Special Recreation Permits

Special Recreation Permits are issued to businesses, organizations, and individuals to allow the use of specific public land and related waters for commercial, competitive, and organized group use.

Special Recreation Permits allow the land stewards to coordinate and track commercial and competitive use of public lands. They also provide resource protection measures to ensure the future enjoyment of those resources by the public.

Special Recreation Permit Application

Application Process

Verify that the activity is going to take place on public lands by contacting the local BLM Field Office in the area of activity
The local BLM office will supply you with an application, checklist and local procedures
180 days prior to operation, file the application and items identified on the checklist
The BLM will advise applicant of disapproval or request additional information within 30 days from receipt of application
Documentation required may include an operating plan, a business plan, insurance, maps, other state or local licenses
Contact your local BLM office for more information

This process may take up to 180 days to complete depending upon the complexity of the applicant's operations plan.

Not all applications submitted receive a permit. Therefore, any action taken before receiving a special recreation permit authorization, such as advertising or expending funds, is premature and at the applicant’s risk.

Recreation And Permit Tracking Online Reporting (RAPTOR)

Most offices in the BLM are using the Recreation And Permit Tracking Online Reporting (RAPTOR) system to allow users to apply for and renew Special Recreation Permits online. Go to permits.blm.gov to find out more!

Contacts for Special Recreation Permits

Alaska

Anchorage District:

Anchorage Field Office
907-267-1246
Email: [email protected]

Glennallen Field Office
907-822-3217
Email: [email protected]

Arctic District:

Arctic District Office
907-474-2200
Email: [email protected]

Fairbanks District:

Central Yukon Field Office
907-474-2200
Email: [email protected]

Eastern Interior Field Office
907-474-2200
Email: [email protected]

Arizona

Arizona Strip District:

Arizona Strip Field Office
435-688-3200
Email: [email protected]

Vermilion Cliffs National Monument
435-688-3200
Email: [email protected]

Grand Canyon - Parashant National Monument
435-688-3200
Email: [email protected]

Colorado River District:

Kingman Field Office
928-718-3700
Email: [email protected]

Lake Havasu Field Office
928-505-1200
Email: [email protected]

Yuma Field Office
928-317-3200
Email: [email protected]

Gila District Office:

Safford Field Office
928-348-4400
Email: [email protected]

Tucson Field Office
520-258-7200
Email: [email protected]

Phoenix District Office:

Hassayampa Field Office
623-580-5500
Email: [email protected]

Lower Sonoran Field Office
623-580-5500
Email: [email protected]

California

California Desert District:

Barstow Field Office
760-252-6000
E-mail: [email protected]

El Centro Field Office
760-337-4400
E-mail: [email protected]

Needles Field Office
760-326-7000
E-mail: [email protected]v

Palm Springs South Coast Field Office
760-833-7100
E-mail: [email protected]

Ridgecrest Field Office
760-384-5400
E-mail: [email protected]

Central California District:

Bakersfield Field Office
661-391-6000
E-mail: [email protected]

Bishop Field Office
760- 872-5000
E-mail: [email protected]

Central Coast Field Office
831-582-2200
E-mail: [email protected]

Mother Lode Field Office
916-941-3101
E-mail: [email protected]

Ukiah Field Office
707-468-4000
E-mail: [email protected]

Northern California District:

Applegate Field Office
530-233-4666
E-mail: [email protected]

Arcata Field Office
707-825-2300
E-mail: [email protected]

Eagle Lake Field Office
530-257-0456
E-mail: [email protected]

King Range National Conservation Area
707-986-5400
E-mail: [email protected]

Redding Field Office
530-224-2100
E-mail: [email protected]

Colorado

Northwest District:

Kremmling Field Office
970-724-3000
Email: [email protected]

Little Snake Field Office
970-826-5000
Email: [email protected]

White River Field Office
970-878-3841
Email: [email protected]

Rocky Mountain District:

Royal Gorge Field Office
719-269-8500
Email: [email protected]

San Luis Valley Field Office
719-852-7074
Email: [email protected]

Southwest District:

Gunnison Field Office
970-642-4940
Email: [email protected]

