National Park Nonresident Fee 2026: The $100 Charge Explained

What the fee is

The NPS describes it this way: non-US residents pay the standard entrance fee at each of 11 parks, plus $100 per person aged 16 or older. It took effect with the new pass pricing on January 1, 2026.

The Department of the Interior announced the change alongside the new $80 resident and $250 nonresident annual passes, describing it as an "America-first" fee policy.

The 11 parks

Vehicle fees are from each park's nps.gov page; several have lower winter rates.

Who pays

• Each non-US resident aged 16 and older. It's per person, not per vehicle.
• Not children under 16.
• Not US citizens or residents.

The NPS pages describe the fee in terms of residency, not citizenship: "non-US residents" pay it, while the $80 Resident Annual Pass is listed for US citizens and residents. If you're unsure which applies to you, check the NPS Nonresident Fees FAQ before you travel. - Tour groups: nonresidents in commercial tours, commercial use authorization and concessioner tours pay it too, unless they use the Non-Resident Annual Pass.

How passes cover it

The NPS FAQ is generous here. Any valid America the Beautiful pass or park-specific annual pass, whatever year it was issued, covers entrance and nonresident fees for:

• the pass holder and passengers in a private vehicle or on two motorcycles, or
• the pass holder and three additional adults at per-person sites.

Passes bought in 2025 stay valid for 12 months from purchase under their original terms.

The math for a typical trip

Two nonresident adults driving to Yellowstone and Grand Teton, with no pass:

• Yellowstone: $35 + 2 × $100 = $235
• Grand Teton: $35 + 2 × $100 = $235
• Total: $470

With the $250 Non-Resident Annual Pass: $250 for both parks, and any other fee sites over the next year.

Even one of these parks with two adults ($235) is close to the pass price. For most international visitors heading to any of the 11 parks, the pass is the cheaper option. Check your route in the pass calculator.

Fee-free days

From 2026, the NPS says free entrance days apply only to US citizens and permanent residents. Nonresidents pay the entrance fee and any nonresident fee as normal on those days unless they hold the Non-Resident Annual Pass.

Where to buy the nonresident pass

The NPS lists in-person sales at federal recreation sites, mail orders from the USGS Store (allow up to three weeks) and a digital pass through Recreation.gov. Buying before you arrive means one less transaction at the entrance station, and the digital version can be used right away.

Planning around it

• Group your visits. The pass lasts 12 months, so a single long trip through several parks gets the most value.
• Count travelers 16 and over. In a car with four nonresident adults, the per-person fee at even one park is $400 plus entrance, so the pass pays off immediately.
• Consider parks without the fee. Arches, Canyonlands, Capitol Reef, Joshua Tree, Death Valley, Olympic, Mount Rainier and Shenandoah charge their usual entrance fee to everyone. Our crowd calendar shows when they're busiest.

Common questions

Do children pay the nonresident fee?

No. The NPS says the fee applies to each non-US resident aged 16 and older.

Does a US resident's pass cover nonresident friends in the car?

The NPS FAQ says all valid America the Beautiful passes and park-specific annual passes cover entrance and nonresident fees for the pass holder and passengers in a private vehicle, regardless of the year issued.

I'm on a tour. Do I pay?

The NPS says the $100 fee also applies to nonresidents in commercial tours, commercial use authorization groups and concessioner tours, unless they use the Non-Resident Annual Pass.

Is the fee charged at every national park?

No. Only the 11 listed parks. Other fee parks charge their normal entrance fee to everyone.