New licensing system questions and answers

Existing customers - how to login and find your account:

MN DNR Number

This is your unique 9-digit number featured on your hunting and/or fishing license.

If you do not have an old license handy, you can call or email the DNR License Center.

(651) 297-1230 or (877) 348-0498

[email protected]

OK

How do I validate and register my harvest in the new system?

Both processes below are outlined on pg. 28-29 in the Minnesota hunting regulations.

Step one: Validation

At the site of the harvest, licensed hunters will need to validate prior to moving the animal. This can be done through:

1. The mobile app, MN DNR Licensing (electronic site validation)
2. By hand on a printed site validation (paper), provided by a license retailer or printed at home.

Step two: Registration

Hunters will need to register their harvest through the app, online, or in-person at a participating license agent. Registration must be completed within the required timeline. See the Minnesota hunting regulations for details.

OFFLINE CAPABLE: Using the mobile app, hunters can site validate and complete the harvest registrations even while offline or out of service. Hunters must be logged into their account before leaving cell service and then must reopen the app once returning to cell service to fully submit that harvest registration. The app will automatically send any pending registrations once service is restored and the mobile app is opened.

What's new:

• The DNR no longer requires a physical tag to be attached to the animal at the time of harvest. Those physical tags are now replaced with the act of site validation.
• Hunters can use the new mobile app to validate and register harvests. The MNDNR Licensing mobile app is available for Android and Apple.
  • Prefer a paper option? Durable harvest tags will no longer be issued; instead, a license and validation is printed on a plain 8” x 11” sheet of paper to allow reprinting at no additional cost. You may get these at a license retailer or print at home.
• Phone registration is no longer available.

How do I create an account for a youth hunter/angler?

For youth, ages 13-17:

Children 13-17 can create their own account or their account may be created through the linked account process outlined below for youth 12 and under. If they've purchased a license through Minnesota DNR before, follow these steps "Existing customers – how to login and find your account."

For adults looking to link their accounts to youth:

If the adult has purchased a license through Minnesota DNR before, please refer to the instructions "Existing customers – how to login and find your account."

If the adult has never purchased a license with Minnesota DNR before, they will need to create a brand-new account.

For youth 12 and under:

For children 12 and under, their account must be linked to an adult's account.

• If the child has had an account with Minnesota DNR before, please locate the child's MN DNR number. This can be found on a recent hunting or fishing license.
• Or, you can locate the child's account by searching using the child's social security number within the new system during the linked account process.

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1. On an adult account, log in and click their name in the upper right corner
2. Select Linked Users from the drop-down menu
3. Click Link A User

4. If the child has had an account with Minnesota DNR before, click Search Customer. Use the child's MN DNR number to locate the account. If the child has never had an account with Minnesota DNR before, click +Create Customer.

   Note: Creating a duplicate account will block you from continuing this process.

5. Follow the prompts and enter the required information
6. Click Submit

How do I add a child's certification to their account? (Firearms safety/hunter education, ATV safety)

If the child is 13 or older, they can create their own account or their account may be created through the linked account process outlined above for youth 12 and under. If they've purchased a license through Minnesota DNR before, follow these steps to locate their existing account.

• Once the account is set up, you can purchase licenses and certifications from the account.

• If the child's certification was already present in the old system, it will appear under the Safety Certificates (in app) or Certifications (online) under their name in the upper right corner.

• Pro tip: If you would prefer to manage the child's account from your own account, you can use the Linked Users feature under your account profile to do so.

If the child is 12 or younger, an adult account is required and the child's account must be linked to that adult account. Follow these steps to complete that process.

• Once the child (12 or younger) is linked to the adult's account, you will be able to manage their profile and purchase licenses and certifications for them. The system will show "Viewing as: Their Name" during the purchasing process.

• If the child's certification was already present in the old system, select your name (online upper right corner) and select the child's name to view their profile. Once you are "Viewing as: Their Name", their certifications will appear under Safety Certificates (in app) or Certifications (online).

Linked accounts - How do I link someone's account to mine?

1. Log in and click your name in the upper right corner
2. Select Linked Users from the drop-down menu
3. Click Link A User

4. Click Search Customer or +Create Customer. If you select Search Customer, we recommend using their MN DNR number to find them.

   Note: Creating a duplicate customer will lock both accounts and prevent any license purchases until the administrators can delete or merge accounts. Searching for existing accounts ensures a seamless experience.

