Always call the town hotline before you go. Bed status changes after rain and for other public-health reasons, and the hotline (not this page) is the authoritative answer.
Connecticut does not sell one statewide recreational shellfish license. Each shoreline town (or a shellfish commission it belongs to) issues its own permit, sets its own fees, and posts its own rules. The state Department of Agriculture, Bureau of Aquaculture, lists the town hotlines and recreational maps on one page (CT DoAg recreational hotlines and maps), and says harvest is allowed only in Approved and Conditionally Approved areas that are currently open, never in leased or franchised beds (CT DoAg recreational shellfishing).
This guide collects what each town's official pages and PDFs say about permit fees and where to buy. Where a town does not publish a fee, we say so rather than guess.
Step by step
- Pick a town and read its rules. Limits, minimum sizes, hours and residency rules differ by town. Each town page on this site links to the official regulations.
- Buy the permit from the seller the town names. Usually the Town Clerk; some towns also sell through tackle shops, a conservation or health department, or online.
- Bring ID and proof of residence if you want the resident rate. For example, Fairfield notes proof of Connecticut residency is required (Fairfield), and the Niantic River permit counts as resident only for inhabitants of Waterford and East Lyme with photo ID (East Lyme).
- Check the map. Recreational areas are small, marked zones. Use the official town or state map linked from each town page.
- Call the hotline the day you go. Conditional areas close after rain (see Rain closures explained).
Town-by-town permit fees and sellers
| Town | Fees (as published) | Where to buy | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|
| Greenwich | Permit fee: Not published on the town pages we read — check with Town Clerk | Town Clerk's Office; online (new for 2026, link on town page). | fees · where to buy |
| Darien | Darien/Stamford resident: $20; Senior resident 65+: Free; Non-resident: $40 | Darien Health Department, 2 Renshaw Road (application form). | fees · where to buy |
| Norwalk | Permit fee: Regulations say only "the current permit fee" (amount not stated) — call the Town Clerk | An authorized permit seller, with proof of residence and age (per regulations; sellers not listed). Call the Town Clerk to confirm where to buy. | fees · where to buy |
| Westport | Permit fee: Listed on the 2026 application (not verified here) — call the Town Clerk or Conservation Dept | Mail-in application to Conservation Department (203-341-1087 for ID exceptions). | fees · where to buy |
| Fairfield | Resident: $25; Senior 60+: $15; Non-resident: $50 | Conservation Department, Sullivan Independence Hall, 725 Old Post Rd; online via town WebTrac. | fees · where to buy |
| Milford | Permit: Not listed in the state brochure — call the Town Clerk | Not stated on the sources we read — call the town | fees · where to buy |
| Branford | Resident: $10; Non-resident: $50; Non-resident daily: $10; Branford seniors 65+: No charge | Town Clerk's office or a Commission member. | fees · where to buy |
| Guilford | Resident: $30; Resident senior: $20; Non-resident: $80; Non-resident senior: $70; Daily: $25 | Town Clerk (31 Park St); Captain Morgan's Bait & Tackle (Madison); Fishin' Factory III (Middletown); Dee's Bait & Tackle (New Haven); a warden by appointment. | fees · where to buy |
| Madison | Permit fee: Not published on the town pages we read | Not stated on the sources we read — call the town | fees · where to buy |
| Clinton | Permit fee: Not read (commission site blocks automated fetch) | Town Clerk, Town Hall, 54 E Main St, (860) 669-9101. | fees · where to buy |
| Waterford & East Lyme (Niantic River) | Daily resident: $10; Daily non-resident: $15; Seasonal resident: $50; Seasonal non-resident: $75; Senior seasonal resident: $25; Senior seasonal non-resident: $35 | Waterford and East Lyme Town Clerks; most local bait & tackle shops (Mackey's, J&B Tackle per Niantic River Watershed Committee). | fees · where to buy |
| Groton | Weekly: $20 res / $25 non-res; Monthly: $25 / $35; Yearly: $40 / $55; Oysters daily: $10 / $15; Senior yearly: $30 / $40 | Groton Town Hall, Ken's Tackle Shop, Groton Town Police. | fees · where to buy |
| Stonington | Resident 16–64: $30/yr; Resident senior 65+: $15/yr; Non-resident 16–64: $45/yr; Non-resident senior: $30/yr; Youth 13–15: $15/yr; Daily: $20/day | Online via Online Mooring (town-linked). | fees · where to buy |
Things that commonly trip people up
- Permit years differ. Greenwich runs Oct 1 – Sep 30; Westport Jan 1 – Dec 31; Stonington Apr 1 – Mar 31; Branford is a calendar year and applies at age 16+ (sources on each town page).
- Daily permits exist in some towns, such as Branford (non-resident daily $10), Guilford (daily $25), Stonington ($20/day) and the Niantic River ($10 resident / $15 non-resident daily).
- Seniors often pay less or nothing. Darien residents 65+ are free; Branford seniors 65+ pay nothing; Fairfield seniors 60+ pay $15.
- Some fees are not published. Greenwich, Norwalk, Westport, Milford, Madison and Clinton fees were not shown on the official pages we read. Call the Town Clerk before you go.
- Scallops can need a separate permit. East Lyme says Niantic River scalloping is covered by other regulations and permits (East Lyme).
Fees and rules change; the linked official page is always the final word. If something here disagrees with the town, the town is right.
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