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License modernization boosts revenue; agency reports $4.8M–$7M increase tied to SB 941 changes
Summary
Department staff told commissioners that changes under Senate Bill 941 (effective 07/01/2024) drove a multilevel increase in FY25 license revenue, much of it from nonresident license sales and a newly required nonresident annual hunting license.
Agency staff presented a year-end analysis of license-sales revenue related to Senate Bill 941, which went into effect July 1, 2024. Staff said the modernization consolidated licenses, introduced new products and increased fees for some categories — the department’s first major fee overhaul since 2003.
At a macro level, staff reported that license sales (excluding lifetime licenses) rose compared with the prior fiscal year. The department identified $4.8 million in additional revenue directly tied to licenses impacted by the law change when comparing FY24 and FY25. After adjusting for advance purchases of nonresident deer tags made in the spring of 2024 (sales that were likely pre-buying ahead of the fee changes), staff reported a net increase of about $7 million for FY25; departmental budget assumptions for FY25 had estimated a $6 million increase.
Presenters emphasized the nonresident-heavy character of the revenue gain: the newly required nonresident annual hunting license (new in SB 941) accounted for the single largest revenue item, and multiple nonresident tags and combinations appeared among the agency’s top revenue-generating items. Department staff noted a 48% drop in volume sold for nonresident deer season tags (archery, gun and muzzleloader) but said revenue from those sales fell less (down 13%), because higher fees and the newly required nonresident annual license offset unit declines. When the annual nonresident license revenue is included, department staff reported a net 24% increase in deer-related revenue.
Officials also flagged operational factors that likely depressed some categories: an unusually wet spring reduced recreational boating (contributing to a 7% decline in annual fishing licenses). The department said the experimental ‘‘Zeek super license’’ sold about 24,000 units and generated just under $1 million.
Why it matters: staff told commissioners the package of changes materially improved operating revenue in FY25 and that the increase will affect program capacity for habitat projects and WMA work. The department said future monitoring will check whether nonresident and resident sales normalize in FY26.
