Fees

BACK BAY REFUGE REVISES ENTRANCE FEE PROGRAM

Virginia Beach -- The US Fish and Wildlife Service has revised its entrance fee program for Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge, providing a new fee schedule and incorporating an annual "free entrance season" for all visitors from November 1 through March 31. With these changes, the Service hopes to maintain current fee revenues, reduce administrative cost of the fee program, and more broadly distribute visitation throughout the year.

Visitors to the Refuge will not be required to pay an entrance fee when visiting Back Bay Refuge from November 1 through March 31. When the fee season resumes on April 1, the fee schedule will be as follows:

The Refuge will continue to honor and sell federal Golden Age and Golden Eagle Passports, as well as the popular Federal Duck Stamp. Permanently disabled individuals can obtain a federal Golden Access Passport free of charge with appropriate certification of permanent disability. All of these special passes provide for free entrance to Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge.

Changes to the Refuge's fee program are consistent with the recent Federal Demonstration Fee Program legislation, which encourages participating agencies to be innovative in their fee programs, while providing enhanced convenience and accessibility for the visiting public. Input obtained from the public during an announced public comment period was incorporated.

ENTRANCE FEES
Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge

The entrance fee admits the holder and accompanying passengers in a private vehicle; or the holder and family (spouse, children, and parents) if on foot or bicycle. Annual and lifetime passes can be obtained at the main entrance (when staffed) or at the Visitor Contact Station from 9 am to 4 pm, Monday through Friday. The following summarized the available passes and entrance fees.

Pass Type	Description	Fee
Daily	Single visit permit (foot or bike - entitles permittee and accompanying spouse, children, and parents to enter)	$2.00
Daily	Single visit permit (private motor vehicles)	$5.00 per vehicle
Daily	Commercial vans/buses (20 or fewer people)	$25.00 per vehicle
Daily	Commercial vans/buses (over 20 people)	$30.00 per vehicle
Daily	Under age 16	FREE
Annual	Refuge Pass	$15.00
Annual	Current Duck Stamp - Valid July 1 - June 30	$15.00
Annual	Annual Pass - Valid one year from purchase date	$80.00
Lifetime	Access Pass - for persons 62 and over	$10.00 (one-time fee)
Lifetime	Access Pass - for disabled persons	FREE
Groups consisting of more that 10 people must obtain a special use permit two weeks prior to their visit date. For information, please call (757) 721-2412 weekdays, 8 am - 4 pm.