Hunting Licence Information in Ontario:

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Last Updated: September 24 2026

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Question:Do I need an Outdoors Card, a hunting licence, and a tag to hunt in Ontario?

Answer:In Ontario, your Outdoors Card identifies you in the fish and wildlife licensing system, your hunting licence provides the legal licence authority for the specific hunt, and a tag is the separate authorization needed for certain wildlife (so a licence alone does not always remove the need for a tag).   The exact products depend on the species and circumstances, and holding any one document does not replace other rules like open seasons, Wildlife Management Units, hunter accreditation, firearms requirements, and reporting.   If you want help confirming what you need for your planned hunt in Ontario, DefendCharges.ca™ can assist and you can call (647) 559-3377.

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Hunting Licence Information in Ontario

Ontario's hunting licensing system uses several connected documents and authorizations, including the Outdoors Card, hunting licences, Licence Summary, and, for certain wildlife, hunting tags.  These documents serve different purposes and are not interchangeable.

Note: Please contact DefendCharges.ca™ by phone at: (647) 559-3377 to discuss any specific questions that you may have.

The licence required depends on the wildlife being hunted and the circumstances of the hunt.  Holding a hunting licence also does not replace separate requirements involving open seasons, Wildlife Management Units, tags, hunter accreditation, firearms, reporting, or other hunting rules.

This resource explains Ontario's hunting licence system, the difference between the main hunting documents, hunter accreditation and residency requirements, licence and tag requirements, document carrying rules, and where to find current official Ontario government licensing information.

What Is an Ontario Hunting Licence?

An Ontario hunting licence provides the licence authority required to hunt the wildlife or participate in the hunting activity covered by that licence.

The Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act, 1997 establishes the provincial requirement for hunting licence authority, while Ontario Regulation 665/98, Hunting, contains detailed rules governing Ontario hunting licences and their components.

Ontario uses different hunting products depending on the wildlife involved.  These include licences for small game, white-tailed deer, moose, elk, black bear, and other regulated hunting activities.

A hunting licence does not provide unlimited authority to hunt.  Open seasons, Wildlife Management Units, tags, firearm requirements, hunting methods, property access, reporting requirements, and other legal conditions can still apply.

What Is the Difference Between an Outdoors Card, Hunting Licence, Licence Summary, and Tag?

These are separate parts of Ontario's hunting licensing system.

• Outdoors Card: Identifies the holder in Ontario's fish and wildlife licensing system and is required for resident and non-resident hunters purchasing Ontario hunting licences;
• Hunting licence: Provides the applicable licence authority to hunt the wildlife or participate in the activity identified by the licence;
• Licence Summary: Identifies hunting and other licence products associated with the person's licensing account; and
• Tag: A component of a hunting licence that authorizes the person to hunt and kill the game wildlife identified on the tag, subject to the conditions of the tag.

Holding an Outdoors Card does not mean that a person automatically holds a hunting licence.  Similarly, holding a hunting licence does not eliminate a separate tag requirement where Ontario requires a tag.

What Is an Outdoors Card?

An Outdoors Card is used to identify a person in Ontario's fish and wildlife licensing system.

A valid Outdoors Card is required for Ontario resident and non-resident hunters who wish to purchase Ontario hunting licences.  The card is valid for the period shown on it and works together with the person's licensing record.

The Outdoors Card should not be confused with a species licence or hunting tag.  It identifies the person in the licensing system but does not, by itself, authorize every hunting activity.

Get an Outdoors Card and Licence Summary on Ontario.ca.

What Is a Licence Summary?

A Licence Summary identifies licence products associated with a person's Ontario fish and wildlife licensing account.

Ontario issues an updated Licence Summary when applicable licensing products are added to the account.  Under the current Hunting Regulation, the Licence Summary can identify hunting licences, applicable falconry licences, sport fishing licences, and an Outdoors Card.

