In New Mexico, anglers 12 and older need a valid fishing license to fish public waters. Licenses are available to residents and non-residents, with short-term, junior, senior, and free options.
Verified for the 2026-27 license year (April 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027). Fees on this page are current as of August 4, 2026 and reflect the increases enacted by Senate Bill 5 (2025), the first New Mexico fishing license increase in over twenty years. The commission may now adjust fees for inflation each April 1, so check NMDOW before you buy.
This page is a convenience summary, not the rulebook. The New Mexico Department of Wildlife (NMDOW, formerly the Department of Game and Fish, renamed July 1, 2026) sets and publishes all licenses, fees, and rules. Confirm current requirements and fees at wildlife.dgf.nm.gov/fishing/licenses-permits/requirements-fees/ or in the 2026-2027 New Mexico Fishing Rules & Info booklet (PDF).
License Types and Fees
- Annual Fishing License:
- Residents (12 to 64): $35
- Non-residents (12 and older): $90
- Short-Term Licenses:
- One-Day (residents and non-residents): $12
- Five-Day (residents and non-residents): $30
- Junior Annual Fishing License (ages 12 to 17):
- Residents: $5
- Non-residents: $20
- Senior Annual Fishing License (residents, ages 65 to 69): $8
- Free Licenses:
- Residents 70 and older: Free. Available online, by phone, at license vendors, and at all New Mexico Department of Wildlife (NMDOW) offices. No Habitat Stamp, HMAV, or Second Rod Validation is required with it.
- 100% disabled resident veterans: Free lifetime Game-Hunting and Fishing License, by application through NMDOW headquarters in Santa Fe. No Habitat Stamp is needed when fishing.
A per-transaction vendor fee applies to all purchases, including free licenses. The amount is set by the vendor.
Discounts
- New Mexico residents receiving SNAP: 25% off
- Resident active-duty military and veterans: 50% off all licenses, permits, and stamps
- Resident Disabled Annual Fishing License: $8
- Foster Family fishing license: Free, available at NMDOW offices only
Additional Validations and Stamps
- Habitat Management & Access Validation (HMAV): $4
- Required once per license year for anglers 18 and older. Not required for anglers 17 and under, or with any free license. It is added to your cart automatically on your first license purchase of the year.
- Habitat Stamp: $10
- Required for anglers 12 and older fishing on U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management properties. Not required with a free license.
- Second Rod Validation: $10
- Anglers 12 and older who want to fish two rods must have it. Not required with any free fishing license. Three rods are never allowed.
Free Gila Trout Fishing Permit
The permit is free, but it is required. You cannot legally fish these waters without it, even with a valid license:
- Black Canyon
- Gilita Creek
- Mineral Creek
- Mogollon Creek
- Sapillo Creek
- West Fork Gila River (headwaters down to the East Fork confluence)
- Whitewater Creek
- Willow Creek, including its tributaries
Get it free online, by phone, at license vendors, or at NMDOW offices. If you are chasing Gila trout for the New Mexico Trout Challenge, pick this up along with your license.
Purchasing a License
Licenses, validations, stamps, and permits can be purchased three ways:
- Online: Through the NMDOW online licensing portal.
- By phone: 1-888-248-6866, Monday through Friday, 8 to 5, except holidays.
- In person: At any authorized license vendor or NMDOW office.
Residency Requirements
To qualify for resident fees, you must have lived in New Mexico for at least 90 consecutive days immediately preceding your license application, and you must not claim residency anywhere else.
Other routes to residency exist, including students after one full term, military personnel permanently stationed in New Mexico along with their spouses and dependents, and foreign citizens legally in the United States with 90 days of New Mexico residence. Check with NMDOW if one of those applies to you.
Free Fishing Days
September 26 and 27, 2026. No license is needed to fish public waters on those two days. Every other rule still applies, including bag and possession limits and any water-specific permits.
Rules Worth Checking Before You Go
A license is only half of it. Two rules catch anglers out most often in our part of the state:
- Cutthroat bag limit: 2 per day, 4 in possession. Other trout are 5 and 10. Any trout with red slash marks below the jaw counts as a cutthroat. Gila trout are reduced-bag or catch and release only in several waters.
- Special Trout Waters carry their own limits and tackle restrictions under NMDOW’s chile designations: Red Chile (catch and release, tackle restrictions), Green Chile (two-trout limit, tackle restrictions), and Xmas Chile (two-trout limit, any legal tackle). New Special Trout Waters for 2026-27: Jack’s Creek, Rio Chiquito, and Rio San Antonio.
Look up the specific water you plan to fish in the NMDOW booklet before you go.
Additional Information
- Anglers 11 and younger do not need a license.
- Licenses are valid April 1 through March 31 of the following year.
- No New Mexico license is required on tribal reservations or Class A lakes. Those waters set their own permits and rules.
- All anglers must follow state fishing regulations, including bag and possession limits.
For current regulations and fees, go to the source. New Mexico Department of Wildlife: wildlife.dgf.nm.gov/fishing/licenses-permits/requirements-fees/. Full rules are in the 2026-2027 New Mexico Fishing Rules & Info booklet (PDF).