The following words and terms when used in this chapter shall have the following meanings unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:

"Department" means the Department of Conservation and Recreation.

"Director" means the Director of the Department of Conservation and Recreation.

"Natural area" means all properties owned or operated by the Department of Conservation and Recreation as natural area preserves or natural areas.

"Nonstandard fee" means a one-time or temporary fee for marketing, promotions, pilot projects, etc., or for services or events of limited duration.

"Senior" means any individual 62 years of age or older.

"Standard fee" means a fee or price charged for facilities, services, or products as established by the Department of Conservation and Recreation. The term "standard" is also used in association with individual fees to designate the basic rate or fee for all state parks or natural areas unless a more specific fee is given.

"State park" means all properties owned or operated by the Department of Conservation and Recreation as parks or historic sites.

"Week" means a seven-day and seven-night period.

A. This chapter applies to all state parks, natural areas, facilities, programs, and services operated by the Department of Conservation and Recreation.

B. This chapter establishes all fees and prices by listing standard fees for facilities, programs, and services and provides procedures for establishing, revising, or revoking standard or nonstandard fees and for waiving or deviating from established fees.

A. The director may waive fees for any person, group, or organization whenever such action is deemed to be in the public interest. Any or all state parks, or any state park service or facility, may be closed by the director without notice due to an emergency or natural disaster. Refunds or credits will be issued whenever the closure is made prior to the delivery of service or use of the facility.

B. The director may allow deviations from established fees in the form of discounts or special promotion prices for the purpose of stimulating visitation and use of departmental facilities, programs, and services. The director may deviate from standard pricing of conference and group meeting facilities and services, and overnight facilities associated with conference and group activities, in order to be competitive with similar facilities and services. Full or partial refunds of fees may be made in the interest of providing good customer service.

C. The director may accept "in-kind-service" in lieu of payment for fees under the following conditions:

1. The services provided are pertinent to the park mission and current programs/services.

2. The value of services provided must be at least equal to the total fee(s) considered.

3. The value of the product or service provided must be documented.

D. All local, state, and federal government users with offices established in Virginia may receive a 20% discount on the standard fees set out in this chapter provided such use is for official government purposes except for services provided through private concessionaires or contractors. This discount cannot be combined with any other discount or special provision.

A. The director may establish, revise, or revoke standard or nonstandard fees for facility rentals, programs, festivals, special events, concerts, and services as the need arises according to reasonable and accepted business practices, negotiation with third party providers, and local market conditions. Such fees and prices shall be in effect immediately upon the reasonable availability of information allowing the public to be aware of the most current fee or price. The agency shall publish new, revised or revoked standard fees in accordance with the Virginia Register Act (§ 2.2-4100 et seq. of the Code of Virginia).

B. In the event a nonstandard fee becomes a continuing offering, the director shall publish the fee in accordance with the Virginia Register Act (§ 2.2-4100 et seq. of the Code of Virginia).

C. The submission of the required documents and payments set out in this chapter may be accomplished where available by electronic means, including but not limited to electronic mail and the use of the Reservation Center or ReserveAmerica system, completing any forms provided online, or any other manner specified by the department.

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.

Notes on admission/entrance fees:

1. Fees are waived at Natural Tunnel for use of the chairlift on one designated "Customer Appreciation Day" per year.

2. Museum entrance fees are waived at the Southwest Virginia Museum during the "Festival of Trees" event for members of groups who submitted trees for the display.

3. For park museums and historic features that charge an entrance fee, visitors participating in the Time Travelers program of the Virginia Association of Museums shall be charged the existing per person group rate for that facility.

4. Entrance fees are waived at the Southwest Virginia Museum on Veteran's Day, November 11, of each year.

Notes on swimming fees:

1. Nonswimming adults in street clothes admitted to swimming areas free when supervising children age 12 and under.

2. Rain check Policy for Swimming: All state parks will issue a rain check, good for a period of 12 months from the date of issue, to any paying customer (does not apply to free swimming vouchers) if the swimming area is forced to close for 40 minutes or more due to inclement weather. Rain checks may be issued only to patrons present at the swimming area at the time of closure.

3. A full refund is available for a group reservation only if the park or swimming area contractor is notified three days in advance of the time of the reservation. In the event that the group is unable to complete their reservation due to inclement weather, rain checks will be issued to the individual members of the group in the same manner as other park patrons.

4. All Season Swimming Permits include parking during the swimming season only.

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

Notes on commercial and nonprofit user fees:

Annual permits issued under this section are not transferable but may be used by the employees, volunteers, or agents of the company, business, or organization to which the permit was issued provided that such use is limited to the official business or activities of the company, business, or organization.

