Commercial Use Authorizations

 

If you'd like to operate a business in the parks, it's likely that you'll need a commercial use authorization. A Commercial Use Authorization (CUA) is a business permit with the National Park Service that authorizes a private person, corporation, or other private entity to conduct commercial activities and provide specific visitor services within Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks. Non-profit and educational institutions may also require a permit under this category, depending on the type of service offered. These authorizations establish guidelines for protection of park landscapes and resources, especially in areas designated as wilderness.

 

Commercial Guiding Service Providers

Interested in connecting with one of the companies providing services in the parks? We have a list of currently authorized commercial guiding service providers.

 

How to Apply for a CUA

• Online CUA portal: Commercial Use Authorizations
• How to apply for a CUA through the online portal - Watch these videos: CUA Help
• Payment is submitted through the online portal.

CUA Application Timelines

Front-country:

The application window for Front-country CUAs is open continuous at this time. Authorizations expire on a date set forth in the CUA, depending on type of service, not to exceed 2 years.

Wilderness:

The parks have authorized a limited number of CUAs valid for a two-year period, from January 1, 2024 through December 31, 2025.

The application window for Wilderness CUAs for January 1, 2026 through December 31, 2027 will open August 1, 2025 and run through 11:59 PM PST September 30, 2025.

To learn more about how to obtain a Wilderness CUA for the 2026-2027 seasons, please review the information on the Wilderness CUA Application Instructions page.

Front-Country CUAs

A CUA is required for commercial activities within all areas of the parks. Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks have authorized the following visitor services for Front-Country CUAs.

• Guided Interpretive Tours
• Hiking/Walking (currently includes Nordic Activities – snowshoeing, Nordic skiing, etc.)
• Fishing Instruction
• Fitness
• Photography Instruction
• Road-Based Tours (starting January 1, 2026)

Wilderness CUAs

A Wilderness CUA is required for commercial activities within Congressionally designated wilderness in the parks. Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks have authorized the following visitor services from Wilderness CUAs. They fall into two broader categories of “Hiking – Backcountry" and “Horse/Mule/Other Livestock Rides or Services.” Hiking - Backcountry includes the following:

• Guided Backpacking
• Guided Day Hiking
• Guided Mountaineering
• Guided Backcountry Ski Mountaineering
• Guided Fishing Instruction
• Guided Photography Instruction/Workshop
• Guided Nordic Day Use (Nordic Skiing, Telemark Skiing, Snowshoeing, and Snowboarding)
• Guided Portering (Dunnage/Gear Transport)

See the "CUA Holder Reference Materials" for how to view the wilderness boundary and the boundary of the Mount Whitney Management Area.

Road Based Commercial Tours

The National Park Service defines Road-Based Commercial Tours as one or more persons traveling on an itinerary that someone has packaged, priced or sold for leisure/recreational purposes and provides no other services except those incidental to road-based travel in a NPS area (on-board interpretation and incidental stops at visitor centers, restaurants, wayside exhibits, etc.). However, if a road-based tour involves out-of-vehicle guided activities such as guided day hikes, a Front-Country CUA may be required for those guided activities.

Road-based commercial tour CUAs are not required at Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks in 2025.  A Road-Based Tour Commercial Use Authorization will be required in 2026. The application window for Road-Based Tour CUAs will be open in autumn 2025. Check back here for more information after September 15. 

Please see our Fees and Passes page for information on commercial tour group vehicle and passenger capacity fees. Note that commercial vehicle entrance fees can only be paid at an entrance station, not in advance, via credit card or cash.

Road-based commercial tour operators can visit the NPS CUA webpage for additional information. If you have questions about Road-Based Commercial Tours in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, contact the Commercial Services Office via email.

CUA Policy

• Commercial Use Authorization Suspension, Restriction, Revocation, and Application Denial Policy intended to provide guidance regarding the actions taken in the event of a permittee violation (as defined in this policy). The Superintendent, at his or her discretion, may take actions other than those identified and retains the authority to immediately suspend, restrict or revoke a CUA or deny a future CUA application for reasons not covered in this policy memorandum.

• Check the Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park conditions and alerts before heading to the parks.

Forms and Resources for Wilderness CUA Holders

Forms

Forms For Non-Stock Wilderness CUAs

• Monthly Trip Report Form for Non-Stock Wilderness CUAs (Fillable PDF) - CUA holders are required to report monthly use by the 15th of the following month. For example, all use during July should be reported by August 15th.
• Trip Report Summary Form (Fillable PDF) - extra trip summary forms can be attached to the Monthly Trip Report when trips within a month do not fit on one trip report summary.
• Trip Report Summary Form (PDF) - for printing extra trip summary forms.

Forms For Stock Wilderness CUAs

• Monthly Use Report Form for Stock Wilderness CUAs (Fillable PDF) - CUA holders are required to report monthly use by the 15th of the following month. For example, all use during July should be reported by August 15th.
• Trip Report Summary Form (Fillable PDF) - extra trip summary forms can be attached to the Monthly Trip Report when trips within a month do not fit on one trip report summary.
• Trip Report Summary Form (PDF) - for printing extra trip summary forms.

Annual Report Forms

• Annual Report Form (Fillable PDF) - Annual Reports are due by November 30, 2025 for current Wilderness CUA holders.

Resources

• Wilderness Stock Use Information Hub - Grazing maps, meadow open and close dates, stock users guide, and other information about wilderness travel with stock in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks.
• Interactive Wilderness Boundary Map: the boundary of the Congressionally-designated Sequoia - Kings Canyon Wilderness determines the areas where Wilderness and Front Country CUAs can operate. To generate an interactive map of the wilderness (instructions are for use on a desktop computer):
  • Go to the online Park Atlas. Click anywhere outside the black box in the center of the page.
  • Click on "Layer Visibility" in the upper left corner.
  • Click on the small triangle next to "Protect Your Parks" to open a drop-down menu.
  • Scroll through the sub-menu and click on the eyeball icon next to "Wilderness Area." This makes the wilderness area layer visible.
  • Move your cursor over the map and zoom in to view the details of the wilderness boundary in specific areas.
• Interactive Map of the Mount Whitney Management Area (MWMA): Wilderness CUA holders can only operate in the MWMA if they hold an allocation of MWMA Commercial Service Days (CSDs). Spending any portion of a day in the MWMA during the quota period should be reported as a MWMA CSD. To generate an interactive map of the Mt. Whitney Management Area (instructions are for use on a desktop computer):
  • Go to the online Park Atlas. Click anywhere outside the black box in the center of the page.
  • Click on "Layer Visibility" in the upper left corner.
  • Click on the small triangle next to "Protect Your Parks" to open a drop-down menu.
  • Scroll through the sub-menu and click on the eyeball icon next to "Mount Whitney Management Area." This makes the MWMA layer visible.
  • Move your cursor over the map and zoom in to view the details of the MWMA boundary in specific areas.