North Carolina Hunting License, Tags & Hunter Education

Resident, non-resident, senior, youth, and lifetime hunting fees, tags and stamps, trapping licenses, and hunter safety requirements for North Carolina. Checked 2026-11-12.

Hunting Licenses (5)

License / Permit	Residency	Fee	Eligibility & Notes	Source
Hunting licences (all types)	Resident & Non-resident	Not shown	Official ncwildlife.gov hunting page loaded without fee figures in DOM	Official page
Big Game Hunting Deer and Turkey package (resident)	Resident	$65.00	Resident big game hunter Package price only; individual item fees portal-only	Official page
Dove and Small Game package (resident)	Resident	$75.00	Resident hunter Package price only; individual item fees portal-only	Official page
Individual resident hunting licence	Resident	Portal login required	Item fees sit behind the Go Outdoors NC login	Official page
Individual nonresident hunting licence	Non-resident	Portal login required	Item fees sit behind the Go Outdoors NC login	Official page

Tags, Stamps & Permits (5)

License / Permit	Residency	Fee	Eligibility & Notes	Source
E-stamp bear management	Resident & Non-resident	Not shown	Fee not shown in text; transaction fee applies at agents	Official page
Bear Management E-Stamp	Resident & Non-resident	Not shown	Required with hunting licence and big game privilege to hunt bear Annual fee for annual and short-term licences; free for some lifetime holders; amount not shown on official pages	Official page
Harvest Information Program (HIP) certification	Resident & Non-resident	Free ($0.00)	Hunters of migratory game birds Issued free of charge	Official page
Federal Duck Stamp (federal)	Resident & Non-resident	Not shown	Waterfowl hunters Sold separately; fee not shown on NCWRC page	Official page
Big Game deer and turkey tags (privilege)	Resident & Non-resident	Portal login required	Included with big game privilege Tag fees behind Go Outdoors NC login	Official page

Trapping Licenses (2)

License / Permit	Residency	Fee	Eligibility & Notes	Source
Trapping licences	Resident & Non-resident	Not shown	Fee tables not rendered on official WRC page	Official page
Trapping licence	Resident & Non-resident	Portal login required	Fee not on official pages; purchase via Go Outdoors NC	Official page

Hunter Education Requirements (2)

License / Permit	Residency	Fee	Eligibility & Notes	Source
Hunter education requirement	All / N/A	Not shown	Not checked Hunter education offered in all 100 counties per official WRC publication	Official page
Hunter Education Certificate	Resident & Non-resident	Free ($0.00)	No minimum age; taught at sixth-grade level; tests done alone Accepted in every state and province; replacement card fee not shown; birth-year cutoff not stated on this page	Official page

Free, Senior, Veteran & Disability Exemptions (4)

License / Permit	Residency	Fee	Eligibility & Notes	Source
Youth and landowner e-stamp	Resident & Non-resident	Free ($0.00)	Youth exempt from hunting licence may get e-stamp free; landowners by phone or in person Official WRC page	Official page
Resident Totally Disabled Lifetime licence	Resident	Not shown	Totally disabled NC resident (application) Fee not shown on official lifetime page	Official page
Resident Disabled Veteran Lifetime licence	Resident	Not shown	Disabled veteran NC resident (application) Fee not shown on official lifetime page	Official page
Volunteer Firefighter Rescue Squad and EMS lifetime licence	Resident	Not shown	Five consecutive fiscal years on certified roster Fee not shown on official lifetime page	Official page

Next steps for North Carolina hunters

Check official North Carolina season dates before heading out, and stock up on tags/gear from licensed outfitters (Sportsman's Warehouse / Amazon Associates placeholder).

Also see: North Carolina Fishing Licenses →