Section 50. Parking and launch fees

PARKING FEES (NONTAXABLE)
	BASE RATE		VIRGINIA RESIDENTS
	WEEKDAYS	WEEKENDS	WEEKDAYS	WEEKENDS
Daily Parking for Passenger Vehicles: Applies to cars, trucks, vans (up to 8 passengers), and motorcycles.
All parks unless listed below.	$5.00	$6.00	$3.00	$4.00
Chippokes, Douthat, Fairy Stone, Grayson Highlands, Kiptopeke, Mason Neck, New River Trail, Sky Meadows, Smith Mountain Lake	$6.00	$7.00	$4.00	$5.00
All days excluding holidays and prime-season weekends: Claytor Lake, First Landing, Lake Anna, Leesylvania, Pocahontas, Raymond R. "Andy" Guest Jr. Shenandoah River, Westmoreland, Staunton River	$6.00	$7.00	$4.00	$5.00
Holidays and prime-season weekends only: Claytor Lake, First Landing, Lake Anna, Leesylvania, Pocahontas, Raymond R. "Andy" Guest Jr. Shenandoah River, Westmoreland, Staunton River	$9.00	$9.00	$7.00	$7.00
York River Croaker Landing/Pier Area (also requires boat launch fee for all vehicles)	$5.00	$5.00	$3.00	$3.00
Daily Parking for High-Occupancy Vehicles: Applies to cars, trucks, SUVs, and vans (with 9 or more passengers).
All parks unless listed below.	$10.00	$10.00	$8.00	$8.00
Chippokes, Claytor Lake, Douthat, Fairy Stone, First Landing, Grayson Highlands, Kiptopeke, Lake Anna, Leesylvania, Mason Neck, New River Trail, Pocahontas, Raymond R. "Andy" Guest Jr. Shenandoah River, Sky Meadows, Smith Mountain Lake, Westmoreland, Staunton River	$12.00	$12.00	$10.00	$10.00
Horse Trailer Parking Fee covers up to two horses in the same trailer (also requires vehicle parking fee). All parks unless listed below.	$3.00 per trailer	$3.00 per trailer	$3.00 per trailer	$3.00 per trailer
Lake Anna	$4.00 per trailer	$4.00 per trailer	$4.00 per trailer	$4.00 per trailer
Surcharge for additional horse in same trailer beyond the first two horses.	$2.00 per horse	$2.00 per horse	$2.00 per horse	$2.00 per horse
Other Trailer Parking Fee: Applies to other trailers not covered by camping, horse trailer, and boat launch fee. (Add to daily parking fee.)	$2.00 per trailer	$2.00 per trailer	$2.00 per trailer	$2.00 per trailer
Daily Bus Parking: All Seasons. Applies to vehicles with 16 or more passenger capacity.
All parks unless listed below.	$10	$10	$10	$10
Claytor Lake, Hungry Mother, Leesylvania, Mason Neck, New River Trail	$12	$12	$12	$12
First Landing, Kiptopeke, Lake Anna, Pocahontas, Westmoreland	$15	$15	$15	$15
Natural Area Preserve Parking Fees for any Vehicle: The department may charge these fees at any Natural Area Preserve.	$2.00	$2.00	$2.00	$2.00
	BASE RATE		VIRGINIA RESIDENTS
Grayson Highlands Backpacker Parking.	$12 up to 3 days		$10 up to 3 days
	WEEKDAYS	WEEKENDS	WEEKDAYS	WEEKENDS
Boat Launch Fees: Required to use park boat ramps on bodies of water where motorboats are permitted. Required for all vehicles using York River Croaker Landing/Pier Area. The fee is normally added to the parking fee to create a combined park/launch payment. When a vehicle is only dropping off or retrieving a nonmotorized boat or a boater and does not pay the parking fee, the $3.00 launch fee is required.
Daily Launch Fees: All Seasons
All parks unless listed below.	$3.00	$3.00	$3.00	$3.00
Claytor Lake	$2.00	$2.00	$2.00	$2.00
First Landing, Kiptopeke (with Marine Fishing License), Lake Anna	$4.00	$4.00	$4.00	$4.00
Kiptopeke (without Marine Fishing License), Leesylvania	$8.00	$8.00	$8.00	$8.00
Surcharge for second boat on same trailer: jet ski	$2.00	$2.00	$2.00	$2.00
Overnight parking at boat launch: where available	$10	$10	$10	$10
Camper's Boat Launch Fee Kiptopeke: Does not apply if camper parks trailer at campsite.	$3.00	$3.00	$3.00	$3.00
Boat Tournament Fee for Fishing Tournaments: Registration fee is based on the number of boats registered and is nonrefundable regardless of number that actually participates. This fee is in addition to the applicable daily launch fee.	No charge	$2.00 per boat	No charge	$2.00 per boat
Annual Parking Fees:			FEE
Naturally Yours Parking Passport: 12-month from date of purchase admission and parking pass to all state parks.			$66