Notes on camping:

1. Check-out time is 3 p.m. and check-in time is 4 p.m.

2. Camping Transfer/Cancellation/Early Departure Policy.

a. Any fees to be refunded are calculated less the applicable cancellation fee or fees.

b. Fees paid to the reservation center by credit card will be refunded to the original credit card charged.

c. Fees paid by check or money order to the reservation center, or by any method at the park, will be refunded by state check.

d. A customer may move a camping reservation to another date or park, referred to as a transfer, through the reservation center only, and prior to 4 p.m. on the scheduled date of arrival. If the reservation center will not be open again prior to the start date of the reservation, transferring is not an option. There is a fee to transfer.

e. A camping reservation may be canceled until 4 p.m. on the scheduled date of arrival but campers will be charged the cancellation fee. This cancellation fee applies to each separate reservation made.

f. Once the 4 p.m. check-in time is reached on the scheduled day of arrival, any adjustment to a reservation is considered an early departure.

g. After the check-in time is reached, the first night is considered used whether the site is occupied or not.

h. There is a one-night penalty, deducted from any amount available for refund, for early departure.

3. Campers are allowed two vehicles per campsite per day without charge of a parking fee. Additional vehicles, beyond two, must pay the prevailing parking fee in effect at the park for each day that the vehicle or vehicles are parked in the park. The number of vehicles allowed to park on the campsite varies according to site design and size of other camping equipment. No vehicles shall park on a campsite in other than the designated area for this purpose. Camper vehicles that do not fit on the site, whether or not they require the special camper vehicle fee, must park in the designated overflow parking area.

4. Each member of the camping party, except in primitive group areas, up to the maximum allowable per site, may receive an entrance pass to the park's swimming facility on the basis of one pass per night of camping. Passes are only issued during days and seasons of operation of the swimming facility and are only good during the member's registered stay.

5. Damage to campsites, not considered normal wear and tear, will be billed to the person registered for the campsite on an itemized cost basis.

6. At honor collection sites, the stated camping fees on this list shall be considered as having tax included. Honor collection is defined as the payment of the camping fee on-site at the park at a nonelectronic collection point at which the payment is placed in a box or safe provided for that purpose.

7. Horse stalls may only be rented in conjunction with the rental of a campsite in the equestrian campground and a person must occupy the campsite. All horses brought to the park by overnight guests must be kept in rental stalls except in primitive equestrian areas at New River Trail and James River State Parks.

Notes on Pocahontas Group Cabins:

Pocahontas Group Cabins: Reservations of $200 or more require a 25% prepayment, due within 14 days of making the reservation. Balance of fees is due 60 days prior to the reservation start date. Reservations of less than $200 require payment in full to confirm the reservation, due within 14 days of making the reservation. Cancellations made 30 days or more prior to the first day of the reservation shall receive a refund less a $30 per unit cancellation fee. Cancellations made less than 30 days prior to the first date of the reservation receive no refund unless the units are subsequently rented, in which case the refund shall be full price minus $30 per unit.

Notes on cabins and lodges:

1. Seasonal cabin and lodge rates shall be in effect according to the following schedule, except for camping cabins, camping lodges, yurts, and travel trailers, which operate on the same schedule and season as the campground at that particular park. In the event that a weekly rental period includes two seasonal rates, the higher rate will apply for the entire weekly rental period.

2. All dates refer to the night of the stay; checkout time is 10 a.m. and check-in time is 3 p.m.

3. The following holiday periods are charged prime season weekend rates: the Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday period that includes Thanksgiving Day; Christmas Eve and Christmas Day; and New Year's Eve and New Year's Day.

4. Cabins and lodges require a two-night minimum stay.

5. Cabin guests are allowed two vehicles for a one or two bedroom cabin, and three vehicles for a three bedroom cabin per day without charge of parking fee. Additional vehicles must pay the prevailing parking fee for each day that the vehicle is parked in the park. The number of vehicles allowed to park at the cabin varies according to site design and other factors. All vehicles must park in designated parking areas, either at the cabin or in the designated overflow parking area.

6. Six-bedroom lodge guests are allowed six vehicles per lodge per day without charge of parking fee. Additional vehicles must pay the prevailing vehicle parking fee for each day the vehicle is parked in the park. The number of vehicles allowed to park at the lodge varies according to site design and other factors. All vehicles must park in designated parking areas, either at the lodge or in the designated overflow parking area.

7. Damage to cabins and other rental units under this section, not considered normal wear and tear, may be billed to the person registered for the cabin or rental unit on an itemized cost basis.

8. Each member of the rental party, up to the maximum allowable for the rented unit, may receive an entrance pass to the park's swimming facility on the basis of one pass per night of rental. Passes are only issued during days and seasons of operation of the swimming facility and are only good during the member's registered stay.

9. Employees of DCR and the members of committees and boards of DCR shall receive a discount of 50% on applicable cabin or lodge rates for any season, when the rental of such cabins or lodge is in connection with the official business of DCR or its committees or boards.