5. Follow the prompts and enter the required information
6. Click Submit

Combination licenses – How do I link my spouse to my account and license(s)?

1. Login to your account. Don't have a Login MN account? Start here.
2. (Optional) Link your account to your spouse's. Your spouse will need to have their account already set up. Follow the instructions here.
3. Add a combination license to your cart.
4. Once added, you will be prompted to add a person to use the multi-person license. You have three options:
   • If your spouse is already linked to your account, you can Select a Linked User.
   • If your spouse has purchased a hunting or fishing license through Minnesota DNR before, select Search for Existing Customer. We recommend using their MN DNR number to find the account.
   • If your spouse has not yet set up their Login MN account OR they've never purchased a license through Minnesota DNR before, you can select Create a Spouse Voucher. Enter the information required as it will appear on their MN DNR account to continue.
5. Proceed to Checkout and complete transaction.
6. If you chose to Create a Spouse Voucher, your spouse will need to redeem the voucher from their own account. Have them follow these steps to get their own account set up if they have purchased a license through Minnesota DNR before.
7. Once your spouse has logged into their account, they can select Redeem a Voucher and enter the confirmation number you both received to complete the process.

Will my past licenses, certifications, and/or lottery points show up in the new system?

Historical information will be migrated to the new system, including historical licenses, lifetime licenses, safety certifications and lottery points. Online and mobile users must create a login to access their account, including a current email address.

I don't have internet or a smartphone. How can I purchase my license?

Customers can still buy licenses in person at license agents, who can search accounts using an MN DNR number. or identification such as a driver's license or other accepted documents.

New customers can create accounts by providing a state-issued ID or alternative documentation, following current procedures. MN DNR numbers remain the same for life, and license agent tools and processes are unchanged.

Can I register my recreational vehicle through the new system?

Recreational vehicles will continue to be processed at deputy registrar offices across the state or at the DNR central office in St. Paul.

What do I do if my battery dies while using the mobile app?

If hunters are concerned about their phone battery life, they can print off a backup paper license at home or anywhere with a printer for no additional charge. Turning your phone off or putting it in airplane mode will help with battery life. Hunters should also carry their drivers license with them in case their phone dies.

Am I required to have my phone with my license on it with me when hunting, or is it acceptable for someone hunting in the vicinity to have it on their phone (through linked accounts)?

Each hunter must have their license on their person while hunting. This could be a screenshot of the license on their phone, or a printout of the license if they do not have the mobile app. There is no charge for customers to print out their license at home.

Will I receive a confirmation email or text after registering a harvest to confirm it went through?

You will see a pop-up online or on the mobile app with the registration confirmation number. That number will remain on your license in the mobile app and online. You can verify your harvest registration on the mobile app by opening the "harvest validation/registration" tile. An email will also be sent to those with an ELS account. If you register in person, the vendor can provide the confirmation number.

If I am party hunting with someone who shares a linked login on my phone, can I register an animal on their tag from my phone, or do they need to use their own personal phone?

The person whose license is being used on the deer must be at the site of kill and must validate the harvest. This can be done using any phone by logging into their linked account to complete the validation and registration questions.

Can I print multiple copies of my license?

Yes, you can print multiple copies of your license. However, only one deer may be legally harvested per license number. You may not use copies of a license with the same license number to harvest additional deer.

After purchasing my license online or on the mobile app, I see that it has “valid” dates beginning on the date of purchase – what does that mean given the season is not yet open?

The system may show that your license is “valid” but that only means that the transaction has gone through successfully. You should still refer to official season dates for using your license. For example, deer licenses and permits purchased after legal shooting hours during the deer season are not valid until the following day.

What information should I bring to my game processor?

Hunters must register their deer harvest prior to bringing the deer to a game processor.

Once the deer has been registered, hunters will receive a harvest registration confirmation number. Hunters should record this number because the processor may require it. If using the mobile app, the number will be saved automatically.

There is no longer a dedicated space on the printable site license to write in the confirmation number, but hunters can write it anywhere on the license or elsewhere. On the mobile app, the confirmation number is found under the “harvest validation/registration” tile.

Hunters should be prepared to share their DNR (Customer) number, name, address, and harvest confirmation number with the processor. The customer number can be found on the printable license and on the mobile app.