Ask a CO: Outdoors cards for seniors over 65?

a person pulls out an old hunting licence from their wallet

Q: I’m a senior and don’t need a fishing licence. My Outdoors Card does not expire until December 31, 2019. Do I need to carry a licence summary with me when I am fishing?

-Garry Shaver, Amherstview

Other documents may qualify

A: Some Ontario and Canadian residents qualify to use other documents instead of purchasing and carrying an Outdoors Card and recreational fishing licence. If you are over the age of 65, you may engage in fishing provided you carry a licence, permit, certificate, or identification card issued by a federal, provincial or territorial government of Canada that indicates your name and date of birth. Catch and possession limits for a sport fishing licence apply in these situations.

If you opt to use your Outdoors Card and a valid recreational fishing licence that you have purchased, you must carry the Outdoors Card with you while fishing, and if the Outdoors Card does not have a box on the back indicating a valid 1-year or 3-year recreational fishing licence, you must also carry the licence summary that lists your valid fishing licence.

– Brenda Koenig (Provincial Enforcement Specialist, MNRF)

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Originally published in the August 2019 issue of Ontario OUT of DOORS magazine. Ask a CO is also a regular feature in the print edition.

Please check the most recent Ontario hunting and fishing regulations summaries, as rules and regulations can change.

For more instalments of Ask a CO, click here

Tags: ask a CO, Conservation, Conservation officer, Fishing, fishing license, ontario provincial fishing regulations, Outdoors card, Seniors

September 1, 2020 at 9:52 am

Dave S Gibson wrote: re the 65 and over age group not requiring a fishing license .... is then statement made in a recent response correct ?, in that "sport" limits apply to seniors ..... it was my understanding that "conservation" limits (a lower #) apply when a license is not required . Can you please confirm this fact. Thanks Dave Gibson

September 1, 2020 at 10:18 am
Meghan Sutherland wrote: Good Morning, Dave, anglers over 65 who do not require an outdoors card or fishing licence may observe the sports slot limits.

November 14, 2020 at 11:17 am

Gordon Eakley wrote: I had a small game license in the seventies can I use that as a record for renewal, or do I have to retake the course?

November 25, 2020 at 4:41 pm
Meghan Sutherland wrote: Thank you for your question. We’ll discuss the question and if it is not one that has been asked in recent memory, we’ll pass it along to the MNRF for a response. Can you please let us know where you are located in case we use your question?

December 1, 2020 at 11:28 am

Tim Barlett wrote: Sir / Madam, Is it possible to buy an Ontario Outdoors Card / Sport Fishing Lic as a gift for another person? Thanks in advance. Tim Barlett St Catharines ON

December 10, 2020 at 9:33 am
Meghan Sutherland wrote: Tim, from https://www.ontario.ca/page/get-outdoors-card: The following information is required to buy, renew or replace an Outdoors Card: legal first, middle and last name date of birth mailing and/or residential address height and eye colour parental consent (for resident hunters 12 to 14 years old) Attaching a fishing licence is trickier, as it involves the individual's personal fish and wildlife file (shown here: https://www.huntandfishontario.com/Account/Login) Perhaps best to transfer the funds to the recipient and have them set it up themselves.

December 18, 2020 at 12:03 pm

Ermand McLain wrote: I just turned 65 Nov 18th (1955) Do I need to carry anything except my drivers permit or any other ID? In Canada

December 21, 2020 at 3:55 pm
Meghan Sutherland wrote: Ermand, https://www.ontario.ca/page/fishing-licence-canadian-residents states: "If you are under 18 years old or 65 and older You do not need to purchase an Outdoors Card or licence to fish. You will need to carry your government-issued identification with you, that includes your name and date of birth, at all times while fishing. Your identification acts as your licence to fish, if you belong to one of these age ranges." So your driver's permit will do just fine.

January 18, 2021 at 10:15 am

Glen Hossack wrote: I am over 65. Do I need to buy outdoors card/fishing license?

January 20, 2021 at 9:23 am
Meghan Sutherland wrote: Glen, from https://www.ontario.ca/document/ontario-fishing-regulations-summary/recreational-fishing-licence-information: "The persons described below can carry a licence, permit, certificate or identification card issued by a federal, provincial or territorial government of Canada that indicates their name and date of birth and use it as a fishing licence. Ontario and Canadian residents who are under 18 or 65 years of age or older." So as long as you have some sort of government-issued identification on your person, you do not need an outdoors card or fishing licence.

