Permits and Reservations

Reservations

• No advance reservations are required to enter Pinnacles National Park.
• Reservations for the Pinnacles Campground can be made at recreation.gov. All reservations must be made at least 48 hours in advance.

Permits

Special Use Permits

A special use permit is required for activities that provide a benefit to an individual, group, or organization, rather than the public at large. These activities require some degree of management from the National Park Service in order to protect park resources, the public interest and their park experience. Special use permits are required for events such as weddings, ceremonies, First Amendment activities, scattering cremation ashes, festivals, concerts, cultural programs, sporting and public spectator attractions.

• e-mail us to receive a copy of the Special Use Permit Application.
• Make sure you read the conditions of the permit before you arrive in the park.
• There is a non-refundable $350.00 application fee for all Special Use permits for Pinnacles National Park. This includes non-profit applications. There is no application fee associated with First Amendment permits.

Applications for Special Use Permits should be received by the park no less than 90 days prior to your proposed activity date. The only exception to this is for First Amendment activities; please allow two days for these permits if possible.

Still Photography and Filming Permits

Changes to Still Photography and Filming Permits on Park Land - The National Park Service maintains a national webpage that has the most up to date information:
Filming & Still Photography Permits (U.S. National Park Service) (nps.gov)

When do you need a permit to film in parks? 

Under federal law, filming that occurs within a unit of the National Park System may require a permit. 423 units make up the National Park System, and includes National Parks, National Monuments, National Preserves, National Battlefield Parks, and more. A full list of parks in the National Park System is available online: National Park System (U.S. National Park Service) (nps.gov) 

If you believe that your filming or photography activity may require a permit, you should contact the park where you want to film or photograph as far in advance of your planned date as possible to determine if a permit is needed.

Do I need a permit for filming? 

• In most cases, permits and fees are not required for filming, still photography, or audio recording that involves eight or fewer individuals. In order to avoid permit and fee requirements, the filming, still photography, or audio recording must meet all of the following conditions:
  • Occurs in areas open to the public;
  • Uses hand-carried equipment only;
  • Does not require exclusive use of a site;
  • Does not adversely impact park resources, values, or other visitors; and
  • Is not likely to result in additional administrative costs for the National Park Service.

If I’m a social media influencer, do I need a permit? 

Federal law may require a permit for filming. This can include individuals or small groups that don’t use much equipment. The primary focus of the NPS, however, is filming that has the potential to impact park resources and visitors beyond what occurs from normal visitor use of park areas. Examples of this type of filming are productions that use substantial equipment such as sets and lighting, productions with crews that exceed 8 people, and filming in closed areas, wilderness areas, or in locations that would create conflicts with other visitors or harm sensitive resources.  

All filmers, no matter the size, must comply with all rules that apply in park areas, just like other visitors.

How do I apply for a permit? 

Permit applications are available through each park's administrative office or website. Contact information for parks can be found on their websites; Find a park where you would like to film or take photographs. If you believe that your filming or photography activity may require a permit, you should submit a completed application to the park where you want to film or photograph as far in advance of your planned date as possible.  

Some parks may require that you provide advance notice a certain amount of days before filming or photography begins. In addition, you should request a meeting with park staff if your proposed activity is unusual or complex. Early consultation with park staff will help them process the submitted application in a timely manner.

How much does a filming permit cost? 

Federal law requires the NPS to recover its administrative costs for filming and still photography activities that require a permit. Cost recovery includes an application fee and any additional charges to cover the costs incurred by the NPS in processing your request and monitoring the permitted activities. This amount will vary depending on the park and the size and complexity of the permitted activities. The application fee must be submitted with your application.

In addition, Federal law also requires the NPS to collect a location fee that provides a fair return to the United States for the use of park lands for filming and for still photography requires a permit. The NPS uses the following fee schedules for filming and photography:

Permit required 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

What about photography workshops?
If you are planning a photography workshop, you may need a commercial use authorization. See the commercial use authorization page for more information.

Still Photography

When is a permit needed?

• In most cases, permits and fees are not required for filming, still photography, or audio recording that involves eight or fewer individuals. In order to avoid permit and fee requirements, the filming, still photography, or audio recording must meet all of the following conditions:
  • Occurs in areas open to the public;
  • Uses hand-carried equipment only;
  • Does not require exclusive use of a site;
  • Does not adversely impact park resources, values, or other visitors; and
  • Is not likely to result in additional administrative costs for the National Park Service.

What fees will I have to pay?

The National Park Service will collect a cost recovery charge and a location fee for still photography permits. Cost recovery includes an application fee and any additional charges to cover the costs incurred by the National Park Service in processing your request and monitoring your permit. This amount will vary depending on the park and the size and complexity of your permit. The application fee must be submitted with your application.

In addition, the National Park Service has been directed by Congress to collect a fee to provide a fair return to the United States for the use of park lands. The National Park Service uses the following still photography fee schedule:

Permit Required Photography

• 1–10 people - $50/day
• 11–30 people - $150/day
• Over 30 people - $250/day

Are there other permit requirements?

You may be required to obtain liability insurance naming the United States 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.

What about photography workshops?

If you are planning a photography workshop, you may need a commercial use authorization.

Commercial Use Authorization Permits

Any commercial, noncommercial, or nonprofit groups operating in the park or using park resources must have a commercial use authorization (CUA) permit if their activities result in monetary gain for any individual, organization, or corporation. If the amount of money collected from all members of the group exceeds the actual expenses of the trip, the trip is classified as CUA. This includes educational institutions. A CUA is issued for a period of one year.

• e-mail us to receive a copy of the Commercial Use Authorization Permit Application.
• Commercial Use Authorizations require a non-refundable $350.00 application fee.
• If you are leading a hike, climb, or other guided activity, please fill out an authorized guide service itinerary.

Commercial Use Authorizations

Pinnacles National Park is changing its CUA management fee structure to what is called market-price management fee. This fee will reflect the value of the business opportunity for commercial activities conducted in the park. It will be a tiered system of fee management based on gross receipts earned from CUA-authorized business here. Below is a table that details how these fees will be assessed:

The table is best explained by example. Suppose a CUA holder earns $750,000 in gross revenue from doing business in the park. Under the upcoming 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.

For more information on permits contact us by e-mail:
e-mail us

Processing Time
Applications for special use permits must be received no later than 30 days in advance to allow for processing comments and compliance review. Applications received less than 30 days in advance may be denied. First amendment rights applications must be received five days in advance to allow processing comments and compliance review. Applications for large group activities that occur within the park should be submitted at least 6 months in advance to allow for processing, comments, compliance, and authorization to advertise the event.

Entrance Fees

Once a permit has been approved and issued, most park entrance fees are not waived for the permittee and participants. Upon arrival to Pinnacles, entrance fees will be collected in accordance with federal recreational fee guidelines, including the use of an individual’s Federal Recreation Passes. Carpooling is always encouraged. Commercial Use Authorization Permit entrance fees are covered for their staff only.