Colorado Nonresident Elk License Cost 2026
A nonresident Colorado elk license is $845.16 in 2026. See every required add-on, deer prices, resident prices, and the draw and OTC totals.
A nonresident adult elk license in Colorado costs $845.16 in 2026. That is the price in the 2026 Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) Big Game brochure for a bull, cow or either-sex elk license. It is not the whole bill. This page lists each fee the brochure names, with the resident price beside it. CPW adjusts fees every year, so confirm the numbers in the current brochure before you buy.
2026 elk license prices
| Elk license | 2026 price |
|---|---|
| Nonresident bull elk and fishing combo | $845.16 |
| Nonresident either-sex elk and fishing combo | $845.16 |
| Nonresident cow elk and fishing combo | $845.16 |
| Nonresident youth elk and fishing combo | $130.07 |
| Resident adult elk | $70.40 |
| Resident youth elk | $20.30 |
The brochure defines youth as ages 12 to 17 and adult as ages 18 to 63.
A nonresident elk license is sold as a combination with a fishing license. The brochure says the fishing part is good through March 31, 2027. It stays valid after you tag an animal, as long as the carcass tag is the only part detached from the license.
2026 deer license prices
| Deer license | 2026 price |
|---|---|
| Nonresident adult deer and fishing combo | $506.92 |
| Nonresident youth deer and fishing combo | $130.07 |
| Resident adult deer | $51.25 |
| Resident youth deer | $20.30 |
The brochure notes that most deer licenses are limited and come only through the draws. So a nonresident deer hunter will usually pay the draw fees listed below as well.
Required add-ons
These are the extra fees the brochure lists.
| Fee | Resident | Nonresident | Who pays |
|---|---|---|---|
| Habitat Stamp | $12.76 | $12.76 | Ages 18 to 64, once per year |
| Application fee | $8.93 | $11.49 | Draw applicants, per species, per draw |
| Qualifying license: annual small game | $38.49 | $104.86 | Draw applicants only |
| Qualifying license: annual small game, youth | $2.53 | $2.53 | Youth draw applicants only |
Notes on each:
- Habitat Stamp. Required before buying a license, for anyone ages 18 to 64. Only one is needed per person per year. It is added automatically to your first hunting or fishing license purchase of the license year. It is nonrefundable.
- Application fee. Charged per species and per draw. It is nonrefundable.
- Qualifying license. You must buy or hold one before applying in the primary or secondary draw. The brochure lists several kinds. For a nonresident, the options are annual small game, spring turkey, or fall turkey (fall turkey counts for the secondary draw only). Annual small game is the lowest-priced nonresident option listed. The nonresident turkey licenses are listed at $194.21.
- Not needed for OTC. The brochure says hunters buying an over-the-counter or leftover limited license do not need a qualifying license.
The brochure also states that all license fees include a $1.25 search-and-rescue fee and a $1.50 Wildlife Education Fund fee, if applicable. These are inside the listed prices, not added on top.
Total for an over-the-counter bull elk license
This is our arithmetic from the brochure prices for one adult, ages 18 to 63, with no other Colorado license this year.
| Item | Nonresident | Resident |
|---|---|---|
| Bull elk license | $845.16 | $70.40 |
| Habitat Stamp | $12.76 | $12.76 |
| Total | $857.92 | $83.16 |
OTC rifle bull licenses exist for the second and third rifle seasons in listed units. They went on sale Aug. 4, 2026. See Colorado OTC elk units 2026.
Total if you draw an elk license
Again our arithmetic, for one adult who applies in one draw for elk and is awarded a license.
| Item | Nonresident | Resident |
|---|---|---|
| Qualifying license (annual small game) | $104.86 | $38.49 |
| Habitat Stamp | $12.76 | $12.76 |
| Application fee, one draw | $11.49 | $8.93 |
| Elk license | $845.16 | $70.40 |
| Total | $974.27 | $130.58 |
If you apply and do not draw, you still pay the first three lines. The brochure says application fees, the Habitat Stamp and qualifying licenses are nonrefundable. For a nonresident adult that is $129.11.
There is no preference point fee for elk or deer. The brochure applies that fee only to moose, Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep and mountain goat.
Other fees you might meet
- OHV permit: $26.25. Any off-highway vehicle used on public land or an OHV-designated route needs a Colorado OHV registration or permit. The permit is the option for nonresidents. It is valid April 1 to March 31.
- Exchange fee: $5. For swapping a license for another hunt code of the same species, before the season starts.
- Refund processing fee: $15. Most refunds carry it. A drawn license must be returned at least 30 days before the season opens.
- Voluntary CWD test: $25. Mandatory elk tests are free. In 2026 the fee is also waived for elk from other hunt codes inside the mandatory units.
What the license does not cover
The license is not access to private land. Fuel, food, lodging and meat processing are your own costs, and the brochure does not price them.
To see what a unit offers before you pay, check its elk unit page or deer unit page. Each shows harvest, 2026 OTC status, the share of national forest and BLM land, elevation and the boundary.
Get an exact plan before you spend on the trip
FilledTag builds one exact plan for your tag: where to park, where to camp, and where to sit, with every pin checked against public land ownership and road rules. Check your hunt free in six quick answers; plans start at $39, with a full refund if no legal plan fits.
This is our first season, so the plans are unproven. Treat the plan as a starting point and verify everything on the ground, including access, closures and land ownership. No plan can promise an elk.
Sources
- Colorado Parks and Wildlife, 2026 Colorado Big Game Hunting brochure, cpw.state.co.us/big-game-brochure: exchange fee and OTC definition (page 3), qualifying licenses, sales dates and secondary draw fees (page 4), License Fees and Requirements table and nonresident fishing combo (page 5), Habitat Stamp and qualifying license list (page 6), refunds (page 8), preference point fee (page 9), OHV permits and voluntary CWD testing fee (page 13), deer licenses mostly limited (page 20), OTC rifle bull licenses (page 40).
- Totals are FilledTag arithmetic from the brochure prices above. They are not printed in the brochure.
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