Regulations last checked for updates: Apr 28, 2024

Title 36 - Parks, Forests, and Public Property last revised: Apr 17, 2024
§ 5.1 - Advertisements.

Commercial notices or advertisements shall not be displayed, posted, or distributed on federally owned or controlled lands within a park area unless prior written permission has been given by the Superintendent. Such permission may be granted only if the notice or advertisement is of goods, services, or facilities available within the park area and such notices and advertisements are found by the Superintendent to be desirable and necessary for the convenience and guidance of the public.

§ 5.2 - Alcoholic beverages; sale of intoxicants.

(a) The sale of alcoholic, spirituous, vinous, or fermented liquor, containing more than 1 percent of alcohol by weight, shall conform with all applicable Federal, State, and local laws and regulations (See also § 2.35 of this chapter.)

(b) No such liquor shall be sold on any privately owned lands under the legislative jurisdiction of the United States within Glacier, Lassen Volcanic Mesa Verde, Denali, Mount Rainier, Olympic, Rocky Mountain, Sequoia-Kings Canyon, Yellowstone, or Yosemite National Parks, unless a permit for the sale thereof has first been secured from the appropriate Regional Director.

(1) In granting or refusing applications for permits as herein provided, the Regional Directors shall take into consideration the character of the neighborhood, the availability of other liquor-dispensing facilities, the local laws governing the sale of liquor, and any other local factors which have a relationship to the privilege requested.

(2) A fee will be charged for the issuance of such a permit, corresponding to that charged for the exercise of similar privileges outside the park area boundaries by the State government, or appropriate political subdivision thereof within whose exterior boundaries the place covered by the permit is situated.

(3) The applicant or permittee may appeal to the Director from any final action of the appropriate Regional Director refusing, conditioning or revoking the permit. Such an appeal shall be filed, in writing, within 20 days after receipt of notice by the applicant or permittee of the action appealed from. Any final decision of the Director may be appealed to the Secretary of the Interior within 15 days after receipt of notice by the applicant or permittee of the Director's decision.

(4) The permit for sale of intoxicating liquors shall contain such general and special conditions as the Regional Director may deem reasonably necessary to insure safe and orderly management of the park area.

(5) The permittee shall comply with all State and county laws and regulations, other than fee and license requirements, which would be applicable to the premises and to the sale and dispensing of intoxicating beverages if the privately owned lands were not subject to the jurisdiction of the United States.

[31 FR 16660, Dec. 29, 1966, as amended at 35 FR 12542, Aug. 6, 1970; 65 FR 37878, June 19, 2000]
§ 5.3 - Business operations.

Engaging in or soliciting any business in park areas, except in accordance with the provisions of a permit, contract, or other written agreement with the United States, except as such may be specifically authorized under special regulations applicable to a park area, is prohibited.

§ 5.4 - Commercial passenger-carrying motor vehicles.

(a) The commercial transportation of passengers by motor vehicles except as authorized under a contract or permit from the Secretary or his authorized representative is prohibited in Crater Lake (prohibition is limited to sightseeing tours on the rim drive), Glacier (prohibition does not apply to nonscheduled tours on portions of the park road as defined in § 7.3 of this chapter), Grand Canyon (prohibition does not apply to the north rim or to nonscheduled tours as defined in § 7.4 of this chapter), Grand Teton (prohibition does not apply to those portions of Highways Nos. 26, 89, 187, and 287 commencing at the south boundary of the park and running in a general northerly direction to the east and north boundaries of the park), Mesa Verde (prohibition does not apply to transportation between points within the park and outside points), Denali National Park and Preserve (prohibition does not apply to that portion of the Denali Park road between the Highway 3 junction and the Denali Park Railroad Depot), Sequoia-Kings Canyon, Yellowstone (prohibition does not apply to nonscheduled tours as defined in § 7.13 of this chapter, nor to that portion of U.S. Highway 191 traversing the northwest corner of the park) and Yosemite National Parks. The following principles will govern the interpretation and enforcement of the section:

(1) Transportation is commercial if it is operated primarily as a business activity or for profit of the operator, or if any person or organization may receive a profit, commission, fee, brokerage or other compensation for organizing, advertising, promoting, soliciting or selling the trip or tour of which such transportation is a part.

(2) Transportation is commercial if payment therefor is made directly or indirectly to the operator: Provided, That bona fide sharing of actual expenses will not be deemed a payment.

(3) Transportation by a motor vehicle licensed as a commercial vehicle, or of commercial type, will be presumed to be commercial unless otherwise established to the satisfaction of the Superintendent or his authorized representative.

