The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) recommended a 5% increase in hunting, fishing and trapping license fees in a report submitted to the Natural Resource Commission and state Legislature.
The DNR said the increase, which is capped by state law at 5%, would help bridge the funding gap for managing and protecting the state’s natural resources.
Revenue from the fees, along with federal taxes on outdoor sporting equipment, fills the State Fish and Game Protection Fund — commonly called the Fish and Wildlife Trust Fund (FWTF).
The fund is protected by Iowa’s constitution and is used to promote outdoor recreation for hunting, fishing and trapping, managing fish and wildlife populations, conducting research and enforcing regulations.
“While funded by a specific user group, the FWTF pays significant dividends to all Iowans. The three managing bureaus (Wildlife, Fisheries and Law Enforcement) ensure the health and abundance of Iowa’s natural heritage, which underpins substantial economic activity,” the DNR stated in its 2025 State Fish and Game Protection Fund Report.
The report pointed to an analysis by Headwaters Economics, which found boating and fishing in Iowa contributed $341 million to Iowa’s GDP in 2023. Hunting, shooting and trapping generated $116 million.
However, the Fish and Wildlife Trust Fund’s annual revenue has grown modestly over the last decade and has not kept pace with increasing costs, according to the report.
The DNR said a 5% increase in license fees and “adjustments to reduce operational expenditures and maximize efficiency” could ensure the fund’s financial stability.
The proposal has received pushback, largely over concerns about affordability. But across several Natural Resource Commission meetings this fall and winter, commissioners expressed their support and said much of the feedback they’ve received was in favor of the change.
The last fee increase went into effect for license sales after Dec. 15, 2018.
“You can’t do the same programs in 2025 or 2026 with the dollars generated from 2019,” said Terry Thomsen, president of the Iowa Great Lakes Fishing Club.
Thomsen said the club includes roughly 450 family memberships and works closely with DNR staff on programs to introduce youth to fishing and keep them engaged. He’s concerned these efforts could be hamstrung with a shrinking DNR budget due to inflation and rising costs.
“They do a fish ID, water safety, a lot of other things," Thomsen said. "We don’t want to lose any of their ability to help our club. That’s why we’re really pushing for this.”
While a 5% increase could have a greater impact on certain licenses, like nonresident hunting, Thomsen said the change would be minimal for others. A resident fishing license, currently set at $22, would increase by $1.10.
“I know people spend more on discretionary stuff in their daily life than a $1.10,” he said.
The license fee increase is one of the priorities for the Iowa Conservation Alliance, which includes Pheasants Forever, Whitetails Unlimited, the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation and a dozen other organizations.
“Those of us that value the resource and want to protect it realize that if we want to maintain it at a certain level, we have to be willing to pay for it,” said Fred Long, president of the Iowa Conservation Alliance.
Under a 2018 state law, the DNR is required to evaluate license fees every three years and include any recommendations for changes in a report filed with the commission and Legislature. Long and Thomsen expressed concern that this process did not happen sooner.
“This is the first time it’s happened since 2018,” Long said. “Even if we get this 5% increase, we won’t be anywhere near the same financial condition we were eight years ago. It just needs to happen on a more periodic basis, so we don’t get so far behind on purchasing power.”
Next steps
The Legislature’s Administrative Rules Review Committee will evaluate the DNR’s proposal. If the Legislature gives the greenlight for a fee increase, the DNR will then take into consideration public comments it receives and provide a final rule for the Natural Resource Commission to vote on.
New fees would go into effect for the 2027 hunting, fishing and trapping seasons.
Across several Natural Resource Commission meetings, some of the commissioners and members of the public shared ideas for new outdoor user fees, including kayakers and professional photographers, to help pay for the state’s management of natural resources.
The DNR’s legal counsel said creating new user fees would require legislative action.
