Everyone aboard a boat with rods needs a Mexican fishing license. Here is what one costs, how to get it before your trip, and when you do not need one.
Mexico requires a sportfishing license, and it takes a few minutes to sort once you know the rule. Here is who needs one, what it costs and how we help you get it before your trip.
Who needs one
Everyone aboard a boat with rods needs their own license. That includes the person who came along for the ride and never touches a rod, which is the part that catches people out. The rule covers the captain and crew too.
So if four of you book La Ruca and only two plan to fish, all four need a license, because the rods are aboard.
Each guest has their own license, one per person, and it is not included in the charter price. The rule is the same everywhere we fish, from Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo to Punta Lobos, the Sea of Cortez launches and Magdalena Bay.
What it costs
License prices move with the peso, so treat these as close rather than exact. In September 2026 the online reseller BajaBound listed:
- One day: about $24
- One week: about $44
- One month: about $62
- One year: about $79
Those are the reseller's prices in US dollars as they stood in September 2026, so check the current rate when you buy.
Two days of fishing in the same week already costs more on day licenses than one weekly license, so if you are booking more than one trip, buy the week. A few worked examples:
- A group of four fishing one day: four day licenses, about $96 in total.
- A couple fishing two or three days in one week: two weekly licenses, about $88.
- Someone here for the season who fishes often: the annual license at about $79 is the simple answer.
If you are not sure yet how many days you will fish, start with the weekly license.
How we help
We help you get your license before the day, so nobody is sorting paperwork on the dock. Tell us who is coming when you book, including anyone who is not planning to fish, and we will walk you through getting a license for everyone aboard. Book your trip online and we take it from there.
Sort it when you book, not the night before. If someone new joins the boat later, tell us before the day so their license is covered too.
Multi-day and remote trips
The same rule follows you up the coast. On a multi-day island run out of San Evaristo, a few days out of La Ventana or a fall trip to Magdalena Bay, a weekly or monthly license is almost always cheaper than a stack of day licenses.
Spearfishing
Spearfishers need a license too, and the same license covers rod and spear. In Mexico, spearfishing is freediving only: no scuba and no hookah.
On our guided freedive spearfishing days we also dive on a buddy system, every dive. That is our safety standard, and we do not skip it.
Freediving
No license needed. Our freediving excursions are built around breathing, relaxation, safety and the marine life, not the catch, so there is nothing to license. If freediving is all you are booking, you can skip the paperwork entirely.
The license and the rest of the bill
The license sits alongside the other things that are not in the charter price: the crew's gratuity and your own sun protection. Everything else on a fishing day, the boat, captain, crew, tackle, bait, ice, water and snacks, is aboard. On El Wahoo King, lunch and drinks are aboard as well.
What else to pack
The license is the one piece of paper you need. For everything else, from sun protection to a layer for the early run, see what to bring. A hat and sunglasses are worth packing too. Questions about deposits, boats and what happens to your catch are answered in our FAQ.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a fishing license to fish in Cabo?
Yes. Everyone aboard a boat with rods needs their own Mexican fishing license, even if they do not plan to fish. It is not included in the charter price.
How much is a Mexican fishing license?
About $24 for a day, $44 for a week, $62 for a month and $79 for a year, as listed by BajaBound in September 2026. Prices move with the peso.
Can I get a Mexican fishing license online?
Yes. Resellers such as BajaBound sell them online, and we help you get yours before the day so it is taken care of before you reach the dock.
Do I need a license to spearfish in Mexico?
Yes. Spearfishers need a license too, and the same license covers rod and spear. Spearfishing in Mexico is freediving only, with no scuba or hookah.
Do I need a fishing license for freediving?
No. Freediving trips need no fishing license.
Got your license? Pick your boat and book online.