Senior Naturally Yours Parking Passport: See Naturally Yours Parking Passport above.			$36
Golden Disability Pass: Available to persons with disabilities as verified by U.S. Social Security Administration's (SSA) "Benefit Verification Letter." Pass remains in effect unless SSA withdraws eligibility.			No Charge
Disabled Veterans Passport Admission, parking, and launch pass to all state parks, plus 50% discount on camping fees, swimming fees, shelter rentals, and department equipment rentals when provided by the department. Where equipment rentals are provided by private concessionaires, this passport does not apply. The passport shall be issued upon request to a veteran of the armed forces of the United States with a letter from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, or from the military service that discharged the veteran, certifying that such veteran has a service-connected disability rating of 100%. This passport coverage shall be valid for as long as that determination by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs remains in effect.			No Charge
Annual Park/Launch/Equestrian Fees:
Naturally Yours Passport for Boaters and Equestrians: 12-month from date of purchase admission, parking, and launch pass to all state parks.			$167
Senior Naturally Yours Passport for Boaters and Equestrians: Annual permit for all parks including Leesylvania.			$133
Buggs Island Lake Special Annual Park/Launch/Equestrian Pass: Good only at Occoneechee and Staunton River State Parks.			$55
Leesylvania Annual Overnight Boating/Parking Pass.			$74
Disabled Visitor Annual Boat Launch Pass (in addition to disabled tags).			$48
Special Event Fees:			EVENT FEE
Standard Special Event Parking Fee: Applies to all parks and events that utilize parking fees unless noted below.			$10 per vehicle
Community Event Fee: May be used by any park as a condition of a Special Use Permit for a community event provided by a nonprofit group or organization or government agency or entity.			$1.00 per vehicle
Sky Meadows: Strawberry Festival
Advance payment			$20 per vehicle
Day of Event			$25 per vehicle
Sky Meadows: Extended Hours Special Event: for events that take place after park hours such as Astronomy Night, Candlelight Tours, etc.			$5.00 per vehicle
Grayson Highlands Fall Festival. Hungry Mother Arts and Crafts Festival			$6.00 per vehicle
Claytor Lake Arts and Crafts Festival			$5.00 per vehicle with canned food donation on designated day $10 per vehicle
Fairy Stone: Super Country B-99 Fun Day Event			$1.99 per vehicle
Kiptopeke: Eastern Shore Birding Festival			Parking Fee waived to registered festival guests; otherwise standard fees apply
Smith Mountain Lake: special park/launch rate for boaters participating in fishing tournaments if the tournament sponsor has also rented the Tournament Headquarters Building.			$5.00 per vehicle/boat combination
Raymond R. "Andy" Guest Jr. Shenandoah River: Riverfest Event			$8.00 per vehicle
Standard Special Event Per Person Entrance Fee: Applies to all parks and events that utilize per person admission fees unless noted below.			$4.00 per adult $3.00 per child, 6 through 12 years Children under 6 free
Sailor's Creek Battlefield: Battle of Sailor's Creek Reenactment			$10 maximum per vehicle $50 per bus (16 passenger +)
Chippokes Plantation Steam and Gas Engine Show			$5.00 per person Children under 12 free
Chippokes Plantation Christmas			$5.00 per person
Chippokes Pork, Peanut & Pine Festival			$5.00 per person Children under 13 free
Grayson Highlands Wayne C. Henderson Music Festival			$10 per person Children under 12 free
Natural Tunnel Special Event Parking Fee			$2.00 per person $6.00 per vehicle
Occoneechee Pow Wow			$5.00 per person (13 years and older) $3.00 per child, 3 through 12 years $3.00 Seniors (62 and over) Children under 3 free
Occoneechee Pow Wow School Groups			$4.00 per student Teachers and Chaperones free
Pocahontas: 500 attendees in increments of 500 people			$500

