Colorado Parks & Wildlife – CPW Fishing Licenses are now even easier to purchase.
Non- residents or residents only interested in a short-term license will find having a license as easy as having an email or picture on your phone. Those that want to purchase an annual, can easily purchase them online but will need to have them printed out at the CPW office (conveniently located at the Ridgway State Park Visitors Center) or mailed to their home (2 weeks delivery with the ability to use your transaction id until it arrives).
Things to know before you go on your guided trip or purchase a fishing license:
- What is a CID number? A CID number is a series of numbers much like a social security number that CPW creates as an identifier for your license (fishing or hunting) with the State of Colorado.
- BEFORE BUYING a license online, existing customers SHOULD LOOK UP their CPW account using their CID number and set up their account/profile, while new customers will need to create an account in the new purchasing system. Basically, whether you have had an existing Colorado Fishing License or new to Colorado fishing, you will want to FIRST create an account here.
- All customers will need to choose a unique identifier, such as CID, driver’s license number, passport number, etc. and password to create or log in to an online account. A unique email is no longer required to log in, meaning families can now use the same email address for all purchases and applications.
- Email is still required for customers to get their purchase receipts, draw notifications, account update notifications, password resets, etc.
- Due to the transition of CPW’s new integrated Parks and Wildlife purchasing system, RIGS requires all fly fishing clients to prepurchase their license online before departing on a fly fishing guided trip.
- Purchase your fishing license HERE
Things to know about CPW licenses when buying online:
- Each license year runs from 4/1 – 3/31: Annual fishing licenses go on sale starting March 15th of each year.
- Customers may use Visa, MasterCard or Discover credit cards. Visa, Mastercard, or Discover debit cards only work if they can be used without a PIN. Licenses are mailed the business day following the purchase.
- In most cases, licenses purchased online will reach you by mail within 10 days or you may pick up your license at a license agent location or Colorado Parks and Wildlife office with your TAN number.
- A temporary authorization number (TAN) is all you need for 1 or 5-day fishing licenses. Your TAN# works as a substituted for the license(s) purchased but is only valid for 14 days from the date of purchase. Please print or write down the TAN# and carry it with you while fishing until you receive your license. If the license OR all of the licenses you purchase in this transaction expire in less than 7 days, you will NOT receive anything in the mail.
- When you receive your license, review it for accuracy and sign it to validate it. If there are any issues, please contact the call center at (303) 297-1192 or a CPW office.
