LANSING — Ten dollars more to bag a deer. It costs an extra $13 to shoot pheasant. A 24-foot motorboat requires an additional $84 in licensing fees.
These are among the more than $208 million in proposed higher taxes and fees included in Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s 2026 state budget, according to State Budget Office records provided to the Free Press.
The proposed fee increases may be significant in upcoming budget negotiations between Whitmer, the Democratic-controlled Senate, and the Republican-controlled House.
Republicans are generally opposed to new revenue measures, but the Whitmer administration points out that many of the fees have not increased in decades and that new revenues are required simply to maintain current services in the face of inflation.
The largest proposed revenue increase in the budget for the fiscal year beginning Oct. 1 is a hike in landfill tipping fees, which is expected to generate an additional $80 million for environmental initiatives, primarily by raising the “solid waste surcharge” from 36 cents per ton of waste dumped in a landfill to $5 per ton.
According to the Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy, this would bring Michigan in line with other Midwest states while also helping to pay for contaminated site cleanup.
The next step is a new tax on vape and nontobacco nicotine products, which is expected to generate $57 million per year to improve health and care. Whitmer’s proposal would tax those products 32% at the wholesale level, which is the same as Michigan’s tax on cigars and noncigarette tobacco.
Higher license fees in the Department of Natural Resources are the third largest item, totaling $28.9 million, with $22 million coming from higher hunting and fishing fees and $6.9 million from higher watercraft fees.
Following repeated requests from the Free Press, the State Budget Office last week released details on those proposed increases, as well as all other proposed tax and fee hikes in the 2026 budget.
Whitmer’s proposal would raise the base fee for small game hunting from $11 to $17 for resident adults, $6 to $10 for resident minors, and $151 to $165 for non-residents.
A combined hunting and fishing license would cost $76 to $115 for residents and $266 to $275 for nonresidents. The cost of a basic hunting license for seniors would more than double, from $5 to 13.
For adult residents, the fee for a wild turkey hunting license would rise from $15 to $23; the fee for a waterfowl hunting license from $12 to $18; the fee for a pheasant hunting license from $25 to $38; the fee for a deer hunting license from $20 to $30; the fee for a bear hunting license from $25 to $38; and the fee for an elk hunting license from $100 to $150. A deer license would cost seniors $23 instead of $8.
The budget proposes raising the all-species fishing license fee from $26 to $40 for residents and $76 to $90 for nonresidents. The cost for seniors would increase from $11 to $30.
In terms of watercraft, the budget proposes motorboat license fees ranging from $24.17 for boats under 12 feet to $773.57 for boats longer than 50 feet. The current fee range is $14-$448. The fee for a commercial fishing vessel would rise from $15 to $25.90.
The cost of a DNR recreation passport, which allows access to state parks, would remain at $14. However, instead of opting in when renewing their license tabs, Michigan residents will be charged the fee unless they opt out.
If approved, this change is expected to generate an additional $17.2 million in revenue, in addition to increased revenues from hunting, fishing, and watercraft fees.
According to the budget office’s summary, hunting fees in Michigan last increased in 2014, while boating fees have not increased since 1993.
“Lack of funding will result in a loss of opportunities for hunting, fishing, sport shooting, and other wildlife recreation,” according to the fee summary.
“In addition, the quality of fish and wildlife populations and habitat on public and private lands and waters will decline from lack of coordination and management, and the negative impacts of climate change, invasive species, and disease.” However, in recent emails to the Free Press, some Michigan sports enthusiasts expressed their opposition to the proposed increases.
“Unfortunately, hunting has been on the decline in this state year after year,” said Ted Rickabus, a Mecosta County resident who owns a furniture repair business with his wife. “Raising prices will only accelerate the decline in participation.”
St. Clair County resident Matt Kosiara, who works for an automotive supplier, believes a better solution would be to reduce government spending and make improvements such as providing more parking spaces for people who go fishing at state facilities.
“I’m tired of slicing up my passion for the outdoors with less money for my sport and more money to fix the damn roads!” Kosiara explained.
The budget also proposes $5.6 million in increased revenues from higher Workers’ Disability Compensation Agency fees, $5.3 million in increased revenues from higher water quality, land, and permit fees, and the elimination of fee sunsets. It proposes to raise an additional $5 million in hazardous waste management fees.
It proposes raising an additional $2.5 million through higher aircraft registration fees, which have not increased since 1948. The budget proposes increasing the fee from one cent per pound of gross weight to ten cents.
Smaller proposed fee increases in the budget would impact fertilizers, gas storage wells, ski operations, nursing homes, adult foster care facilities, and retirement homes.
Whitmer and legislative leaders are working independently on a proposed road funding plan. The budget as presented did not include additional revenue for roads, but Whitmer and lawmakers hope to find nearly $3 billion more annually.
Contact Paul Egan at 517-372-8660 or pegan@freepress.com.
