Federal Laws
Laws are created by Congress and establish the highest order of legal authority over national parks.

• Many laws, including the 1916 Organic Act that created the National Park Service, affect all areas managed by the National Park Service.
• Cape Hatteras National Seashore Enabling Legislation provides specific instructions and guidance on how the park must be managed.

NPS Policies

Service-wide policy for the National Park Service is developed by the Office of Policy with public input and in accordance with applicable laws. Policies dictate many of the overall directions and procedures used by all parks. More...

Park Regulations

The Code of Federal Regulations 36 CFR parts 1-199 and the Park Compendium (PDF 5.3 MB) provide a complete listing of park rules and regulations. These most specific rules are developed with public input to implement applicable law.

Assimilated Laws

As Cape Hatteras National Seashore manages under concurrent jurisdication, State of North Carolina statues are assimilated.