Permits for Guides, Water Taxis, and Other Businesses

 

Do you want to become a fishing guide or conduct other business in the park? A Commercial Use Authorization (CUA) will allow you to legally do so in Voyageurs.

J. Wieber / NPS

 

Guided fishing trips are one of the most popular activities offered by CUA holders.

Hoyt / NPS

Intro to Guiding, Renting, and Doing Business in the Park

If you're interested in offering commercial services in the park, you must obtain a Commercial Use Authorization (CUA) to legally operate within Voyageurs. Businesses with CUAs (e.g., professional fishing guides, water taxis, private tour boats) offer crucial services that help visitors access and learn about the park.

In Voyageurs, valid CUAs are effective for 2 years. As of 2024, businesses can apply to provide the following CUA services:

• Fishing Guide (Summer)
• Water Taxi / Shuttle Service
• Private Tour Boat
• Marine Repair / Towing
• Houseboat Support Services
• Fishing Guide (Winter)
• Dogsled Tours
• Snowmobile Rental
• Snowmobile Towing and Repair
• Ice Fishing Shelter Rental and Placement
• Guided Paddle Trips
• Guided Camping
• Guided Hiking
• Paddle Craft Rental
• Motorboat Rental
• Underwater Salvage
• Barging and Hauling

Businesses that want to provide services in the park other than those listed above must also obtain a valid CUA before they can begin operating. When applying, add a page to the application that describes the location, type of service you want to offer, and a business plan and timeline.

 

2024 CUA Forms

• CUA Application (note for 2024 CUA applicants: this year we will only be issuing single-year CUAs instead of 2-year CUAs. The application fee is therefore reduced to $100).
• Annual Report
• Visitor Acknowledgement of Risk form (may be used instead of liability waivers, which are not permitted).

 

Rentable paddle craft such as canoes and kayaks offer a valuable, memorable way for visitors to explore Voyageurs National Park. The park, itself does not rent paddle craft for use on lakes such as Rainy or Kabetogama, and local businesses instead provide this service.

C. Olson / NPS

Upcoming Changes for CUA Holders

The National Park Service's central office in Washington, D.C. is requiring all park units across th country to make changes to their CUA programs. In Voyageurs these changes will begin on December 1, 2024.

• Fees: Application fees must be set at $350 for the first CUA and $250 for each subsequent CUA. Parks must also charge management fees. Voyageurs will begin charging a $200 management fee per CUA each year to meet this legal requirement.

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• Online Applications: CUA applications must be submitted online through a centralized website instead of hard-copy documents or emailed applications.
  • CUA holders and future CUA applicants can start setting up their profile on the CUA application website now. This is strongly encouraged; businesses will be able to apply faster if their profile is already set up.

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• Multiple CUAs for Multiple Services: Businesses must apply for multiple CUAs if they offer multiple separate services. Traditionally, only one CUA was required to cover all of a business's commercial activities in Voyageurs.

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• Terms and Conditions: Some new CUA terms and conditions will be added in the new system, but most of the requirements will remain the same that they were in previous years.

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• Application Window: applications will be accepted December 1 - February 28 every two years instead of year-round. Unlike other changes, this is a mandate Voyageurs opted to add at the park level.

For more details, contact the park or visit the National Park Service's central CUA website.

 

CUA Fee and Program FAQs

 

Fee FAQs

What's the current price of a CUA, and why is there a fee?

Public Law 105 (Section 418) and Department of the Interior policy require all national park units to charge reasonable fees that—at minimum—recover the cost of managing their individual CUA programs.

• Application Fee: businesses pay this fee to cover the park's cost of reviewing their CUA application. Since 2018, this fee has been $200 in Voyageurs. 
• Management Fee: parks must also charge a management fee to recover other remaining costs for administering their CUA programs. Voyageurs has not met this requirement, and is now being mandated to start charging one.

How are CUA fees used?

A park's CUA fees stay almost exclusively at that park unit, and the funds can only spent in two ways.

1. Cost recovery for administering the CUA program (e.g., hourly wages of staff when they spend time reviewing applications or monitoring for compliance. Also office supplies for preparing and printing CUAs, and other similar expenses).
2. Projects or services that benefit visitors (e.g., improving day use sites or replacing rusted fire rings).

How and why are CUA fees increasing for the 2025 - 2026 season?

Application Fees
The National Park Service's central office is requiring all park units across the country to standardize application fee prices.

• Some parks opted to follow this requirement early; Voyageurs will begin doing so December 1, 2024 (the latest date by which all parks must charge the new standard price).
• Application fees must be set at $350 for the first CUA and $250 for each subsequent CUA.

Management Fees
Department of the Interior policy also requires parks to charge management fees. Voyageurs has not met this requirement as of 2024, and will begin charging a $200 management fee per CUA each year to do so.  

How will the fee changes affect local businesses and visitors?

While it is difficult to predict how the upcoming changes will affect each individual business, the following examples describe the expected costs (factoring in the increase in application fees, plus the new yearly management fees) if businesses pass the costs down to their customers.

Example 1: a business provides fishing guide, water taxi, and private tour boat services in the summer.

• This business will still only require 1 CUA under the new system.
• If this business serves 100 customers each year, the new fees translate to a $3.75 increase per customer.

Example 2: A business rents ice fishing shelters in the winter. In addition, the same business also rents motorboats and paddle craft in the park during the summer months.

