National Park Service
CUA Application Fee
You are required to pay a standard, nonrefundable CUA application fee each time you submit a CUA application to allow the park to recover costs associated with processing your CUA application. The standard application fee is $350 for the first application submitted and $250 for subsequent applications submitted to the same park within the same CUA season. These standard application fees will be reviewed every two years and may be adjusted to ensure the NPS is collecting the full cost of receiving and processing the application, as required by federal law.
CUA Management Fee
In addition to the application fee, you must pay a management fee that allows the park to recover costs associated with managing and monitoring your CUA. This fee is determined by the park manager and varies because each CUA type requires a different level of management and monitoring. Park managers are allowed to use various management fee calculation methodologies, including:
Direct Cost Recovery Management Fee
Direct cost recovery CUA management fees allow the NPS to recover only its costs associated with managing and monitoring your CUA after your application is approved. The park CUA coordinator will provide you with the management fee amount at the end of the CUA term. You will pay the fee upon submission of the mandatory annual CUA report.
Flat Management Fee
Flat management fees are established when the park manager knows the average cost to the NPS of managing and monitoring a specific type of CUA. The flat mangement fee is disclosed to you at the time of application submission and is due upon submission of the mandatory annual CUA report.
Per Person Management Fee
Per person CUA management fees are determined by the number of visitors you bring to the park as a result of providing the service authorized by the CUA. The per person fee is disclosed to you at the time of application submission. You are required to report the number of visitors you bring to the park when you submit the mandatory annual CUA report by January 31 for the previous calendar year's operations. The per person management fee is due after NPS staff verifies report accuracy.
Market Price Management Fee
Since 2015, parks can charge a CUA management fee based on market price in order to recover costs associated with the administration and management of your CUA. If a park charges a market price management fee, you still pay the application fee when you submit your application, but this amount is credited back to you when you pay the management fee at the end of the operating season. In other words, the market price management fee covers both the CUA application fee and CUA management fee described above.
The market price management fee based on a percentage of your revenue earned from in-park or park-based operations. You are required to report this information each year when you submit the mandatory CUA annual report. The percentage of revenue market price fee is based on the following:
- Less than $250,000 earned from park-based operations - 3% of gross receipts (minus application fee)
- $250,000 to $500,000 earned from park-based operations - 4% of gross receipts (minus application fee)
- More than $500,000 earned from park-based operations - 5% of gross receipts (minus application fee)
The percentage of revenue market price fee is a tiered fee best explained by example. Suppose a CUA holder earns $750,000 in gross revenue as a result of doing business authorized by the CUA. The NPS will charge 3% of gross receipts for the first $250,000 earned, 4% for the next $250,000, and 5% for the remaining $250,000, for a total CUA management fee of $30,000, minus the application fee.
You can find specific information about CUA application and management fees by checking individual park websites and the online CUA system, or contacting the park’s CUA office.
Last updated: October 17, 2024