Casting A Line While Making California Wildlife Licensing Easier

Sonora, CA — Having a paper license is no longer required to fish and soon to hunt in the state.

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) has launched the CDFW License App for mobile devices, allowing residents and nonresidents to display California sport fishing licenses and validations on their devices. Assemblymember Jim Wood (D-Healdsburg), author of Assembly Bill (AB) 817, praised the move towards making fishing licenses valid for 365 days and modernizing the licensing process by going digital.

“We sometimes think progress moves too slowly, but the Department of Fish and Wildlife has moved full-speed ahead in making fishing licenses valid for 365 days and has modernized the licensing process by going digital,” said Assemblymember Wood.

The app also allows users to download and view various CDFW online resources, including hunting and fishing regulations booklets, the Fish Planting Schedule, and the Online License Sales and Services website. As early as mid-2024, hunting licenses and related validations will be added to the mobile display options. The rollout aligns with CDFW’s R3 initiative to transform hunting and fishing barriers into opportunities.

Nathaniel Arnold, acting chief of CDFW’s Law Enforcement Division, said, “Wildlife officers expect the app will provide additional opportunities for the angling public to have their licenses conveniently in possession when checked.”

The app can be downloaded through the Apple App Store or Google Play Store, or by accessing direct download links from CDFW’s License App web page, click here.