How do I get hunter education in Georgia?
In Georgia, residents and nonresidents born on or after January 1, 1961 must pass hunter education before buying a season hunting license: take the free classroom course, a free online course, or a paid approved online course, then print your certificate from your DNR customer account.
Data updated October 27, 2026. Every answer below is from the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Wildlife Resources Division's own pages, with the date each was checked.
Georgia hunter education at a glance
| Question | What the agency says | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Who has to take hunter education in Georgia? | Residents and nonresidents born on or after January 1, 1961 must complete a hunter education course before buying a season hunting license. It is not required for apprentice or short-term licenses, or to hunt on your own land or a parent's or guardian's land. Hunters 16 to 25 must show the certificate when buying a season license and carry it while hunting; those 26 and older need not show or carry it. | Georgia DNR Wildlife Resources, checked October 27, 2026 |
| Can you take Georgia hunter education online? | Georgia residents may take a free in-person classroom course or one of several approved online-only courses, then print the Georgia Hunter Safety Certificate from their GoOutdoorsGeorgia DNR customer account. One fully interactive online course is offered free to everyone regardless of age or state residency. | Georgia DNR Wildlife Resources, checked October 27, 2026 |
| Is there a field day in Georgia? | No field day is required for the online route: after passing an approved online course, students print their certificate from their DNR customer account. | Georgia DNR Wildlife Resources, checked October 27, 2026 |
| How much does Georgia hunter education cost? | The classroom course is free, a free online course is available for students under 16, and one interactive online course is free to everyone. Other approved online courses charge fees that vary by provider; the agency page does not list amounts. | Georgia DNR Wildlife Resources, checked October 27, 2026 |
| Can you hunt in Georgia before taking the course? | Anyone 16 or older who has not completed hunter education may buy an Apprentice Combo Hunting and Fishing License: $5 for one day plus $1 per additional day for residents, or $30 plus $10 per additional day for nonresidents, stacking up to 10 consecutive days with no limit on purchases. A mentor is recommended but a licensed hunter does not have to be present. Big game hunting also needs a Big Game License and a free Harvest Record. | Georgia DNR Wildlife Resources, checked October 27, 2026 |
| How do you replace a lost Georgia hunter education card? | Anyone who completed a Georgia course can log in to their DNR customer account on GoOutdoorsGeorgia and print a replacement certificate for free. | Georgia DNR Wildlife Resources, checked October 27, 2026 |
| Does Georgia accept hunter education cards from other states? | Hunter education courses certified or mandated by any state wildlife agency or Canadian province are accepted. | Georgia DNR Wildlife Resources, checked October 27, 2026 |
| Can young hunters in Georgia hunt without the certificate? | Hunters 11 and younger do not need the course but must hunt within sight or hearing of a licensed adult 18 or older. Hunters 12 to 15 must complete the course unless hunting under direct supervision of a licensed adult. | Georgia DNR Wildlife Resources, checked October 27, 2026 |
Who has to take hunter education in Georgia?
Residents and nonresidents born on or after January 1, 1961 must complete a hunter education course before buying a season hunting license. It is not required for apprentice or short-term licenses, or to hunt on your own land or a parent's or guardian's land. Hunters 16 to 25 must show the certificate when buying a season license and carry it while hunting; those 26 and older need not show or carry it.
Source: Georgia DNR Wildlife Resources, checked October 27, 2026.
Can you take Georgia hunter education online?
Georgia residents may take a free in-person classroom course or one of several approved online-only courses, then print the Georgia Hunter Safety Certificate from their GoOutdoorsGeorgia DNR customer account. One fully interactive online course is offered free to everyone regardless of age or state residency.
Source: Georgia DNR Wildlife Resources, checked October 27, 2026.
Is there a field day in Georgia?
No field day is required for the online route: after passing an approved online course, students print their certificate from their DNR customer account.
Source: Georgia DNR Wildlife Resources, checked October 27, 2026.
How much does Georgia hunter education cost?
The classroom course is free, a free online course is available for students under 16, and one interactive online course is free to everyone. Other approved online courses charge fees that vary by provider; the agency page does not list amounts.
Source: Georgia DNR Wildlife Resources, checked October 27, 2026.
Can you hunt in Georgia before taking the course?
Anyone 16 or older who has not completed hunter education may buy an Apprentice Combo Hunting and Fishing License: $5 for one day plus $1 per additional day for residents, or $30 plus $10 per additional day for nonresidents, stacking up to 10 consecutive days with no limit on purchases. A mentor is recommended but a licensed hunter does not have to be present. Big game hunting also needs a Big Game License and a free Harvest Record.
