America the Beautiful Military Pass: Eligibility and How to Get It

The America the Beautiful military pass waives entrance and standard amenity fees at national parks and thousands of other federal recreation sites, and it comes in two versions: a free annual pass for active-duty service members and their dependents, and a free lifetime pass for veterans and Gold Star Families. The civilian version of this pass costs $80 a year, so if you visit federal lands even once or twice, the benefit is worth claiming.

Who Qualifies

Four groups are eligible. Current members of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, and Space Force qualify, along with members of the Reserve and National Guard. Dependents of active-duty and reserve members are also covered. Veterans who served in any branch qualify regardless of when they separated. Gold Star Families qualify as next of kin of a service member who died in a qualifying situation such as combat, an international terrorist attack, or a military operation abroad.¹

Which pass you get depends on your status. Active-duty members and their dependents receive the Military Annual Pass, valid for one calendar year and renewable each year while the service member remains in the military. Veterans and Gold Star Family members receive the Military Lifetime Pass, which never expires.²

Where the Pass Works and What It Covers

Six federal agencies honor the pass: the National Park Service, U.S. Forest Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Reclamation, and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.³ It covers entrance fees and standard amenity fees, meaning the day-use charges you meet at a gate or trailhead parking area.⁴

At sites that charge per vehicle, the pass covers everyone in a single private, non-commercial vehicle or up to two motorcycles. At sites that charge per person, it covers the passholder plus three additional adults age 16 and older. Children under 16 enter national parks free regardless of pass status.¹

What the Pass Does Not Cover

Expanded amenity fees stay out of pocket. Those include campground fees, cabin or lookout rentals, highly developed boat launches, hookups and dump stations, and specialty tours or transportation systems.⁵

Timed entry reservations are also separate. Several high-traffic parks require advance reservations during peak seasons, and the pass does not cover that reservation fee. You still show the pass at the gate, but you also need the reservation. Rocky Mountain National Park, for instance, requires timed entry during summer months even for passholders.⁴

Documentation You’ll Need

What you bring depends on your category, and staff are strict about it. Wrong paperwork means no pass.

Active-Duty Members and Dependents

Active-duty service members need an unexpired Common Access Card (CAC). Dependents need an unexpired DD Form 1173 or the Next Generation Dependent ID that replaces it.¹ CAC cards are accepted only at physical issuing locations, not for online orders through the USGS Store.⁶

Veterans

Veterans can present any one of four IDs:

A Department of Defense ID card (DD Form 2, DD Form 2765, or Next Generation USID replacement)
A Veteran Health Identification Card (VHIC)
A Veteran ID Card (the VA now provides only a digital version)
A state-issued driver’s license or ID with a veteran designation

Your DD-214 discharge paperwork is not accepted. The USGS Store lists it among unacceptable documents.⁶ If you don’t hold any of the four accepted IDs, the easiest path is usually adding a veteran designation to your state driver’s license.

Gold Star Families

Gold Star Family members download and complete a Gold Star Family Voucher from the National Park Service website before visiting. The voucher asks you to print your name and sign a statement certifying your status as qualifying next of kin.¹

How To Get the Pass

Three routes exist, and the best one depends on how soon you need it and whether you want a physical card.

In Person at a Park

Visit any participating federal recreation site that issues passes, show your documentation at the entrance station or visitor center, and walk out with a physical pass. Fastest route, no fee.¹

Online Through the USGS Store

The USGS Store at store.usgs.gov accepts online applications with uploaded copies of your credentials. This route carries a $10 processing and handling fee, the only cost tied to the otherwise free pass. Orders ship within five business days, with USPS delivery taking another five to ten business days. Passes issued this way are physical cards only.⁷

Digital Pass Through Recreation.gov

Both the Military Annual Pass and the Military Lifetime Pass are available as free digital passes through Recreation.gov. You save the pass to your phone and use it immediately. Good option if you’re heading to a park soon or want a backup to a physical card.⁸

Lost Passes, Refunds, and Renewal

Lost or stolen passes cannot be replaced. You have to obtain a new one through any of the methods above, which is one reason to keep the free digital version on your phone as a backup.⁷

If you already bought a standard $80 annual pass earlier in the year before realizing you qualified for the free military version, no refund will be issued.⁶

For active-duty members and dependents, there’s no formal renewal process. Each year, you obtain a new annual pass by presenting your current, unexpired military ID. Veterans and Gold Star Family members don’t renew at all, since the lifetime pass has no expiration date. All passes are non-transferable and tied to the individual named on the pass.⁶

1
National Park Service. Free Entrance to National Parks for Current Military, Veterans, and Gold Star Families
2
Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 16 USC 6804 – Recreation Passes
3
ScienceBase. Interagency Recreation Fee Program – Interagency Pass Program
4
National Park Service. Entrance Passes
5
USDA Forest Service. About Recreation Fees
6
USGS Store. Military Pass
7
USGS Store. Frequently Asked Questions
8
Recreation.gov. Digital America the Beautiful Passes