Cape Hatteras National Seashore Announces New Off-Road Vehicle Permit Print at Home Option

Date: February 29, 2016
Contact: Public Affairs, 252-473-2111

Cape Hatteras National Seashore announced today that it will make changes to how and where it issues Off-Road Vehicle (ORV) Permits. The changes are being made to increase user convenience, provide new options for park visitors wishing to purchase an ORV permit, and increase efficiency by reducing the cost associated with collecting permit fees.

ORV Permit Offices will be co-located with District Visitor Centers. The current temporary ORV Office trailers will be taken out of service and permit issuing operations will continue at the following locations:

• Bodie Island Lighthouse Visitor Center (starting March 1, 2016)
• Ocracoke Island Visitor Center (starting March 4, 2016)
• Cape Hatteras Lighthouse Visitor Center (starting March 11, 2016)

Beginning March 16, 2016, the park will implement a print at home permitting system that will allow visitors to obtain educational materials and print their ORV permits through www.recreation.gov. Permit holders will be able to print weekly and temporary annual permits directly from the website without being required to come to a permit office. ORV users are encouraged to use the print at home system.

The print at home option offers increased convenience. Permits can be obtained 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.

The cost to purchase a permit through www.recreation.gov will be significantly less than it has been the last two years. The Park will no longer charge the additional $4.50 reservation fee, or $6.50 shipping fee. This will reduce the cost of online orders by up to $11.00.

Weekly and annual permittees will print their permit and temporary proof of permit. The proof of permit will be affixed, using tape, to the inside of the driver's side windshield and must be displayed at all times that the permittee wishes to access the beach with an ORV. Annual permittees will display their print at home permit for up to 30 days and can expect to receive their annual decal via U.S. Mail within 7-10 days.

Over time, the Seashore expects the print at home system, and elimination of ORV office trailers, will reduce costs associated with collecting ORV permit fees. This will allow more revenue to be spent on improving and maintaining beach access facilities, enforcement, and monitoring.

For answers to frequently asked question about the ORV permit program, please go here: https://go.nps.gov/CAHA/PermitNews.