Fishing licence

CURRENT NOTICE: Switch to digital fishing licences from 1 July 2026

From 1 July 2026, North Rhine-Westphalia will introduce the digital fishing licence ‘DigiFischDok’.

• Applications can now also be submitted online – for reduced fees, see the fee schedule below.
• A new, forgery-proof format: a debit card with an NFC chip and an electronic receipt on your smartphone.
• A fishing licence is issued for life.
• The fishing licence fee remains in place (payable again for 1 or 5 calendar years) – the fishing licence is only valid once the fee for the relevant period has been paid.
• Digitisation before your current fishing licence expires: You will need to visit the citizens’ advice centre once, for the initial switchover, to transfer your details to the new system.
• No obligation to exchange fishing licences that have already been issued before their expiry date: they remain valid until the end of their respective term; a one-off conversion to the new fishing licence is planned no later than upon expiry.
• Abolition of the youth fishing licence: Children and young people aged 10 to 15 inclusive may fish without their own licence if they are accompanied by an adult with a valid fishing licence. To verify their identity and age, they must carry an official photo ID (identity card/passport) or a school ID card.
• Important: In future, the fishing licence will not include a photograph or your home address. You must therefore always carry an official form of photo ID (e.g. an identity card) with you when fishing.
• Fishing licences issued before 1 July 2026 remain valid until their normal expiry date. Once these have expired, the only way to obtain a new fishing licence is to apply for it at the Citizens’ Bureau, as the ‘old’ fishing licences and fishing examination certificates must be checked for signs of forgery.

The MLV NRW has summarised the most important questions in an FAQ document: FAQ – digital fishing licence

 

--> You can apply for a fishing licence and pay the fishing licence fee online here: Online fishing licence service

 

Weekly fishing licence for the Phönixsee: 20,- €

Available from March 2023 at:

Kiosk at Alter Hammweg
Alter Hammweg 35
59269 Beckum

 

 

Our tip: The fishing licence is an ‘annual licence’. If you apply for it at the start of the year, you can make full use of it. You can find out where to take the fishing exam from the Warendorf District Administration.