When licenses to hunt, fish, or trap not required of residents
N.D. Cent. Code § 20.1-03-04
in effect20.1-03-04. When licenses to hunt, fish, or trap not required of residents
Subject to the provisions of this title:
1. Any resident, or any member of the resident's family residing customarily with the
resident, may hunt small game, fish, or trap during the open season without a license
upon land owned or leased by the resident.
2. Residents or nonresidents under the age of sixteen years may fish without a fishing
license.
3. Residents may fish at a private fish hatchery without a resident fishing license.
4. Life skills and transition center patients, North Dakota youth correctional center
students, school for the deaf students, North Dakota vision services - school for the
blind students, state hospital patients, clients of state-operated behavioral health
clinics under direct therapeutic care, and residents of facilities licensed by the
department of health and human services may fish without a resident fishing license.
Patients of these institutions must be identified. The department shall issue authority to
each institution.
5. Residents may fish without a resident fishing license on free fishing days. The date of
these free fishing days may be set by proclamation by the governor.
6. Residents under age sixteen may take fur-bearers without a fur-bearer license.
7. Residents under age sixteen may take small game or waterfowl without a small game
license.
8. Residents who are enrolled as students or serving as certified instructors during official
aquatics education program events of the game and fish department may be granted
free fishing privileges by discretion of the director.
9. Upon presentation of valid leave papers and a valid North Dakota operator's license, a
resident who is on leave and is on active duty as a member of the United States
armed forces or the United States merchant marine may hunt small game, fish, or trap
during the open season without a license.
Source: Open US Law by Vaquill AI (CC BY 4.0)URL: https://ndlegis.gov/cencode/t20-1c03.pdf#nameddest=20p1-03-04Fetched: 10/16/2026