Special Park Use Permits, 1st Amendment, and Other Management Activities
A special park use is a short-term activity that takes place in a unit of the National Park Service and provides a benefit to an individual, group, or organization, rather than the public at large. The National Park Service may permit a special park use providing the activity will not be detrimental to the the park's resources or values, visitor experiences, or the pupose(s) for which the park was established. Permit consideration will be evaluated on a case by case basis for potential resouce damage and anticipated disruption of normal public use.
Andrew Johnson National Historic Site (NHS) may issue permits for various activities, including the following:
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If applicants are not familiar with Andrew Johnson NHS, a preliminary visit is advisable. The location where the special park use is desired needs to be determined before a Special Use Permit is issued. There are restrictions in certain areas of the park, which could limit planned access and/or activities, so it is best to speak with park staff beforehand.
SPECIAL USE PERMIT APPLICATIONS
All requests for a special use of the park for a planned activity must include the appropriate, completed application for a Special Park Use Permit. Applications provide management with essential information regarding the requested activity (i. e. date, type of event, number of people, location within the park, what type of impacts to the resource may be anticipated, etc.).
Applications should be submitted a minimum of 60 days in advance to give the park time to evaulate the special park use request.
APPLICATION AND RECOVERY COST FEES
APPLICATION FEE: A non-refundable application fee may be required depending upon the type of request. Application fees for all 1st Amendment activities may be waived at the discretion of the park superintendent.
All non-photography permit requests and/or requests not falling under a 1st Amendment Activity or filming exception will be required to pay either a $25.00 Application Fee (based on a planned activity involving 50 or less people) or a $50.00 Application Fee (based on a planned activity involving 51 or more people).
Andrew Johnson NHS interprets our 17th president, and his life and times. The park closely reviews requests for activities that fall outside of the park’s primary mission. We recommend being as detailed as possible when completing the application. Feel free to add a supplemental information page(s) to the application if you need additional space to provide the requested information.If you are inquiring about the following:
- Public Assembly (1st Amendment activities),
- Wedding Ceremonies, or
- Filming/Photography/Audio Recording
please complete Special Use Permit Application 10-930.
Permit Application Types
Andrew Johnson NHS Application for Special Use Permit 10-930
Andrew Johnson NHS Application for Special Use Permit 10-931
Other Fees to consider
Depending on the type of activity, where the applicant wishes it to take place, or the time of the requested activity, several other fees may be charged. These included the following:
• Cost Recovery Fees
• Location Fees
COST RECOVERY FEES: The cost recovery authority for SPUs allows us to recover the actual costs of administering a Special Use Permit. Charges established for a special park use under 54 USC 103104, are intended to recover costs associated with managing that activity and not to generate revenue beyond actual cost.
Activities occurring afterhours or requiring supplemental staff will be subject to the collection of cost recovery fees in addition to the standard application fee. Activities occurring within the park’s operational hours may be subject to the collection of recovery fees based on nature of the activity. All permit applications are reviewed on a case-by-case basis to ensure they are not detrimental to the park’s resources or values, visitor experiences, or the purpose(s) for which the park was established. Decisions regarding whether cost recovery fees are warranted is based on the information contained in the permit application and in any emails or telephones calls between the applicant and park staff.
Applicants will be notified in advance of the permit being approved as to 1). the potential of recovery costs be added to the permit, and 2). What those recovery costs will be.
- In most cases, permits and fees are not required for filming, still photography, or audio recording that involves eight or fewer individuals. In order to avoid permit and fee requirements, the filming, still photography, or audio recording must meet all of the following conditions:
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Occurs in areas open to the public;
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Uses hand-carried equipment only;
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Does not require exclusive use of a site;
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Does not adversely impact park resources, values, or other visitors; and
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Is not likely to result in additional administrative costs for the NPS.
- Permits and fees are never required for filming, still photography, or audio recording that is associated with an activity or event that has been authorized under a written instrument (e.g., permit or agreement), such as a wedding, sporting event, demonstration or other activity.
- All filming, still photography, and audio recording is treated the same under the new law. It does not matter whether it is commercial, non-commercial, for content creation, by a student, or conducted by media or for news gathering.
- When a filming, still photography, or audio recording permit is required, the National Park Service will charge location fees and fees to recover its costs to administer the permit, including application fees.
- Individuals and groups conducting filming, still photography, or audio recording remain subject to all other laws and regulations applicable to visitors to park areas, including those requiring permits for certain activities (e.g., special events or demonstrations) and those prohibiting disturbance or other negative impacts to natural or cultural resources.
- Individuals and groups conducting filming, still photography, or audio recording are subject to entrance and/or recreation fees that may apply in park areas even when a permit is not required.
LOCATION FEES: Location Fees means a land or facility use fee similar to rent that provides a fair return to the United States for the use of Federal lands or facilities when used for:
1) Filming activities or similar projects where a permit is required; and
(2) Still photography activities where a permit is required.
Location fees are determined by the following schedule:
Motion Pictures/Videos
• 1–8 people, camera & tripod only - $0/day
• 9–10 people - $150/day
• 11–30 people - $250/day
• 31–49 people - $500/day
• Over 50 people - $750/day
Still Photography/Audio Recording
1 - 10 people, $50/day
11 - 30 people, $150/day
Over 30 people, $250/day
If you are inquiring about a still photography special use permit then, complete FORM 10-932.
