Summer is winding down and fall is on the horizon which means it’s time for hunters and anglers to renew hunting and fishing licenses. Before taking the boat out or hitting the field, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) reminds hunters and anglers to purchase their new licenses for the 2026-27 season.
Current-year Texas hunting and fishing licenses (except the Year-from-Purchase All-Water Fishing Package) expire at the end of August. Licenses for the 2026-27 season went on sale Aug. 15.
Texans purchase more than 3 million hunting and fishing licenses annually, directly funding a magnitude of conservation efforts and recreational opportunities. Fish stocking, wildlife management, habitat restoration, public hunting leases, river access sites and conservation law enforcement by Texas Game Wardens are just some of the many projects made possible by license sales.
A variety of licenses are available and can be purchased through the official TPWD website, or in-person at retail locations throughout Texas or TPWD offices. A $5 administrative fee applies to online purchases.
Updated identity verification rules are now in effect for Texas hunting and fishing license purchases to combat residency fraud and support TPWD law enforcement. Additional information can be found at the License ID Validation FAQ page or the Purchase Requirements for Licenses, Endorsements and Tags page on the TPWD website.
All recreational licenses and endorsement stamps also have a digital option. The digital license option is available through online purchase only when licenses go on sale on Aug. 15. Digital license holders must keep their digital license available via mobile device while in the field or on the water as they will not receive a printed license or tags. License holders must access and use their digital tags through the Texas Hunt & Fish mobile app. Digital licenses can be viewed through the Texas Hunt & Fish and TPWD Outdoor Annual mobile apps.
For repeat license buyers, TPWD offers an expedited checkout process, allowing customers to re-purchase licenses bought in recent years.
Paper license holders may show an electronic copy of their license but must possess and apply physical tags for animals that require tagging. Several options exist for customers to provide proof of licensure other than their physical license, including: (1) an electronic photo of their licenses, (2) an emailed receipt of their purchases; (3) their account in the online license sales system; (4) by connecting their license to the Outdoor Annual or Texas Hunt & Fish mobile apps.
Hunting and fishing regulations for the 2026-27 season are available online at outdoorannual.com, or via the free Outdoor Annual mobile app. Once downloaded, the app works without internet connectivity, making it easy for hunters and anglers to view regulations in even the most remote locations. Other features include license lookup, location-based functionality such as “Hunting Seasons and Regulations by Location,” “Where to Fish,” and more. A limited supply of printed booklets will be available at select TPWD offices. Hunters and anglers are encouraged to call their local offices to check availability.
The Texas Hunt & Fish mobile app enables electronic submission of mandatory harvest reports, including alligator gar harvest reporting, and supports digital tagging of harvested deer, turkey, oversized red drum and spotted seatrout for digital license holders. The app also allows hunters to complete their on-site registration for many TPWD public hunting lands. Hunters can hunt on more than one million acres of public land with the purchase of an annual public hunting permit.
When buying their license, resident hunters and anglers may wish to purchase an entry in the Lifetime License Drawing. Three lucky winners will win a Lifetime Super Combo License and never need to buy a Texas hunting or fishing license again. Entries are $5 each and can be purchased online, or at any license retailer. The first entry deadline is Sept. 30.
When making their purchase, license buyers can also add a donation of $1, $5, $10 or $20 to help support the Hunters for the Hungry program, the Fund for Veterans Assistance or Operation Game Thief. Donations to the Hunters for the Hungry program provide hunters with a way to donate legally harvested deer to participating processors. The processed meat goes to local food banks to feed Texas families in need. Donations to the Fund for Veterans Assistance program provide grants to veteran service organizations and nonprofit charitable institutions, assisting veterans and their families at the community level throughout Texas.
Operation Game Thief is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit focused on protecting Texas’ wildlife and natural habitats through community engagement, outreach and education. It serves as Texas’ wildlife crime stoppers program.
For frequently asked questions about Texas hunting and fishing licenses, visit the TPWD website.
Article source and photo credit: Texas Parks and Wildlife Department
