How to Get Your North Carolina Hunting License

Getting a North Carolina hunting license starts with the Resident State Hunting License ($30), which covers small game only. Hunters who want deer, turkey, or bear need to add the Resident Big Game Privilege ($17), bringing the combined Comprehensive Hunting License to $47.

North Carolina requires an approved hunter education course for anyone purchasing a hunting license for the first time, before that person can purchase a license, unless they hold a North Carolina Hunting Heritage Apprentice Permit. Licenses are sold through the Wildlife Resources Commission's online system at gooutdoorsnorthcarolina.com, by phone, or at authorized agents, 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 North Carolina hunting license and hunter education certification, step by step.

What Is a Hunting License in North Carolina?

A North Carolina hunting license splits small game from big game by design. The base State Hunting License covers small game only, while deer, turkey, and bear all require the Big Game Privilege layered on top, and hunters who also want inland fishing can bundle everything through the Sportsman License.

The license itself is separate from your hunter education certification. The certification proves you completed a Wildlife Resources Commission-approved course and, once earned, it's accepted in every U.S. state and Canadian province. 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 North Carolina?

North Carolina requires a hunting license for anyone age 16 or older, but hunter education runs on first-time-hunter status rather than a birth-year cutoff. Age and hunting history both play a role in what applies to you.

Anyone purchasing a North Carolina hunting license for the first time on or after July 1, 2013 must present one of three things: a hunter education certificate, a Hunting Heritage Apprentice Permit, or a North Carolina hunting license issued before that date. Depending on your situation, one of these paths may apply:

1. Under 16, without a Certificate of Competency: must be accompanied by a properly licensed adult when hunting, with no license of their own required.
2. Under 16, with a Certificate of Competency: may hunt without adult supervision but must carry their certificate while hunting.
3. First-time hunter not yet certified: the Hunting Heritage Apprentice Permit lets you hunt while working toward completing hunter education.
4. Qualifying landowners and lessees: may hunt on their own property without a license, and active-duty military on leave from out of state may also be exempt.

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

How to Get Your North Carolina Hunting License (Step-by-Step)

Getting licensed in North Carolina means confirming your hunter education status first, since the requirement is tied to whether you've ever held a license rather than your age. Here's the full process from start to finish.

1. Complete an approved hunter education course if you're purchasing a North Carolina hunting license for the first time.
2. Purchase your license through gooutdoorsnorthcarolina.com, by phone, or at an authorized agent.
3. Select your license type: Comprehensive Hunting ($47), Sportsman ($63), or the base State Hunting License ($30) for small game only.
4. Add the Game Lands License ($25) if you plan to hunt on public wildlife management areas, or the Bear Management Stamp ($14) if hunting bear.
5. Carry your license and hunter education certificate, if required, any time you hunt.

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

North Carolina currently allows the entire certification process to be completed online, with the in-person field day requirement temporarily waived regardless of age.

1. Online, any age: Pass the course and print your temporary hunter education card immediately, with no in-person field day currently required.
2. Traditional classroom, any age: Attend a free, in-person course of at least six hours, taught by wildlife officers, hunter education specialists, and volunteer instructors, available in all 100 counties.

However you get there, your certification never expires and is accepted in every U.S. state and Canadian province.

Step 2: Purchase Your License

Once you have your hunter education certificate, or a Hunting Heritage Apprentice Permit, you can buy your license through the Wildlife Resources Commission's license page online, by phone, or at an authorized agent.

You'll need a government-issued photo ID, proof of hunter education if required, and payment, plus a $5 transaction fee for online purchases.

Step 3: Add Privileges and Go Hunting

A base State Hunting License doesn't cover big game. Deer, turkey, and bear all require the Big Game Privilege purchased on top of your base license, and public game land access requires its own separate Game Lands License.

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

North Carolina Hunting License Requirements by Age

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

Privileges and stamps: The Game Lands License ($25) is required in addition to your base license for hunting on public wildlife management areas, along with the Bear Management Stamp ($14) for bear hunters and a Waterfowl Privilege for waterfowl hunters.

Season dates and regulations vary by species and game land, so check the current digest before you plan a hunt.

Hunter Safety Course: Format and Cost

North Carolina stands out for currently waiving the in-person field day requirement entirely, letting hunters of any age complete certification online without ever attending a hands-on session. The chart below offers a quick overview of those formats.

Whichever format you choose, the certification you earn is accepted for life across the U.S. and Canada. Only your hunting license needs replacing, and in North Carolina that happens every year on July 1.

What to Bring When Buying Your License

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

• Government-issued photo ID
• Hunter education certificate or Hunting Heritage Apprentice Permit, if required
• Payment (credit or debit card online, or check or card in person, plus a $5 online transaction fee)
• Proof of North Carolina residency, if applying for resident rates

North Carolina Hunting Laws and Penalties

Taking a wild animal or bird without first purchasing a required license in North Carolina is a Class 2 misdemeanor under North Carolina's hunting laws and regulations, carrying a fine of up to $1,000 and a mandatory one-year suspension of hunting privileges.

A second conviction for hunting while already suspended escalates to a Class 1 misdemeanor with an additional five-year suspension.

What About Reciprocity?

North Carolina accepts hunter education certificates 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 North Carolina Hunter Education Certificate.

North Carolina also participates in the Interstate Wildlife Violator Compact, meaning a license suspension or revocation earned in one member state can carry over into North Carolina. The hunting license itself is not transferable, so visiting hunters still need to purchase North Carolina's non-resident license.

What Out-of-State Visitors Need to Know

Non-residents can hunt in North Carolina with a Nonresident State Hunting License ($119) plus the Nonresident Big Game Privilege ($119), for a combined $238 to access deer and turkey. A shorter Nonresident 10-Day license ($95 base plus $95 big game) offers a lower-cost option for a single hunting trip.

Start Your North Carolina Hunter Safety Course Today

The Hunter-Ed North Carolina course is approved by NCWRC, self-paced, and available on any device with no in-person field day currently required. Complete the course and get your lifetime North Carolina hunter education certificate.

Approved by North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission (NCWRC) | Last verified August 11, 2026

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q: Do I need a hunting license in North Carolina?

A: Yes, if you're 16 or older, you need a hunting license to hunt in North Carolina. Hunters under 16 don't need a license at all, though those without a Certificate of Competency must be accompanied by a licensed adult.

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

A: There's no minimum age to complete North Carolina hunter education, since courses are taught at a sixth-grade level with no age cutoff. The requirement itself is tied to whether you've ever purchased a license, not to your birth date.

Q: How much does a North Carolina hunting license cost?

A: A resident Comprehensive Hunting License, which covers small game plus deer, turkey, and bear, costs $47 in North Carolina. Non-residents pay considerably more, with the equivalent combination running $238.

Q: Does a North Carolina hunting license expire?

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

Q: Can I complete North Carolina hunter education entirely online?

A: Yes, currently. North Carolina has temporarily waived its in-person field day requirement, so hunters of any age can complete the entire certification process online.

Q: Do I need hunter education in North Carolina?

A: Yes, if you're purchasing a North Carolina hunting license for the first time on or after July 1, 2013. Hunters who held a North Carolina license before that date are generally exempt from the requirement.

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

A: Hunting without a required license in North Carolina is a Class 2 misdemeanor, carrying a fine of up to $1,000 and a mandatory one-year suspension of hunting privileges. A second offense while already suspended escalates to a Class 1 misdemeanor with an additional five-year suspension.