CDFW Launches Mobile Device License Application
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) is excited to introduce the CDFW License App for mobile devices, providing residents and nonresidents with a convenient way to display California sport fishing licenses and validations on their smartphones and other mobile devices. In addition to displaying licenses, users can access various CDFW online resources, including hunting and fishing regulations booklets and the Fish Planting Schedule, as well as the Online License Sales and Services website. The app is available for download on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store or through direct links on CDFW’s License App web page. Following its successful launch, hunting licenses and related validations also will be added to the mobile display options by mid-2024. Assembly member Jim Wood (D-Healdsburg), author of the original legislation, AB 817, which facilitated the transition to a 365-day license and mobile licensing display, expressed satisfaction with the progress, emphasizing the importance of CDFW’s efforts in modernizing the licensing process. Wood’s bill received widespread support from the fishing community, conservation organizations and CDFW, including backing from the Coastal Conservation Association of California (CCA CAL). According to Wayne Kotow, executive director of CCA CAL, the app represents a significant advancement that will benefit license holders for years to come. Nathaniel Arnold, acting chief of CDFW’s Law Enforcement Division, highlighted the app’s potential to streamline license checks for wildlife officers. The rollout of the CDFW Licensing App aligns with the agency’s Recruit, Retain, Reactivate (R3) initiative, aiming to overcome barriers to hunting and fishing and enhance the overall fishing experience for individuals across urban and remote areas. For more information and frequently asked questions about the app, visit CDFW’s License App web page, which includes video tutorials demonstrating app’s functions.