How do I get hunter education in Missouri?
In Missouri, anyone born on or after January 1, 1967 needs hunter education to hunt in firearms seasons: from age 11 you do a knowledge portion (free classroom or study guide, or a $24.95 to $39.95 online course) and a 4-hour skills session, and residents 16 and older can do it all online.
Data updated October 27, 2026. Every answer below is from the Missouri Department of Conservation's own pages, with the date each was checked.
Missouri hunter education at a glance
| Question | What the agency says | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Who has to take hunter education in Missouri? | Anyone born on or after January 1, 1967 who hunts during a Missouri firearms season, or who acts as an adult mentor, must be hunter education certified. Exceptions include hunters 15 or younger with a properly permitted adult mentor 18 or older, Apprentice Hunter Authorization holders hunting with a mentor, people with a disability exemption, and resident landowners on their own land. | Missouri Dept. of Conservation, checked October 27, 2026 |
| How old do you have to be to take hunter education in Missouri? | The two-step course (knowledge portion plus skills session) is for ages 11 and older; the all-online option is for ages 16 and older. | Missouri Dept. of Conservation, checked October 27, 2026 |
| Can you take Missouri hunter education online? | Ages 11 and older complete a knowledge portion (online course, free self-study guide, or free four-hour classroom session) and then an in-person skills session. Missouri residents 16 and older can complete the whole program online. | Missouri Dept. of Conservation, checked October 27, 2026 |
| Is there a field day in Missouri? | Two-step students must attend a four-hour in-person skills session and pass a 35-question final with 80 percent or better. Anyone 16 or older who completes the online course passes a 60-question final instead and does not need the skills session. | Missouri Dept. of Conservation, checked October 27, 2026 |
| How much does Missouri hunter education cost? | The self-study guide and the classroom session are free. The agency's approved online courses cost $24.95 (traditional) or $39.95 (interactive), paid to the provider. | Missouri Dept. of Conservation, checked October 27, 2026 |
| Can you hunt in Missouri before taking the course? | People 16 or older who are not certified may buy an Apprentice Hunter Authorization for $10, good for one permit year and available for two permit years, then buy a firearms permit. They must hunt in the immediate presence (normal conversation distance, without shouting) of a licensed, certified hunter 18 or older or one born before January 1, 1967. | Missouri Dept. of Conservation, checked October 27, 2026 |
| How do you replace a lost Missouri hunter education card? | A lost hunter education card can be replaced by buying a $5 Conservation Permit Card, if certification can be verified in MDC records. Certification numbers can be looked up through MDC's online education certificate lookup. | Missouri Dept. of Conservation, checked October 27, 2026 |
| Does Missouri accept hunter education cards from other states? | Missouri accepts completed hunter education certifications from all other states; proof of an approved course from another state means the Missouri course is not required. | Missouri Dept. of Conservation, checked October 27, 2026 |
Who has to take hunter education in Missouri?
Anyone born on or after January 1, 1967 who hunts during a Missouri firearms season, or who acts as an adult mentor, must be hunter education certified. Exceptions include hunters 15 or younger with a properly permitted adult mentor 18 or older, Apprentice Hunter Authorization holders hunting with a mentor, people with a disability exemption, and resident landowners on their own land.
Source: Missouri Dept. of Conservation, checked October 27, 2026.
How old do you have to be to take hunter education in Missouri?
The two-step course (knowledge portion plus skills session) is for ages 11 and older; the all-online option is for ages 16 and older.
Source: Missouri Dept. of Conservation, checked October 27, 2026.
Can you take Missouri hunter education online?
Ages 11 and older complete a knowledge portion (online course, free self-study guide, or free four-hour classroom session) and then an in-person skills session. Missouri residents 16 and older can complete the whole program online.
Source: Missouri Dept. of Conservation, checked October 27, 2026.
Is there a field day in Missouri?
Two-step students must attend a four-hour in-person skills session and pass a 35-question final with 80 percent or better. Anyone 16 or older who completes the online course passes a 60-question final instead and does not need the skills session.
Source: Missouri Dept. of Conservation, checked October 27, 2026.
How much does Missouri hunter education cost?
The self-study guide and the classroom session are free. The agency's approved online courses cost $24.95 (traditional) or $39.95 (interactive), paid to the provider.
Source: Missouri Dept. of Conservation, checked October 27, 2026.
Can you hunt in Missouri before taking the course?
People 16 or older who are not certified may buy an Apprentice Hunter Authorization for $10, good for one permit year and available for two permit years, then buy a firearms permit. They must hunt in the immediate presence (normal conversation distance, without shouting) of a licensed, certified hunter 18 or older or one born before January 1, 1967.
Source: Missouri Dept. of Conservation, checked October 27, 2026.
How do you replace a lost Missouri hunter education card?
A lost hunter education card can be replaced by buying a $5 Conservation Permit Card, if certification can be verified in MDC records. Certification numbers can be looked up through MDC's online education certificate lookup.
Source: Missouri Dept. of Conservation, checked October 27, 2026.
Does Missouri accept hunter education cards from other states?
Missouri accepts completed hunter education certifications from all other states; proof of an approved course from another state means the Missouri course is not required.
Source: Missouri Dept. of Conservation, checked October 27, 2026.
What this page leaves out
These could not be confirmed on the Missouri Department of Conservation's pages when this page was checked, so they are left out rather than guessed:
- Hunter education deferral (MDC pages describe the Apprentice Hunter Authorization, not a deferral). Check mdc.mo.gov.
- Whether nonresidents may use the all-online option (page says Missouri residents 16 and older). Check mdc.mo.gov.
Hunting in Missouri by the numbers
In 2024, 521,787 people held a paid Missouri hunting license, up 2.3% from 509,942 in 2022, the 10th most of the 50 states. They bought 1,733,467 licenses, tags, permits and stamps (1,614,549 resident, 118,918 nonresident) for a gross cost of $29,223,592, 51.9% of it paid by nonresidents. Against Missouri's 6,245,466 residents in 2024 that is 8.4 license holders per 100 people, though license holders include nonresidents.
| Licenses sold in | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paid hunting license holders | 509,942 | 506,250 | 521,787 |
| Resident licenses, tags, permits and stamps | 1,535,348 | 1,548,236 | 1,614,549 |
| Nonresident licenses, tags, permits and stamps | 108,283 | 111,977 | 118,918 |
| All licenses, tags, permits and stamps | 1,643,631 | 1,660,213 | 1,733,467 |
| Gross cost paid by residents | $13,692,159 | $13,609,691 | $14,057,113 |
| Gross cost paid by nonresidents | $13,950,779 | $14,265,073 | $15,166,479 |
| Gross cost, all buyers | $27,642,938 | $27,874,764 | $29,223,592 |
| Rank among the 50 states by license holders | 10th | 10th | 10th |
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 Missouri land has public access?
PAD-US 4.0 lists 2,959,437 acres of Missouri with public access, 6.6% of the state's 44,612,353 acres: 2,040,089 acres open access and 919,348 acres restricted access (a permit, draw, season or other limit).
| Public access land, PAD-US 4.0 | Acres | Share of the state |
|---|---|---|
| Open access | 2,040,089 acres | 4.6% |
| Restricted access | 919,348 acres | 2.1% |
| Managed by federal agencies | 1,960,766 acres | 4.4% |
| Managed by state agencies | 4,818 acres | 0.0% |
| Managed by local, private, tribal and other managers | 993,853 acres | 2.2% |
| All public access land | 2,959,437 acres | 6.6% |
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: mdc.mo.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: Missouri hunting.
- Hunter education in other states