Calculator Learn
Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming
Privacy About
New Jersey Hunting License

New Jersey Hunting License Cost 2026

NJ resident and non-resident fees, deer tags, turkey permits — plus a calculator for your full season total.

New Jersey Hunting Overview

New Jersey packs a surprisingly varied hunting landscape into the country's most densely populated state, with deer season stretching across public Wildlife Management Areas, farmland, and forested tracts within a short drive of major metro areas. The state's Division of Fish and Wildlife bundles deer access into the base license but prices archery as a separate endorsement — a structure that differs from most neighboring states. Understanding New Jersey's full fee breakdown, including its long bow season, helps hunters accurately plan a season that can run from September through February in parts of the state.

NJ Hunting License Fees at a Glance

Resident Annual
$27.50
Base license
Non-Resident Annual
$135.50
Base license
Deer Tag
+$28.00
Deer Permit, per zone (same for res/non-res)

Fees are approximate 2025–2026 rates. Verify at NJ Fish & Wildlife.

NJ Hunting Cost Calculator

Select your residency and the tags you need. Your estimated total updates instantly.

$27.50
+$21.00
+$16.25
+$27.00
Estimated Season Total
$27.50
Buy NJ License →

Complete New Jersey Hunting License Fee Schedule

License / TagResidentNon-ResidentNotes
Annual Hunting License$27.50$135.50Base license
Deer Tag$28.00$28.00Deer Permit per zone; $56 multi-zone
Spring Turkey Tag$21.00$21.00Per tag
Archery Endorsement$16.25$16.25Required for bow season
Federal Duck Stamp$27.00$27.00Required for waterfowl
Senior Resident65+ reduced—Verify at NJ Fish & Wildlife
YouthUnder 16 free—Junior hunting license
Active Duty MilitaryActive duty free—With military ID

New Jersey Hunting License Fees — What You're Actually Paying For

New Jersey's $27.50 resident license is among the pricier base fees in the Northeast—well above New York ($22) and Pennsylvania ($20.97), though it does include deer hunting access with no separate tag purchase required, unlike Pennsylvania's tag-heavy system. For a state with the country's highest population density, that price reflects a wildlife agency managing hunting access across a patchwork of suburban, forested, and farmland tracts squeezed between major metro areas.

Archery hunters pay extra in New Jersey: a $16.25 archery endorsement sits on top of the base license, whereas states like California and Georgia bundle bow season in at no additional cost. Combined with a long archery calendar that runs from September through February in parts of the state—one of the longest bow seasons on the East Coast—that endorsement fee is easier to justify if you're hunting multiple months rather than a single weekend.

Non-residents pay $135.50, a little over 4x the resident rate—a smaller resident/non-resident gap than most states, since New Jersey's resident fee already starts relatively high. Add the $21 turkey tag and $27 Federal Duck Stamp, and an out-of-state hunter chasing deer, turkey, and waterfowl in New Jersey should budget roughly $183.25 for licensing before gear and access fees for private land, which is common in the state's more developed regions.

New Jersey manages many of its Wildlife Management Areas under specific deer management zone permits, particularly for antlerless deer, which can require a separate zone-specific application beyond the base license. Suburban and urban deer management hunts near populated areas of the state sometimes have their own registration process distinct from general public land hunting.

New Jersey vs. Nearby States: Hunting License Cost Comparison

Here's how New Jersey's resident and non-resident hunting license fees stack up against nearby or commonly compared states.

StateResidentNon-Resident
New Jersey (this page)$27.50$135.50
New York$22.00$100.00
Pennsylvania$20.97$101.97
Connecticut$19.00$91.00
New Jersey vs. Nearby States — Resident vs. Non-Resident ($) Resident Non-Resident New Jersey (this state) $27.50 $135.50 New York $22.00 $100.00 Pennsylvania $20.97 $101.97 Connecticut $19.00 $91.00
Chart: annual base license fees, resident vs. non-resident. Source: state wildlife agency sites, verified July 2026.

How to Buy a New Jersey Hunting License

New Jersey hunting licenses are sold online through the state's licensing portal, by phone, or at license agents including sporting goods retailers statewide. Online purchases are issued as an instant digital license. Because archery requires its own endorsement separate from the base license, bowhunters should add it at checkout rather than assuming it's bundled—this is one of the more common first-time purchase mistakes among New Jersey hunters coming from bundled-license states.

Buying a NJ License, Step by Step

1. Go to the NJ Fish & Wildlife online licensing portal (or call/visit an agent in person).
2. Select residency status and the license type — base license, plus any required deer, turkey, or archery add-ons.
3. Enter hunter education certification details if this is your first license, or your existing customer ID if you've bought one before.
4. Pay online for an instant digital license, or complete the purchase in person.
5. Print or save your license and any tags to your phone, and review current season dates for your specific zone or unit before heading out.

New Jersey Residency Rules & License Exemptions

New Jersey requires applicants to have lived in the state for at least six months immediately before applying to qualify for resident rates, with a New Jersey driver's license or state ID as standard proof. Active-duty military stationed in New Jersey, regardless of home state, qualify for resident pricing. Seniors 65 and older receive a reduced-fee license, and youth under 16 hunt free. Landowner exemption rules in New Jersey are narrower and more situational than in many Southern states, so hunters should confirm current eligibility directly with NJ Fish & Wildlife rather than assume blanket exemptions apply.

Is a New Jersey Hunting License Worth It?