For 2026, a Licence Summary can be carried as:

• A printed paper copy; or
• The official PDF provided through the Fish and Wildlife Licensing Service on a mobile device.

A photograph or screenshot of the Licence Summary is not the required digital format.  If a digital Licence Summary is used, the device must have sufficient battery power and be capable of displaying the document when required.

What Do You Need Before You Can Buy a Hunting Licence?

Hunter accreditation must generally be recorded with Ontario's licensing system before a person can obtain hunting products.  Hunter accreditation means recognized proof that the person has completed Ontario's hunter education requirements or an accepted equivalent.

Ontario residents age 12 and older must provide recognized hunter accreditation to be issued hunting licence authority, subject to Ontario's apprenticeship rules for young hunters.

Non-residents hunting in Ontario for the first time must generally:

• Be at least 16 years old;
• Obtain an Outdoors Card;
• Have recognized hunter accreditation from their home jurisdiction recorded with Ontario's Fish and Wildlife Licensing Service; and
• Purchase the required Ontario hunting licences and tags.

Separate federal requirements apply when hunting with a gun.  Ontario hunting licence authority does not replace federal firearms licensing, possession, transportation, or documentation requirements.

What Is Hunter Accreditation?

Hunter accreditation confirms that a person has satisfied recognized hunter education requirements.

Ontario hunters can establish accreditation through the Ontario Hunter Education Program or another form of accreditation recognized by Ontario.

Ontario also recognizes qualifying hunter education or hunting credentials from other jurisdictions where the jurisdiction's education and evaluation requirements are considered equivalent.

View Ontario Hunter Education information.

Who Is Considered an Ontario Resident for Hunting?

Ontario residency affects hunting licence eligibility, products, fees, and some hunting requirements.

For Ontario hunting licensing purposes, a person is generally an Ontario resident where:

• The person's primary residence is in Ontario; and
• The person has lived in Ontario for at least six consecutive months during the 12 months immediately before applying for the licence.

A person who does not satisfy the applicable Ontario residency requirements is generally treated as a non-resident for hunting licence purposes.

View hunting licence information for Ontario residents.

View hunting licence information for non-residents of Ontario.

Which Hunting Licence Do You Need?

The hunting licence required depends primarily on the wildlife being hunted and the type of hunting activity.

Common Ontario hunting products include:

• Small Game Licence: Provides licence authority for many small game mammals and game birds and is also part of the authority required for certain hunts involving additional tags;
• Deer Licence: Provides species licence authority for white-tailed deer hunting and operates with the applicable Deer Tag;
• Moose Licence: Provides species licence authority for moose hunting and operates with applicable Moose Tag authority;
• Elk Licence: Provides licence authority for hunters legally participating in Ontario's elk hunt; and
• Bear Licence: Provides species licence authority for black bear hunting and operates with the applicable Bear Tag.

Other requirements can be attached to these products depending on residency, species, Wildlife Management Unit, tag allocation, hunting method, or other circumstances.

How Does a Small Game Licence Work?

Ontario offers one-year and three-year Small Game Licences.

The Small Game Licence provides authority for many small game and game bird hunting activities.  Some species require an additional tag even though the underlying licence authority comes from the Small Game Licence.

For example:

• Wild turkey hunting requires a Small Game Licence together with the applicable Wild Turkey Tag;
• Wolf or coyote hunting requires a Small Game Licence and, in specified WMUs, the applicable Wolf/Coyote Tag; and
• Migratory game bird hunting requires applicable Ontario Small Game Licence authority together with the separate federal Migratory Game Bird Hunting Permit and Canadian Wildlife Habitat Conservation Stamp.

Is There a Separate Wild Turkey Licence?

Ontario does not use a separate stand-alone Wild Turkey Licence in the same way it uses a Deer Licence or Bear Licence.

Under Ontario Regulation 665/98, a licence to hunt wild turkey consists of Small Game Licence authority together with the applicable Wild Turkey Tag.