(4) Transportation will not be deemed commercial for the sole reason that the motor vehicle is chartered or rented in good faith to the operator, by the owner, for general use at a charge based upon time or mileage or both. Nothing in this section is intended to prohibit the operation of pleasure type automobiles rented without a driver on the normal terms from the owner.

(5) Subject to the provision of paragraph (a)(1) of this section, transportation is not commercial if it is a part of a trip or tour initiated, organized, and directed by an established bona fide school or college, institution, society or other organization, as a nonprofit activity of such organization, and if all passengers are students, faculty, members, or employees of such organization, or otherwise connected therewith, provided that credentials are presented at the park entrance from the head of such institution or organization indicating the trip is in accordance with the provisions stipulated herein. Clubs or associations having as a principal purpose the arranging of tours, trips, or transportation for their members will not qualify for admission into the above-named parks under the provision of this paragraph.

(6) As used in this section, “owner” means the person or organization having legal title, or all the incidents of ownership other than legal title, of a motor vehicle by which passengers may be transported, and includes a registered owner or a purchaser under a conditional sales contract. “Operator” means the person, organization, or group that arranges for the transportation, assumes responsibility for financial risk and management, and determines who shall be transported upon what terms, conditions, or charges. The operator may be the owner, but need not be.

(b) Passenger-carrying motor vehicles, otherwise admissible, that are so large as to require special escort in order to proceed safely over park roads, or which in the judgment of the Superintendent are beyond the carrying capacity or safety factor of the roads, will not be permitted in the parks, except that, where they may satisfactorily enter and travel to park headquarters they may be parked there during the period of stay.

(5 U.S.C. 553; 39 Stat. 535; 16 U.S.C. 3) [31 FR 16660, Dec. 29, 1966, as amended at 37 FR 12722, June 28, 1972; 38 FR 10639, Apr. 30, 1973; 60 FR 35841, July 12, 1995; 65 FR 37878, June 19, 2000]
§ 5.5 - Commercial filming, still photography, and audio recording.

(a) Commercial filming and still photography activities are subject to the provisions of 43 CFR part 5, subpart A. Failure to comply with any provision of 43 CFR part 5 is a violation of this section.

(b) Audio recording does not require a permit unless:

(1) It takes place at location(s) where or when members of the public are generally not allowed;

(2) It uses equipment that requires mechanical transport;

(3) It uses equipment that requires an external power source other than a battery pack; or

(4) The agency would incur additional administrative costs to provide management and oversight of the permitted activity to:

(i) Avoid unacceptable impacts and impairment to resources or values; or

(ii) Minimize health or safety risks to the visiting public.

(c) Cost recovery charges associated with processing the permit request and monitoring the permitted activity will be collected.

(d) The location fee schedule for still photography conducted under a permit issued under 43 CFR part 5 applies to audio recording permits issued under this part.

(e) Information collection. The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has approved the information collection requirements associated with National Park Service commercial filming permits and assigned OMB Control Number 1024-0026. Your response is required to obtain or retain a benefit. We may not collect or sponsor and you are not required to respond to an information collection unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. You may send comments on this information collection requirement to the Information Collection Clearance Officer, National Park Service, 1849 C Street, Washington, DC 20240.

[78 FR 52094, Aug. 22, 2013]
§ 5.6 - Commercial vehicles.

(a) The term “Commercial vehicle” as used in this section shall include, but not be limited to trucks, station wagons, pickups, passenger cars or other vehicles when used in transporting movable property for a fee or profit, either as a direct charge to another person, or otherwise, or used as an incident to providing services to another person, or used in connection with any business.

(b) The use of government roads within park areas by commercial vehicles, when such use is in no way connected with the operation of the park area, is prohibited, except that in emergencies the Superintendent may grant permission to use park roads.

(c) The Superintendent shall issue permits for commercial vehicles used on park area roads when such use is necessary for access to private lands situated within or adjacent to the park area, to which access is otherwise not available.

§ 5.7 - Construction of buildings or other facilities.

Constructing or attempting to construct a building, or other structure, boat dock, road, trail, path, or other way, telephone line, telegraph line, power line, or any other private or public utility, upon across, over, through, or under any park areas, except in accordance with the provisions of a valid permit, contract, or other written agreement with the United States, is prohibited.

§ 5.8 - Discrimination in employment practices.

(a) The proprietor, owner, or operator of any hotel, inn, lodge or other facility or accommodation offered to or enjoyed by the general public within any park area is prohibited from discriminating against any employee or maintaining any employment practice which discriminates because of race, creed, color, ancestry, sex, age, disabling condition, or national origin in connection with any activity provided for or permitted by contract with or permit from the Government or by derivative subcontract or sublease. As used in this section, the term “employment” includes, but is not limited to, employment, upgrading, demotion, or transfer; recruitment, or recruitment advertising; layoffs or termination; rates of pay or other forms of compensation; and selection for training including apprenticeship.

