The Official Website of the North Dakota Game and Fish Department
Serving the Citizens of North Dakota
Hunting FAQs
Residency Requirements & Exemptions
Who is eligible for a North Dakota resident license?
A person who has actually lived in the state of North Dakota or maintained his legal residence therein for the past six months. Exceptions:
- Waiver of Residency A person who will be living in North Dakota for a minimum of one year or who intends to become a resident may be eligible to purchase non-lottery licenses such as fishing, small game, and furbearer at resident prices. Contact our licensing section at 701-328-6335 to obtain a waiver of residency form or download a copy.
-
Military Exception. Military personnel in the state on duty
or leave are eligible for a similar waiver to the one listed above.
Also, a North Dakota resident, in the armed forces stationed
outside the state, upon showing proof of residency, may receive a
deer gun license without being subject to the license
lottery. To apply you must meet these requirements:
- Maintain North Dakota as your state of residence.
- You must be stationed outside of North Dakota.
- Fill out and send in a deer application with the following items: A check or money order for $20, a copy of your orders showing where you are stationed, a copy of your current driver's license or pay stub showing the state where you pay taxes. Contact our licensing section at 701-328-6335 for more information.
- Nonresident youth hunting licenses. A nonresident under age 16 need only purchase a North Dakota resident fishing, hunting and furbearer certificate and a North Dakota resident general game and habitat license to hunt small game and waterfowl except swans and wild turkeys; provided, that the nonresident's state, or province or territory of Canada, of residence provides a reciprocal licensing agreement for North Dakota residents who are also under age 16. (Currently states of Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Wisconsin qualify.) To be eligible, a nonresident youth may not have turned sixteen before September 1 of the year for which the license is issued and must possess a certificate of completion for a certified hunter education course. The nonresident youth may only hunt under the supervision of an adult family member or legal guardian who is licensed to hunt small game or waterfowl in this state and is subject to the same regulations as the adult family member or legal guardian.
- Nonresident full-time state or tribal college students living in North Dakota and attending an institution of higher learning under the jurisdiction of the Board of Higher Education, a private institution, or a tribal college may qualify to purchase non-lottery resident licenses. Details and license sales are available only through On-Line Services.
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