National parks to require photo ID for visitors 16 and up

Starting Jan. 1, 2026, a new national park ID requirement will take effect at many of America’s busiest parks. The change may slow entry lines for millions of visitors. Everyone age 16 and older will need to show a government-issued photo ID at the gate. This is a shift aimed at enforcing new residency-based fees that begin next year.

The rule supports a new $100 per-person surcharge for non-U.S. residents at 11 major national parks, including Yosemite, Yellowstone, Grand Canyon, Glacier, and Zion. While many travelers already know about the fee, fewer may be aware that U.S. residents must now prove residency through ID checks — even if they hold a valid annual pass.

A spokesperson for the Department of the Interior (DOI) said, “Visitors will confirm their residency by providing a ZIP code when purchasing a pass online and must present a U.S. government- issued photo ID when using it.” Anyone unable to show an accepted ID “will be asked to upgrade to the nonresident annual pass.”

Higher fees for international visitors

Foreign visitors aged 16 and older will pay the new $100 surcharge on top of standard entry fees, which will apply for the time the entry ticket is valid. For example, at Yosemite, the fee will cover a full seven-day visit, just like the regular $35 vehicle entry.

Fee-free days are changing

The National Park Service is changing its fee-free day schedule for 2026. Two long-standing dates — Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Juneteenth — are being removed. Two new dates are being added:

Flag Day, June 16 

Constitution Day, Sept. 17

These free-entry days apply only to U.S. residents, since non-residents must still pay standard and surcharge fees.