Do you need a licence?
Yes — any angler fishing public inland water in Belgium requires a valid fishing licence. This applies to UK visitors just as it does to Belgian residents. There is no licence required for sea fishing from the coast, but for any river, canal, lake or reservoir, a licence is mandatory.
Belgium is divided into regions, and crucially, fishing licences are issued separately for Wallonia and Flanders. A Wallonian licence is not valid in Flanders and vice versa. Most UK carp anglers fish in Wallonia (the French-speaking south, home to the Ardennes, the Meuse, the Sambre and the Eau d’Heure lakes), so this guide focuses primarily on that system — with a section on Flanders for those fishing the northern waterways.
A Wallonian licence does not cover Flanders, and a Flemish licence does not cover Wallonia. If your trip crosses the regional boundary, you need both. Most UK carp trips stay within one region — check your venues first.
Fishing in Wallonia
Wallonia is where the majority of UK anglers fish in Belgium — the Ardennes rivers, the big southern carp lakes, and venues on the Meuse and Sambre. The Wallonian licence is issued by the Maison Wallonne de la Pêche and purchased online at permisdepeche.be. The site is available in French, Dutch and German — there is no English version, but it is straightforward to navigate.
In Wallonia, you need two things to fish legally on most public waters:
- A regional Wallonian licence (the permit from permisdepeche.be)
- A local permit from the club or organisation holding the fishing rights on the specific water
The regional licence alone does not give you the right to fish everywhere — it is the baseline. You then need the local permit on top. On many popular venues this local permit is included in the day or lake fee. On public rivers such as the Meuse and Sambre, the regional licence is often sufficient as the state holds the fishing rights.
Wallonia permit types
The Wallonian licence comes in several types. For carp fishing, the most important ones are:
| Permit | What it covers | Cost (approx.) | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Permit A | Daytime fishing with up to two rods from the bank | ~€12 | Day sessions on public rivers and lakes — the basic annual permit |
| Permit B | Fishing with up to three rods, including from a boat, with a landing net | ~€30–€35 | Most UK carp anglers — covers three rods and wider access |
| Permit C | Night carp fishing (includes all Permit B rights) | ~€110 | Anyone planning overnight carp sessions in Wallonia |
| Permit T | Same as Permit B but valid for 14 consecutive days only | ~€25 | A short trip where an annual B permit is not worth buying |
For a UK angler doing overnight carp sessions in Wallonia, you will need Permit C (€110). This is the annual permit that includes night fishing rights. If you are only doing day sessions and want to use three rods, Permit B is sufficient. Permit A covers two rods, daytime only — adequate for casual fishing but restrictive for serious carp anglers.
All Wallonian permits run from 1 January to 31 December. If you buy a Permit C in October for a November trip, you are paying €110 for two months’ use. Factor that in — or buy early in the year if you plan to return.
How to buy a Wallonian licence
Go to permisdepeche.be
The site is in French, Dutch and German. Select your preferred language at the top. Use your browser’s auto-translate if needed — Chrome translates the page reliably and the checkout works correctly when translated.
Create an account or log in
Click Mon compte (My account) and create an account with your name, date of birth, and address. Your UK address is accepted. You will need a valid email address to receive your licence.
Select your permit type
Choose from Permit A, B, C or T based on the table above. For most UK carp anglers planning overnight sessions, select Permis C. For day-only visits, Permis B or the 14-day Permis T.
Pay and download your licence
The site accepts credit and debit cards. Once payment is confirmed, you can download and print your licence immediately from your account. Print it or save it to your phone — you are legally required to carry it while fishing.
Licences are available from 1 December for the following year. If you are planning a January or February trip, buy in December to make sure you have it in time. The download is immediate but post offices stop issuing physical copies at the end of December.
Fishing in Flanders
Flanders covers the Dutch-speaking northern half of Belgium, including the canals around Ghent and Bruges, the Albert Canal, and the rivers and lakes of the Kempen region. The licensing system is separate from Wallonia and simpler in structure.
