Do Children Need a Fishing Licence?

By Alex Clayton · Updated 23 October 2026

In England and Wales, children under 13 do not need a rod licence. From 13 to 16 they need a junior licence, which is free. That is the short answer to what age do you need a fishing licence, but it only holds for England and Wales.

Scotland and Northern Ireland run different systems, and in every nation a licence is not the same as permission to fish a water. This guide covers each age band, how a parent gets the junior licence, whether the adult helping needs one, and the fishing licence age rules in each UK nation, with the official source for each.

Fishing Licence Age Rules at a Glance

England and Wales set the age at 13, and so does the DAERA area of Northern Ireland, though its wording is “over 12”. The surprise is the Loughs Agency area, which has no age exemption at all.

Where	Under 13	13 to 16	17 and over
England and Wales (Environment Agency)	No licence	Free junior licence	Adult licence (price on GOV.UK)
Scotland (except Border Esk)	No rod licence	No rod licence	No rod licence
Border Esk region	No licence	Free junior licence	Adult licence
Northern Ireland, DAERA area	No rod licence	Rod licence (check price with DAERA)	Rod licence
Northern Ireland, Loughs Agency area	Rod licence	Rod licence (check price with the Loughs Agency)	Rod licence

In Scotland you still need permission from the landowner or angling club at any age. In Northern Ireland you need a permit or day ticket as well as the rod licence, and a licence bought in Great Britain is not valid there, according to nidirect.

Under 13: No Licence Needed in England and Wales

“Over 13” and “from 13” do not mean the same thing, and some guides blur the two. GOV.UK is clear: children under 13 do not need a rod licence. In practice, that runs up to the day before their 13th birthday.

Take a 12-year-old fishing beside a parent on a lake in England. The child needs no licence. The parent needs their own if they are fishing, and the fishery’s permission still applies to both of them.

If your child turns 13 this season, sort the free junior licence before the birthday. GOV.UK lets you buy a licence up to 30 days before it starts, so you can set it to begin on the birthday itself.

Ages 13 to 16: The Free Junior Licence

Free does not mean automatic. A 13 to 16 year old fishing without a junior licence is fishing illegally.

GOV.UK lists a “12-month junior (13 to 16 years old)” licence as free for all rod types. Nothing arrives in the post at 13, so someone has to apply.

The junior licence covers the same fishing as an adult one. In England (except the River Tweed), Wales and the Border Esk region, that means rod and line fishing for freshwater fish, trout, salmon, smelt or eel, including on private land.

Wales is not a separate scheme. Young anglers there use the same Environment Agency licence with the same age bands.

Junior versus adult: same coverage, no cost. A 14-year-old on a day-ticket lake in England still needs two things, the free junior licence and the fishery’s permission. For adult licence types and prices, see the full fishing licence guide.

How to Get a Junior Fishing Licence for Your Child

GOV.UK confirms you can buy a licence for someone else, so a parent can apply on a child’s behalf.

Go to the GOV.UK Buy a fishing licence service, or phone 0344 800 5386, Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm (not public holidays).
Choose the 12-month junior licence for 13 to 16 year olds. It costs nothing.
Enter the young person’s details, including their date of birth.
Pick the start date. You can buy up to 30 days ahead.
Keep the licence details where the child can show them if an enforcement officer asks.

GOV.UK says you need a card to buy online, so have one ready even though the junior licence is free, or use the phone line instead.

The day ticket or club permit is a separate purchase, covered below. For kit, bait and the rest of the planning, run through the first fishing trip checklist.

Does the Parent or Adult Helping Need a Licence?

You can stand on the bank all day, untangle rigs and net every fish without a licence. The moment you cast your own rod, you need one.

GOV.UK says carers accompanying someone who is fishing do not need a licence unless they are fishing themselves. It does not define “carer”, so if you are unsure whether what you are doing counts as fishing, check with the Environment Agency.

If you do fish, you need an adult licence for your own rod. Your licence does not cover your child, and theirs does not cover you. Adults aged 66 or over, or with a disability, can check reduced prices in the licence concessions guide.

For keeping a young angler keen, see fishing with kids. Helping is free. Fishing is not.

A Licence Is Not Permission: Day Tickets and Fishery Rules

A rod licence makes fishing legal. It does not give anyone the right to fish a particular water.

GOV.UK says you also need permission from the landowner or fishery, usually a permit or day ticket, and you must follow national and local byelaws.

Many fisheries set their own rules on minimum ages, adult supervision and junior tickets. These vary by venue and are not national law. Before a first trip, ring the fishery and ask what applies to children: check with the fishery before you travel.

On rivers, the coarse fishing close season applies to young anglers as well as adults, so read the fishing seasons and close season guide before planning a spring trip.

Scotland and Northern Ireland: Different Rules

Cross into Scotland and the licence question mostly disappears. Cross the Irish Sea and it depends which waters you fish.

Scotland

You do not need a licence to fish with rod and line anywhere in Scotland apart from the Border Esk region, at any age, according to GOV.UK. You still need permission from the landowner or angling club. On the Border Esk, the England and Wales licence applies, with the same age bands.

Northern Ireland

In the DAERA area, anyone over 12 needs a rod licence for each rod they use. In the Loughs Agency area, a rod licence is needed at all ages. Both also need a permit or day ticket.

Sea angling in Northern Ireland needs no rod licence, except when fishing for salmon or sea trout. Nidirect does not set out junior prices, so check with DAERA or the Loughs Agency. Adult rules are in our Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland licence guide.

So a child under 13 needs no rod licence on DAERA waters but does on Loughs Agency waters.

Turning 17, and the Fine for Fishing Without a Licence

From 17, an adult licence is needed in England and Wales.

Prices change, so check the current adult price on GOV.UK. Short-term 1-day and 8-day licences suit a teenager who only fishes a few times a year.

GOV.UK does not spell out exactly when a junior licence stops relative to the 17th birthday. Check the end date on the licence, and buy an adult licence once it no longer covers you.

You can be fined up to £2,500 if you fish in England or Wales and cannot show a valid rod licence when asked. If a 17th birthday is coming up, put the adult licence on the calendar now. Newer anglers can start with fishing for beginners.

Frequently asked questions

What age do you need a fishing licence in the UK?

In England and Wales, from 13, with a free junior licence for 13 to 16s. Scotland has none except the Border Esk region. In Northern Ireland, anyone over 12 needs one in DAERA waters, and all ages in Loughs Agency waters.

Is a kids fishing licence free?

Yes, in England and Wales the junior licence for 13 to 16 year olds is free for all rod types. For Northern Ireland junior prices, check with DAERA or the Loughs Agency.

Can a child fish on a parent's licence?

No. A rod licence covers only the person it is issued to. Under 13s need none in England and Wales; 13 to 16s need their own free junior licence.

Do children need a fishing licence for sea fishing?

Not usually. The England and Wales licence covers freshwater fish, salmon, trout, smelt and eel, not sea species. In Northern Ireland, sea angling needs no rod licence except for salmon or sea trout.