There is free daily entrance for all visitors arriving at a Montana State Park in a vehicle with Montana license plates! No special stamps, stickers or passes -- just a Montana license plate. It’s as simple as that!
How Does It Work?
An optional $4 fee is included on the registration of light vehicles in Montana, which in turn allows free day use of all State Parks for cars with Montana license plates. These funds are earmarked for the care and maintenance of State Parks, Fishing Access Sites, and historic Virginia City and Nevada City.
Are There Any Fees for Montana Residents at State Parks and Fishing Access Sites?
There are still fees at State Parks for camping, showers, some guided tours, special events, and rentals of cabins, tipis and yurts. Some Fishing Access Sites also require a camping fee.
What If I Don’t Plan to Use State Parks?
Any citizen who does not plan to visit a Montana State Park or Fishing Access Site during the vehicle registration year can opt out of the $4 registration fee while they are at the courthouse. Just complete the form available at your County Treasurer’s office and the fee will be deducted from your vehicle registration.
Since non-residents do not contribute to Montana’s park system through the vehicle registration fee, they will continue to be charged daily entrance fees at State Parks.
Nonresidents who visit state parks regularly can choose to purchase an annual state park passport which allows an unlimited number of visits for the year at one low price. The Passport covers only the daily entrance fee to State Parks. It does not include fees for camping, showers, guided tours, special events, and rentals of cabins, tipis and yurts.
State Park Passport: Valid for one license year (March 1st to the last day in February); $25 per vehicle, $20 for each additional vehicle limited to two vehicles, if all passports are purchased at the same time. Passports purchased during the December 1st - February 15th period are valid immediately upon purchase if permanently affixed to interior lower left windshield.
The State Park Passport is an annual pass which must be permanently affixed by the holder to the vehicle's interior left front windshield to be valid. It permits entry to all designated State Park fee areas. It can be purchased at selected license agents, FWP Department offices, designated recreation fee areas, and online. It is valid for one license year and admits one non-commercial vehicle and the occupants to enter all Montana State Parks. A passport is not required at Fishing Access Sites and Wildlife Management Areas.
The Passport covers only the daily entrance fee to State Parks. It does not include fees for camping, showers, guided tours, special events, and rentals of cabins, tipis and yurts.
A permit-holder who sells a vehicle with a valid annual or duplicate permit attached should remove the permit off the window and bring it in to any Fish, Wildlife & Parks office for a replacement park passport.
Passports can be purchased at any of our FWP offices or buy one online!