Tres Rios Field Office/Canyons of the Ancients National Monument
970-882-1120 / 970-882-5600
Email: [email protected]

Uncompahgre Field Office and Gunnison Gorge National Conservation Area
970-240-5300
Email: [email protected]

Upper Colorado River District:

Colorado River Valley Field Office
970-876-9000
Email: [email protected]

Grand Junction Field Office, McInnis Canyon NCA and Dominguez-Escalante NCA
970-244-3000

Eastern States

Northeastern States District:

Lower Potomac Field Station
703-339-8009
Email: [email protected]

Southeastern States District:

Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse Outstanding Natural Area
561-295-5953
Email: [email protected]

Idaho

Boise District:

Bruneau Field Office and Morley Nelson Snake River Birds of Prey National Conservation Area
208-384-3300
Email: [email protected]

Four Rivers Field Office
208-384-3300
Email: [email protected]

Owyhee Field Office
208-896-5912
Email: [email protected]

Coeur d'Alene District:

Coeur d’Alene Field Office
208-769-5000
Email: [email protected]

Cottonwood Field Office
208-962-3245
Email: [email protected]

Idaho Falls District:

Challis Field Office
208-879-6200
Email: [email protected]

Pocatello Field Office
208-478-6340
Email: [email protected]

Salmon Field Office
208-756-5400
Email: [email protected]

Upper Snake Field Office
208-524-7500
Email: [email protected]

Twin Falls District:

Burley Field Office
208-677-6600
Email: None

Craters of the Moon National Monument
208-732-7200
Email: [email protected]

Jarbridge Field Office
208-735-2060
Email: [email protected]

Shoshone Field Office
208-732-7200
Email: [email protected]

Montana/Dakotas

Eastern Montana/Dakotas District:

Billings Field Office
406-896-5013
Email: [email protected]

Miles City Field Office
406-233-2800
Email: [email protected]

North Dakota Field Office
701-227-7700
Email: [email protected]

South Dakota Field Office
605-892-7000
Email: [email protected]

North Central District:

Glasgow Field Office
406-228-3750
Email: [email protected]

Havre Field Office
406-262-2820
Email: [email protected]

Lewistown Field Office
406-538-1900
Email: [email protected]

Malta Field Office
406-654-5100
Email: [email protected]

Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument
406-538-1900
Email: [email protected]

Western Montana District:

Butte Field Office
406-533-7600
Email: [email protected]

Dillon Field Office
406-683-8000
Email: [email protected]

Missoula Field Office
406-329-3914
Email: [email protected]

Nevada

Battle Mountain District:

Mount Lewis Field Office
775-635-3000
Email: [email protected]

Tonopah Field Office
775-482-7800
Email: [email protected]

Carson City District:

Sierra Front Field Office
775-885-6000
Email: [email protected]

Stillwater Field Office
775-885-6000
Email: [email protected]

Elko District:

Tuscarora Field Office
775-753-0200
Email: [email protected]

Wells Field Office
775-753-0200
Email: [email protected]

Ely District:

Bristlecone Field Office
775-289-1800
Email: [email protected]

Caliente Field Office
775-726-8100
Email: [email protected]

Southern Nevada District:

Las Vegas Field Office
702-515-5000
Email: [email protected]

Pahrump Field Office
702-515-5000
Email: [email protected]

Red Rock/Sloan Field Office
702-515-5371
Email: [email protected]

Winnemucca District Office:

Black Rock Field Office
775-623-1500
Email: [email protected]

Humboldt Field Office
775-623-1500
Email: [email protected]

New Mexico

Albuquerque District:

Rio Puerco Field Office and El Malpais National Conservation Area
505-761-8700
Email: [email protected]

Kasha-Katue Tent Rocks National Monument
505-761-8700
Email: [email protected]

Socorro Field Office
575-835-0412
Email: [email protected]

Farmington District:

Farmington Field Office
505-564-7600
Email: [email protected]

Taos Field Office
575-758-8851
Email: BLM_NM [email protected]

Las Cruces District:

Las Cruces District Office
575-525-4300
Email: [email protected]

Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument
575-525-4300
Email: [email protected]

Prehistoric Trackways
575-525-4300
Email: [email protected]

