A Commercial Use Authorization (CUA) is a business permit with the National Park Service that authorizes an individual, group, company, or other for-profit entity to conduct commercial activities and provide specific visitor services within a national park area. The National Park Service will only issue CUAs for commercial activities and visitor services that:
are determined to be an appropriate use of Joshua Tree National Park;
will have minimal impact on Joshua Tree National Park’s resources and values;
and are consistent with Joshua Tree National Park’s purpose, management plans, policies, and regulations.
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:
take place at least in part in Joshua Tree National Park,
use park resources, and
result in compensation, monetary gain, benefit, or profit.
Businesses and individuals may not conduct commercial activities in the park without a valid CUA or in a manner inconsistent with the terms of the CUA. You must be in possession of a valid CUA to conduct business in Joshua Tree National Park.
Approved Activities
CUA's are only available for the following:
4x4 Tours
Art Instruction
Astronomy
Bicycle Tours
Camping – backcountry (reservations required through recreation.gov)
Camping – front country (reservations required through recreation.gov)
Climbing certification
Climbing/Mountaineering daytrip
Environmental Education
Event Services
Fitness
Hiking – backcountry
Hiking/Walking front country
Horseback/Mule rides daytrip
Motorcycle/Scooter Tours
Outdoor Skills Education
Painting Instruction
Photography Instruction
Road-based Commercial Tours
RV Delivery/Setup
Wedding/Event Planner
How to Apply
Visit the online Commercial Use Authorization online portal.
Additional required documents that will need to be submitted with your application:
Current Certificate of Liability Insurance
Current training completion certificate appropriate for terrains to be guided or classes offered. The CUA holder shall guarantee the competency of group leaders/guides to meet the minimum qualifications. Certifications must be accredited by a recognized accrediting organization, or by a certifying organization that adheres to industry recognized standards, such as AMGA, PCIA, or PCGI
Current training completion certificates for instructors providing climbing guide services and climbing instructor training courses. Certifications must be accredited by a recognized accrediting organization, or by a certifying organization that adheres to industry recognized standards, such as AMGA, PCIA, or PCGI
Current First Aid/CPR certification for each guide
Leave No Trace certification for each guide
Current Food Handlers Card if providing and/or making food for clients. CUA holder will comply with applicable public health, sanitation standard, and codes. Food service with catering must comply with and meet US Food and Health inspections standards for adequate sanitation requirement.
Safety Plan for the year
Operating Plan for the year
Copy of current pricing
If you require a Visitor Acknowledgment of Risk form from clients, you will be required to use the park provided VAR. VAR is located on the parks CUA webpage.
CUA permit holders are required to submit monthly reports and an annual report of their commercial activities in the national park.
If you're leading a trip, ensure your group is aware of park regulations and safety concerns.
*Please allow 45-60 days for your application to be processed*
CUA Fees
Application Fee: $350.00 for first service activity and $250.00 for each additional service activity. Each service activity requires its own commercial use authorization.
Guide Card Fee: $15.00 per card for each guide. All guides operating in Joshua Tree National Park are required to have a park issued guide card. Payments will be made through pay.gov. The permit office will email an invoice to the CUA holder for the number of cards issued to the company.
Market Price Management Fee: In addition to the application fee, parks are required to collect a reasonable fee to recover the costs associated with administering and managing the CUA program. CUA holders are subject to a market price fee calculated by gross receipts earned from park-based operations. Application fees are credited to the CUA holder upon payment of market price fee. Fees are based on the following:
Market Price Fee (% of gross receipts earned from park-based operations)
<$250,000.00 - 3% of gross receipts (minus application fee)
$250,000.00 to $500,000.00 - 4% of gross receipts (minus application fee)
>$500,000.00 - 5% of gross receipts (minus application fee)
Example: Suppose a CUA holder earns $750,000 in gross revenue from doing business at Joshua Tree National Park. Under the MPM fee structure, the National Park will charge the CUA holder 3 percent of their gross receipts, 4 percent for the next $250,000, and 5 percent for the remaining $250,000. This hypothetical CUA holder would then have a total fee of $30,000. The application fee will then be subtracted from $30,000. After subtracting the application fee from $30,000, the difference must be remitted to the National Park before a new CUA can be issued. The combined charges for the application fee and the market-rate management fee may not exceed the limits noted in the table above. If the calculated market-rate fee is less than the application, then the National Park Service will retain the application fee.
Payment is due by February 28th. Application and Management fees are paid via Pay.gov. CUAs are issued for up to a one-year period. The CUA operating year is from January 1 to December 31.
Violation of CUA Terms and Conditions
First Offense – Permit Office will review the offense and if determined to be a minor offense an interview will be set up and a letter of caution could be issued pending the outcome.
Second Offense – Permit Office will review the offense and submit the review to the Chief Law Enforcement Officer for an interview with eh CUA holder and a letter of warning could be issued pending the outcome.
Third Offense – Permit Office will review the offense and submit a review to the Superintendent. An interview will be conducted, and a meeting could be set up if needed. Depending on the outcome of the meeting a 30-day suspension from operating in the park could be implemented.
Forth Offense – Permit Office will review the offense and set up an interview between the CUA holder, Permit Coordinator, Chief Law Enforcement Officer, and Superintendent. Pending the outcome of that interview the CUA holder could have their CUA revoked for the remainer of the year. The Regional Office will be notified that the CUA has been revoked and future CUA could be in jeopardy if you want to renew.
Major Offenses and threat to visitor safety will result in the immediate loss of the CUA and may impact future CUA approval.
Frequently Asked Questions
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.
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 from October through February. Please submit complete application packets 60 days before your first trip in the park.
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.
Commercial Use Authorization applicants and holders must make all payments for application fees and management fees through Pay.gov.
Permit Office
The permit office is open Monday through Friday, 8:00 am to 2:00 pm (PST). We are closed on federal holidays.
Contact us
Phone: (760) 367-5518
Email: JOTR_special_use@nps.gov
Address: 74485 National Park Drive
Twentynine Palms, CA 92277
*We are located in office building 101.*
Last updated: January 15, 2025
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Contact Info
Mailing Address:
74485 National Park Drive
Twentynine Palms,
CA
92277-3597
