Ontario Outdoors Card Cost and Renewal
The Ontario Outdoors Card costs $8.57 plus HST and is valid for 3 calendar years. Ontario says all products with a fee are subject to 13% HST. Most anglers need the card before buying a 1-year or 3-year Sport or Conservation fishing licence. The main fishing exception is the 1-day Sport Fishing Licence, which does not require an Outdoors Card.
This card guide is for cost, renewal, replacement, licence summary proof, and the online Hunt & Fish Ontario account path. Start with Ontario's Outdoors Card and licence-summary page, then open HuntFishOntario when you are ready to sign in or renew. If you still need the full Ontario licence setup, start with the Ontario fishing licence page. For Ontario licence cost and one-day prices, check the Ontario licence cost guide. For Sport versus Conservation limits, check the Ontario Sport vs Conservation guide.
What the Outdoors Card Does
The Outdoors Card is an identification card used by Ontario for fishing and hunting licensing. It does not authorize fishing by itself. For most fishing trips, you need both a valid Outdoors Card and a valid fishing licence listed on your licence summary or card.
If your card has not arrived yet, you can still fish after purchase if you carry the current licence summary. Ontario says the summary can be carried in paper or digital format, such as on a smartphone. A digital copy must be the official PDF supplied by the licensing service; a screenshot or photo is not valid.
When You Do Not Need the Card
Ontario does not require an Outdoors Card for the 1-day Sport Fishing Licence. That option is useful for short trips, visitors, and anglers who do not want to set up a 3-year card for one day on the water.
Some people can also fish using a deemed licence, such as eligible Canadian residents under 18 or 65 and older carrying government-issued identification. Those exemptions are about the person fishing, not about the card checkout process.
Renewal and Replacement
The Outdoors Card renewal period starts on the first Tuesday of December each year. You can renew online through the Fish and Wildlife Licensing Service, by phone, through a licence issuer, or at participating ServiceOntario locations.
Ontario plans to replace the current Fish and Wildlife Licensing Service with FishHuntON in early 2027. For 2026 renewals, continue using the current HuntFishOntario service and keep your email and address up to date so the account transition is easier.
If your card is lost, stolen, or damaged, Ontario lets you order a replacement. You can also reprint or download your licence summary online at no charge, which is often the fastest proof-recovery step before a trip. A replacement or new card takes approximately 20 days to arrive by mail; while you wait, Ontario accepts the current licence summary in paper or digital form as temporary proof. Replacing the card does not renew or replace the fishing licence itself, so confirm the active licence product separately. The digital version must be the official PDF, not a screenshot or photo.
The Simple Online Workflow
For most anglers, the order is simple: sign in to the Fish and Wildlife Licensing Service, buy or renew the Outdoors Card if needed, choose Sport or Conservation, then save the licence summary before you leave home.
If you are still unsure whether Sport or Conservation fits your trip, choose that licence class first. The Outdoors Card is the account layer; the licence class is what changes your catch and possession limits.
What the Card Cost Covers
The Outdoors Card cost is only one part of the checkout. A resident 1-year Conservation or Sport licence, a 3-year licence, a non-resident licence, or a one-day licence can all change the final amount.
For Ontario licence cost, check the Ontario licence cost guide for the full price table. The Outdoors Card amount is the narrower card and renewal part of that checkout.