Rod fishing licence

Anyone over the age of 12 who wishes to fish for freshwater fish and eels in England, Wales or the Border Esk region of Scotland requires a rod licence to fish with a rod and line. If you're fishing for coarse fish with 3 or 4 rods then you need 2 licences.

If you buy a full licence it will run out on 31 March unless you have bought a new season licence in advance. 1-day licences are valid for 24 hours from the start time you select and 8-day licences are valid for 192 consecutive hours from the start time you select.

If you've bought a full licence for this season you're covered to go fishing immediately. You'll receive a confirmation e-mail to confirm that your purchase has been successfully processed. If you have access to a printer take a copy of this fishing with you until your licence arrives.

If you've bought a 1 or 8-day licence you can fish from the start date and time you select. Again, you'll receive a confirmation e-mail to confirm that your purchase has been successfully processed. If you have access to a printer take a copy of this fishing with you.

It is possible to upgrade your trout & coarse licence to a salmon and sea trout licence throughout the year. To upgrade your licence you must take it to a Post Office branch.  You'll need to pay the difference in cost between the licences. The Post Office® will keep your trout and coarse licence and a salmon and sea trout licence will be posted to you.

Concessions are available for juniors aged 12 - 16 years old, seniors aged 65+ years and disabled anglers who are in receipt of a Blue Badge or Disability Living Allowance. Your eligibility for a concession may be checked against the information you provide as part of the application process.

You can buy more than one rod licence either for yourself or other people although you'll need to enter your details each time. If you're using renewal letters to buy your licences make sure that you use the correct letter for each licence you buy. You can coarse fish with a maximum of 4 rods (2 licences required) and you can use up to 2 rods (2 licences required) for migratory fish.

If you've received a renewal letter in the post, check that all the details are correct. If they are, choose 'Renew your full licence' option on the first page of the online licence buying pages. You will be able to renew your licence without having to input all your details again. If your details on the letter are incorrect then you will need to choose 'Buy a full licence' and provide your details again. This will ensure we have the correct details for you on our database. You do not need to keep your renewal letter after renewing online.

No. If you haven't received a renewal letter or don’t have it to hand when you are renewing you can still buy a licence online. You will need to choose the option "buy a full licence" option on the first page of the online licence buying pages.

If your application is successful then you'll receive an email confirmation. If you're unsure whether or not it has been successful then contact the Environment Agency on 08708 506 506* or enquiries@environment-agency.gov.uk

If you don't want to buy your licence online they are also available from Post Office® outlets throughout England and Wales and over the telephone on 0844 800 5386*. Lines open 8.30am - 8.00pm Monday to Sunday during the period 1 March to 30 September and 8.30am - 6.00pm Monday to Saturday during the period 1 October to 28 February, excluding Bank and Public Holidays except Good Friday and Easter Monday when the service will operate as normal. You can also sign up to pay by Direct Debit on 08708 506 506*.

If you have lost your rod licence or it has been destroyed then you can get a replacement licence. To get a replacement you will need to call the Environment Agency on 08708 506 506*. There is a £5 (£1 for juniors) charge for a replacement licence payable by debit/credit card, cheque or postal order.

Rod licences are non-refundable unless they have been bought in error and are returned to the Environment Agency immediately following purchase. To apply for a refund please send your rod licence along with a covering letter explaining why you want the refund to:

Rod Licences
National Customer
Contact Centre
PO Box 544
Rotherham
S60 1BY*Calls may be recorded and monitored for training and compliance purposes