Wedding Permits

Permits

Special events in national parks often require a special use permit. The purpose of these permits is to ensure the protection of the park's natural and cultural resources, as well as to minimize conflicts between park visitors and your guests.

This page is for you if you are interested in holding a wedding ceremony in the park. There are certain requirements that apply to all wedding permits. Read below for information on park policies, fees, and how to apply.

Planning

• Weddings may be scheduled up to one year in advance.
• Special Use Permits should be requested by the individuals getting married and not by a third party.
• The park requests a minimum of four weeks to fully process a basic permit request. Do not wait until the last minute to apply for your permit. Complex special events may require more than four weeks to process.

Be aware of busy weekends and holidays when choosing dates. We also recommend checking our Alerts & Conditions page for current need-to-know information.

 

Locations

Wedding permits will be approved in the following areas, with the following group restrictions; permits outside of these areas and restrictions will not be approved:

Locations at Island in the Sky	Group Size
Grand View Point	25
Green River Overlook	25
Mesa Arch	25
Shafer Canyon Overlook	10

Locations at The Needles	Group Size
Pothole Point	10
Needles Group Campsites	The Needles Group Site: 50 Wooden Shoe Group Site: 25 Split Top Group Site: 15

 

How to Apply

Please submit a completed Form 10-930s (116k fillable accesible PDF) along with Pay.gov payment confirmation to: [e-mail].

 

Increased Fees for 2023 Weddings

All applications for 2023 weddings are subject to the increased fee of $385. 

 

Permit Fees

Total fees cost for a wedding permit is $385. Please pay via Pay.gov (instructions below) the full permit amount.

Non-refundable Application Fee. This fee is based on an average time it takes to provide initial contact and consultation with permittees and initial review of a standard application or project ($150).

Administrative & Management Fee. These fees cover the costs associated with issuing a standard permit, which includes, but is not limited to, the average time it takes for processing fees, permit development, consultations with the permittee, managerial consultations and billing ($235).

Administrative fees also include a minimum two-hour monitoring charge. If additional monitoring is required, a charge of $75 per hour per employee will be assessed.

Applicants should submit payments via Pay.gov. To make a payment:

• Enter "CANY" in the Pay.gov search window.
• Payment will be made at: Canyonlands and Arches NP & Natural Bridges and Hovenweep NM Special Use Permit – click on “Continue."
• Check which park your Special Use Permit is for. Under Permit Fee click on Permit and select Wedding.
• Enter a total dollar amount $385 for the type of Special Use Permit you are requesting.
• Follow the instructions and fill out the forms.
• Save your payment confirmation; you will submit this with your application.

Entrance Fees

The standard park entrance fee also applies. We encourage wedding attendees to carpool; space is limited in some places.

 

Questions

Call the special use permit coordinator at 435-719-2123 or email us.