In Flanders, licences (visverlof) are available online at visverlof.be or at any post office. There are three types:
| Permit | What it covers | Cost (approx.) |
|---|---|---|
| Fishing permit (visverlof) | Standard annual permit for public Flemish waters — one rod | ~€7–€8 |
| Large fishing permit (groot visverlof) | Annual permit allowing two rods on public Flemish waters | ~€14–€15 |
| Youth permit | Free permit for anglers under 18 | Free |
Flemish licences are valid from 1 January to 31 December and are considerably cheaper than Wallonian ones. For most carp anglers fishing Flemish waters, the groot visverlof (large permit) is the right choice, as it allows two rods.
Night fishing is generally prohibited in Flanders on public waters. Fishing is restricted to between 2 hours before sunrise and 2 hours after sunset. Some specific carp venues have exceptions — always check with the venue directly before planning an overnight session.
Night fishing rules in Belgium
Night fishing rules in Belgium are among the strictest in Europe and the single biggest source of confusion for UK anglers. The rules differ significantly between regions:
- Wallonia: Night carp fishing is permitted on designated waters provided you hold a Permit C. Not all waters are designated — check with the venue or local club. Fishing runs from one hour after sunset to one hour before sunrise.
- Flanders: Night fishing on public waters is generally not allowed. Some private carp venues operate their own night fishing permissions — these are separate from the regional licence.
- East Belgium (the German-speaking community): Night carp fishing is permitted during designated carp weekends organised by local fishing leagues. It is not a free-for-all — check the calendar and conditions for the specific venue.
Key terms translated
| French / Dutch | English meaning |
|---|---|
| Permis de pêche / Visverlof | Fishing licence / permit |
| Maison Wallonne de la Pêche | Walloon Fishing House (the licensing authority) |
| Permis A | Basic Wallonian annual permit — 2 rods, daytime only |
| Permis B | Standard Wallonian permit — 3 rods, boat access, daytime |
| Permis C | Wallonian night carp permit — includes all Permis B rights |
| Permis T | Wallonian 14-day permit — same rights as Permis B |
| Groot visverlof | Flemish large permit — 2 rods |
| Pêche de nuit / Nachtvisserij | Night fishing |
| Eaux navigables | Navigable (public) waters |
| Mon compte | My account |
| Télécharger | Download |
| Carpe | Carp |
| No-kill | Catch and release (widely used in both languages) |
Troubleshooting
The permisdepeche.be site is in French and I can’t navigate it
Use your browser’s auto-translate function — Chrome translates the page to English reliably and, unlike the French fishing licence site, the checkout at permisdepeche.be works correctly when auto-translated. You do not need to switch the site back to French to complete payment.
I bought a Permit B but I want to do night fishing
You need to upgrade to a Permit C. You cannot add night fishing rights to an existing Permit B — you will need to purchase a new Permit C. Contact the Maison Wallonne de la Pêche directly if you need to discuss refunds or upgrades.
The venue says I need a local permit on top of my regional licence
This is correct and normal. On most non-navigable waters in Wallonia, the fishing rights belong to a local club rather than the state. Your regional licence is the baseline but the local club’s permit is required to fish their water. This is usually purchased from the venue directly or from the club’s website.
I am fishing the Meuse — do I need a Wallonian or Flemish licence?
The Meuse runs through both regions. If you are fishing the Meuse in Wallonia (Namur, Liège, Dinant area), you need a Wallonian licence. If you are fishing it in Flanders or near the Dutch border, check the regional boundary carefully — you may need a Flemish licence or both. When in doubt, buy both — the Flemish visverlof is inexpensive.
Find Belgian public fishing venues
Once your licence is sorted, use PiscaMaps to find rivers, lakes and canals in Belgium — with venue details including night fishing rules and species information.
Open the mapQuick summary
- Belgium has two separate licensing systems — Wallonia and Flanders. A licence from one region is not valid in the other.
- Most UK carp anglers fish in Wallonia — buy your licence at permisdepeche.be
- For overnight carp sessions in Wallonia, you need a Permit C (€110) — this is the night fishing permit
- For day sessions with three rods in Wallonia, Permit B (~€30–35) is sufficient
- For a short visit, the 14-day Permit T (~€25) is good value
- On most Wallonian waters you also need a local permit from the club holding the fishing rights — the regional licence alone is not enough
- Night fishing is generally prohibited in Flanders on public waters
- All Belgian licences run from 1 January to 31 December — buy early in the year for best value