Ontario currently allows up to two spring Wild Turkey Tags and one fall Wild Turkey Tag in a year, subject to the applicable hunting requirements.

How Do Hunting Licences and Tags Work Together?

A hunting licence and a hunting tag serve related but different legal functions.

Ontario Regulation 665/98 defines a tag as a component of a hunting licence that authorizes the tag holder to hunt the game wildlife identified on the tag, subject to the conditions specified on it.

A tag can limit:

• The species;
• The age, sex, or type of animal;
• The Wildlife Management Unit or other hunting area; and
• Other conditions applying to the hunt.

Where a tag is required, the underlying licence authority and the tag must work together.  A tag does not substitute for the required licence authority, and a licence does not eliminate a required tag.

Which Ontario Hunts Require Tags?

Tags are required for several Ontario hunting activities.

Tag requirements apply to hunting wildlife including:

• White-tailed deer;
• Moose;
• Elk;
• Black bear;
• Wild turkey; and
• Wolf or coyote in WMUs where a Wolf/Coyote Tag is required.

Many other small game species do not require a separate tag when hunted under valid Small Game Licence authority.

How Do Deer Licences and Tags Work?

Ontario deer hunting requires Deer Licence authority together with applicable Deer Tag authority.

A regular Deer Tag is connected with the Deer Licence.  Ontario also offers Additional Deer Tags in areas and circumstances where those opportunities are available.

A person must have the required Deer Licence authority before an Additional Deer Tag can provide hunting authority.

Controlled deer hunt validation is separate from the Deer Tag.  A controlled deer hunt validation does not replace the Deer Licence or required Deer Tag.

How Do Moose Licences and Tags Work?

Moose licensing uses a tag allocation system in addition to the Moose Licence.

A person can participate in Ontario's Moose Tag Allocation Process without first purchasing a Moose Licence.  However, being successful in the allocation process does not by itself authorize the person to hunt moose.

A successful applicant must obtain the required Moose Licence before claiming and using the Moose Tag as hunting authority.

Different rules also apply to non-resident moose hunters, including requirements involving tourist outfitters or qualifying immediate family members.

How Do Black Bear Licences and Tags Work?

Black bear hunting requires Bear Licence authority and the applicable Bear Tag.

The regular Bear Tag is associated with the Bear Licence.  Where Ontario permits a second Bear Tag, the hunter must already have the required Bear Licence authority.

Non-resident black bear hunters are also subject to additional requirements, including the requirement to use the services of a licensed black bear operator and carry the applicable validation certificate.

Does Every Ontario Hunt Require a Tag?

No.  A tag is required only where Ontario hunting law requires one for the wildlife or hunting activity involved.

Many small game species can be hunted under the appropriate Small Game Licence without a separate tag.  Other hunts require both licence authority and tag authority.

The applicable species information in the Ontario Hunting Regulations Summary should be checked to determine whether a tag is required.

What Hunting Documents Must Be Carried in 2026?

For the 2026 hunting year, Ontario requires hunters to carry the applicable hunting documentation while hunting.

Depending on the hunting activity, this can include:

• A valid Outdoors Card;
• The applicable hunting licence, shown on a paper or official electronic Licence Summary or, where permitted, on the back of the Outdoors Card;
• Any required hunting tag;
• Any applicable validation certificate or other hunting authorization; and
• Required federal firearms documentation when hunting with a gun.

A Conservation Officer can require hunting documents to be produced for inspection.

Can You Carry a Licence Summary on Your Phone?

Yes.  Ontario permits the Licence Summary to be carried digitally in the official PDF format supplied through the Fish and Wildlife Licensing Service.

A photograph or screenshot of the Licence Summary is not valid as the required digital document.

A person relying on a digital Licence Summary is responsible for ensuring that the device has enough battery power and can display the PDF when and where it is required.

