LICENCES AND REGULATIONS

Ontario Residents

A resident of Ontario is defined as a person whose primary residence is in Ontario, and who has lived in Ontario for a period of at least six consecutive months during the 12 months immediately before applying for a licence.

To hunt in Ontario, residents must have the hunting version Ontario Outdoors Card. The hunting version Outdoors Card or Temporary Hunting version Outdoors Card is the only card that provides an Ontario resident with hunting privileges. The hunting version Outdoors Card also provides fishing privileges, once a fishing license tag is affixed. Residents and non-residents must be 16 years of age or older to be eligible for a licence. Residents may obtain a licence at 15 years of age with written consent from both parents (one parent if not living with both parents) or a legal guardian. THE ONTARIO OUTDOORS CARD IS NOT A LICENCE.

A valid license consists of an Outdoors Card plus the required hunting license tags and any applicable paper hunting licences and game seal and/or validation tags. The only exception is the Ontario resident Hunter Apprentice while hunting with a licensed Mentor. The Hunter Apprentice must carry an Ontario-issued Hunter Apprenticeship Safety Card. The mentor must have a Hunting Version Outdoors Card and all applicable licences and the license must be valid for the species or group of species you are hunting. You must carry the license and any validation tags with you while hunting (and fishing).

Non-Residents

Non-residents of Ontario must present one of the following five options to obtain a non-resident license to hunt in Ontario.

• An Ontario non-resident’s hunting license issued to you after January 1, 1968; or
• A hunting license issued to you by a competent authority in any jurisdiction as a resident of that jurisdiction after January 1, 1968; or
• An Ontario Hunting License Examination Certificate issued to you after January 1, 1968; or
• An Ontario Hunting License Verification Certificate showing that you were issued an Ontario license to hunt, or passed the Hunting License Examination; or
• A certificate, issued to you after January 1, 1968, by a competent authority in any jurisdiction, giving you permission to purchase a resident’s hunting license in that jurisdiction.

For more information regarding resident and non-resident licences and regulations, you can contact the Ministry of Natural Resources by phone at 1-800-387-7011 (toll free anywhere in North America) or by email at mnr.nric@mnr.gov.on.ca.

Alternatively, you can download the Hunting Regulations Summary here.