Notes on cabin or lodge transfer/cancellation/early departure policy:

1. Any fees to be refunded are calculated less the applicable cancellation fees listed in this section.

2. Fees paid to the reservation center by credit card will be refunded to the original credit card charged.

3. Fees paid by check or money order to the reservation center, or by any method at the park, will be refunded by state check.

4. A customer may move a cabin or lodge reservation to another date or park, referred to as a transfer, through the reservation center only, and prior to 5 p.m. on the Monday before the scheduled date of arrival. There is an associated transfer fee. After 5 p.m. on the Monday before the scheduled date of arrival, cancellation is the only option (see note 5 below) except that transfers to a different cabin or lodge for the same rental nights shall be allowed, subject to availability, up to the check-in time for the original reservation.

5. Once the reservation is paid for, a customer may cancel in full with payment of the required cancellation fee if there are more than 30 days before the scheduled arrival date. As long as the reservation is not during the one-week minimum stay requirement period, the length of stay may be reduced without a fee as long as there are more than 30 days before the scheduled arrival. However, the length of stay cannot be less than two nights. During the 30 days prior to the scheduled arrival date, the cancellation fee is charged for each night canceled or reduced from the stay. Once the official check-in time on the scheduled arrival date is reached, the cancellation policy is no longer in effect and the early departure policy applies.

6. Once the 3 p.m. check-in time is reached on the scheduled day of arrival, any adjustment to a reservation is considered an early departure. There is a two-night minimum charge associated with all cabin, lodge, camping cabin, travel trailer, and camping lodge stays. Reducing the total nights stayed will incur a $20 per night fee. If the original reservation was for a week, the weekly discount will no longer be valid and the fee will be adjusted to the nightly rate before any refunds are calculated.

BOAT STORAGE (TAXABLE, Price here does not include tax)

Notes on Occoneechee marina fees/Claytor Lake board dock slips:

1. The annual rental period shall be March 1 through November 1 at Claytor Lake State Park and through the last day of February in the following year in Occoneechee State Park. All annual rental agreements, no matter when initiated, will end on the last day of an annual period (not 12 months from the time rental).

2. Any annual rental agreement entered into or renewed for a period that includes March 1 through June 30 shall be made at 100% of the annual rental fee.

3. The cancellation fee for an annual slip rental is three months rental. Also, after the first of the month, that month is considered to be "used."

Notes on interpretive canoe, boat, and paddleboat programs:

1. Cancellation Policy for group reservations: Guest must cancel four days prior to the tour date in order to receive a refund. Any guest canceling less than four days before the start of the reservation will not be eligible for a refund. A one-time $10 cancellation fee will apply per reservation regardless of number of boats reserved. In the event of inclement weather where the park must cancel, the guest will be offered either a complete refund or reservation transfer to another date.

2. Additional costs for supplies and materials may apply.

Notes on interpretive and educational tours and programs:

Additional costs for supplies and materials may apply.

Notes on hunting fees:

At parks where there is a "standby" process, no additional daily fee for that hunting season shall be charged if the hunter has already paid at least one previous daily hunting fee for that park's hunting season.

Note on Performing Arts Event Fees:

Cancellation Policy for Performing Arts Programs:

1. Generally, all events go on rain or shine and no refunds will be given. If an event is canceled by management, a full refund will be provided to ticket holders if rescheduling is not an option. No refunds will be given for any reason other than event cancellation.

2. "Ticket as Voucher" policy for Performing Arts Series: Generally, all events go on rain or shine. Should a specific event/program in the series be canceled by management, the cancellation policy regarding refunds (see 1 above) applies. However, unused tickets, including tickets not used due to purchaser's own decision, retain face value that may be applied to entry to subsequent events, including events in future seasons. No refunds will be given for any reason other than event cancellation.

Note on Environmental Education Center Fees:

Environmental Education Center Cancellation Policy: For day-use E.E.C. cancellation policy, Picnic Shelter cancellation policy shall apply. For overnight-use E.E.C. cancellation policy, cabin cancellation policy shall apply. Cancellation fees stipulated in these policies shall apply unless otherwise set out in this section.

Notes on conference and meeting facilities fees:

1. Conference and meeting facilities require a 30% prepayment due 10 days after making reservation, and payment of the full balance prior to or on the first day of the reservation. Cancellations made 14 or more days prior to the first day of the reservation shall be charged the lesser of 10% of the total fee or $100. Cancellations made less than 14 days prior to the first date of the reservation shall be charged 30% of the total fee.

2. Alcohol use during weddings at the Southwest Virginia Museum: Weddings held during public operating hours of the museum will not be allowed to serve alcohol. Weddings held after regular operating hours of the museum must comply with ABC permit laws and have alcohol in the designated reception areas.