Dear CUA applicants and holders,
As part of a larger effort to streamline and modernize the National Park Service (NPS) Commercial Use Authorization (CUA) application and reporting process, the NPS will begin using an online system to process applications and collect required CUA reports* for some parks beginning December 1, 2023, for the 2024 CUA season. Not all parks will be using the system for this upcoming application period, and the NPS will announce by October 2023 if park units in Interior Region 11 -Alaska (R11) will be requiring the use of the new system for CUA applications for the 2024 season. A beta version of the system was used by Denali NP&P (Denali) and Glacier Bay NP&P (Glacier Bay) CUA applicants during the 2023 CUA application period. All national parks will be using the system by December 1, 2024, for the 2025 CUA season.
NPS will begin work to standardize CUA application fees through this new system. National Parks using the new system for the 2024 CUA season will fall under the new fee structure detailed below. Should R11 park units determine to use the new system for the 2024 CUA season, the CUA application fee will increase.
Currently the CUA application fee for park units in R11 using the centralized, regional CUA application (all park units except Denali and Glacier Bay) is $200 for a one-year CUA in one park unit plus $50 for each additional park unit or $300 for a two-year CUA in one park unit plus $100 for each additional park unit. Park units using the current regional CUA application may apply for any number of approved commercial services at no additional cost.
The fee structure proposed under the new system will require separate applications and separate application fees for each service in a park unit. The application fee will be $350 for the first application submitted by the applicant and $250 for subsequent applications from the same applicant to the same park. For example, if interested in applying to provide guided sportfishing and guided bear viewing trips in two park units, under the new fee structure, an applicant would submit four applications. The application fee would increase from $400 to $1,200 ($350 per park for the first application plus $250 per park for the second application with the second activity). Parks that collect management or per person monitoring fees will continue to do so.
Please note that while a greater number of applications will be required when the online system is implemented, the system does save business details within your account such as addresses, vehicles, insurance certificates, etc. which will decrease the amount of time needed to fill out an application. Videos of the process are available via the link below.
To make sure that this online system is successful, we’d like to hear from you. Please visit https://parkplanning.nps.gov/online_cua_system to take a tour of the new system. If you have any feedback or ideas on how the system can be improved, please submit feedback. Comments will only be accepted through the comment system linked above. The comment period ends September 6, 2023.
Again, we have not yet determined which park units in R11 will use the new system for this 2024 CUA season. The NPS will let you know by October 2023, before you apply for a CUA. Regardless of the decision for the 2024 season, all park units will use the new system for the 2025 CUA season.
Note: if you have a current CUA (in a park unit other than Denali or Glacier Bay) that does not expire until December 31, 2024, fee structure changes and system requirements do not apply until your CUA expires and you apply for a new CUA.
*The new system will be used in tandem with the Visitor Use Reporting System (VURn). Beginning in 2024, CUA holders will use the new system to report the information typically collected on the Annual Report (Form 10-660) while using VURn to enter trip details. Annual Report (Form 10-660) requirements for the 2023 season are unchanged. Visit https://www.nps.gov/locations/alaska/activity-reporting.htm for reporting information and to download the report.
Last updated: July 28, 2023