Death Valley National Park - Doing Business With The Park (U.S. National Park Service)

Commercial Use Permits
A Commercial Use Authorization is required for all commercial tours in Death Valley National Park. A Commercial Tour is defined as "consists of one or more persons traveling on an itinerary that has been packaged, priced, or sold for leisure/recreational purposes by an organization that realizes financial gain through the provision of this service."

Filming Permits
Commercial filming or photography requires a filming permit. Permits are not required for visitors using cameras and/or recording devices for personal use, and they are not required for film or video news crews at breaking news events.

The Application for Photography/Filming (105k PDF) is required to evaluate a permit request. The completed form should be mailed to the Special Park Uses Coordinator at the address shown on the application form.

The Filming Guidelines (48k PDF) is designed to answer specific questions about the permit process, fees, bonds, insurance, and closures/restrictions.

Research Permits
To apply for a scientific research and collecting permit on the National Park Service’s "Research Permit and Reporting System" website, go to http://science.nature.nps.gov/research. The RPRS website has information on the necessary procedures and requirements.

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, and that require some degree of management from the National Park Service in order to protect park resources and the public interest.

Special-use permits are required for events such as: weddings, ceremonies, First Amendment activities, festivals, concerts, cultural programs, sporting events, and public spectator attractions. You may download an Application for Special Use Permit (67k PDF).

For questions about special-use permits, call the Special Park Uses Coordinator at 760-786-3241.