A valid Arizona hunting license is required for taking wildlife (including fish) in Arizona. “Taking” refers to pursuing, shooting, hunting, fishing, trapping, killing, capturing, snaring or netting wildlife. Wildlife includes all wild mammals, wild birds, reptiles, amphibians, mollusks, crustaceans and fish.

Hunting License: Arizona residents and non-residents 10 years and older need a valid hunting license to hunt in Arizona. A person under 10 may hunt wildlife other than big game without a license when accompanied by a properly licensed person 18 years or older. No more than two unlicensed children may accompany any license holder and no one under the age of 14 may take big game without having completed a hunter education course. The course must be approved by the Arizona Game and Fish Department and the IHEA-USA.

The hunter education course is not required for those over the age of 14. The minimum age to take the online hunter education course is 9 years old. No one under the age of 10 may hunt big game in Arizona.

After passing the online course, you must also attend a field day in order to complete your hunter safety certification. After completing the online course you need to find and sign up to a Hunting Field Day.

The Field Day will take between 4 and 6 hours and will include a classroom sessions, live-fire shooting, firearm demonstrations, and a walking segment which includes scenarios on when a shot should be taken or not. There will be a 50-question final written exam. The Field Day compliments the online hunter education course and students should review the course content again before the Field Day.

Please remember to bring your Field Day Qualification Exam Certificate to the Field Day as proof you have completed the online course. Once you complete the Field Day and exam you will receive your Arizona Hunter Education Certificate.

A valid Arizona fishing license is required for both residents and non-residents of Arizona 10 years of age or older who will be fishing any public accessible water in Arizona. Youth under the age of 10 and blind residents of Arizona do not need to purchase a state fishing license.

Stamps are available for purchase at all Arizona Game and Fish Department offices, some license dealers statewide and online. All licenses are valid 365 days from the date of purchase. Arizona migratory bird stamps and federal duck stamps are valid from July 1, through to June 30 of each year.

Anyone can take the online hunter education course including those not residing in Arizona. The Arizona Hunter Education Certificate is accepted in any other U.S. State, Canadian province or territory, and any other country that has mandatory hunter education requirements. This also means that hunter education certificates issues by other jurisdictions, that meet IHEA-USA requirements, are also accepted in Arizona.

In order to be approved by the Arizona Game and Fish Department, a course must teach hunters to be:

Safe, following hunting rules
Responsible, with regards to wildlife, conservation, and hunting laws
Knowledgeable, by using acceptable behaviour and attitudes while hunting
Involved, by joining and participating in hunting and conservation organisations

The International Hunter Education Association (IHEA-USA) sets performance guidelines and standards for basic hunter education which are used internationally by hunter education administrators to ensure hunters learn basic hunter safety and the ethical principles of hunting.

The HUNTINGsmart! hunter education course was developed in accordance with IHEA-USA standards and is an official approved course.

Hunters between 10 and 13 years of age are required by obtain a hunter education certification to legally buy a license or permit to hunt. In order to hunt in Arizona you must obtain an Arizona hunting license. There are different permits for Arizona residents, non-residents, youth, senior, military personnel, and hunters with disabilities.  There is a specific license for Migratory Waterfowl.

You can buy a license through the Arizona Game and Fish Department and licenses can be purchased annually or for your lifetime.

In order to qualify for a free license, individuals must meet a certain criteria. A Pioneer License must be 70 years of age or over, as well as provide proof of being an Arizona resident for 25 consecutive years (immediately preceding the application for the license). To qualify as a Disabled Veteran, one must show certification from the Veteran’s Administration confirming permanent service connected disabilities rated as 100 percent disabling, plus one or more years as an Arizona resident.

The Apprentice Hunting License is in place for no charge and has been newly adopted to encourage existing hunters to become mentors and introduce their friends, neighbors, relatives etc to the traditions of hunting. This license allows a licensed Arizona hunter to take a beginner hunter out with them without the beginner needing to purchase a hunting license.

The Apprentice License is valid for any two consecutive days for the legal take of small game, fur-bearing, predatory and nongame mammals, nongame birds, and upland game birds in season. In order to take migratory birds or waterfowl, the appropriate stamps are required at normal costs. The Apprentice License is not valid for the take of big game animals.