Cross-state comparison
Australia Fishing Licence Fees by State
Compare published fishing licence and permit fees across Australian states and territories, then confirm the official source before you buy.
How to read the fee comparison
The table compares the main licence and permit fee types by jurisdiction. NSW and Victoria show general licence durations. Western Australia shows activity fees. Queensland shows SIPS permit prices. Tasmania has both inland angling and sea licence categories. South Australia, the Northern Territory and the ACT generally have no statewide general-licence fee, but South Australian reservoir permits and ACT Googong checks still matter.
Fee snapshot
Use this table as a planning snapshot for the page information date, then open the official source before paying. Prices are shown in Australian dollars.
| Jurisdiction | Main amount | Season or date basis | Caveat | Official source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NSW | 3 days: AUD 7; 1 month: AUD 14; 1 year: AUD 35; 3 years: AUD 85. | Service NSW licence pathway at the information date. | Check exemptions before paying. | Service NSW recreational fishing licence |
| Victoria | 3 day: AUD 10.00; 28 day: AUD 24.70; 1 year online: AUD 40.80; 3 year online: AUD 111.20. | Service Victoria online checkout; VFA also labels a 2025/2026 full-price table. | Online and agent/full prices can differ; confirm the checkout before payment. | Service Victoria licence |
| Queensland | SIPS 1 week: AUD 13.60; 1 year: AUD 64.58; concession annual: AUD 46.45. | Fees indexed from 1 July 2026. | SIPS is only for designated stocked impoundments, not a general Queensland licence. | Queensland SIPS permit |
| Western Australia | RFBL: AUD 40; net, south-west freshwater, rock lobster, abalone and marron: AUD 50 each before concessions. | 12-month activity licences. | Half-fee concessions and a 10% multi-activity discount can change the amount. | WA recreational fishing licences |
| South Australia | No statewide general fee; SA Water reservoir permits include 3-day, 10-day and annual options. | Reservoir permits are separate from PIRSA's no-general-licence answer. | Check the reservoir, designated area and permit before travel. | SA Water fishing permits |
| Tasmania inland | Adult 1 season: AUD 96.00 for 1 rod or AUD 115.50 for 2 rods; short-term inland options are also available. | 2026-27 IFS inland angling season. | Inland angling is separate from sea fishing licence categories. | IFS inland angling |
| Tasmania sea | First standard sea licence: AUD 66.85; first concession sea licence: AUD 38.20; each additional licence type: AUD 9.55. | 2025-26 sea licence year: 1 November 2025 to 31 October 2026. | No short-term sea licences; ordinary marine rod-and-line fishing usually needs no licence. | Tasmania sea licences |
| Northern Territory | No general recreational fishing licence fee. | NT rules and access pages at the information date. | Possession limits, gear rules and Aboriginal land or intertidal access can still apply. | NT recreational fishing rules |
| ACT | No general ACT public-water fee. | ACT recreational fishing guidance at the information date. | Googong Reservoir needs a separate NSW-linked licence check. | ACT recreational fishing |
Best fee to check by trip length
| Trip type | Start with | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Weekend visitor in NSW | NSW 3-day fee | Usually the shortest NSW general fee duration. |
| One-month NSW stay | NSW 1-month fee | Cheaper than stacking short licences. |
| Short Victorian trip | Victoria 3-day or 28-day RFL | Match the licence start date to the trip. |
| Queensland stocked dam holiday | SIPS 1-week permit | Only matters for designated SIPS waters and anglers 18 or over. |
| WA boat or listed species trip | WA activity licence | Pick the activity before comparing price. |
| Tasmania inland trout trip | IFS 48-hour, 7-day, 28-day or season licence | Inland price depends on duration and rod count. |
| Tasmania sea special activity | Sea licence category | Sea categories do not have short-term licence products. |
| SA reservoir trip | SA Water reservoir permit | Separate from the no-general-licence answer. |
Caveats
Online and agent prices can differ in Victoria. WA concessions and multi-activity discounts change the amount payable. Tasmania has many inland concession and short-term variants beyond the summary row, plus separate sea licence categories. Always open the state guide and official portal before purchase.
How discounts and concessions change the price
| Jurisdiction | Discount or concession pattern | What to confirm |
|---|---|---|
| NSW | Exemptions remove the fee for listed age, Aboriginal, pensioner, DVA and special cases. | The exact card or circumstance before buying. |
| Victoria | Exemptions apply to listed ages, Seniors Card, Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander people and selected pension or veteran categories. | The exact card code and whether an ordinary Health Care Card is excluded. |
| Queensland | SIPS concession annual price exists for listed cards. | Whether the trip is in a SIPS water and the angler is 18 or over. |
| Western Australia | Half-fee concessions and a 10% multi-activity discount can apply. | Buy multiple activity licences in one transaction if you rely on the multi-activity discount. |
| Tasmania inland | Junior 14-17 licences are free; concession, young adult and 80+ prices exist for full-season licences. | Age, concession proof, rod count and season. |
| Tasmania sea | Concession licence prices exist; Health Care Card holders are not eligible for the sea concession row. | The specific licensed sea activity and card eligibility. |
What fees do not cover
Do not use the fee comparison to decide whether a fish can be kept, whether a waterway is closed, or whether a land access permission is required. Use the requirements comparison first when the licence model is unclear, the exemptions comparison before paying, and the rules guide when the trip question is about limits, closures or marine parks.
Choose the right fee
Confirm the destination, activity, exemption and proof requirement before checkout. A cheap fee is still the wrong purchase if the activity is wrong: Queensland SIPS is not a general Queensland licence, a WA RFBL is not a rock lobster licence, and a Tasmania inland angling licence is not a Tasmania sea licence.
When you are ready to buy, use where to buy Australian fishing licences rather than a generic national checkout page.
Frequently asked questions
Why do some states show no fee amount?
Jurisdictions with no general recreational fishing licence may show no statewide fee, while still having rules or special permits.
Are these prices final?
They come from official pages, but you should still confirm the live government portal before paying.
Which states have short-term fishing licence prices?
NSW, Victoria and Tasmania inland angling publish short-duration licence options, while Queensland SIPS has a weekly permit for listed stocked impoundments.