What it costs
A nonresident adult applying for limited-entry bull elk in 2026 paid $144 for a 365-day hunting license and $21 to apply: $165 before the 2.2% card fee. Draw the tag and the permit adds $1,950.
Nonresident fees went up in 2025: licenses on July 1, 2025, and permits and application fees on Sept. 1, 2025. All fees below are from the 2026 guidebook.
1. Hunter education
If you were born after Dec. 31, 1965, Utah requires proof that you passed a hunter education course approved by DWR before you can buy a license or apply. Check DWR's hunter education page for what it accepts before you apply.
2. Buy a Utah hunting license
You need a current Utah hunting or combination license before you can apply for any permit or point. Licenses are good for 365 days from purchase; the license only has to be valid on the day you apply.
| License | Age | Resident | Nonresident |
|---|---|---|---|
| 365-day hunting license | 13 and under | $11 | $44 |
| 365-day hunting license | 14 to 17 | $16 | $44 |
| 365-day hunting license | 18 to 64 | $40 | $144 |
| 365-day hunting license | 65 and older | $31 | $144 |
| Multi-year hunting license (up to five years) | 18 to 64 | $39 a year | $143 a year |
| 365-day combination license (hunt and fish) | 17 and under | $20 | $58 |
| 365-day combination license (hunt and fish) | 18 to 64 | $44 | $190 |
| 365-day combination license (hunt and fish) | 65 and older | $35 | $190 |
| Multi-year combination license (up to five years) | 18 to 64 | $43 a year | $189 a year |
3. Pick hunts with nonresident permits
Nonresidents draw only from nonresident permits, and many hunts have one or two or none. In the 2026 draw, 101 of 372 limited-entry and once-in-a-lifetime hunts drew no nonresident permits. The guidebook marks resident-only hunts in blue text. These hunts had the most nonresident permits in 2026:
| Hunt | Code | Nonres. applicants | Nonres. permits | Nonres. odds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manti, Mid season Rifle (any legal weapon), elk | EB3126 | 314 | 18 | 1 in 17.4 |
| Manti Archery, elk | EB3006 | 335 | 16 | 1 in 20.9 |
| Wasatch Mountains, Mid season Rifle (any legal weapon), elk | EB3127 | 246 | 16 | 1 in 15.4 |
| Parker Mountain Rifle (any legal weapon), pronghorn | PB5076 | 322 | 14 | 1 in 23.0 |
| Book Cliffs, North Rifle (any legal weapon), deer | DB1017 | 717 | 14 | 1 in 51.2 |
| West Desert, Vernon Rifle (any legal weapon), deer | DB1024 | 390 | 13 | 1 in 30.0 |
| Wasatch Mountains Archery, elk | EB3022 | 235 | 13 | 1 in 18.1 |
| West Desert, Snake Valley Rifle (any legal weapon), pronghorn | PB5052 | 209 | 11 | 1 in 19.0 |
Nonresidents may not apply for CWMU permits in the drawing.
4. Apply at utahdraws.com
Apply during the spring window. In 2026 it ran March 19 (8 a.m. MDT) to April 23 (11 p.m. MDT); the 2027 window is not announced yet. The nonresident application fee is $21 for each species or bonus point. Nonresidents may apply for all limited-entry and once-in-a-lifetime species plus one general-season species, but can draw only one limited-entry or once-in-a-lifetime permit a year.
5. Or apply for points only
Not ready to hunt? Nonresidents may apply for bonus points in every limited-entry and once-in-a-lifetime species, just not a permit and a point for the same species. In 2026, 17,620 nonresidents bought a limited-entry bull elk point without applying for a hunt. Bonus points vs preference points.
6. Results and permit fees
In 2026, results were emailed on or by May 31. You pay the permit fee only if you draw.
| Permit | Resident | Nonresident |
|---|---|---|
| General deer | $46 | $599 |
| Limited-entry buck deer | $94 | $1,070 |
| Premium limited-entry buck deer | $185 | $1,398 |
| Limited-entry bull elk | $314 | $1,950 |
| Multiseason limited-entry bull elk | $564 | $2,655 |
| Limited-entry buck pronghorn | $63 | $571 |
| Bull moose | $454 | $3,488 |
| Bison (not on Antelope Island) | $460 | $4,840 |
| Desert bighorn sheep | $564 | $3,988 |
| Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep | $564 | $3,988 |
| Mountain goat | $454 | $3,488 |
Questions
Can I apply with a Utah resident friend?
Yes, in a group of up to four, for general-season deer or limited-entry deer, elk or pronghorn, but only for hunts with nonresident permits. If a hunt has none, the whole group is left out of it. Groups are not accepted for once-in-a-lifetime hunts.
Can nonresidents apply for CWMU permits?
Not in the drawing. The 2026 guidebook says nonresidents can obtain a CWMU permit voucher directly from the landowner or operator instead.
Does a nonresident permit include fishing?
Yes. Per the 2026 guidebook, a nonresident big game permit also acts as a one-year nonresident fishing license.
Is this the official site?
No. Utah Draw Guide is independent and not affiliated with Utah DWR. Apply only at utahdraws.com.
Utah DWR, 2026 Big Game Application Guidebook: license and permit fees (pages 14 to 16), requirements (17 to 19), residency and group rules (20 to 23), CWMU rule (11).
Utah DWR draw odds, utahdraws.com/drawodds (2026), including point-only entries. Odds PDF.
Updated Sept. 24, 2026. Verify all dates and rules with DWR before applying. Found an error? [email protected].