Oklahoma Field Office
405-579-7100
Email: [email protected]

Pecos District:

Carlsbad Field Office
575-234-5972
Email: [email protected]

Roswell Field Office and Fort Stanton-Snowy River National Conservation Area
575-627-0272
Email: [email protected]

Oregon-Washington

Burns District:

Andrews Field Office
541-573-4400
Email: [email protected]

Three Rivers Field Office
541-573-4400
Email: [email protected]

Coos Bay District:

Myrtlewood Field Office
541-756-0100
Email: [email protected]

Umpqua Field Office
541-756-0100
Email: [email protected]

Lakeview District:

Klamath Falls Field Office
541-883-6916
Email: [email protected]

Lakeview Field Office
541-947-2177
Email: [email protected]

Medford District:

Ashland Field Office
541-618-2200
Email: [email protected]

Butte Falls Field Office
541-618-2200
Email: [email protected]

Grants Pass Field Office
541-471-6500
Email: [email protected]

Northwest Oregon District:

Cascades Field Office
503-375-5646
Email: [email protected]

Marys Peak Field Office
503-375-5646
Email: [email protected]

Siuslaw Field Office
541-683-6600
Email: [email protected]

Springfield Inter-Agency Office
541-683-6600
Email: [email protected]

Tillamook Field Office
503-815-1100
Email: [email protected]

Upper Williamette Field Office
541-683-6600
Email: [email protected]

Prineville District:

Central Oregon Field Office
541-416-6700
Email: [email protected]

Deschutes Field Office
541-416-6700
Email: [email protected]

Roseburg District:

South River Field Office
541-440-4930
Email: [email protected]

Swiftwater Field Office
541-440-4930
Email: [email protected]

Spokane District:

Border Field Office
509-536-1200
Email: [email protected]

San Juan Islands National Monument Office
360-468-3754
Email: [email protected]

Wenatchee Field Office
509-665-2100
Email: [email protected]

Vale District:

Baker Field Office
541-523-1256
Email: [email protected]

Malheur Field Office
541-473-3144
Email: [email protected]

Utah

Canyon Country District:

Moab Field Office
435-259-2100
Email: [email protected]

Monticello Field Office
435-587-1504
Email: [email protected]

Color Country District:

Cedar City Field Office
435-865-3012
Email: [email protected]

Henry Mountains Field Station
435-542-3461
Email: [email protected]

Richfield Field Office
435-896-1500
Email: [email protected]

St. George Field Office
435-688-3200
Email: [email protected]

Green River District:

Price Field Office
435-636-3600
Email: [email protected]

Vernal Field Office
435-781-4400
Email: [email protected]

Paria District:

Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument
435-644-1300
Email: [email protected]

Kanab Field Office
435-644-1200
Email: [email protected]

West Desert District:

Fillmore Field Office
435-743-3100
Email: [email protected]

Salt Lake Field Office
801-320-8300
blm_ut_sl_recpermit@blm.gov

Wyoming

High Desert District:

Kemmerer Field Office
307-828-4500
Email: [email protected]

Pinedale Field Office
307-367-5300
Email: [email protected]

Rawlins Field Office
307-328-4200
Email: [email protected]

Rock Springs Field Office
307-352-0256
Email: [email protected]

High Plains District:

Buffalo Field Office
307-684-1100
Email: [email protected]

Casper Field Office
307-261-7600
Email: [email protected]

Newcastle Field Office
307-746-6600
Email: [email protected]

Wind River/Bighorn Basin District:

Cody Field Office
307-578-5900
Email: [email protected]

Lander Field Office
307-332-8400
Email: [email protected]

Worland Field Office
307-347-5100
Email: [email protected]

Do You Need a Permit?

Consider these questions:

Will you be rafting a river that requires a permit?
Will you be traveling in a designated Wilderness?
Are you charging a fee?
Do you expect to make money on the event or is the fee to cover expenses?
Will there be a competition?
Will you advertise?
Will you mark a course?
Will you be expecting vehicles at your event? (How many?)
Will your event involve public lands?
Is anyone being paid to organize, lead, or participate in your activity?

If you answered "yes" to any of these questions, you may need a permit from the BLM.