British Columbia · licensing

How to Get a Hunting Licence in British Columbia

By Hunters Guide. Reviewed against B.C. government and BC Wildlife Federation sources on September 18, 2026.

To hunt in British Columbia you need three things, in this order: a free Fish and Wildlife ID (FWID), a hunting credential earned by passing the CORE program, and a hunting licence bought through the province's WILD system. After that you add species licences and tags for whatever you plan to hunt. Most people finish the whole process in four to eight weeks, and the licence itself costs $32 for a standard resident.

That is the short version. Here is what each step actually involves, because a few of them trip people up.

What do you need before you can hunt?

A B.C. hunting licence requires four separate credentials, and they stack in a fixed order. You cannot skip ahead.

1. Fish and Wildlife ID (FWID). A free personal ID number. It is the account everything else hangs off.
2. Hunting credential. For most people this means passing CORE. It goes on your FWID profile once you pass.
3. Hunting licence. Bought each year through WILD.
4. Species licences and tags. Bought separately, per animal.

The order matters. You cannot buy a licence without a credential on file, and you cannot get a credential recorded without an FWID. People book a CORE exam first and then discover they need the ID number to register. Get the FWID first. It is free and it takes minutes.

What is CORE, and do you have to take it?

CORE is the province's hunter education program. According to the BC Wildlife Federation, which runs it on behalf of the Ministry of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship, "The Conservation and Outdoor Recreation Education (CORE) program is British Columbia's hunter education program."

Do you have to take it? If you are a B.C. resident, almost certainly yes. The BCWF states that "The successful completion of the program is required for B.C. residents age 10 or older who wish to obtain hunting credentials."

Age 10. That surprises people who assume there is a teen minimum. There is not.

One real exemption is worth knowing. If you have already completed the Canadian Firearms Safety Course (CFSC), you are exempt from the practical firearms handling portion of CORE. You still write the exam. You just skip the handling test, which saves you a fee and a scheduling headache.

What is on the CORE exam?

The CORE exam is two separate tests, a written examination and a practical firearms handling test, which are scored independently of each other.

The written test is the bigger one. The BCWF confirms that "The written examination consists of 90 multiple-choice questions based on the CORE Manual" and that "You must obtain at least 68 points overall to pass the written examination." That works out to roughly 76%, which is a real pass mark, not a formality.

The content spans conservation, ethics, law, first aid, firearm safety, animal identification, bird identification, and Indigenous hunting practices. Bird identification is the section that quietly fails people. Telling a diving duck from a dabbling duck on a small printed image is harder than it sounds, and it is worth drilling before exam day.

The practical test covers safe handling of two of the five firearm action types. The BCWF notes that "A minimum score of 23 out of 30 is required for a pass."

Fees run $30 to the examiner for each of the two tests, plus a $30 administration fee to the BCWF once you pass, for the graduation certificate. So budget $90 if you write both, or $60 if your CFSC exempts you from the practical.

How do you get a Fish and Wildlife ID?

A Fish and Wildlife ID is a free personal identification number that gives you access to B.C. hunting and freshwater fishing services in WILD. There are two ways to get one.

Online, log in to WILD using either a Basic BCeID or a BC Services Card Account. Online is faster if you already have one of those logins. Setting up a Basic BCeID from scratch takes a few extra minutes but no waiting period.

In person, visit a FrontCounter BC office, a Service BC office, or a participating vendor. Worth doing if the online login gives you trouble, which it occasionally does.

Either way, there is no cost. If a site is charging you for an FWID, you are on the wrong site.

What does a B.C. hunting licence cost?

A standard B.C. Resident hunting licence costs $32, which is a $25 base fee plus a $7 Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation (HCTF) surcharge. Prices below exclude 5% GST.

Note the senior rate. The province confirms that "Seniors (65 years of age or older) are eligible for a B.C. Resident Hunting Licence at a reduced cost." At $7 it is the same price as a youth licence.

Your licence is digital. The province says "You can choose to print these licences from your FWID profile but it is not required." So a dead phone battery is not a legal problem for the licence itself.

Species licences are different, and this catches people. They are issued on waterproof, tearproof paper, you cannot print them yourself, and all current year species licences must be physically carried while hunting. Digital licence, paper tags. Remember that split.

Do you need species licences and tags too?

A species licence is a separate permit, bought per animal, that authorizes you to hunt one particular species. The base hunting licence is permission to hunt. It is not permission to hunt a particular animal.

Species licences are bought separately through WILD and carried on that waterproof paper. Limited Entry Hunting (LEH) is a separate system again, a draw you apply to for high-demand species and areas. LEH has its own deadlines that do not move for anyone, so check them early in the year rather than in the fall.

How long does the whole thing take?

Four to eight weeks is realistic, and almost all of it is waiting for a CORE exam date.

The FWID takes minutes. Buying the licence takes minutes. Studying for CORE takes most people 10 to 20 hours. The bottleneck is examiner availability, which gets ugly from August onward as everyone tries to be ready for fall. If you want to hunt this season, book the exam before you finish studying, not after.

Frequently asked questions

Can you hunt in B.C. with an Alberta hunting licence?

No. Canadian hunting licences are province-specific. An Alberta licence does not authorize you to hunt in British Columbia. If you plan to hunt in both provinces in one season, you need a licence from each. Your hunter education credential, however, is generally recognized across provinces.

What is the pass mark for the CORE exam?

You need at least 68 points out of 90 on the written examination, which is about 76%. The practical firearms handling test is scored separately and requires 23 out of 30. Passing one does not carry you if you fail the other.

Do you need a PAL to hunt in British Columbia?

Not to hunt, but effectively yes to buy a firearm or ammunition. CORE certifies you to hunt; a Possession and Acquisition Licence (PAL) is the federal licence to acquire firearms. Many hunters take the CFSC first, which both leads to a PAL and exempts them from the CORE practical test.

How much does it cost to become a hunter in B.C. in total?

Roughly $120 to $130 for a first-year adult resident, before gear. That is about $90 in CORE fees, $32 for the resident licence, and no cost for the FWID. Species licences and LEH applications are extra and depend on what you hunt.

Is there a minimum age to hunt in British Columbia?

You can complete CORE and hold hunting credentials from age 10. Youth licences are priced at $7 including the surcharge. Younger hunters face supervision requirements, so check the current regulations synopsis before heading out.