NPS Photo Do Business With Indiana Dunes National ParkCommercial Use Authorizations (CUA)Would you like to operate a business at Indiana Dunes National Park? Become one of our Commercial Use Authorization Service Providers. Read below to find out how. For a list of our current providers with Commerical Use Authorizations click on our Directory of Commercial Use Authorizations. Frequently Asked QuestionsA commercial use authorization (CUA) allows you to conduct commercial activities and provide specific visitor services within a national park unit. A CUA is required if you provide any goods, activities, services, agreements, or other function for park visitors that take place at least in part on lands managed by the NPS; use park resources; and result in compensation, monetary gain, benefit, or profit to you, when a concession contract is not necessary. The National Park Service will only issue CUAs for commercial activities and visitor services that:
A CUA is required if you, as an individual, organization, or company, provide any goods, activities, services, agreements, or other function for members, clients, or the public that:
Businesses and individuals may not conduct commercial activities in the park without a valid CUA or in a manner inconsistent with the terms of an approved CUA. The authorization is issued to an operator to permit the provision of suitable commercial services to park area visitors. The superintendent determines if an operator has the ability to satisfactorily provide visitor services and carry out the terms of the CUA. The superintendent determines that the commercial services are “suitable”; that is they (a) will have minimal impact on park area’s resources and values; (b) are consistent with the purposes for which the park area was established; and, (c) are consistent with all applicable park area management plans, policies, and regulations. The holder must agree to comply with all of the general and specific conditions described in the CUA conditions and operating plans. You should familiarize yourself with these documents before applying for a CUA. The following services have been pre-approved for CUAs:
Did you have an idea for a CUA service not on this list? Let's chat!! Call 219-395-1844 or email e-mail us to discuss. All activity- and service-based CUAs are issued for up to one year. The CUA operating year is from January 1 to December 31.
Applications will be accepted beginning October 1st of the year prior to the operating year and will be accepted throughout the operating year. Please submit complete application packets 30 days before your first trip in the park.
All CUAs require $350 application fee for each service category due with the application. This fee is not refundable. The initial $350 per service application fee will be credited toward the management fee paid at the end of that operating year. The management fee is due at the end of the operating year and is based on a percentage of the operating year’s gross receipts. This fee must be paid to the park after the park has reviewed and approved the annual report, which is submitted by January 31st, after the operating year has ended. Management fee is based on percentage of gross receipts ($350 application fee for the operating year acts as a credit towards the following):
“Gross receipts” means the total of all revenues received from services a CUA holder is authorized to provide within Indiana Dunes National Park. The CUA holder is responsible for maintaining accounting records that demonstrate evidence of gross receipts and required fee payment. NPS may audit CUA holder financial reports at any time. National Park Service Policy requires the Superintendent to charge a reasonable fee for CUAs. The park retains such fees to help pay for the cost of the CUA program, including administration, evaluations, monitoring, and training.
Annual Financial Reports and Management Fee Calculation Forms, which cover the operating year and require reporting of gross receipts and visitors served for each month of that year, are due by January 31st following the end of the operating year. A separate Financial Report and Management Fee Calculation forms are required for each activity a CUA holder has a CUA for. Annual Financial Report and Management Fee Calculation forms will be available by October 1st of each operating year. The Concessions Management Office will review all Annual Report and Management Fee Calculation Fee Forms for accuracy and inform the CUA holder when payment of management fees can be made. All CUA Applications take placing online using the CUA Application Portal.
Commercial Use Authorization applicants and holders must make all payments for application fees and management fees through the same portal using pay.gov. Notifications of payments and reports will be auto-generated through this online portal. NPS policy states that Commercial Use Authorization (CUA) or Special Use Permit (SUP) holders cannot require visitors (clients) to waive their right to hold them responsible for actions. “Waivers of Liability” will not be accepted, and the use of such documents will disqualify operators from acquiring a permit. Additionally, the use of any such waivers will immediately render any previously issued permits null and void.
A CUA or SUP will not be approved if the Acknowledgment of Risk for is not approved by the park. You may use the following form to add your information in the appropriate spaces, however, do not change the document text, as this will delay the approval of your permit while the form is reviewed. The use of any other Acknowledgment of Risk will require review and approval from the Office of the Regional Solicitor and may experience significant delay. Approved Visitor Acknowledgement of Risk form This policy memorandum is intended to provide guidance regarding the actions taken in the event of a permittee violation (as defined in this policy). The Superintendent, at his or her discretion, may take actions other than those identified and retains the authority to immediately suspend, restrict, or revoke a CUA or deny a future CUA application for reasons not covered in this policy memorandum.
Click here for the standard operating procedure. 
S. Rossi - NPS Photo CUA Application ProcessProcessing time for CUA permits can take an average of up to four weeks. Submitting Your ApplicationClick the following link to become an authorized Commerical Service Operator by applying for a Commerical Use Authorization at Indiana Dunes National Park. The following services have been pre-approved for 2025:
Learn How to Apply for a CUAWatch the video below to learn how to apply for a Commerical Use Authorization at Indiana Dunes National Park. How to Apply for a Commercial Use Authorization (CUA) Permit Video Player is loading.
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This video shows how a business can apply for a Commercial Use Authorization (CUA) permit through an online system. |
Last updated: March 18, 2025