Source: Georgia DNR Wildlife Resources, checked October 27, 2026.
How do you replace a lost Georgia hunter education card?
Anyone who completed a Georgia course can log in to their DNR customer account on GoOutdoorsGeorgia and print a replacement certificate for free.
Source: Georgia DNR Wildlife Resources, checked October 27, 2026.
Does Georgia accept hunter education cards from other states?
Hunter education courses certified or mandated by any state wildlife agency or Canadian province are accepted.
Source: Georgia DNR Wildlife Resources, checked October 27, 2026.
Can young hunters in Georgia hunt without the certificate?
Hunters 11 and younger do not need the course but must hunt within sight or hearing of a licensed adult 18 or older. Hunters 12 to 15 must complete the course unless hunting under direct supervision of a licensed adult.
Source: Georgia DNR Wildlife Resources, checked October 27, 2026.
What this page leaves out
These could not be confirmed on the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Wildlife Resources Division's pages when this page was checked, so they are left out rather than guessed:
- Minimum age to take the course or be certified (the agency page gives none). Check Georgia DNR Wildlife Resources Division, 1-800-366-2661.
- Whether nonresidents may use the paid approved online courses (page says Georgia residents). Check georgiawildlife.com.
- Hunter education deferral (the agency offers the apprentice license, not a deferral). Check georgiawildlife.com.
Hunting in Georgia by the numbers
In 2024, 815,738 people held a paid Georgia hunting license, down 0.5% from 819,893 in 2022, the 3rd most of the 50 states. They bought 1,598,141 licenses, tags, permits and stamps (1,402,849 resident, 195,292 nonresident) for a gross cost of $21,061,327, 53.0% of it paid by nonresidents. Against Georgia's 11,180,878 residents in 2024 that is 7.3 license holders per 100 people, though license holders include nonresidents.
| Licenses sold in | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paid hunting license holders | 819,893 | 821,491 | 815,738 |
| Resident licenses, tags, permits and stamps | 1,400,493 | 1,400,505 | 1,402,849 |
| Nonresident licenses, tags, permits and stamps | 180,995 | 186,326 | 195,292 |
| All licenses, tags, permits and stamps | 1,581,488 | 1,586,831 | 1,598,141 |
| Gross cost paid by residents | $9,916,393 | $9,901,326 | $9,900,980 |
| Gross cost paid by nonresidents | $10,604,484 | $10,834,986 | $11,160,348 |
| Gross cost, all buyers | $20,520,877 | $20,736,312 | $21,061,327 |
| Rank among the 50 states by license holders | 4th | 3rd | 3rd |
Source: USFWS license data, checked October 27, 2026. USFWS counts each license year in the apportionment year two years later (licenses sold in 2024 are apportionment year 2026). License holders are not a count of hunters: hunters exempt from buying a license are left out, and some hunters buy licenses in more than one state. Population: Census Bureau 2024 estimate.
How much Georgia land has public access?
PAD-US 4.0 lists 2,936,339 acres of Georgia with public access, 7.7% of the state's 38,030,751 acres: 1,938,010 acres open access and 998,329 acres restricted access (a permit, draw, season or other limit).
| Public access land, PAD-US 4.0 | Acres | Share of the state |
|---|---|---|
| Open access | 1,938,010 acres | 5.1% |
| Restricted access | 998,329 acres | 2.6% |
| Managed by federal agencies | 1,450,903 acres | 3.8% |
| Managed by state agencies | 1,111,352 acres | 2.9% |
| Managed by local, private, tribal and other managers | 374,084 acres | 1.0% |
| All public access land | 2,936,339 acres | 7.7% |
Source: PAD-US 4.0 (USGS), 2024 release, checked October 27, 2026. PAD-US does not record whether hunting is allowed: some of this land is closed to hunting, so check each property's rules with its manager.
Deer hunters reported 206,677 deer statewide in 2025-26, from the Georgia DNR Wildlife Resources harvest figures on our Georgia deer harvest by county page.
What to do next
- Start the course on the agency's page: georgiawildlife.com. Rules change each season, so read the current page before you buy a license.
- Getting ready for deer season? Hunt Ready's 8-week whitetail track puts the course in week 1, with fitness, shooting practice and field skills after it.
- Hunting data for the state: Georgia hunting, and Georgia deer harvest by county.
- Hunter education in other states