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2026 regulation year

US Fishing License Reciprocity 2026 — Border-Water Cross-State Agreements

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As a general rule, every US state requires its own fishing licence to fish its waters. A handful of border rivers and boundary impoundments are the exception: by interstate compact, the two states on either side honor each other's resident or non-resident licence on the named water. 6 canonical agreements are documented below — each with the water body, the recognized licence types, and the limits of the compact (tributaries, stamps, tidal sections) where the reciprocity does NOT apply.

Outside these named waters, plan on buying the destination state's licence — see the non-resident fee comparator for prices, or the cheapest-non-resident-week ranking if you are picking a state on cost.

Reciprocity agreements

KentuckyIndiana

Ohio River — Kentucky ↔ Indiana

Water body: Ohio River main stem

Geographic scope

Main stem of the Ohio River from the river's confluence with the Mississippi upstream to the Kentucky / West Virginia state line, plus tributaries upstream to the first riffle or first dam.

Which licence is honored

A valid Kentucky or Indiana fishing license — resident or non-resident — is honored on the Ohio River main stem by either state's wildlife officers. You still need the license of the state whose tributary you enter beyond the first riffle.

Limits of the compact

  • Bait, tackle, and creel limits follow the state whose license you hold on the day of the trip.
  • Trout-stocked tributaries and special-regulation reservoirs require the licence of the actual state, not the Ohio River reciprocity.

Source: Kentucky Department of Fish & Wildlife Resources; Indiana DNR Division of Fish & Wildlife — Ohio River reciprocity. — official page.

KentuckyTennessee

Kentucky Lake & Lake Barkley — Kentucky ↔ Tennessee

Water body: Kentucky Lake and Lake Barkley impoundments

Geographic scope

All open public waters of Kentucky Lake (Tennessee River impoundment) and Lake Barkley (Cumberland River impoundment), in both Kentucky and Tennessee.

Which licence is honored

A valid resident or non-resident fishing license from either Kentucky or Tennessee is honored on the two impoundments. Cross-state anglers may fish either lake under either licence.

Limits of the compact

  • Bag, possession, size, and slot limits follow the state whose license the angler is using.
  • Trout-related stamps and species-specific permits are NOT covered — buy the destination state's stamp separately.
  • Boundary applies on the open water of the impoundments only; tributary creeks and tailwaters revert to the home-state license.

Source: Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency Proclamation; Kentucky DFWR Reciprocity Agreement. — official page.

MarylandVirginia

Tidal Potomac River — Maryland ↔ Virginia (via PRFC)

Water body: Tidal Potomac River — main stem and embayments downstream of Little Falls

Geographic scope

Tidal Potomac River from Little Falls (just above Washington, DC) downstream to the mouth at Point Lookout, including Maryland and Virginia tidal embayments off the main stem.

Which licence is honored

The Potomac River Fisheries Commission issues a sport-fishing licence (PRFC tidal-Potomac licence) that is valid for the entire tidal Potomac. In addition, a valid Maryland tidal-water fishing licence and a valid Virginia saltwater fishing licence are recognised on the tidal Potomac under the interstate compact administered by PRFC.

Limits of the compact

  • Non-tidal Potomac (above Little Falls) requires the Maryland freshwater non-tidal licence — Virginia's licence does NOT cover it.
  • Recreational crab and oyster regulations are governed separately by PRFC and may require additional permits.
  • DC waters of the Potomac (south of the Maryland line) are administered by the DC Department of Energy & Environment under a separate licence.

Source: Potomac River Fisheries Commission; Maryland DNR Tidal Fishing Licence regulations; Virginia Marine Resources Commission. — official page.

MaineNew Hampshire

Salmon Falls River — Maine ↔ New Hampshire

Water body: Salmon Falls River (and other ME/NH boundary waters)

Geographic scope

The Salmon Falls River, which forms the southern boundary between Maine and New Hampshire, plus a handful of small lakes and ponds on the boundary explicitly named in each state's reciprocity statute.

Which licence is honored

A valid Maine or New Hampshire freshwater fishing licence is honored on the boundary waters. Both states list the specific lakes / pond names in their reciprocity provisions — anglers should verify the destination water by name in the current state booklet.

