How to Get a Hunting Licence in Ontario

By Travis Bader, founder of Silvercore Outdoors.

Last updated: 15 November 2026

To get a hunting licence in Ontario, pass the Ontario Hunter Education Course and its exam, register your hunter accreditation at a participating ServiceOntario location, and get an Outdoors Card. Then buy the licence and tags for each species you plan to hunt. To hunt with a gun, you also need the Canadian Firearms Safety Course (CFSC) and a PAL, a minor's licence or your CFSC student report. On 10 December 2026, Ontario moves hunting licences to a new system called FishHuntON.

A licence lets you hunt. Liability is a separate question, and it matters the first time a hunt goes wrong. Every Silvercore Club member in good standing carries $5 million in individual third-party liability coverage for lawful hunting and firearms use across Canada and the United States. See what the Silvercore Club includes.

What do I need to hunt in Ontario?

Five things, in this order.

1. Pass the Ontario Hunter Education Course. Ontario says most people need to pass the course, including an exam, to get a resident hunting licence. You can take it in person from a certified instructor or online as a self-directed course.
2. Get an Outdoors Card. You need a valid card before you can buy any hunting licence.
3. Register your hunter accreditation. Take your proof of completion to a participating ServiceOntario location. Your accreditation has to be on file with the Fish and Wildlife Licensing Service before you can buy hunting licences and tags.
4. Add firearms accreditation if you will hunt with a gun. Ontario requires the CFSC, plus a valid PAL, a minor's licence or proof that you completed the course. This applies to air and pellet guns too. Bow and crossbow hunters do not need firearms accreditation.
5. Buy your licences and tags. Until 6 December 2026, buy them online through the Fish and Wildlife Licensing Service, by phone at 1-800-288-1155, at a licence issuer or at a participating ServiceOntario location. From 10 December 2026, purchases move to FishHuntON.

What is the Ontario Outdoors Card?

The Outdoors Card is a plastic, wallet-sized identification card issued by the province that allows you to hunt or fish, and you carry it whenever you hunt. It is valid for three calendar years. Buying, renewing or replacing one costs $8.57 plus HST, and the renewal period opens in December each year.

Your licence summary is the second document. It lists every valid hunting and fishing licence you hold, and you can carry it on paper or as a download on your phone. Ontario does not accept a photo or screenshot. In the field, carry your Outdoors Card, your licence and the tags for the species you are hunting.

Do I need a PAL to hunt in Ontario?

Only if you hunt with a gun. Ontario's hunting licence rules say anyone hunting with a gun, including an air or pellet gun, must carry proof of firearms accreditation: a PAL, a minor's licence or a CFSC student report. Bow and crossbow hunters do not need it.

Ontario also says you may apply for a PAL up to six months before you turn 18. Our guide on how to get your PAL in Canada covers the course, the application and the wait.

Ontario hunting licences and tags, species by species

The hunting regulations list licences for small game, white-tailed deer, moose, elk and black bear, and separate tags for wild turkey and for wolf or coyote. Deer, moose, bear and elk tags are issued with the matching licence. Each tag covers one animal, and you may not hold more than one tag for a species unless the regulations specifically allow it.

• Small game. Ducks, geese and other migratory game birds also need a federal Migratory Game Bird Hunting Permit with the Canadian Wildlife Habitat Conservation Stamp.
• White-tailed deer. Additional deer tags are one of the exceptions Ontario allows to the one-tag rule.
• Moose. Tags are issued as calf, cow/calf and bull tags. Ontario lists a $15 application fee for the moose draw.
• Elk. Resident elk tags go through a draw with a $15 application fee. You must buy the elk licence before you can print the elk tag.
• Black bear. A second bear tag is another exception Ontario allows to the one-tag rule.
• Wild turkey. Spring and fall seasons each have their own tags.
• Wolf and coyote. A tag is required in some Wildlife Management Units.

Seasons, bag limits and open areas change by Wildlife Management Unit. Read the 2026 Ontario Hunting Regulations Summary for the unit you plan to hunt before you buy.

How do hunting tags work in Ontario?

Most tags print the moment you buy them, and a tag prints only once. A replacement tag is issued in person, with a $10.50 administration fee. Under the current system, tags must be carried on paper and cannot be shown to a conservation officer on a phone or other device.

