BC law and regulations: FWID, licences, hunting hours and prohibitions

The law

Hunting in British Columbia is governed by the Wildlife Act and its regulations, summarized every two years in the Hunting and Trapping Regulations Synopsis (current edition 2026-2028). The CORE written exam is based on the CORE Manual and the Synopsis.

Fish and Wildlife ID (FWID) and licences

Item	Detail
FWID	Replaces the old BC Hunter Number; free; you must be 10+; only one FWID per person; you must know or produce your FWID and photo ID when an officer asks
Credentials	Identity, residency (BC resident credential renews every 3 years) and hunting credential (proof of hunter safety training - CORE or an accepted certificate from another province or country)
Resident hunting licence	10+, FWID, not suspended; fee $25 + $7 Habitat Conservation Trust surcharge (+ GST)
Species licences	Required in addition for many species (e.g. deer, elk, moose, bear)
Limited Entry Hunting (LEH)	Draw for certain species/areas; apply with your FWID
Youth licence	Ages 10-17, issued to a parent/guardian on the child's behalf; no hunter training required; no personal bag limit - the youth hunts under the supervisor's limit
Initiation licence	Once in a lifetime, BC residents 18+ who have never held a BC licence; must hunt under supervision; no species licences may be bought with it

Supervising hunters (for youths and initiation hunters) must hold the right credentials, have held a hunting licence in at least 3 of the preceding licence years, not be prohibited from firearms, and supervise no more than two such hunters at once.