Federal recreation passes: RV entrance and camping fees
Federal recreation passes cover eligible entrance or day-use fees; they do not automatically cover an RV campsite or concession charges. Choose the pass for the holder’s eligibility and check the particular campground’s discount. Carry the required identification; verify the actual booked campground rate.
2026 prices differ by eligibility
| Pass | Published price | Eligibility to confirm |
|---|---|---|
| Resident annual | $80 | U.S. citizenship/residency |
| Nonresident annual | $250 | Non-U.S. resident |
| Senior annual | $20 | Eligible U.S. citizen/resident aged 62 or older |
| Senior lifetime | $80 | Eligible U.S. citizen/resident aged 62 or older |
| Access | Free | Eligible U.S. citizen/resident with a permanent disability |
The NPS entrance-pass page gives these prices and the documentation requirements. A senior pass may reduce some camping amenity fees by 50%, but special permits and concession charges can follow different rules. Confirm the campsite’s actual discount.
Nonresident fees affect the entrance calculation
NPS’s nonresident-fee explanation identifies a $100 additional fee per nonresident aged 16 or older at eleven named parks. It also describes the $250 annual pass and the party it covers. Check the actual group and entrance arrangement rather than multiplying a private-vehicle rule across separate vehicles.
Two qualifying nonresident adults without pass coverage would face $200 in those additional fees at one applicable visit, before the standard entrance charge. A $250 annual pass costs $50 more than those additional fees alone. Additional planned visits and the entrance fees it replaces matter to the comparison; campsite fees remain separate.
Other passes have their own terms
The fourth-grade program runs September 1 through August 31. The NPS volunteer manual describes a one-year pass earned after 250 qualifying service hours. Military and Access passes have separate eligibility and documentation.
Check the current agency page before purchasing or reserving. Do not treat an entrance pass as a state-park pass, transfer it to another holder or assume it reserves a campsite.