The State of North Carolina requires that any angler, 16 or older, who recreationally fish the waters of North Carolina that are designated as coastal or joint waters must have a valid, current North Carolina Recreational Fishing License. This fishing license is available in many varieties, and are issued by the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission. They can be purchased four different ways: from a wildlife agent, online at www.ncwildlife.org, by calling 888-248-6834 or by visiting the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission office in person in Raleigh, North Carolina.
Residents of North Carolina have the privilege of choosing short-term licenses, annual licenses or a lifetime license. Short-term licenses are available in a basic 10-day fishing license and a coastal recreational 10-day fishing license. Annual licenses are available in a basic state inland fishing license, a basic combination hunting and fishing license, a basic county inland fishing license, a comprehensive inland fishing license, a sportsman license, a coastal recreational fishing license, a unified sportsman/coastal recreational fishing license, a unified inland/coastal recreational fishing license, a unified subsistence inland/coastal recreational fishing license waiver.
Lifetime licenses are available in a state comprehensive inland fishing license, a 65 and older comprehensive inland fishing license, a basic disabled veteran inland fishing license, a basic totally disabled inland fishing license, a state comprehensive hunting and fishing license, a sportsman license, a special sportsman license, a basic disabled veteran license, a basic totally disabled license, a disabled veteran sportsman license, a totally disabled sportsman license, a unified adult sportsman/coastal recreational fishing, an unified youth sportsman/coastal recreational fishing license, an unified age 65 or older sportsman/coasta recreational fishing license, an unified disabled veteran sportsman/coastal recreational fishing license, an unified totally disabled sportsman/coastal recreational fishing license, an unified inland/coastal recreational fishing license, an unified legally blind inland/coastal recreational fishing license, an unified adult care home inland/coastal recreational fishing license, an adult coastal recreational fishing license, a youth coastal recreational fishing license, an infant coastal recreational fishing license, an age 65 or older coastal recreational fishing license, a disabled veteran coastal recreational fishing license or a totally disabled coastal recreational fishing license.
North Carolina has reciprocal agreements with three other states. They are Georgia, Virginia and Tennessee and these agreements, according to the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission, “provide for the honoring of all state-wide hook and line fishing licenses obtainable from either of the respective states on certain boundary waters.” The agreement between North Carolina and Georgia covers all fishing boats on the Chatuge Reservoir and its tributaries that are accessible via the main body of water by boat. The agreement between North Carolina and Tennessee covers Slick Rock Creek at the state line and also fishing from boats on Calderwood Reservoir. The agreement between North Carolina and Virginia “covers the Dan River east of the Brantly Steam Plant Dam, the Staunton River east of the Rt. 360 bridge, and Kerr and Gaston reservoirs and their tributaries which are accessible by boat, as well as that portion of the New River between the confluence of the New and Little Rivers in Virginia.”
