Special Use and Commercial Use Permits

Special Recreation Permits are issued to organizations or individuals to allow the use of specific public land and related waters for commercial or competitive use.

The Special Recreation Use Permits allow the land stewards to coordinate and track commercial and competitive use of public lands. It also provides resource protection measures to ensure the future enjoyment of those resources by the public.

• Special Recreation Use Permit Application
• Application Checklist

Application Process

1. Verify that the activity is going to take place on public lands by contacting the BLM Field Office in the area of activity
2. BLM will supply you with an application, checklist and a handbook
3. 120 days prior to operation, file the application and items identified on the checklist
4. BLM will advise applicant of disapproval or request additional information within 30 days from receipt of application or 15 days before desired use date, whichever is earlier
5. Environmental documentation research is completed
6. The special Recreation use Permit is issued or denied

This process generally takes 30 to 90 days to complete depending upon the complexity of the applicant's organization plan. 

Alaska Contacts for Special Use Permits

Anchorage Field Office 6881 Elmore Road Anchorage, AK 99507 (907) 267-1459 or  800-478-1263 Lead for Special Recreational Use Permits: Jeff Kowalczyk Email: Jeff_Kowalczyk@blm.gov

Fairbanks District Office 1150 University Ave. Fairbanks AK 99709-3844 (907) 474-2313 Lead for Special Recreational Use Permits: Roger Delaney Email: Roger_Delaney@blm.gov

Glennallen Field Office P.O. Box 147 Mile 186.5 Glenn Highway Glennallen, AK 99588 Phone: (907) 822-3217 Fax:  (907) 822-7335 Email