Free Hunting, Fishing and Shellfish Licence From a 25% Rating
A resident disabled veteran with a rating of at least 25% — after six consecutive months of physical residency — gets the combination licence free: hunting, fishing and shellfish, with the Columbia Basin and Ocean endorsements included.
Verified August 22, 2026
What this benefit is
A resident disabled veteran with a rating of at least 25% — after six consecutive months of physical residency — gets the combination licence free: hunting, fishing and shellfish, with the Columbia Basin and Ocean endorsements included.
Who is entitled to it
- Your disability rating is 25% or higher.
- You are a resident of this state.
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
- 1Count the residency first: six consecutive months of PHYSICAL residence in the state before applying — the gate that catches recent arrivals, not the rating.
- 2Attach the most recent letter showing an overall disability rating of at least 25% — from the VA or from any branch of the armed forces; both routes count.
- 3Mail the form to the department in Salem or deliver it in person; the licence covers hunting, fishing and shellfish with the Columbia Basin and Ocean endorsements riding along.
- 4Two add-ons worth knowing: a reduced-price elk tag at $29, and — at a 65% rating or higher — the separate disabilities hunting and fishing permit with its own accommodations.
- Form
- Disabled veteran licence application to the department
- File with
- Department of Fish and Wildlife, Salem — by mail or in person
- Documents you will need
- va benefit summary letter
- Annual
- Claimed once a year.
Sources
- authority · published policyDepartment of Fish and Wildlife — exclusive benefits for uniformed services and disabled veterans
Why only one source type: The department's own benefits page states the 25% threshold, the six-month physical-residency test and everything the free licence contains.
This finder provides an informational match, not a government eligibility determination. The responsible agency decides your application.