Filming/Still Photography:
Andrew Johnson NHS Application for Special Use Permit 10-932
ALL COMPLETED APPLICATIONS
Completed applications for all activities must be mailed to the park’s Special Use Permit Coordinator at the following address:
Andrew Johnson NHS
ATTN: Special Use Coordinator
121 Monument Avenue
Greeneville, TN 37743
*Applications must be accompanied by a non-refundable cashier’s check or money order made out to "NPS – Andrew Johnson NHS” for either $50.00 or $100.00 (see above APPLICATION FEES paragraph for guidance).
Credit cards are not accepted (see Permit Fees and Proof of Insurance below). Allow up to 4 weeks for park management review of each application.
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DEMONSTRATION AND DISTRIBUTION
(1st AMENDMENT ACTIVITIES)
If an applicant wishes to access the park for purposes of reaching out to park visitors and/or making use of park resources for non-commercial Education/Outreach purposes, these activities may fall under 1st Amendment activities and may not require permit fees. For more information regarding 1st Amendment activities, please contact the Special Park Use Coordinator at (423) 639-3711.
Small Group Exception: Under 36 CFR 2.51(b)(1) and 2.52 (b)(1) groups of 25 or fewer people may demonstrate, distribute or sell printed matter, or give away non-commercial, message-bearing, non-printed matter (CDs, DVDs, buttons, bumper stickers, or other items) in designated, available areas without obtaining a permit. Small groups may still apply for a permit in order to reserve their use of a particular area. In order to qualify for the small group exception, the group must assemble in a designated First Amendment location and may not be an extension of another group whose numbers together total more than 25. Please note, the use of a sound system, stages or platforms, and soliciting donations, does require a permit even if the group does not exceed 25 people.
Andrew Johnson National Historic Site Homestead Grounds Special Use Permit Request - 2023
Weddings
POLICY
Weddings may be permitted on the Andrew Johnson Homestead grounds subject to all applicable park regulations. Those wishing to use the park for weddings should contact the Chief of Interpretation at least sixty days in advance.
REGULATIONS
1. This application must be signed and returned to Park Headquarters with a non-refundable $25.00 application fee, thirty days prior to the wedding for review. If the request is approved, a SPECIAL USE PERMIT will be issued. Approved applications will be evaluated to determine if monitoring by National Park Service personnel is necessary. If the Superintendent deems monitoring necessary, the permittee shall pay administrative fees of $75.00 to cover staff monitoring costs for each approved permit and the permit must be scheduled when staff are available to monitor the event.
2. Ceremonies may be held between the hours of 9:00 AM until one hour before sunset, except Sundays, when no services will be held before noon. No other times will be available for weddings on the Homestead grounds. The Park may not approve a wedding permit for a holiday weekend, or any other time that a special program or event is being held on or near the grounds.
3. Normal visitation to the park shall not be hampered, hindered, or restricted in any way. The Homestead structure is not available to the wedding party for any reason. There are no public restrooms at the Homestead. The permittee is allowed the use of one parking space in the visitor parking lot for convenience. The visitor parking lot is not available for the use of wedding guests. On street parking and the Methodist Church lot may be available. Contact the church for their restrictions.
4. Ceremonies shall be held in the designated areas only. The designated area is defined as within twenty feet of the grape arbor area.
5. The natural or cultural resources of the park shall not be damaged or destroyed. All equipment, chairs, debris, and trash shall be removed at the close of the event. The area used for the wedding will be left as found. There are no trashcans/dumpsters on site. All collected trash/garbage will be removed from the site by the permittee. Additional costs will be incurred by the permittee in the event park staff has to clean up debris, garbage, trash left over from the event.
6. Only live flowers and/or plants may be used as wedding decorations. The use of balloons, banners and live birds are prohibited. All other decorations shall be approved in advance and shall be removed by the permittee at the end of the event.
7. The use of rice, confetti, or birdseed is prohibited.
8. The use of any amplified audio device is prohibited. Only live acoustic instruments and/or live singing is permitted in keeping with the historic character of the Homestead and its grounds. The use of drop cords for video and/or audio recording of the wedding is prohibited.
9. Receptions and/or food preparation or serving are prohibited at the Homestead during permitted activities.
10. Due to the nature and size of the historic site, permitted activities shall be limited to no more than 50 individuals, including guests and attendants.
11. Failure to adhere to the conditions of a permit may result in the permit being revoked.
SAFE AND HOLD HARMLESS CLAUSE
In consideration for attaining the privileges granted herein, the permittee agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the United States of America from any loss to it, including not only damages to government property and injury to government employees, but also judgments, settlements, or compromises for property damages or injury to all persons for which the United States of America may be liable, resulting from the exercise by the permittee and its party of the privileges granted herein.
PLEASE SIGN AND RETURN THE INFORMATION BELOW THE DOTTED LINE. KEEP THE ABOVE INFORMATION FOR YOUR USE.
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Applicant Signature________________________________________________________
Applicant Name (print or type) ____________________________________________________________
Address_______________________________________________________
Date and time of wedding_________________________________________________________
Expected # of guests___________________________________________________________
Bride’s Name___________________________________________________________
Groom’s Name___________________________________________________________
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