Is New Jersey's $27.50 resident license worth it given the extra $16.25 archery fee? For hunters focused on the state's long September-to-February bow season, yes — that's five months of access for $48.75 combined, competitive on a cost-per-month basis with shorter-season states charging similar total fees. For firearm-only hunters, the all-in cost is closer to average for the Northeast.

Other State Hunting License Costs

New YorkPennsylvaniaConnecticutAll 50 States →

See how New Jersey compares to all 50 states — resident and non-resident.

Compare All State Fees →

New Jersey Hunting Season Dates

SeasonTypical DatesNotes
Deer — ArcherySeptember – FebruaryCheck zone/unit dates
Deer — General FirearmDecember – JanuaryVaries by zone/unit
Spring Wild TurkeyApril – May$21.00 tag required
Waterfowl / DuckOctober – JanuaryDuck Stamp + state validation
New Jersey Hunting Season Timeline Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Deer — Archery Deer — General Firearm Spring Wild Turkey Waterfowl / Duck
Typical season windows shown by month. Exact open/close dates vary by zone or unit — verify with the state wildlife agency each year.

Season dates vary by zone/unit. Verify your area's exact calendar at NJ Fish & Wildlife.

Frequently Asked Questions — NJ Hunting License

How much is a hunting license in New Jersey?
A New Jersey resident hunting license costs $27.50 per year. A non-resident license costs $135.50. New Jersey requires a separate Deer/Turkey Permit ($28.00 per zone; $56.00 for a multi-zone permit) — it applies equally to residents and non-residents. A turkey tag costs an additional $21.00. Verify current rates with NJ Fish & Wildlife before purchasing.
How much is a New Jersey non-resident hunting license?
A New Jersey non-resident annual hunting license costs $135.50. A Deer Permit ($28.00 per zone) is required separately for deer hunting. The Federal Duck Stamp ($27) is required separately for waterfowl hunting.
Do I need a separate deer tag in New Jersey?
Yes — New Jersey requires a separate Deer Permit costing $28.00 per zone ($56.00 for a multi-zone permit), the same for residents and non-residents, on top of the base license.
When is deer season in New Jersey?
New Jersey's general firearm deer season typically runs December – January, with archery season running September – February. Season dates vary by zone or unit — always check the current year's dates at NJ Fish & Wildlife before hunting.
Do seniors get a discount on New Jersey hunting licenses?
New Jersey residents qualify for a senior hunting license benefit: 65+ reduced. Active duty military members also qualify for a discount (Active duty free). Verify current senior and military rates directly with NJ Fish & Wildlife.
Why is New Jersey's archery endorsement a separate charge?
New Jersey requires a distinct $16.25 archery endorsement on top of the base license because bow season runs on its own extended calendar (September through February in parts of the state) separate from firearm season, and the state prices that access separately rather than bundling it.
Is deer hunting included in New Jersey's base license?
Yes—unlike the archery endorsement, deer access itself is included in the standard $27.50 resident license with no additional deer tag fee required.
How does New Jersey's non-resident hunting cost compare to nearby states?
At $135.50, New Jersey's non-resident fee sits below New York's non-resident rate structure for combined tags and closer to Pennsylvania's non-resident cost, making it a moderate option for hunters from neighboring Northeastern states.
Do New Jersey Wildlife Management Areas require special permits?
Some do, particularly for antlerless deer in specific management zones or suburban deer management hunts — check the specific WMA's current requirements beyond your base license and archery endorsement before hunting.
How long is bow season in New Jersey?
New Jersey's archery season is one of the longest on the East Coast, running from September through February in parts of the state — nearly five months when combined across zones and permit areas.
How does New Jersey's license compare to New York's?
New Jersey's $27.50 resident fee is notably higher than New York's $22, and New Jersey adds a separate $16.25 archery fee where New York includes bow season in the base license and deer tag combination.
Does New Jersey offer multi-year hunting licenses?
New Jersey offers standard annual licensing; check the state's current licensing portal for any multi-year or bundled options, as these can change from year to year.
When is duck and waterfowl season in New Jersey?
New Jersey's general waterfowl season runs approximately October – January, though exact opener dates are set annually within federal USFWS framework dates and can vary by zone. A Federal Duck Stamp ($27) is required for all waterfowl hunters age 16 and older, on top of your New Jersey hunting license — check NJ Fish & Wildlife each year for the confirmed season dates in your zone.
What do I need to buy a New Jersey hunting license?
You'll typically need a government-issued photo ID (driver's license or state ID), your hunter education certification number if this is your first license, and a form of payment. Online purchases through NJ Fish & Wildlife accept major credit or debit cards and issue your license instantly; in-person purchases at a license agent may also accept cash or check depending on the retailer.
What's the total cost for a full deer, turkey, and archery season in New Jersey?
Adding the New Jersey base license ($27.50) to a Deer Permit ($28.00), a turkey tag ($21.00), and an archery endorsement ($16.25), a resident hunter pursuing all three in the same season pays roughly $92.75 total before the $27 Federal Duck Stamp needed for waterfowl. Non-resident totals run higher across the board — check NJ Fish & Wildlife for exact current tag prices before budgeting a multi-species season.
Does New Jersey require hunter education to get a hunting license?
Yes — like nearly every U.S. state, New Jersey requires hunter education certification for first-time license buyers born after a state-set cutoff date, typically covering firearm safety, ethics, and wildlife identification. Hunters who haven't completed the course yet can often still get afield through an apprentice or mentored hunting license, which lets a certified adult bring along an uncertified newcomer for one or more license years before certification is required.

Compare New Jersey's fees against every other state on our free tool.

Open the Full 50-State Calculator →