Fishing License Requirements in Gulf Shores & Orange Beach

Who Needs an Alabama Fishing License?

Angler shore fishing at Perdido Pass seawall in Orange Beach

The answer is almost everyone will need some form of a fishing license or be on the saltwater registry to fish in coastal waters. The exception is if you take a trip with one of the many inshore, offshore, or deep-sea charter vessels, which will have a boat license that covers its clients. Any fishing in the surf, on a pier, or on a privately-owned vessel needs an Alabama saltwater fishing license.

Annual and seven-day trip fishing licenses are available for both residents and non-residents.. A saltwater license is also required for cast netting, flounder gigging, and recreational crab traps in addition to surf, inshore, and offshore fishing. Anglers can easily purchase fishing licenses online from Outdoor Alabama.

Where to Fish with an Alabama Saltwater Fishing License

angler holding a large red snapper caught on a charter boat in Gulf Shores

The Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Marine Resources Division provides a map to determine the waters where saltwater fishing licenses are required.

Surf Fishing

If you’re fishing the surf outside your condo or anywhere along the shore, you need a fishing license or be on the registry. This includes shore fishing at Perdido Pass Bridge and Little Lagoon. You must have a valid Alabama saltwater fishing license with you at all times and be prepared to show it to local authorities if requested.

Boats cruising through the water near Perdido Pass in Orange Beach

Boat Fishing

A license is required for anglers offshore and deep-sea fishing in the Gulf in a private boat. If you’re in your own or a friend’s boat and are inshore fishing Little Lagoon, Perdido Bay, Wolf Bay, or the Bon Secour River, you also need a fishing license or be on the registry.

Sightseers and anglers along the Gulf State Park Fishing Pier in Gulf Shores

Pier Fishing

An Alabama Saltwater fishing license is required for pier fishing in the Gulf as well. Those who visit the Gulf State Park Pier need a license in order to pay $10 fishing fee. Fishing licenses are no longer available to purchase at the pier. Anglers who cast a line on the Fort Morgan Fishing Pier will also need a saltwater license and angler registry. Pier fishing licenses are $7.65 for Alabama residents and $14.15 for non-residents.

Alabama Freshwater Fishing License

Fishing pier on Wolf Bay at scenic Waterfront Park in Orange Beach

Depending on the species you're after, you may need a freshwater fishing license when casting off in the Intracoastal Waterway. When driving on Canal Rd, you'll notice cars parked on the Northside of the road as people fish into the Intracoastal. The pier at Orange Beach Waterfront Park is an excellent spot for fishing without a vessel in Wolf Bay.

License Exemptions for Fishing on Alabama's Beaches

angler reeling in a fish during a deep-sea fishing charter trip in Orange Beach

Residents and non-residents under 16 are exempt from needing a license. Residents aged 65 and over are also exempt. However, free saltwater registration is required for all residents 16 and over who take, catch, kill, or possess fish or attempt to catch, kill, or possess fish in the saltwater jurisdiction of Alabama. This includes residents not required to purchase an annual saltwater fishing license, such as those over the age of 64 with a lifetime saltwater license or who fish exclusively on a pier that has purchased a pier fishing license.

Other Types of Fishing Licenses on Alabama Beaches

Man holding a red snapper that he caught in the Gulf off of Alabama's Beaches

Reef Fish Endorsement

If you’re planning to head into the Gulf on a private boat to catch the numerous reef fish species, like red snapper, triggerfish, or grouper, you will need a Reef Fish Endorsement, which is $10 per individual. Again, charter boats have a vessel endorsement that covers all their clients. You can learn more on the Alabama Outdoor site.

Reciprocal License System

Alabama uses a reciprocal license system for non-residents, charging the residents of that state a similar fee an Alabama resident would pay in their state. For instance, a Louisiana resident would pay $129.20 for an annual saltwater fishing license in Alabama. Florida residents would pay $48.20 for the same license. All other states are charged $64.90 for the yearly license.

David Rainer has written about the great outdoors on the Alabama Gulf Coast for more than 20 years. For 14 of those years, he covered the many fishing opportunities on the Gulf Coast as outdoors editor at the Mobile Press-Register. He is past president of the Southeastern Outdoor Press Association and currently serves on the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council's Outreach and Education Advisory Panel and the Alabama Gulf Coast Reef & Restoration Foundation board.