Resident Requirements and Definitions

Permit Classes

Description of Resident:
Any resident of Kansas not qualified as a landowner/tenant. Any person who has maintained the person's place of permanent abode in this state for a period of 60 days immediately preceding the person's application for any license, permit, stamp or other issue of the department. Domiciliary intent is required to establish that a person is maintaining the person's place of permanent abode in this state. Mere ownership of property is not sufficient to establish domiciliary intent. Evidence of domiciliary intent includes, without limitation, the location where the person votes, pays personal income taxes or obtains a driver's license.

Residency for Lifetime License Applicants: K.S.A. 32-930(b) provides that a person shall have maintained that person's place of permanent abode in Kansas for a period of not less than one year immediately preceding the person's application for a lifetime fishing, hunting or furharvester or combination hunting and fishing license.

Members of the armed services on active duty who were Kansas residents at the time of entering the service, and immediate family members living with them, are considered to be residents. Members of the armed services on active duty and officially stationed in Kansas may purchase resident licenses and permits, except for lifetime licenses.

American Indian License. To qualify and be issued a Kansas Indian License, a person must be 1) residing in the State of Kansas; 2) at least 1/16 Indian by blood and enrolled as an American Indian on a tribal membership roll which is federally recongnized by the United State Dept. of Interior; and 3) provide the Commission with acceptable proof of degree of Indian blood in the form of a legal document issued by the tribal office certifying the named person's degree of Indian blood.

If your birthday falls within the statutes for required hunter education and fur harvesting education you must have proof of education before being accepted.

National Guard Permit: The legislature appropriated $266,000 to provide free Hunting and Fishing licenses to active members of the Kansas National Guard.

A nonresident who is a registered full-time student in residence at a public or private secondary, post secondary, or vocational school located in this state may purchase resident licenses and permits, except lifetime licenses. Student must carry evidence of being a full-time student while hunting.

Any holder of a Kansas lifetime license ( hunt or combination hunt and fish) who has moved from the state may apply for a any Permit as a resident.

Description of Youth and Disability:
Youth 16 years of age or younger who possess a valid hunting license (unless exempt by Kansas law) may hunt during any Youth/Disability season while under the immediate supervision of an adult 18 years of age or older. Permit holders hunting the youth/disability season may also hunt the regular season.

Description of Seniors:
If you are resident and 75 years of age or older, you are not required to purchase a hunting license.

Description of Landowner:
A landowner is any resident who owns 80 acres or more of Kansas farm or ranch land. When applying for a landowner/tenant permit, land owned must be in the unit applying for.

Description of Tenant:A tenant is any resident or nonresident who is actively engaged in the agricultural operation of 80 acres or more of Kansas farm or ranch land for the purpose of producing agricultural commodities or livestock and (A) has a substantial financial investment in the production of agricultural commodities or livestock on such farm or ranch land and the potential to realize substantial financial benefit from such production or, (B) is a bona fide manager having an overall responsibility to direct, supervise and conduct such agricultural operation and have the potential to realize substantial benefit from such production in the form of salary, shares of such production or some other economic incentive based upon such production. Evidence of tenancy, if requested, shall be provided to the department and may include, but is not limited to, Natural Resource Conservation Service records, Farm Service Agency records, or written agricultural contract or lease documentation. Land must be located in the unit you are applying for to qualify.

 Members of the immediate family who are domiciled with a resident landowner or tenant may apply for a resident big game permit as a landowner or as a tenant, but at least 80 acres must be owned by such landowner or operated by such tenant for each individual applying as a landowner or as a tenant.

Description of Non-Resident:
Those persons not meeting the requirements of a resident as defined above.