(b) Each such proprietor, owner or operator shall post either the following notice:

Notice

This is a facility operated in an area under the jurisdiction of the United States Department of the Interior. No discrimination in employment practices on the basis of race, creed, color, ancestry, sex, age, disabling condition, or national origin is permitted in this facility. Violations of this prohibition are punishable by fine, imprisonment, or both.

Complaints or violations of this prohibition should be addressed to the Director, National Park Service, P.O. Box 37127, Washington, D.C. 20013-7127.

or notices supplied in accordance with Executive Order 11246 at such locations as will ensure that the notice and its contents will be conspicuous to any person seeking employment.

(c) The regulations contained in this section apply, regardless of land ownership, on all lands and waters within a park area that are under the legislative jurisdiction of the United States.

[31 FR 16660, Dec. 29, 1966, as amended at 52 FR 35240, Sept. 18, 1987; 53 FR 740, Jan. 12, 1988]
§ 5.9 - Discrimination in furnishing public accommodations and transportation services.

(a) The proprietor, owner or operator and the employees of any hotel, inn, lodge, or other facility or accommodation offered to or enjoyed by the general public within a park area and, while using such a park area, any commercial passenger-carrying motor vehicle service and its employees, are prohibited from: (1) Publicizing the facilities, accommodations or any activity conducted therein in any manner that would directly or inferentially reflect upon or question the acceptability of any person or persons because of race, creed, color, ancestry, sex, age, disabling condition, or national origin; or (2) discriminating by segregation or otherwise against any person or persons because of race, creed, color, ancestry, sex, age, disabling condition, or national origin in furnishing or refusing to furnish such person or persons any accommodation, facility, service, or privilege offered to or enjoyed by the general public.

(b) Each such proprietor, owner, or operator shall post the following notice at such locations as will insure that the notice and its contents will be conspicuous to any person seeking accommodations, facilities, services, or privileges:

Notice

This is a facility operated in an area under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Department of the Interior.

No discrimination by segregation or other means in the furnishing of accommodations, facilities, services, or privileges on the basis of race, creed, color, ancestry, sex, age, disabling condition or national origin is permitted in the use of this facility. Violations of this prohibition are punishable by fine, imprisonment, or both.

Complaints of violations of this prohibition should be addressed to the Director, National Park Service, P.O. Box 37127, Washington, D.C. 20013-7127.

(c) The regulations contained in this section apply, regardless of land ownership, on all lands and waters within a park area that are under the legislative jurisdiction of the United States.

[31 FR 16660, Dec. 29, 1966, as amended at 52 FR 35240, Sept. 18, 1987; 53 FR 740, Jan. 12, 1988]
§ 5.10 - Eating, drinking, or lodging establishments.

(a) No establishment offering food, drink, or lodging for sale on any privately owned lands under the legislative jurisdiction of the United States within Glacier, Lassen Volcanic, Mesa Verde, Denali, Mount Rainier, Olympic, Rocky Mountain, Sequoia-Kings Canyon, Yellowstone, and Yosemite National Parks may be operated without a permit obtained from the Superintendent. Such permit may include terms and conditions deemed necessary by the Superintendent to the health, safety and welfare of the public and it may be revoked upon failure to comply with the requirements of paragraphs (b) and (c) of this section or the conditions set forth in the permit.

(b) Such establishment shall be maintained and operated in accordance with the rules and regulations recommended by the U.S. Public Health Service for such establishments, and the substantive requirements of State and local laws and regulations relating to such establishments, which would apply if such privately owned lands were not subject to the jurisdiction of the United States. In the event of conflict or inconsistency between such U.S. Public Health Service recommendations and State or local laws the former shall prevail.

(c) The Superintendent shall have the right to inspect such establishments at reasonable times to determine whether the establishment is being operated in accordance with the applicable rules and regulations and in accordance with the provisions of the permit.

[31 FR 16660, Dec. 29, 1966, as amended at 65 FR 37878, June 19, 2000]
§§ 5.11-5.12 - §[Reserved]
§ 5.13 - Nuisances.

The creation or maintenance of a nuisance upon the federally owned lands of a park area or upon any private lands within a park area under the exclusive legislative jurisdiction of the United States is prohibited.

§ 5.14 - Prospecting, mining, and mineral leasing.

Prospecting, mining, and the location of mining claims under the general mining laws and leasing under the mineral leasing laws are prohibited in park areas except as authorized by law.

source: 31 FR 16660, Dec. 29, 1966, unless otherwise noted.
cite as: 36 CFR 5.4