How Do I Get a Fishing Licence?

Fast Facts about Ontario Outdoors Cards and Fishing Licences

For most Canadian residents, a licence to fish in Ontario consists of an Outdoors Card plus a fishing licence tag.

Canadian residents need an Outdoors Card to fish in Ontario if they are at least 18 years old but have not reached their 65th birthday.  The sportfishing licence tag or the conservation fishing licence tag is affixed to the plastic Outdoors Card.

If you have never had an Outdoors Card, you can request an application form be mailed to you by phoning the Outdoors Card Centre from anywhere in Canada at 1-800-387-7011.

Your Outdoors Card is good for three calendar years.

If you are a Canadian resident between 18 and 65 years of age and you want to fish in Ontario right away, you can buy a "Resident Fishing Licence and Outdoors Card Application" from one of more than 2,000 licence issuers across the province. This temporary paper licence is effective immediately and valid until December 31 of the year in which it was purchased.

The fee for a temporary paper licence includes the cost of a three-year plastic Outdoors Card.

If your Outdoors Card will soon expire, or has already expired, the fastest and easiest ways to renew your Outdoors Card is a three year renewal by credit card with a call to 1-800-288-1155 or online at the MNR Store.

Ontario Resident Hunters can also fish under the authority of their Outdoors Card (fishing/hunting version) with the appropriate fishing licence tag.

If you do not live in Canada, you will need a non-resident licence to fish in Ontario.

You can also get more information on the Outdoors Card by calling the Outdoors Card Centre at 1-800-387-7011 . This toll-free number works from all regions of Canada, from Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (Eastern Time).