Can You Carry a Hunting Tag Digitally in 2026?

No.  Hunting tags must still be carried in paper format during the 2026 hunting year.

Ontario states that 2026 hunting tags cannot be carried or presented to a Conservation Officer only as an electronic image or electronic document.

Tags can be printed through the Fish and Wildlife Licensing Service or obtained through participating ServiceOntario locations and licence issuers.

View current Ontario hunting tag information.

How Long Is an Ontario Hunting Licence Valid?

A licence to hunt a wildlife species generally begins on the day it is issued and ends on December 31 of that year unless another expiry date is specified.

Ontario also offers certain products with different terms, including one-year and three-year Small Game Licences.

A licence is still restricted by the applicable hunting season.  An administratively valid licence does not authorize hunting after the applicable open season has closed.

Can a Licence Be Purchased After Hunting Has Taken Place?

A licence begins when it is issued and does not retroactively authorize earlier hunting activity.

Licence authority should therefore be obtained before the hunting activity for which it is required.

The applicable regulations should be checked where the exact issue date or validity period of a hunting licence matters.

Can Another Person's Licence or Tag Be Used?

Hunting licences and tags are issued to identified individuals and cannot ordinarily be borrowed or transferred between hunters.

Ontario law contains limited circumstances in which a tag transfer can be legally authorized, including particular Moose Tag transfers.

Party hunting is different from transferring ownership of a licence or tag.  Ontario's party hunting rules allow hunters to hunt together in specified circumstances while the licence and tag continue to belong to the person to whom they were issued.

Are There Exceptions to the Ordinary Hunting Licence Requirement?

Yes, but Ontario's licence exceptions are specific and depend on the requirements established by law.

The Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act, 1997 contains limited exceptions involving circumstances such as qualifying farmers and family members residing with them and certain activities carried out under trapping authority.

Constitutionally protected Aboriginal and treaty hunting rights can also provide hunting authority independently of the ordinary provincial licensing system where the requirements of the right are satisfied.

An exception should be checked against the applicable statute, regulation, species, land, activity, and other legal conditions rather than treated as a general exemption from Ontario hunting law.

Do Ontario Hunting Licences Replace Federal Migratory Bird Permits?

No.  Migratory game bird hunting can require both Ontario and federal hunting authority.

A hunter pursuing migratory game birds such as ducks and geese generally requires applicable Ontario Small Game Licence authority together with the federal Migratory Game Bird Hunting Permit and Canadian Wildlife Habitat Conservation Stamp.

The Ontario hunting licence and federal migratory bird permit perform separate legal functions.

Are Hunting Licences Connected to Mandatory Hunter Reporting?

Yes.  Ontario requires mandatory hunter reports for specified hunting products.

Current reporting requirements apply where a hunter:

• Purchases or is issued a tag for deer;
• Purchases or is issued an elk tag;
• Purchases or is issued a black bear tag;
• Purchases or is issued a wild turkey tag;
• Purchases or is issued a Wolf/Coyote Tag in a WMU where a tag is required; or
• Is issued a Moose Licence.

A hunter report can be required even when the person did not hunt or harvest an animal.

What Changes in 2027?

Ontario is introducing a new fishing and hunting licensing system called FishHuntON in early 2027.

Regulatory amendments supporting the new system and digital hunting tags take effect on January 1, 2027.  Ontario says the new system will provide hunters with additional digital options, including a free FishHuntON mobile application.

Beginning with the new system, hunters will have the option to choose either a paper tag or a digital tag for applicable hunting tags.

Digital tags will:

• Be available through the FishHuntON mobile application;
• Work without cellular connectivity;
• Be carried on the hunter's own mobile device; and
• Require the hunter to keep the mobile device charged and available while hunting.

Where a hunter using a digital tag is no longer accompanying harvested wildlife, the hunter may also be required to attach a physical label to the animal in accordance with the instructions provided with the digital tag.