Limits of the compact

  • Reciprocity applies only to waters explicitly named in the boundary-waters statute, not to tributaries.
  • Migratory anadromous-fish stamps (Atlantic salmon, smelt) follow each state's own rules and are not covered.
  • The agreement is silent on shellfish, baitfish harvest, and tournament permits — book those with the destination state.

Source: New Hampshire Fish & Game Department; Maine Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife — boundary-waters reciprocity. — official page.

New HampshireVermont

Connecticut River — New Hampshire ↔ Vermont

Water body: Connecticut River main stem on the NH / VT boundary

Geographic scope

Connecticut River main stem from the Massachusetts state line upstream to the Canadian border, including the four reservoirs (Wilder, Bellows Falls, Vernon, Moore / Comerford) on the NH / VT boundary.

Which licence is honored

Either a New Hampshire or a Vermont fishing licence is valid on the main stem of the Connecticut River and its boundary impoundments. The reciprocity applies to the river itself, not to side tributaries on either bank.

Limits of the compact

  • New Hampshire owns the river to the Vermont low-water mark, but the reciprocity statute lets either state's licensed angler fish the entire main stem.
  • Tributaries on the Vermont side beyond the low-water mark require a Vermont licence; tributaries on the NH side require an NH licence.
  • Two-pole, trout, and Atlantic-salmon stamps follow the angler's home licence — not interchangeable across states.

Source: New Hampshire Fish & Game; Vermont Fish & Wildlife — Connecticut River reciprocity. — official page.

PennsylvaniaNew Jersey

Delaware River main stem — Pennsylvania ↔ New Jersey

Water body: Delaware River main stem from the NY line to Trenton Falls (PA/NJ border)

Geographic scope

Non-tidal main stem of the Delaware River between Pennsylvania and New Jersey, from the New York / Pennsylvania boundary downstream to the head of tide at Trenton Falls.

Which licence is honored

A valid Pennsylvania or New Jersey freshwater fishing licence is honored anywhere on the main stem of the Delaware River between the two states. Either licence is sufficient for boat or wading anglers on the river itself.

Limits of the compact

  • Tributaries on the Pennsylvania bank require a Pennsylvania licence; tributaries on the New Jersey bank require a New Jersey licence.
  • Below Trenton Falls the Delaware becomes tidal and the New Jersey saltwater registry rules apply on the New Jersey side.
  • Trout and combination-trout-salmon stamps follow each state's separate stamp rules; reciprocity does not extend to the stamp.

Source: Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission; New Jersey Division of Fish & Wildlife — Delaware River reciprocity. — official page.

Commonly assumed (but NOT reciprocal) border waters

A handful of large border waters look like reciprocity candidates but are NOT — each angler must hold the licence of the state they are physically fishing in:

  • Lake Tahoe (California / Nevada) — no reciprocity. The state line bisects the lake; anglers must hold the licence of the side they are casting from.
  • Lake Champlain (New York / Vermont) — no general reciprocity. Limited boundary exceptions for ice anglers on a few named bays; check both state booklets before a trip.
  • Columbia River and Snake River boundary stretches (Washington / Oregon, Idaho / Oregon) — partial joint regulation via interstate compact, but the angler still needs the licence of their physical location unless a current concurrent-jurisdiction stretch is explicitly named.
  • Missouri River boundary (Iowa / Nebraska / South Dakota) — no general reciprocity. Each state honors its own licence on its side of the channel.

How to read these agreements

  • Reciprocity applies to the named water only. Tributaries, side sloughs, and adjacent ponds revert to the licence of the state whose bank you are casting from.
  • Stamps and species-specific endorsements (trout, salmon, two-pole, saltwater registry) are usually NOT covered. Buy the destination state's stamp separately even when the base licence is recognized.
  • Bag, possession, size, slot, and gear regulations follow the state whose licence is in use that day — they are not always identical across the two participating states.
  • Interstate compacts are statutory; either legislature can amend or withdraw at any time. Always confirm the current text in the destination state's regulation booklet, particularly before tournament weekends.

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