Activities that may affect park operations, park resources, public safety and/or the experience of other visitors require a permit. Some activities that require permits include, but are not limited to:
- Collecting Research Specimens in accordance with 36 CFR 2.5
- Gathering and removal of plants or plant parts by enrolled members of federally recognized Indian tribes for traditional purposes in accordance with 36 CFR 2.6
- Special events that meet the requirements of 36 CFR 2.50
- Public assemblies, religious services, and other exercises of First Amendment Rights in accordance with the provisions of 36 CFR 2.51
- Sale or distribution of printed matter in accordance with the provisions of 36 CFR 2.52
- Memorialization or scattering of human ashes in accordance with 36 CFR 2.62
- Display of commercial notices or ads in accordance with 36 CFR 5.1
- Business operations in accordance with 36 CFR 5.3
- Commercial filming and still photography in accordance with 36 CFR 5.5
- Any construction on Federal property in accordance with 36 CFR 5.7
- Commercial Activities (i.e. Bus Tours & Guide Services) - P.L. 105-391
Applications for activities requiring a permit are linked at the bottom of the page. All applications, except for First Amendment activities, require a fifty dollar ($50.00), non-refundable fee that does not guarantee permit approval.
The cost of a permit is calculated to recover personnel and resource management costs associated with the activity.
In addition, Federal law also requires the NPS to collect a location fee for that provides a fair return to the United States for the use of park lands for commercial filming and for still photography requiring a permit. The NPS uses the following fee schedules for filming and photography:
Commercial Filming
- 1–2 people, camera & tripod only - $0/day
- 1–10 people - $150/day
- 11–30 people - $250/day
- 31–49 people - $500/day
- Over 50 people - $750/day
Still Photography
- 1–10 people - $50/day
- 11–30 people - $150/day
- Over 30 people - $250/day
Permits issued for non-commercial filming may be subject to cost recovery charges, including an application fee, but a separate location fee will not be charged.