• This business will require 2 CUAs under the new system.
• If this business serves 50 customers each winter and 100 customers each summer, the new fees translate to a $4.67 increase per customer.

 

CUA Program FAQs

Why do businesses need CUAs to operate in the park?

CUAs help national park units protect visitors (e.g., by requiring businesses to review safety equipment with each visitor before they can use a rental motorboat). They also help parks protect natural resources (e.g., some parks limit the number of CUAs they give out to prevent overuse of sensitive areas).

CUAs are also the law. 36 CFR 5.3 (1966) states:

"Engaging in or soliciting any business in park areas, except in accordance with the provisions of a permit, contract, or other written agreement with the United States...is prohibited."

How Can a Business Get Added to the Park's Website?

Voyageurs maintains a list of valid CUA holders and their business services on our website.

To be listed, CUA holders must maintain a valid CUA by submitting their renewal application, insurance, annual report, and supporting documents (if applicable) on or before the deadline.Businesses must also keep their CUAs valid (i.e., by keeping unexpired insurance and captains licenses on file with the park) to  remain listed on the website. 

Why Can't Businesses with CUAs Give Out Liability Waivers?

No; CUA holders may not require visitors to sign a waiver of liability. However, CUA holders offering high-risk services may advise visitors about risks using a Visitor Acknowledgement of Risk form (VAR). The VAR describes the inherent risks of the activity and warns visitors of those risks. The form may not be modified to include waiver of liability language.

If a CUA holder wishes to use an alternative VAR, they must first send a draft to the park for approval before distributing it to clients.

How Can Businesses Get More Information and Ask Questions About CUAs?

Businesses and individuals with questions can:

• Email the park's Commercial Services Specialist.
• Call the park's headquarters office at [phone].
• Send written documents to the address below.

Voyageurs National Park
Commercial Services Program
360 Highway 11 East
International Falls, MN 56649

 

Water taxi services provide important access to the park for visitors who do not have their own boat. Water taxis might also provide assistance to visitors using paddle craft if strong winds create conditions that are too dangerous for canoes, kayaks, or stand-up paddleboards to negotiate.

Lindgren / NPS

How To Apply for a CUA

1. Fill out a CUA application.
   • In 2024 applicants can download the application and fill it out.
   • See the "Upcoming Changes" section of this page to learn about applying for the 2025 - 2026 season.
2. Add proof of insurance to your application.
   • The policy must include your business name, coverage minimum amounts, and the policy's expiration date. Download an example Acord25 form to see an acceptable policy.
     • Additionally Insured: policies must list Voyageurs National Park or the United States Government as "additionally insured." You can add this statement to your policy by calling your agent.
     • Minimum Coverage: minimum coverage is $500,000 per occurrence. If your services have a higher level of risk, you may need higher coverage.
     • Commercial Auto: If your business transports people in the park via road-based vehicle, you must also include proof of commercial auto insurance.

 

Professional camping guides help customers find their campsite by boat. They may also help set up needed equipment, cook meals, provide information about the park, and more. Professional camps regularly bring youth groups to Voyageurs to conduct environmental education trips.

B. Chishom / NPS

3. Add US Coast Guard Merchant Mariner's Credential (MMC) if needed
   • MMCs must be valid with the US Coast Guard and include the name of the MMC holder beside his/her photograph, the issuance and expiration dates of the document, and the document number.
   • The Coast Guard provides a sample MMC for reference.
   • The following CUA services require a copy of a valid MMC in 2024:
     • Fishing Guide (Summer)
     • Water Taxi
     • Private Tour Boat Services
     • Marine Repair / Towing (only if towing non-recreational vessels)
     • Houseboat Support Services (if vessels will be moved with clients aboard)
     • Barging / Hauling Services (depending on the size of the craft being used).
4. Application Fee
   • In 2024 a $100 application fee invoice will be emailed automatically to applicants after submitting their applications to the park.
   • CUA applicants can also pay by check in 2024. Checks should be made out to the National Park Service and included with the application.

 

Businesses that offer houseboat support assist houseboaters by swapping out propane tanks, filling freshwater tanks, replacing propellers, delivering items, and other services.

NPS

5. Add a list of your fleet if you apply to rent motorboats or paddle craft.
   • List should include type, brand, length, registration number, and registration expiration dates of each watercraft.

6. Send your application package to the park.
   • Applications can be emailed to the commercial services program.
   • Hard copies can be mailed to:

Voyageurs National Park
Commercial Services Program
360 Highway 11 East
International Falls, MN 56649

7. The park will review your application. If more details are needed, the park will contact you by phone and/or email.

8. Sign draft CUA. If your application is approved, the park will send you a draft of your CUA by email or hard-copy mail (mirroring how you sent your application). Sign the draft and return it to the park. The park will then review it one final time, and—if approved—apply the final signature validating the authorization. CUAs are not valid unless both signatures are applied to them.

9. Keep final copy on hand when conducting business in the park. Once approved and signed by the park, the finalized CUA is emailed and also hard-copy mailed (along with a wallet-sized CUA card for convenience) to your business.

 

Issuance, Denial, and Suspension of CUAs

This Standard Operating Procedure provides guidance to park managers when considering whether to restrict, suspend, or revode a Commercial Use Authorization, and also when considering whether to approve an application for a CUA.