Immediately after the kill, notch the day, month and time on the tag. If you are not staying with the animal, attach the tag to it. Ontario's advice is plain: if you are unsure whether to attach the tag, attach it.

From 10 December 2026, FishHuntON lets you carry either a printed tag or a digital tag generated in the FishHuntON app. Generating a digital tag needs internet or cell service. Once it is generated, you can open and notch it offline. The tag is tied to one device, so keep that device charged and with you. If you are not with the animal to show the tag, attach a durable label as the tagging instructions describe.

What changes when FishHuntON launches on 10 December 2026?

Ontario replaces its fishing and hunting licensing system with FishHuntON on 10 December 2026. The current system is unavailable online, in person and by phone from 7 to 9 December 2026, which makes 6 December the last day to complete transactions on huntandfishontario.com. Ontario asks hunters to finish these before then:

• Buy the deer, moose and small game licences you still need.
• Print your deer and moose tags.
• Buy and print wolf or coyote tags.
• Submit mandatory hunter reports for completed hunts.

Your account information carries over, and your current username and password stop working. FishHuntON signs you in with Ontario.ca Login, so set one up now and have your Outdoors Card number ready. The number is printed on your Outdoors Card, licence summary, tags and sales receipts. From 10 December, the automated phone line no longer sells licences or takes draw entries, Outdoors Card renewals move into FishHuntON, and you can submit hunter accreditation online. My advice: finish any purchase you need for the late seasons before 6 December.

What the Silvercore Club gives an Ontario hunter

Silvercore Club membership is $59 a year and is accepted in all provinces and territories across Canada. Every member in good standing carries individual third-party liability coverage to a limit of $5 million, placed through HUB International and underwritten at Lloyd's. It applies to lawful hunting, firearms use, fishing, archery, camping and hiking across Canada and the United States, on top of any personal liability policy you already hold. Members also get free access to Silvercore branded online courses, including Bear & Wildlife Defence, and partner pricing on optics and gear. Join the Silvercore Club.

Moving to Ontario or hunting from another province?

Ontario says hunters who completed hunter education, or who hold Ontario-recognized credentials from their home jurisdiction, may be exempt from the Ontario course. New residents must have lived in Ontario for at least six months. The hunter education page does not list which jurisdictions Ontario recognizes, so call 1-800-387-7011 before you book a course.

Non-residents must be at least 16 for a first hunt in Ontario. A non-resident who lives outside Canada and hunts with a gun needs a customs-confirmed non-resident firearms declaration or a temporary firearms borrowing licence for non-residents.

Frequently asked questions

How much is an Outdoors Card in Ontario?

$8.57 plus HST to buy, renew or replace. The card is valid for three calendar years. Ontario accepts Visa, Visa Debit, Mastercard and Debit Mastercard, and does not accept American Express.

Can I hunt in Ontario without a PAL?

Yes, with a bow or crossbow. Anyone hunting with a gun, including an air or pellet gun, must carry a PAL, a minor's licence or a CFSC student report. A non-resident from outside Canada can carry a customs-confirmed non-resident firearms declaration or a temporary firearms borrowing licence for non-residents instead.

How old do you have to be to hunt in Ontario?

Residents aged 12 to 14 can hunt through the Hunter Apprenticeship Safety Program. Residents under 16 need a parent or guardian's consent to get a hunting Outdoors Card. Non-residents must be at least 16 for a first hunt in Ontario.

Can I carry my Ontario hunting tag on my phone?

Not under the current system, which requires paper tags. From 10 December 2026, FishHuntON lets hunters carry a printed tag or a digital tag generated in the FishHuntON app.

Where do I buy a hunting licence in Ontario?

Until 6 December 2026, buy online through the Fish and Wildlife Licensing Service at huntandfishontario.com, by phone at 1-800-288-1155, at a licence issuer or at a participating ServiceOntario location. From 10 December 2026, buy through FishHuntON, which has a mobile app, a website and in-person options.

The Silvercore Path

• The Silvercore Club
• How to get your PAL in Canada
• Migratory game bird hunting permit in Canada
• Hunting throughout Canada
• What animals can I hunt?
• Transporting firearms in Canada