PUBLISHED

N.C.G.S. § 113-271

Hook-and-line licenses in inland and joint fishing waters.

Effective date: 2026-08-08
Last verified: 2026-08-09
Source: official source
Revision history: view all versions

(a) An inland hook-and-line fishing license issued under subdivisions (2), (3), (5), (6), (6a), (6b), and (6c) of subsection (d) of this section entitles the licensee to fish with hook and line in inland fishing waters, joint fishing waters, and public mountain trout waters. An inland hook-and-line fishing license issued under this section entitles the licensee to access and use Wildlife Resources Commission Property, but does not entitle the licensee to engage in fishing in coastal fishing waters. (b) Repealed by Session Laws 1993 (Reg. Sess., 1994), c. 684, s. 4. (c) Repealed by Session Laws 1979, c. 830, s. 1. (d) The hook-and-line fishing licenses issued by the Wildlife Resources Commission are as follows: (1) Repealed by Session Laws 2019-204, s. 6(g), effective September 1, 2019. (2) Resident State Inland Fishing License - $25.00. This license shall be issued only to an individual resident of the State. (3) Lifetime Resident Comprehensive Inland Fishing License - $250.00. This license shall be issued only to an individual resident of the State and is valid for the lifetime of the licensee. (4) Repealed by Session Laws 2013-283, s. 7, effective August 1, 2014. (5) Nonresident State Inland Fishing License - $45.00. This license shall be issued to an individual nonresident of the State. (6) Short-Term Inland Fishing Licenses. Short-term inland fishing licenses are valid only for the date or consecutive dates indicated on the licenses. Short-term inland fishing licenses issued by the Wildlife Resources Commission are: a. Resident 10-day Inland Fishing License - $9.00. This license shall be issued only to a resident of the State. b. Nonresident 10-day Inland Fishing License - $23.00. This license shall be issued only to a nonresident of the State. c. Repealed by Session Laws 2005-455, s. 1.8, effective January 1, 2007. (6a) Age 70 Resident Lifetime Inland Fishing License - $15.00. This license shall be issued only to an individual resident of the State who is at least 70 years of age. (6b) Resident Disabled Veteran Lifetime Inland Fishing License - $10.00. This license shall be issued only to an individual who is a resident of the State and who is a fifty percent (50%) or more disabled veteran as determined by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs or as established by rules of the Wildlife Resources Commission. This license remains valid for the lifetime of the licensee. (6c) Resident Totally Disabled Lifetime Inland Fishing License - $10.00. This license shall be issued only to an individual who is a resident of the State and who is totally and permanently disabled as determined by the Social Security Administration or as established by rules of the Wildlife Resources Commission. This license remains valid for the lifetime of the licensee. (7), (8) Repealed by Session Laws 2005-455, s. 1.8, effective January 1, 2007. (9) Special Landholder and Guest Fishing License - $100.00. This license shall be issued only to the landholder of private property bordering inland or joint fishing waters. This license shall entitle the landholder and guests of the landholder to fish from the shore or any pier or dock originating from the property without any additional fishing license. This license is applicable only to private property and private docks and piers and is not valid for any public property, pier, or dock nor for any private property, pier, or dock operated for any commercial purpose whatsoever. This license shall not be in force unless displayed on the premises of the property and only entitles fishing without additional license to persons fishing from the licensed property and then only when fishing within the private property lines. This license is not transferable as to person or location. For purposes of this subdivision, a guest is any individual invited by the landholder to fish from the property at no charge. A charge includes any fee, assessment, dues, rent, or other consideration which must be paid, whether directly or indirectly, in order to be allowed to fish from the property, regardless of the stated reason for such charge. (10) Mountain Heritage Trout Waters Three-Day Fishing License - $8.00. This license shall be issued to an individual resident or nonresident of the State and shall entitle the holder to fish in waters designated by the Wildlife Resources Commission as mountain heritage trout waters for the three consecutive days indicated on the license. An individual who holds a mountain heritage trout waters three-day fishing license does not need to hold any other hook-and-line fishing license issued pursuant to this subsection in order to fish in mountain heritage trout waters. (1929, c. 335, ss. 1-4; 1931, c. 351; 1933, c. 236; 1935, c. 478; 1945, c. 529, ss. 1, 2; c. 567, ss. 1-4; 1949, c. 1203, s. 2; 1953, c. 1147; 1955, c. 198, s. 1; 1957, c. 849, s. 2; 1959, c. 164; 1961, c. 312; c. 834, ss. 3-6; 1965, c. 957, s. 2; 1969, c. 761; c. 1042, s. 9; 1973, c. 476, s. 143; c. 504; 1975, c. 197, s. 15; 1979, c. 737, ss. 1, 2; c. 748, s. 6; c. 830, s. 1; 1979, 2nd Sess., c. 1178, ss. 3, 5; 1981, c. 482, s. 5; 1981 (Reg. Sess., 1982), c. 1201, s. 5; 1983, c. 140, s. 6; 1987, c. 156, ss. 8, 9; c. 827, s. 98; 1989 (Reg. Sess., 1990), c. 909, s. 2; c. 926; 1993 (Reg. Sess., 1994), c. 684, s. 4; 1995, c. 535, s. 6.1; 1997-443, s. 11A.118(a); 1999-456, s. 28; 2005-455, s. 1.8; 2006-255, s. 8; 2013-283, s. 7; 2019-204, s. 6(g).)