As part of a larger effort to streamline and modernize the National Park Service (NPS) commercial use authorization (CUA) program for road-based commercial tour (RBCT) operators, the NPS will begin using its online CUA system to process RBCT CUA applications and collect required RBCT CUA reports. NPS is hosting a public comment period from June 27, 2024, through August 10, 2024, to solicit comments about the online CUA system for RBCT CUAs. ParkPlanning - Online CUA System for Road-based Commercial Tours (nps.gov)
NPS will initiate its online CUA system roll-out for RBCT CUAs for the 2025 CUA season in parks that have historically issued RBCT CUAs. Grand Canyon National Park has historically issued RBCT CUAs under its Road Based Tour/Transportation CUA and so will accept RBCT CUA applications through the online system for the 2025 CUA season. By the 2026 CUA season, all national parks that issue RBCT CUAs will be using the system.
The online system includes a standard RBCT CUA application fee. National parks using the online system for the 2025 CUA season will not modify historic RBCT CUA fees. For the 2025 CUA season, Grand Canyon National Park will charge a $300.00 CUA application fee.
For the 2026 CUA season, the RBCT CUA application fee across all national parks will be $350 for the first application submitted by the applicant and $250 for subsequent applications from the same applicant to the same park. Application fees will be collected through the system upon application submission.
Video: How to Apply for a Commercial Use Authorization (CUA) Permit
2025 CUA Applications
All 2025 CUA applications will be processed through the new online CUA Application and Reporting System beginning October 01, 2024.
- Road Based Commercial Tours CUA applications will begin November 06, 2024
*This will be a one-year CUA expiring December 31, 2025.**
The application window closes 11:59pm (AZ time) on March 31, 2025. CUA applications will not be accepted after March 31, 2025..
We will continue to process CUA applications through April 30, 2025. Applications that have not been completed by April 30, 2025 will not be issued a CUA.
- Applications are processed in the order in which they are received.
- We require up to 45 days to process a complete application.
Application Fees
- Application fees are NON-REFUNDABLE
- Existing Road Based Commercial Tours CUA fees will not change for the 2025 calendar year. Road Based Commercial Tours, Motorcycle Tours, and Transport (Non-Tour) activities were previously covered in our Road Based Tour/Transportation CUA; therefore, the CUA application fees for these 3 activities will remain at $300 for 2025.
Application fees are paid directly through the CUA Application and Reporting System.
Table: Application Fees
Activity
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Application Fee
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Backcountry Hiking
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$350; $250 for subsequent applications received in the same park for the same CUA season for other types of services.
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Bicycle Tours
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$350; $250 for subsequent applications received in the same park for the same CUA season for other types of services. |
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Motorcycle Tours
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$300 |
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Photography & Art Workshops
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$350; $250 for subsequent applications received in the same park for the same CUA season for other types of services. |
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River Equipment Rental & Delivery
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$350; $250 for subsequent applications received in the same park for the same CUA season for other types of services. |
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Road Based Commercial Tours
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$300 |
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Transport (Non-Tour)
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$300 |
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Tuweep Tours
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$350; $250 for subsequent applications received in the same park for the same CUA season for other types of services. |
Required Documents
The following documents (if applicable) must be uploaded onto the online CUA Application and Reporting System:
- Insurance Certification naming the United States as Additional Insured.
- Required for all CUA applicants.
- Operating Plan - Click to fill out form
- Required for all CUA applicants.
- Guide Registration Form - Click to download
- Required for Backcountry Hiking, Bicycle Tours, and Tuweep Tours
- Applicable documents used to address client risk
- Note: The holder is not permitted to require clients sign a waiver of liability statement or form, insurance disclaimer, and/or indemnification agreement waiving the client’s right to hold the CUA holder responsible for accidents or injury occurring on NPS property.
Insurance
Commercial General Liability (CGL) Insurance
Liability insurance is required for all CUA holders under the terms of the authorization. Such insurance should be of sufficient scope to cover all potential risks and in an amount to cover claims that can reasonably be expected in the event of serious injury or death. The minimum commercial general liability insurance is $1,000,000 per occurrence. Liability insurance policies must name the United States of America as additional insured. The business or person that is providing the service must be the named insured (policy holder).
NOTE: Companies that provide transportation only are not required to have Commercial General Liability as long as the passengers do not disembark.
Commercial Auto Liability Insurance
Commercial Auto Liability Insurance is required if a CUA holder transports passengers or uses owned/leased/rented vehicles in the performance of the service in the park.
NOTE: If a CUA holder charters the vehicle and those chartered vehicles are owned and operated by another company, the CUA holder is not required to have Commercial Automobile Liability insurance.
If the CUA applicant or holder will use rented or leased vehicles in performance of the authorized service, the applicant or holder must secure appropriate insurance for that rented or leased vehicle in the amount required by the CUA application. Proof of insurance secured directly from the rental or lease company may not be available upon application submission, but applicants are required to provide proof of insurance coverage after application submission upon NPS request.
The minimum Commercial Auto Liability Insurance for interstate passenger transport is:
Table: Auto Insurance Coverage
Commercial Vehicle Insurance – Passenger Transport
(bodily injury and property damage)
Vehicle Passenger Capacity |
Minimum per Occurrence Liability
Limits |
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15 or fewer passengers
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$1,500,000 Minimum per Occurrence Liability
Limits
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16 or more passengers
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$5,000,000
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Authorized Activities
NOTE: The names of our CUA types are slightly different in the online application system.
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Authorized Activity
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Activity in On-Line System
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Activity Defined
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Backcountry Hiking
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Hiking-backcountry
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Authorizes guided day hiking and overnight backpacking trips below the rim. A separate backcountry camping permit is required for overnight backpacking.
