Victoria Fishing Licence Exemptions 2026: Seniors Card, Age and Concession Proof

Victorian exemption checks

Do the exemption check before buying a Victorian Recreational Fishing Licence. Victoria lists several groups that do not need a paid RFL, but card names and codes matter.

Category	Licence answer	Proof or caution
Under 18	No paid RFL needed.	Age evidence can be useful if asked.
70 years and over	No paid RFL needed.	Optional senior fisher card is separate from the exemption.
Person identifying as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander	No paid RFL needed.	Do not add extra proof wording beyond the official category unless the official page asks for it.
Victorian Seniors Card or interstate equivalent	Listed exemption category.	This is not the same as the Victorian Seniors Business Discount Card.
Veterans Card - Victoria	Listed exemption category.	Carry the card if relying on it.
Veterans' Affairs Pensioner Card	Listed exemption category.	Check the current Service Victoria/VFA wording.
DVA Gold Card coded TPI	Listed exemption category.	The TPI code matters.
Commonwealth Pensioner Concession Card coded DSP, DSP Blind, AGE, AGE Blind or CAR	Listed exemption category.	The card code matters; do not rely on a different payment/card label.

Cards that do not exempt you

Card or payment	Victoria caution
Ordinary Health Care Card	Not a Victorian RFL exemption.
PPS or JobSeeker payment card	Not a Victorian RFL exemption.
Victorian Seniors Business Discount Card	Not the same as a Victorian Seniors Card exemption.
DVA White Card or DVA Orange Card	Not a Victorian RFL exemption.
A Victorian RFL held by a family member or friend	The licence is personal and does not cover you.

Free junior and senior fisher cards

VFA publishes optional free junior and senior fisher cards. These cards can be useful as identification for people who are already exempt by age, but they do not turn an otherwise non-exempt adult aged 18 to 69 into an exempt fisher.

Fisher card	Use it for
Junior fisher card	Optional card for eligible young fishers.
Senior fisher card	Optional card for eligible older fishers.
Paid RFL	Still needed if you are aged 18 to 69 and no exemption applies.

If you are not exempt

Use the Victoria fees guide to choose 3 days, 28 days, 1 year or 3 years, then use the buying guide. After licence or exemption status is settled, check Victoria fishing rules for bag limits, size limits, closed seasons, gear and local water rules.

Official references

Official source	Use it for
Service Victoria recreational fishing licence	Exemptions, card categories and online purchase route.
VFA fishing licence	Exemption table, non-exempt card warnings and fee context.
VFA recreational fishing cards	Optional free fisher cards for exempt age groups.

Keep in mind

Victoria has generous age and card-based exemptions, but exact wording matters. If your exemption is not clearly listed, use the paid RFL pathway before fishing.