A Guide To Buying A Rod Licence
You must have a rod fishing licence for England and Wales if you’re fishing for salmon, trout, freshwater fish, smelt or eel with a rod and line in England, Wales and the Border Esk Region, including the parts of the river that are in Scotland. You still need a licence if you are fishing on private land, such as angling clubs or private fishing lakes.
It is important to have a rod licence as the fees are used to fund work to improve habitats and fisheries, stock fish and prevent illegal fishing. You can be fined up to £2500 if you are fishing and cannot show a valid rod fishing licence when asked. As well as a rod licence, you will also need permission from the land or fishery owner, in the form of a fishing permit.
Children under the age of 13 do not need a rod licence. For children aged between 13 and 16, a junior licence is required which is free. Carers accompanying someone who is fishing do not need a licence unless they are fishing themselves.
Types of licences and rod limits
Non Migratory Trout, coarse fish and eel licence:
- 1 rod for non-migratory trout in rivers, streams, drains and canals
- up to 2 rods for non-migratory trout in reservoirs, lakes and ponds
- up to 2 rods for other freshwater fish
- up to 3 rods for freshwater fish, excluding non-migratory trout
Some fishing venues may have their own regulations regarding the number of rods you are allowed to use on their waters.
Salmon and sea trout licence:
- 1 rod for salmon, sea trout and non-migratory trout in rivers, streams and canals
- up to 2 rods for salmon, sea trout and non-migratory trout in reservoirs, lakes and ponds
- up to 3 rods for other freshwater fish
If you hold a salmon and sea trout licence, you must report a catch return
every year even if you did not fish.
The place where you fish may have additional rules about how many rods you can use there.
Rods that are not affected by licence limits
The following rods are not affected by licence limits unless they have hooks attached:
- spod rods (used to propel bait into water)
- marker rods (used to mark out lines)
Rod Licence Fees:
You can buy a 1-day, 8-day or 12-month licence online for yourself or someone else, up to 30 days before you want it to start. There are no discounted prices for a 1-day or an 8-day licence.
| LICENCE TYPE | 1 DAY | 8 DAY | 12 MONTHS | 12 MONTHS (66+ OR DISABLED) | JUNIOR (13-16 YEARS OLD) |
| TROUT & COARSE (UP TO 2 RODS) | £7.30 | £14.70 | £36.80 | £24.50 | FREE |
| TROUT & COARSE (UP TO 3 RODS) | N/A | N/A | £55.30 | £36.80 | FREE |
| SALMON & SEA TROUT | £13.50 | £30.50 | £93.10 | £62.00 | FREE |
Buy a rod licence online:
You can get an adult or junior rod licence online from the .gov website. Junior licences for children aged 13 to 16 are free.
To buy your rod licence you will need:
- a debit or credit card
- your National Insurance number, if you get PIP or DLA and you’re applying for a 12-month licence
- the other person’s details (such as date of birth), if you’re buying for someone else