News Release

Blue Ridge Parkway updates cost recovery fee structure for Special Park Uses

Date: August 9, 2024

(NC/VA) – An updated Special Use Permit (SUP) fee structure will go into effect on October 1, 2024, for services associated with special park uses on the Blue Ridge Parkway. Federal regulation allows the National Park Service (NPS) to recover costs for services associated with special events, commercial filming and still photography, weddings, rights-of-way, utility crossings, and more.  

To better align the park’s cost recovery structure with the current costs associated with administering the SUP process on the Parkway, the fee structure outlined below will go into effect on Tuesday, October 1, 2024. 

• Application fee, wedding/elopement $75 

• Administrative fee, wedding/elopement $75 

• Application fee, special event $100  

• Administrative fee, special event $300  

• Application fee, commercial film/still photography $150  

• Administrative fee, commercial film/still photography $350  

• Application/Administrative fee, construction*/survey $200  

• Application fee, Right-of-Way $400  

• Administrative fee, Right-of-Way Actual  

The NPS can permit a wide range of activities that benefit individuals, organizations, or businesses, rather than the public at large through Special Use Permits. Special Use Permits are effective tools that help park staff minimize unacceptable impacts to park resources and values, avoid potential conflicts between a wide variety of park uses, and ensure visitor safety. On average, the Blue Ridge Parkway processes 300 SUP applications each year.  

The Parkway’s website has more information about the Special Use Permit process.