2 Things Michigan Requires Before a First-Time Deer Hunter Can Buy a License

Firearm deer season is only weeks away, and new hunters across Michigan are getting ready.

Before a first-timer can buy a license, a little groundwork has to be done.

Here’s what to have in place before you buy your first deer license.

Note: This is general information, not legal advice. Hunting rules and fees are subject to change, so check with the Michigan DNR before you buy.

1. Hunter Safety Certificate

Michigan asks for proof of hunter education when you try to buy a license.

If you were born on or after Jan. 1, 1960, the DNR says you can show a hunter education certificate or a previous hunting license that wasn’t a base apprentice license.

Out-of-state certificates count, too.

Mentored hunters and apprentice hunters follow separate rules, and those come up below.

2. Valid Identification

You must have one of four kinds of ID to buy a hunting license in Michigan, according to the DNR.

A valid Michigan or nonresident driver’s license works, and so does a state ID card from the Secretary of State.

Without either, you can get a DNR Sportcard for $1, which counts as valid ID.

That’s the full list.

A Sportcard has no age or residency restrictions.

You don’t need one if you already hold a valid driver’s license or state ID card.

A Sportcard with accurate information can be used from year to year.

How Do You Meet Michigan’s Hunter Safety Requirement?

You can earn a hunter safety certificate four ways, according to the DNR.

Your options are a traditional classroom course, an online course, an interactive online course and a take-home study course.

You’ll find hunter education courses around the state throughout the year.

The classroom course includes the in-person field day, and the other three routes each end with one.

Field days run four hours.

Each one costs a maximum of $10.

The traditional classroom course takes at least 10 hours over a minimum of two days, with the same $10 maximum fee.

Take-home students pick up a manual at least one week before the field day and finish the chapter reviews first.

If you take either online course, your completion voucher stays valid for 12 months.

Can You Hunt Deer Without a Hunter Safety Certificate?

Yes, you can hunt deer without a hunter education certificate.

The DNR offers two routes for new hunters, the Apprentice Hunting Program and the Mentored Hunting Program.

The Apprentice Hunting Program lets you hunt at age 10 or older with a qualified mentor, even without the certificate.

You buy a base apprentice license to take part, and you still need additional licenses to hunt big game.

Residents and nonresidents can both buy one.

You get up to two license years before you have to finish a hunter education course and buy a regular base license.

Your mentor must be 21 or older and hold a regular base license, plus a current-year license for the same game.

If you’re an apprentice between 10 and 16, your mentor must be your parent, guardian or someone they designate who is at least 21.

You can’t hunt alone.

Your mentor has to stay close enough for unaided sight and sound contact.

The Mentored Hunting Program, which includes the mentored youth license for hunters 9 and younger, exempts its hunters from the requirement.

What the Base License Covers

A base license is required for everyone who hunts in Michigan, deer hunters included.

A resident adult between 17 and 64 pays $11 for it.

Alone, it’s small game only.

It isn’t a kill tag, so you still need a deer license on top of it.

The base license you buy for the 2026 license year runs through March 31, 2027.

Where Age Changes the License

A regular Michigan base license starts at age 10.

The DNR’s fee table lists the base license as not available to hunters 9 and younger.

Younger kids use another license.

That’s the mentored youth license, which costs $7.50 and requires a qualified mentor.

That license stays valid for the whole license year, even if the child turns 10 along the way.

If you’re 10 to 16 with a certificate, you must hunt with an adult 18 or older, unless you’re on land where a parent or guardian regularly lives.

How Residency Changes the Price

Nonresident hunters pay far more.

A nonresident adult pays $151 for the base license and $190 for the deer combo license, compared with $40 for a resident combo.

The single deer license costs $20 for residents and nonresidents alike.

You're a resident when your settled, permanent home is in the state and you intend to stay.

Full-time students at a college or university in the state qualify when they live in the state during the school year.

So do full-time military members who are stationed in the state or who maintain Michigan residency.

The DNR says you can claim resident status in only one state.

Single Deer License or Deer Combo License?

You must choose between a single deer license and a deer combo license when you buy.

The single license carries one kill tag, and the combo has two, one regular and one restricted.

Go with the single license if one antlered deer all license year is enough, and the combo if you want the chance at two, according to the DNR.

You can't have both.

A single-license buyer can't add a second single license or the combo later.

How Do You Buy the License and Get Your Kill Tag?

You can buy a Michigan hunting license from any license agent, online, or through the Michigan DNR Hunt Fish app.

If you buy online, the DNR says your paper kill tag is mailed 10 to 15 business days after purchase, and you can't hunt without it in your possession.

An order placed in late October can land after the Nov. 15 opener, going by that 10-to-15-business-day window.

Buy through the Hunt Fish app instead, and your eHarvest tag shows up on your phone right after purchase.

Nothing arrives by mail.

You'll need to show that tag on your phone while you hunt.

When Is Michigan Deer Season?

Archery deer season runs Oct. 1 to Nov. 14, and then again from Dec. 1 to Jan. 1.

Regular firearm season covers Nov. 15 to 30 statewide.

That gives you 16 days.

The Lower Peninsula adds a December firearm season from Dec. 4 to 6.

You can find every season date in the DNR's deer regulations summary.

FAQ

Every answer here comes from the DNR's deer regulations summary and hunter safety certificate page.

Do you need hunter safety to buy a deer license in Michigan?

Yes, if you were born on or after Jan. 1, 1960, you need a hunter education certificate or a previous hunting license that wasn't a base apprentice license.

How much is a first deer license in Michigan?

A resident adult pays $11 for the base license, plus $20 for a single deer license or $40 for a deer combo license.

Where can you buy a Michigan deer license?

You can buy one from any license agent, online, or through the Michigan DNR Hunt Fish app.

Does Michigan accept a hunter safety certificate from another state?

Yes.

A valid hunter education certificate from another state meets Michigan's requirement.

What ID do you need to buy a Michigan hunting license?