Apply for a Special Use Permit

 

Step by Step Permit Process:

1. If you are interested in applying for a Special Park Use Permit, you MUST fill out the Special Use Permit application. If applying for a commercial filming or still photography permit, please use the Commercial Filming/Still Photography Application.
2. Once a permit application has been completed, e-mail your application to the permitting office: [e-mail]
3. All applications will have a non-refundable $100 application fee associated with them. Payments can be made via credit card or check. In your application e-mail, specify which payment method is preferred.
4. Once an application has been submitted and the application fee has been paid, the permits coordinator will review your application with the park management team to determine whether your permit application will be approved. Please allow at least three weeks for special use permit processing.

Permit Pricing

Application Fee: $100 (non-refundable)

Location Fees: required of Commercial Filming and Still Photography permits, and their pricing schedule can be found by following the links to their pages.

Cost Recovery: is charged at a dollar-in dollar-out ratio to the permittee, meaning whatever the cost is to the NPS to manage the permit is the exact cost that will be charged to the permittee. For permits that require park staff to monitor the permits, this price will be the hourly rate of the park staff. For planning purposes, the park recommends permittees plan for an estimated cost of $50 per ranger per hour.

Insurance Requirements

You may be required to obtain liability insurance naming the United States of America as additionally insured in an amount commensurate with the risk posed to park resources by your proposed activity. You may also be asked to post a bond to ensure the payment of all charges and fees and the restoration of the area if necessary.

Considerations for Permits

Federal procedures (31 USC7701) require your Social Security Number or Tax Identification Number on the back of all checks accepted for deposit in the amount of $50 or more. You must supply one or the other in order for your check to be accepted and your application to be processed.

The information provided on the application will be used to determine whether a permit will be issued, so please provide as much detail as possible. You will be notified of the disposition of the application and the necessary steps to secure your final permit. If your request is approved, a permit containing applicable conditions and regulations will be sent to the person you have designated on the application. The permit must be signed and returned to the park prior to the event.

The mission of the National Park Service is to preserve and protect our resources as stated in the Organic Act… "The Service…shall provide and regulate the use of …National Parks.[its] purpose is to conserve the scenery and the natural and historic objects and the wildlife therein and to provide for the enjoyment of the same in such a manner and by such means as will leave them unimpaired for the enjoyment of future generations."(16 USC 1)

It is the policy of Fort McHenry National Monument & Historic Shrine to accommodate requests for special use permits when and where possible, while adhering to this mandate. Therefore, our primary concern is to assess potential resource damage and disruption of normal public use prior to authorization of any special use activity.