← All Illinois benefits
recreationstate
No Hunting or Fishing Licence Needed at 10%
A disabled veteran compensated at 10% or more needs no Illinois hunting or fishing licence and no habitat stamp — and does not have to live in Illinois.
Verified August 18, 2026
What this benefit is
A disabled veteran compensated at 10% or more needs no Illinois hunting or fishing licence and no habitat stamp — and does not have to live in Illinois.
What it's worth: Hunting and fishing licences and the habitat stamp, all waived
- Estimated on the combined cost of a resident hunting licence, a fishing licence and a habitat stamp bought annually.
- A non-resident saves considerably more, because non-resident licences cost several times the resident price.
Who is entitled to it
- You served in the U.S. armed forces.
- You are compensated at 10% or more, which is all Illinois asks.
- You hold the Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs affidavit.
Not sure whether that describes you?
Answer a few questions about this benefit specifically — we only ask what this one actually depends on, and we stop as soon as we know.
How to claim it
- 1Get the Disability Affidavit for Illinois Hunting and Fishing Privilege from an IDVA local Veteran Service Office — a DD214 and current verification of VA compensation or pension are required.
- 2Carry the affidavit. You must present it on request while hunting or fishing; it is the document that does the work.
- 3If you live outside Illinois, apply anyway. The exemption does not require Illinois residency.
- File with
- An Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs Veteran Service Office
- Documents you will need
- dd214 · va benefit summary letter · idva disability affidavit
- Periodic recertification
- Confirmed at intervals rather than annually.
Worth knowingTen percent is the lowest recreation threshold in this corpus by a wide margin, and the absence of a residency test is rarer still. A veteran anywhere in the country with a 10% rating can hunt and fish in Illinois licence-free.
Worth knowingThe habitat stamp is waived too, which is easy to miss because it is bought separately from the licence.
Worth knowingTotal disability pension benefits qualify as an alternative to the 10% compensation route, which reaches veterans with non-service-connected pensions.
Sources
- authority · published policyIllinois Department of Natural Resources — Military Fee Exemptions
- operating · published policyIllinois Department of Veterans' Affairs — Fishing and Hunting Permits
This finder provides an informational match, not a government eligibility determination. The responsible agency decides your application.