How do I get hunter education in Maine?
In Maine, anyone buying an adult firearm hunting license needs hunter safety (or proof of an adult license held since 1976): ages 16 and older can finish the $29.95 online course, anyone 10 or older can take a usually free in-person course with an 8-hour skills and exam session, and an apprentice license lets new adults try hunting with a supervisor.
Data updated October 27, 2026. Every answer below is from the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife's own pages, with the date each was checked.
Maine hunter education at a glance
| Question | What the agency says | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Who has to take hunter education in Maine? | Anyone applying for a Maine license to hunt with firearms, other than a junior or apprentice license, must show proof of a hunter safety course or an equivalent course, or proof of having held a valid adult firearm hunting license in Maine or any other state, province or country in any year from 1976 on. A signed affidavit may substitute when proof cannot otherwise be provided. Archery hunting needs a separate archery course. | Maine Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, checked October 27, 2026 |
| How old do you have to be to take hunter education in Maine? | Students must be at least 10 years old to attend a hunter safety course, and those under 16 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. The online course is for students 16 and older. | Maine Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, checked October 27, 2026 |
| Can you take Maine hunter education online? | Students 16 and older can complete the firearms course fully online and use the completion voucher to buy a license. Traditional in-person courses are open to all students; homestudy versions pair an online or paper workbook with an in-person skills and exam session. | Maine Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, checked October 27, 2026 |
| Is there a field day in Maine? | In-person and homestudy students attend an 8-hour session with hands-on firearm handling, map and compass and survival instruction, and must show safe handling and pass a 50-question exam with at least 70 percent. Online students 16 and older do not need it, though they may attend one. | Maine Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, checked October 27, 2026 |
| How much does Maine hunter education cost? | The online course costs $29.95 to register. Traditional in-person courses are typically free, though some hosts charge a nominal fee for facility rental or cleaning. | Maine Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, checked October 27, 2026 |
| Can you hunt in Maine before taking the course? | An apprentice hunting license is for people over 16 who have never completed hunter safety or held an adult hunting license in any state or province. They must hunt in the presence of a supervisor 18 or older who has held an adult hunting license for the prior three consecutive years; moose hunting is not allowed. It can be bought no more than five times, and state law sets it at $26 for residents and $115 for nonresidents, including bear and turkey permits. | Maine Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, checked October 27, 2026 |
| How do you replace a lost Maine hunter education card? | The department keeps records of past graduates. A duplicate card can be requested by calling 207-287-5220, by email, or through the online form on the safety courses page; allow about 24 to 48 business hours for it to be emailed and mailed. | Maine Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, checked October 27, 2026 |
| Does Maine accept hunter education cards from other states? | State law accepts an equivalent hunter safety course, or proof of a valid adult firearm hunting license held in any state, province or country in any year from 1976 on, in place of Maine's course. | Maine Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, checked October 27, 2026 |
| Can young hunters in Maine hunt without the certificate? | Hunters under 16 need a junior hunting license, which has no minimum age and no course requirement, and must hunt in the presence of a junior hunter supervisor; under age 10 the supervisor must stay within 20 feet. A junior hunter who turns 16 may keep hunting on the junior license for the rest of that calendar year. | Maine Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, checked October 27, 2026 |
Who has to take hunter education in Maine?
Anyone applying for a Maine license to hunt with firearms, other than a junior or apprentice license, must show proof of a hunter safety course or an equivalent course, or proof of having held a valid adult firearm hunting license in Maine or any other state, province or country in any year from 1976 on. A signed affidavit may substitute when proof cannot otherwise be provided. Archery hunting needs a separate archery course.
Source: Maine Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, checked October 27, 2026.
How old do you have to be to take hunter education in Maine?
Students must be at least 10 years old to attend a hunter safety course, and those under 16 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. The online course is for students 16 and older.
Source: Maine Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, checked October 27, 2026.
Can you take Maine hunter education online?
Students 16 and older can complete the firearms course fully online and use the completion voucher to buy a license. Traditional in-person courses are open to all students; homestudy versions pair an online or paper workbook with an in-person skills and exam session.
Source: Maine Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, checked October 27, 2026.
Is there a field day in Maine?