Notes on parking fees:

1. Weekend rates apply on Memorial Day, Fourth of July, and Labor Day holidays.

2. Except as otherwise noted, boat launching shall be free for up to one boat per vehicle (maximum of two vehicles) per campsite, cabin, lodge, camping cabin, travel trailer, or camping lodge.

3. Parking fees are waived for any vehicle displaying disabled license plates or temporary disabled parking identification issued by any state or the federal government. However, the fee for any additional types of trailers, the boat launch fee or the portion of any combined parking-launching fee that applies to boat launching shall be collected from such vehicles. Additionally, the price for annual passes and lifetime passes that include boat launching for qualified disabled individuals shall be calculated by subtracting the applicable parking pass fee from the park/launch pass fee.

4. Parking fees are waived for any vehicle occupied solely by students and/or teachers and/or assisting personnel participating in an official activity of a bona fide school, home school, or institution of higher learning. Parks may require that individuals in vehicles other than those marked as a school bus verify their official activity by letter from the school or approved field trip form, or in the case of home school groups, proof of home school status such as current ID card from a state or national home school organization (HEAV, HSLDA, etc.) or a copy of the letter from the school district that acknowledges "Notice of Intent" to home school for that school year.

5. Parking fees are waived for official vehicles of federal, state, and local governments while on official business; vehicles making deliveries to the park; contractor and business vehicles performing work in the park; and emergency vehicles while conducting official business, including training.

6. Parking fees are waived for park employees during time of employment, including family and household members of staff occupying staff residences, visitors to staff residences, and park volunteers entering the park to perform volunteer duties.

7. Parking fees may be waived for vehicles conducting research or collecting activities provided such waiver is included in the language of the Research and Collection Permit as required in 4VAC5-30-50.

8. The period covered by a daily parking fee shall be midnight to midnight. Park guests utilizing overnight parking when and where available (e.g., backpackers, overnight fishermen, etc.) will be required to pay the applicable daily parking fee for each calendar day that their vehicle is in the parking lot (partial days included).

9. Annual permits shall be valid for 12 months from the date of purchase, unless otherwise noted.

10. Parking fees are waived for visitors entering the park for the sole purpose of dining at the park restaurant at Douthat and Hungry Mother State Parks.

11. Parking fees are waived at state parks for participants in Walk for Parks, Fall River Renaissance, Envirothons, March for Parks, Operation Spruce-Up Day, Stewardship Virginia, National Trails Day, and other park-sanctioned public service events as approved by the director.

12. Daily parking fees are reduced to $1.00 for vehicles occupied by participants in fund-raising events sponsored by nonprofit organizations (Walk-A-Thons, etc.) provided the sponsor has obtained a special use permit from the park that contains provisions for the identification of participants in the event.

13. Parking fees shall be waived for persons using park roads to gain legal access to their private residence and guests to such residences and for vehicles passing through, but not stopping in, a park on a public roadway.

14. Revenue collected from special event parking and/or admission fees may be divided between the park and the event sponsor if so designated and approved in the special event permit following a determination made by the director that the revenue split is in the benefit of the Commonwealth.

15. Annual Park/Launch/Equestrian passes cover the park entrance or parking fee for up to two horses in the same horse trailer or other allowable trailers. Annual and Lifetime parking-only passes do not include trailers.

16. Parking fees are waived for service vehicles such as tow trucks when entering the park to service a visitor vehicle.

17. Parking fees are waived for visitors entering the park to attend a performance by a U.S. military band if this is a required condition for the band's performance.

18. Parking fees are included in the rental fees for meeting facilities, up to the capacity of the facility and provided that this waiver of fee is included in the rental agreement for the facility.

19. Parking fees are waived for a period of up to 15 minutes for persons entering the park to deposit materials in community recycling collection containers.

20. Parking fees are waived for vehicles occupied entirely by persons attending fee interpretive programs.

21. Annual parking passes that do not include boat launch require payment of daily launch fee if launching a boat at any park or for all vehicles using Croaker Landing/Pier Area at York River State Park.

22. Annual parking pass holders are not guaranteed the parking privileges of the pass should parking places be unavailable.

23. Parking fees are waived at Mason Neck during the park's annual Elizabeth Hartwell Eagle Festival.

24. The payment of a parking fee at one park shall be applied to parking at any state park on the same day provided that the visitor supplies evidence of the paid parking fee.

25. Annual passes are issued to the purchaser and members of the same household and may not be transferred. Improper transfer or use may result in revocation of the pass without refund.

26. Parking fees are waived at all state parks for veterans on Veterans Day, November 11, of each year.

27. Parking fees are waived at all state parks on January 1 of each year.

28. Holidays are defined as Memorial Day, Fourth of July, and Labor Day, and prime season is the Saturday immediately prior to Memorial Day through the Sunday immediately prior to Labor Day.

Historical Notes

Derived from Volume 18, Issue 14, eff. April 25, 2002; amended, Virginia Register Volume 19, Issue 16, eff. May 21, 2003; Volume 20, Issue 13, eff. April 7, 2004; Volume 22, Issue 09, eff. February 8, 2006; Errata, 22:14 VA.R. 2216 March 20, 2006; amended, Virginia Register Volume 23, Issue 06, eff. January 1, 2007; Volume 24, Issue 06, eff. January 1, 2008; Volume 25, Issue 06, eff. January 1, 2009; Volume 26, Issue 06, eff. January 1, 2010; Volume 27, Issue 06, eff. January 1, 2011; Volume 28, Issue 06, eff. January 1, 2012; Volume 29, Issue 06, eff. January 1, 2013; Volume 30, Issue 06, eff. January 1, 2014; Volume 31, Issue 07, eff. January 1, 2015; Volume 32, Issue 09, eff. January 28, 2016; Errata, 32:11 VA.R. 1885 January 25, 2016.

Statutory Authority

§ 10.1-104 of the Code of Virginia.