Despite brief Apple wait, Minnesota DNR kicks off new Electronic Licensing System; license sales lag behind 2025

St. Paul — The Minnesota DNR launched its new Electronic Licensing System on Tuesday with a small hiccup when the Apple App Store did not immediately have the MN DNR Licensing app available. Visitors trying to find the app via their iPhones eventually were able to download it by about 2 p.m. Tuesday.

DNR staff said the new system had launched seamlessly on other platforms, including Android-based smartphones and browser versions on laptops and tablets on Tuesday morning. The modernized ELS for anglers, hunters, and trappers replaces a system that has been around 25 years.

DNR Commissioner Sarah Strommen said she and her son were able to log in online and immediately purchase licenses. The vendor that created the new system for the agency submitted the app to both Google and Apple last week, and Google had the Android version available for the Tuesday-at-midnight launch.

Apple still had not posted the app as the agency hosted an official launch event at 10 a.m. Tuesday at Shoreview’s Island Lake County Park. By 11 a.m., however, the DNR was confirming that Apple had approved the app, and users were able to download it by 2 p.m.

Smartphone users can find the app by searching “MN DNR Licensing.” Outdoor News staffers did not have time to test the app prior to press time.

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While the new system is intuitive, the DNR and its vendor partner PayIt have how-to resources available to assist people with the transition. Users can find those documents and videos at the DNR website or in the digital app. There are also staff available to answer questions and help users at 888-646-6367 (MINNDNR) or 651-296-6157.

The DNR will take feedback and make refinements as people adopt the system. Phase two of the launch will happen later and will involve the addition of a rec vehicle and watercraft titling and registration module to the new system. For now, the titling and registration process remains the same, with the legacy system.

Early 2026 license sales lag

Minnesota fishing license sales are trailing last year’s pace, with resident licenses down 5% and nonresident licenses down 8% compared with this time in 2025.

Current figures are based on sales through the Friday before Memorial Day. Minnesota anglers purchased 219,418 individual resident licenses, a slight dip from the same point last year, according to Pat Rivers, director of the Division of Fish and Wildlife for the DNR.

“We’re 5% behind last year and that’s not surprising,” Rivers said. “We had a pretty cool start to May, and we also have gas prices that are a little higher than people like to see. Two things that can depress license sales.”

Resident license sales declined after reaching a four-year high of 231,584 at this point in the season last year. From 2022 through 2024, sales remained relatively stable, ranging from about 214,000 to 227,000 licenses. The highest total during the past five years occurred in 2021, when 254,343 licenses had been sold by the same point in the season. Despite this year’s decrease, sales remain in line with recent trends.

For nonresident anglers, license sales have declined for five consecutive years. In 2021, nonresident license sales reached a high of 34,316. Since then, totals have fallen to about 28,000 in 2022 and 2023, then to slightly more than 27,000 in 2024 and 2025. Through the Friday before Memorial Day this year, sales had dropped to 25,576, the lowest total during that period.

License sales are the primary source of revenue used by the DNR to support fish and wildlife management programs. With the rollout of the new Electronic License System, residents and nonresidents were able to fish without a valid license for one week during the transition. While that may have a small impact on revenue, Rivers said it could also serve as a recruitment tool for new or returning anglers.

“We anticipate it being a short-term blip if it has any effect on license sales at all. It might actually work just in reverse,” Rivers said. “It could be an incentive for people to try fishing who maybe have lapsed, and they might reconnect with fishing and decide to buy a license after that. It’ll be hopefully a recruitment tool.”

Officials will review updated license sales figures around the Fourth of July, Labor Day and Dec. 31 to track participation.

Overall resident license sales during the past five years have remained relatively consistent, ranging between about 450,000 and 490,000 annually. The highest totals during that period occurred within the past two years.

Annual nonresident license sales have also remained relatively stable since 2022 at roughly 86,000 licenses per year. In 2021, nonresident license sales reached a five-year high of 94,102.

License costs have remained unchanged since the last fee increase in 2018. Rivers said Minnesota’s strong fishing culture and abundant opportunities continue to support participation across the state.

“We certainly have a high fidelity for our anglers buying licenses most years, and part of that is because we’ve got great fisheries across the state, and it’s a passion for Minnesotans to get out and fish,” Rivers said. “We work hard to try to provide the best fishing we can, and so that people find value for that license dollar.”

Editor’s note: This story has been updated from its original version that was published on the morning of June 9 to update readers on the new MN DNR Licensing app being available in the Apple App Store.