Who needs a rod licence
Anyone fishing with a rod in England, Wales or the Border Esk region needs a licence, according to GOV.UK. That covers game fish, coarse fish, smelt and eel. It applies on private waters too, so a club lake or a day-ticket fishery does not remove the need. The Tweed sits outside the England licence, and the rest of Scotland and Northern Ireland have different rules.
Children under 13 do not need a licence. From 13 to 16 a junior licence is needed, and it is free. A carer who goes along to help someone fish does not need a licence unless they fish themselves.
The licence types
The Environment Agency licences come in short and long forms: a 1-day licence, an 8-day licence and a 12-month licence. The 12-month licence for trout and coarse fishing allows two rods, and there is a 3-rod version. A separate salmon and sea trout licence covers game fishing for those species. The GOV.UK fee table lists every price, and it is the page to check because fees change.
A cheaper 12-month concession licence is available if you are 66 or over, or disabled. For the disabled licence you need a Blue Badge or to meet its criteria, or to receive Personal Independence Payment or Disability Living Allowance.
Where to buy one
Buy online through the GOV.UK Get a fishing licence service, or by phone with the Environment Agency. You can buy up to 30 days before the licence starts, and you can buy one for someone else, which is why a licence is a common stocking filler for a new angler.
A licence is not permission to fish anywhere
The licence is separate from the right to fish a particular water. GOV.UK points out that you still need the permission of the land or fishery owner, which usually means a permit or a day ticket. Check the water's own rules too, because private fisheries set their own.
Once you have the licence
Look after the fish, keep the licence on you, and learn which species you are likely to catch with our freshwater fish identification guide. The fishing seasons guide covers when rivers close. When a good fish comes along, our catch photo guide helps you get a picture worth printing, and you can print your catch photo as it is.
Craig Fearn runs Scale & Fin, a UK studio that prints anglers' catch photos and fish art to order. He writes the guides here, and every fact in them links to the body that published it.