The 2027 changes do not alter the 2026 requirement that hunting tags be carried in paper format.

View Ontario's FishHuntON licensing modernization information.

Where Can You Check Current Ontario Hunting Licence Information?

The Ontario Hunting Regulations Summary contains the province's main practical hunting licence information.

View Ontario Hunting Licence Information.

The government resource includes current information about:

• Outdoors Cards;
• Hunting licence products;
• Hunter accreditation;
• Residency;
• Licence Summaries;
• Document carrying requirements;
• Hunting fees; and
• Related licensing requirements.

Where Can You Manage Your Hunting Licence Products?

For the 2026 system, Ontario's Fish and Wildlife Licensing Service is used to purchase and manage hunting products.

Access Ontario's Fish and Wildlife Licensing Service.

Licensing services are also available through participating ServiceOntario locations and authorized licence issuers.

Where Can You Read Ontario's Hunting Regulation?

Ontario Regulation 665/98, Hunting, contains the detailed legal rules governing hunting licences, Licence Summaries, tags, validity, and many related hunting requirements.

Read Ontario Regulation 665/98 - Hunting on Ontario e-Laws.

Where Can You Read the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act, 1997?

The Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act, 1997 provides the statutory foundation for Ontario's hunting licence requirements.

Read the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act, 1997 on Ontario e-Laws.

Why Can Hunting Licence Information Matter in a Legal Issue?

Hunting licence records can be important whenever a legal question depends on whether the required hunting authority existed at a particular time.

The relevant information can include the wildlife involved, the licence product, issue and expiry dates, residency status, tag authority, Licence Summary, Outdoors Card information, and any applicable exception.

Where an issue concerns an earlier hunting year, the legislation and licensing rules that were in force at that time should be used rather than relying only on current requirements.

How Can DefendCharges.ca™ Help?

DefendCharges.ca™ can help explain how Ontario hunting licences, Outdoors Cards, Licence Summaries, tags, hunter accreditation, and related requirements apply to a particular legal issue.  This can include identifying the relevant statute, regulation, licence product, tag condition, or exception.

Where a hunting ticket, summons, investigation, seizure, or court proceeding involves licensing authority, DefendCharges.ca™ can review the applicable law and licensing records, explain the legal issues and potential consequences, and help the person understand their options.

Key Takeaways

• An Outdoors Card, hunting licence, Licence Summary, and hunting tag serve different functions in Ontario's licensing system;
• A valid Outdoors Card and recognized hunter accreditation are required before most hunters can obtain Ontario hunting licence products;
• Hunting licences are specific to the wildlife or hunting activity involved;
• A licence does not replace an applicable open season, tag, firearm requirement, or other hunting condition;
• A tag is a component of a hunting licence and can contain species, animal type, WMU, area, or other conditions;
• Wild turkey hunting uses Small Game Licence authority together with the applicable Wild Turkey Tag;
• A Licence Summary can be carried in paper form or as the official digital PDF supplied through Ontario's licensing service;
• Hunting tags must still be carried in paper format during the 2026 hunting year;
• Ontario's regulatory changes enabling optional digital tags take effect January 1, 2027, with the FishHuntON system launching in early 2027;
• Hunters will have the option to use paper or digital tags through the new system;
• Some hunting products trigger mandatory hunter reporting even when no animal was harvested; and
• Current Ontario government sources and Ontario e-Laws should be checked when confirming hunting licence requirements.

Conclusion

Ontario's hunting licensing system uses Outdoors Cards, hunting licences, Licence Summaries, tags, and other authorizations to establish hunting authority for different species and activities.  These documents work together with open seasons, Wildlife Management Units, hunter accreditation, reporting requirements, and other hunting rules.  For current information, Ontario's Hunting Licence Information resource and Fish and Wildlife Licensing Service provide the practical starting points, while the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act, 1997 and Ontario Regulation 665/98 provide the controlling provincial legal framework.