In-person and homestudy students attend an 8-hour session with hands-on firearm handling, map and compass and survival instruction, and must show safe handling and pass a 50-question exam with at least 70 percent. Online students 16 and older do not need it, though they may attend one.
Source: Maine Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, checked October 27, 2026.
How much does Maine hunter education cost?
The online course costs $29.95 to register. Traditional in-person courses are typically free, though some hosts charge a nominal fee for facility rental or cleaning.
Source: Maine Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, checked October 27, 2026.
Can you hunt in Maine before taking the course?
An apprentice hunting license is for people over 16 who have never completed hunter safety or held an adult hunting license in any state or province. They must hunt in the presence of a supervisor 18 or older who has held an adult hunting license for the prior three consecutive years; moose hunting is not allowed. It can be bought no more than five times, and state law sets it at $26 for residents and $115 for nonresidents, including bear and turkey permits.
Source: Maine Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, checked October 27, 2026.
How do you replace a lost Maine hunter education card?
The department keeps records of past graduates. A duplicate card can be requested by calling 207-287-5220, by email, or through the online form on the safety courses page; allow about 24 to 48 business hours for it to be emailed and mailed.
Source: Maine Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, checked October 27, 2026.
Does Maine accept hunter education cards from other states?
State law accepts an equivalent hunter safety course, or proof of a valid adult firearm hunting license held in any state, province or country in any year from 1976 on, in place of Maine's course.
Source: Maine Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, checked October 27, 2026.
Can young hunters in Maine hunt without the certificate?
Hunters under 16 need a junior hunting license, which has no minimum age and no course requirement, and must hunt in the presence of a junior hunter supervisor; under age 10 the supervisor must stay within 20 feet. A junior hunter who turns 16 may keep hunting on the junior license for the rest of that calendar year.
Source: Maine Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, checked October 27, 2026.
What this page leaves out
These could not be confirmed on the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife's pages when this page was checked, so they are left out rather than guessed:
- Hunter education deferral (the agency describes an apprentice license, not a deferral). Check maine.gov.
- Whether a duplicate card has a fee (not stated). Check Maine Recreational Safety Office, 207-287-5220.
Hunting in Maine by the numbers
In 2024, 208,206 people held a paid Maine hunting license, down 2.6% from 213,686 in 2022, the 34th most of the 50 states. They bought 324,453 licenses, tags, permits and stamps (284,725 resident, 39,728 nonresident) for a gross cost of $9,711,735, 37.3% of it paid by nonresidents. Against Maine's 1,405,012 residents in 2024 that is 14.8 license holders per 100 people, though license holders include nonresidents.
| Licenses sold in | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paid hunting license holders | 213,686 | 212,780 | 208,206 |
| Resident licenses, tags, permits and stamps | 210,676 | 295,547 | 284,725 |
| Nonresident licenses, tags, permits and stamps | 38,953 | 39,755 | 39,728 |
| All licenses, tags, permits and stamps | 249,629 | 335,302 | 324,453 |
| Gross cost paid by residents | $5,181,247 | $6,318,497 | $6,087,888 |
| Gross cost paid by nonresidents | $3,591,001 | $3,659,583 | $3,623,848 |
| Gross cost, all buyers | $8,772,248 | $9,978,080 | $9,711,735 |
| Rank among the 50 states by license holders | 35th | 34th | 34th |
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 Maine land has public access?
PAD-US 4.0 lists 740,920 acres of Maine with public access, 3.3% of the state's 22,643,099 acres: 339,075 acres open access and 401,845 acres restricted access (a permit, draw, season or other limit).
| Public access land, PAD-US 4.0 | Acres | Share of the state |
|---|---|---|
| Open access | 339,075 acres | 1.5% |
| Restricted access | 401,845 acres | 1.8% |
| Managed by federal agencies | 294,988 acres | 1.3% |
| Managed by state agencies | 219,101 acres | 1.0% |
| Managed by local, private, tribal and other managers | 226,831 acres | 1.0% |
| All public access land | 740,920 acres | 3.3% |
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.
What to do next
- Start the course on the agency's page: maine.gov. 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: Maine hunting.
- Hunter education in other states