January 21, 2021 at 3:33 pm

John Gorman wrote: Hi, I am 69 and moved to Ontario from another Province. What do I require for recreational fishing? What is this outdoor card? Do I need this? Thank You

January 25, 2021 at 8:04 am
Meghan Sutherland wrote: John, if you are over 65, any government-issued ID will be sufficient instead of an Outdoors card. From: https://www.ontario.ca/page/fishing-licence-canadian-residents "If you are under 18 years old or 65 and older You do not need to purchase an Outdoors Card or licence to fish. You will need to carry your government-issued identification with you, that includes your name and date of birth, at all times while fishing. Your identification acts as your licence to fish, if you belong to one of these age ranges."

March 2, 2021 at 8:00 pm

robert jackman wrote: I am over 65 my understanding is that I don't need an Ontario fishing license is this still correct?

March 8, 2021 at 1:15 pm
Alesha Howran wrote: You would not need to purchase an Ontario fishing licence if you are an Ontario or Canadian resident under the age of 18 or 65 years of age or older. You can read more about licences on pages 6-7 of the Ontario Fishing Regulations Summary at https://www.ontario.ca/document/ontario-fishing-regulations-summary.

March 4, 2021 at 7:10 pm

William M Beneteau wrote: I owned a hunting license long time ago can I apply for one or do I have to take a test again

March 10, 2021 at 8:47 am

gary curtis wrote: I will be turning 65 in june but have misplaced my outdoors card what can I do as i will be fishing before june my birthday

May 13, 2021 at 2:53 am

Marilyn Cory wrote: I am a senior and understand I do not need an Outdoors Card or a fishing license to fish, however, I must carry an ID card such as a birth certificate or driver's license. Is a photocopy of my ID acceptable?

May 20, 2021 at 2:26 pm
Alesha Howran wrote: Hi Marilyn, If you review the Ontario Recreation Fishing Regulations Summary Page 6 under the subheading “When You Don’t Need to Purchase a Fishing Licence” it states the following: "The persons described below can carry a licence, permit, certificate or identification card issued by a federal, provincial or territorial government of Canada that indicates their name and date of birth and use it as a fishing licence." The regulations does not address if photocopies are acceptable. For a clear answer feel free to contact the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry directly via telephone 1-800-667-1940 or email using https://www.ontario.ca/feedback/contact-us?id=26930&nid=45341.

June 13, 2021 at 11:29 am

MICHAEL MALLISH wrote: AM from Quebec I have my fishing license. I would like to go fishing with my brother in Ottawa Ontario . Do i need Ontario licence.?

June 23, 2021 at 3:35 pm
Alesha Howran wrote: Hi Michael, we encourage you to read Ontario Recreational Fishing Regulations Summary found at https://www.ontario.ca/document/ontario-fishing-regulations-summary specifically page 6-7 that describes when you do not need a licence. Canadian residents under 18 and 65 or older do not need a fishing licence to fish in Ontario (Sport Fishing Licence limits apply). If you are 18-64 you would need to purchase an Ontario recreational fishing licence. Some exceptions also apply so it is best to review the Ontario Recreational Fishing Regulations Summary to determine if any of the exceptions apply to you.

June 22, 2021 at 3:00 pm

PAUL COLENUTT wrote: Do you still need a fishing license in the year after turning 65.?

June 23, 2021 at 3:20 pm
Alesha Howran wrote: Hi Paul, If you are a Canadian resident 65 or older you do not need a licence to fish. To be clear, this takes effect the day you turn 65, not the following year.

June 29, 2021 at 5:37 pm

Lora Faraday wrote: Does a resident of Ontario when fishing with appropriate ID, but no fishing license follow the sport fishing quota & possession limit or the conservation limits??

July 8, 2021 at 4:23 pm
Jason Bain wrote: If you are over the age of 65, you may engage in fishing provided you carry a licence, permit, certificate, or identification card issued by a federal, provincial or territorial government of Canada that indicates your name and date of birth. Catch and possession limits for a sport fishing licence apply in these situations.

July 9, 2021 at 11:12 am

Wallace Wolfe wrote: I am a Canadian citizen 65 years old. What are the requirements for me to fish in Ontario.

July 12, 2021 at 10:49 am
Jason Bain wrote: If you are over the age of 65, you may engage in fishing provided you carry a licence, permit, certificate, or identification card issued by a federal, provincial or territorial government of Canada that indicates your name and date of birth. Catch and possession limits for a sport fishing licence apply in these situations.