlife Violator Compact along with more than 45 other states, meaning a license suspension or revocation earned in one member state can carry over into Missouri and vice versa. The hunting permit itself is not transferable, so visiting hunters still need to purchase Missouri's nonresident permits.

What Out-of-State Visitors Need to Know

Non-residents can hunt in Missouri with a Nonresident Small Game Hunting Permit ($108.50), a Nonresident Firearms Any-Deer Permit, or a Nonresident Turkey Permit, with pricing that rose across the board heading into 2026. Nonresident landowners who own at least 75 acres in Missouri qualify for reduced-cost landowner deer and turkey permits.

Start Your Missouri Hunter Safety Course Today

The Hunter-Ed Missouri course is approved by MDC, self-paced, and available on any device. Complete the course, finish your Skills Session if you're under 16, and get your lifetime Missouri hunter education certification.

Approved by Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) | Last verified August 11, 2026

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q: Do I need a hunting license in Missouri?

A: Yes, if you're a resident age 16 through 64 or a non-resident of most ages, you need the appropriate species permit to hunt in Missouri. Youth under 16 can often hunt without any permit at all if they're hunter-education certified or accompanied by a qualifying mentor.

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

A: You must be at least 11 years old to enroll in Missouri hunter education, and the all-online path without a Skills Session opens up at age 16 for residents. Younger hunters can still hunt legally without certification as long as they're supervised by a qualifying adult mentor.

Q: How much does a Missouri hunting license cost?

A: A resident Small Game Hunting Permit in Missouri costs $11.50, and a Firearms Any-Deer Permit costs $19.50. Non-residents pay considerably more, with a Small Game Permit at $108.50 and deer and turkey permits priced well into the hundreds.

Q: Does a Missouri hunting license expire?

A: Yes. Most Missouri hunting permits run from the date of purchase through the last day of February the following year, though a few, like the Migratory Bird Hunting Permit and Trapping Permit, instead expire every June 30.

Q: Can I complete Missouri hunter education entirely online?

A: Yes, if you're a Missouri resident age 16 or older, since the all-online path skips the in-person Skills Session entirely. Hunters ages 11 to 15 can complete the knowledge portion online but must still attend an in-person Skills Session to certify.

Q: Do I need hunter education in Missouri?

A: Yes, if you were born on or after January 1, 1967 and plan to hunt with a firearm unsupervised. Youth under 16 are exempt from the requirement entirely until they're ready to hunt alone, and hunters born before 1967 are exempt regardless of age.

Q: What's the penalty for hunting without a permit in Missouri?

A: Hunting without a required permit in Missouri is a misdemeanor punishable by up to $2,000 in fines, up to one year in jail, or both. A separate, harsher penalty applies to anyone caught hunting while their permit privileges are already suspended or revoked.