Bavaria.

Official name

State fishing exam – official online exam

Administered by

Institute for Fisheries of the Bavarian State Research Center (LfL)

Exam format

Fully computer-based state exam at certified locations: 60 questions (5 subjects × 12), 60 min; pass with 45/60 and 6/12 per subject; ~300 dates per year, bookable online year-round; no practical exam part

Minimum age

Exam from 12, license from 14; youth fishing license abolished 2025 – minors aged 7–17 may fish accompanied by an adult license holder

Mandatory: 30 hours at a registered provider incl. practice; live 'online classroom' courses count, on-demand online courses do not

Exam fee

€50

Fishing license

Lifetime license €35 + fishing levy €40 per 5 years (or one-off age-scaled payment, max €352)

No shortcut here — in this state the only way to the water leads through the fishing exam.

Residence rule

Out-of-state exams only recognized if your main residence was outside Bavaria at exam time

Germany's only fully digital state fishing exam

• lfl.bayern.de/ifi/fischerpruefung/index.php
• fischerpruefung-online.bayern.de/
• stmelf.bayern.de/landwirtschaft/tierische_erzeugung/angelfischerei-in-bayern/index.html
• stmelf.bayern.de/landwirtschaft/tierische_erzeugung/gleichgestellte-fischerpruefungen-ausserhalb-bayern/index.html
• bayernportal.de/dokumente/leistung/64885868651
• fischer-jugend.de/aktuelles/gesetzesaenderung-2025-abschaffung-jugendfischereischein-angeln-ab-7-jahre-8438.html