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Bicycle Tours
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Bicycle Tours
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Authorizes road-based guided bicycle tours. The use of Class 1 e-bikes is authorized with this CUA.
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| Motorcycle Tours |
Motorcycle/Scooter Tour |
Authorizes guided motorcycle tours on paved roadways on an itinerary sold for leisure/recreational/educational purposes. This CUA does NOT authorize Scooter Tours.
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Photography and Art Workshops
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Photography Instruction
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Authorizes road-based above the rim instructional workshops that focus on the scenic, cultural, and/or natural resources of Grand Canyon to create an instructional based experience designed to improve a photographer's or artist's skills and/or techniques.
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River Equipment Rental & Delivery
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Equipment Rental
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Authorizes delivery service of river rental equipment to Lee’s Ferry and pick up of same at Pearce Ferry for authorized private, non-commercial river permit holders. Transportation of clients to and from put-in/take-out trailheads for passenger exchanges is permitted with this CUA.
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Road Based Commercial Tours
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Road-based Commercial Tours - bus, van, auto, etc.
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Authorizes one or more persons traveling within a single vehicle on an improved roadway on a guided interpretive or scenic tour sold for leisure/recreational/educational purposes. Road Based Commercial Tours (RBCT)CUA holders provide no other services except those that are incidental to road-based travel in an area unit of the National Park System (on-board interpretation and incidental stops at visitor centers, restaurants, wayside exhibits, etc.).
NOTE: Motorcoach operators who are providing chartered transportation services only are not required to apply for and secure a RBCT CUA, as it is the responsibility of the tour provider to obtain the RBCT CUA.
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| Transport (Non-Tour) |
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Authorizes frequent and scheduled transportation services to and from the park, such as shuttle services; and/or, shuttle services within the park (such as rim-to-rim shuttles) to drop off and pick up passengers at trailheads, parking areas, pullouts, and developed areas. |
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Tuweep Tours
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Other
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Authorizes road-based day and overnight guided interpretive tours on the Toroweap Road by motor vehicle. A separate backcountry camping permit is required for overnight use at Tuweep Campground.
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Please contact us if you have any issues with the online system.
Commercial passenger-carrying motor vehicles
36 CFR 5.4(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…, Grand Canyon (prohibition does not apply to the north rim or to nonscheduled tours as defined in § 7.4 of this chapter), …”
"The prohibition against the commercial transportation of passengers by motor vehicles to Grand Canyon National Park contained in § 5.4 of this chapter shall be subject to the following exception: Motor vehicles operated on a general, infrequent, and nonscheduled tour on which the visit to the park is an incident to such tour, carrying only round-trip passengers traveling from the point of origin of the tour, will be accorded admission to the park.”
The responsibility for obtaining a RBCT CUA will ultimately fall on the business entity that assumes the responsibility and liability of the clients travelling in the park. This entity is most commonly the tour company who accompanies paying clients to the NPS unit(s). It may also be the tour packager who develops and packages the RBCT and sells the RBCT to a third-party (e.g., international tour operator), but does not accompany the clients to the NPS unit(s). In this case, the RBCT CUA conditions require the CUA holder (the tour packager) to assume responsibility for the third-party while that third-party is operating in the NPS unit(s) under the RBCT CUA.
Motorcoach operators who are providing chartered transportation services only are not required to apply for and secure a RBCT CUA, as it is the responsibility of the tour provider to obtain the RBCT CUA. RBCT CUAs provide for the use of owned, rented, leased, or chartered motorcoaches. In some cases, however, parks may require motorcoach operators providing transportation services only and not working under a tour provider’s RBCT CUA, to secure a Transportation CUA in order to avoid unacceptable impacts resulting from motorcoach operations. Parks will not require a RBCT CUA and a Transportation CUA for a single trip. However, if a single operator is providing transportation and RBCT services on different trips, they may be required to have both a Transportation and RBCT CUA.
Transport (non-tour) CUA is required:
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Transport (non-tour) companies provide frequent and scheduled service to and from the park, such as shuttle services; and/or,
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Transport (non-tour) companies provide shuttle services within the park (such as rim-to-rim shuttles) to drop off and pick up passengers at trailheads, parking areas, pullouts, and developed areas.
Transport (non-tour) CUA is NOT required:
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The transport (non-tour) company is hired/contracted/chartered by a Road Based Commercial Tours CUA holder for transportation charter services. In this case the transport (non-tour) company is covered under the RBCT’s CUA.
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The transport (non-tour) company meets the criteria exempting commercial passenger-carrying motor vehicles from requiring a CUA under 36 CFR 5.4(a) and 36 CFR 7.4(a)
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North Rim: Transportation company is only providing transportation and only operating at the north rim under 36 CFR 5.4(a).
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Uber/Lyft/taxis, motorcoach charter companies, and other similar services. (meet the criteria for general, infrequent, and nonscheduled under 36 CFR 7.4(a)).
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Transportation is not commercial under 36 CFR 5.4(a)(5). Transportation company has been hired by a non-commercial group (church group, summer camp, school/university, family reunion, scout troop) because the group is too large for their own vehicle, or they do not own a vehicle.
Additional Information
Backcountry Camping Permits for Overnight Backpacking Operators
In addition to the CUA, Backpacking CUA holders are required to obtain all necessary backcountry camping permits from the Backcountry Information Center. Find more information about Backpacking Permits on the Backcountry Permits page.
Commercial Entrance Fees
Find more information about Commecial Entrance Fees on the Entrance Fees - Commercial Tours page.
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