Military Annual & Gold Star/Veteran Lifetime Military Passes

Annual Pass | Lifetime Pass 

Interagency Military Annual Pass

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• $10 processing fee on USGS Store. Free when obtained in-person at sites that issue passes, which include Federal recreation sites that charge entrance or standard amenity fees or other federal offices.
• Available to Current US Military and Dependents. Documentation is required.
• Covers entrance to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Park Service sites, and covers Standard Amenity Fees at Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Reclamation sites, and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers sites.
• Admits the pass owners and any accompanying passengers in a private non-commercial vehicle at per vehicle fee areas, or the pass owner and up to additional 3 adults (16 and over) at sites that charge per person.
• If purchased from the USGS Store, your name will be printed on your pass

If I purchased an $80 Annual Pass earlier in the year can I return the pass and get a refund?

Refunds will not be issued.

What documentation is required for the Military-Annual Pass?

1. Current Military and Dependents:

• Current members of the U.S. Army, Air Force, Navy, Marines, Coast Guard, Space Force and National Guard with valid DoD CAC card 
• Dependents of current U.S. military members with valid DD Form 1173 
• U.S. Military Cadets with a valid CAC card
• U.S. Active Reservists (Do not need to be deployed) with a valid CAC card

2. The following individuals/groups DO NOT Qualify for the Interagency Military Annual Pass: 

• Foreign military members (Including those stationed in the U S and have a CAC card) 
• National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) employees 
• Public Health Service (PHS) members 
• Inactive U.S. Reservists 
• Civilian military contractors 
• Civilian military employees 

Can dependents of National Guard and the Reserve members acquire a pass?

Dependents of deployed military members with DoD Form 1173 may obtain a pass.

Are there any other benefits for military?

• In addition to the Interagency Annual-Military Pass for current military and dependents, there is now a Military-Lifetime Pass for Gold Star Families and Veterans.
• If you are a U.S. citizen or permanent resident age 62 or older you qualify for a Senior-Annual or Senior-Lifetime Pass. 
• If you are a U.S. citizen or permanent resident and have a medically determined permenant disability you may qualify for a free Access Pass. The Access Pass and both the Senior-Annual and Senior-Lifetime Pass are the only passes that may provide a discount on some expanded amenity fees such as camping.

 

Interagency Military Lifetime Pass

• $10 processing fee online at the USGS Store. Free when obtained in-person at sites that issue passes, which include Federal recreation sites that charge entrance or standard amenity fees or other federal offices.
• Available to Gold Star Families and Veterans. See section below for specific documentation required.
• Covers entrance fees at U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and National Park Service sites and covers Standard Amenity Fees at Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Reclamation sites, and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers sites.
• Admits the pass owner and any accompanying passengers in a private, non-commercial vehicle at per vehicle fee areas, or the pass owner and up to additional 3 adults (16 and over) at sites that charge per person.
• If purchased from the USGS Store, your name will be printed on your pass.

What is the difference between the Interagency Military-Annual and Military-Lifetime Pass?

The Interagency Military Pass has been part of the America the Beautiful – The National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Pass Series since 2012. On December 27, 2021, President Biden signed into law S. 1605 “The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022” (NDAA). Section 641 of the NDAA makes Gold Star families and veterans eligible for lifetime passes to federal recreational lands. The Interagency Military-Lifetime Pass can be issued to Gold Star families and U.S. military veterans. The Military-Annual Pass can be issued to current U.S. military and dependents.

Who qualifies for the Interagency Military-Lifetime Pass and what documentation is required?

1. Gold Star Families

• Gold Star Families are next of kin of a member of the United States Armed Forces who lost his or her life in a “qualifying situation,” such as a war, an international terrorist attack, or a military operation outside of the United States while serving with the United States Armed Forces, as explained in Department of Defense Instruction 1348.36
• Gold Star Family members must self-certify by applying for a Military-Lifetime Pass online at https://store.usgs.gov/MilitaryPass or downloading and printing a special voucher to either present to the ranger, exchange for a Military Pass in person, or place on the vehicle dashboard at unstaffed sites. Gold Star Vouchers may be downloaded from https://www.nps.gov/customcf/goldstar/voucher.htm

2. Veterans

• Individuals who served in the U.S. Armed Forces, including the National Guard and Reserves, and are able to present one of the following valid non-expired forms of identification when entering or using federal lands:

1) Department of Defense Identification Card (CAC Card, DD Form 2, DD Form 2765)

2) Veteran Health Identification Card (VHIC)

3) Veteran ID Card

4) Veterans designation on a state-issued U.S.driver’s license or identification card

• When acquiring a pass in person, the actual IDs listed above must be presented. As of September 2022, the VA only provides a digital version of the #3 Veteran ID Card. When acquiring a pass online, photocopies or digital images are accepted. Form DD-214 is not accepted.

Are passes available to disabled veterans or other people with disabilities?

Yes. The Interagency Access Pass is a lifetime pass that is free for any US citizen or permanent resident who has a medically determined permanent disability, including veterans. Review the Access Pass section for additional details.

What if I have a current Interagency Military-Annual Pass or other type of Interagency Pass?

• If you have a Military-Annual Pass, Access Pass, or one of the other Interagency Passes, you can simply use that pass for free access. All passes are non-transferable.
• If you have recently purchased an Interagency Annual or Senior Pass, unfortunately no refunds are permitted.

You may also obtain this pass with no fee at a site that issues passes:

Site Locations that Issue Passes