Prior to operating a campground, you must have a permit from the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) or the local public health department. There are no exemptions to the permitting requirement for private, family-owned, or not-for-profit campgrounds.
Campground plan approval is required prior to beginning the construction phase for a new campground and for the expansion of capacity in an existing campground. A campground plan approval application is required to be completed by the operator and submitted with a map of the new or expanded campground to DATCP or the local public health department. The map is not required to be created by an architect or engineer.
A campground is defined as any parcel or tract of land, owned by a person, the state, or a local government, which is used for the purpose of providing campsites for:
- Non-permanent overnight use by four or more campsites or
- Non-permanent overnight use by one to three campsites if the parcel or tract of land is represented as a campground. Note: Represented as a campground means to advertise using the media, a sign, or a symbol.
If you intend to expand the capacity of an existing campground, contact DATCP or your local public health department to begin the process of approval to operate the expanded portion. An increase in the size of your campground may also change your permit category, which could increase your permit fee.
Duration
- Each license issued by DATCP expires June 30 of each year.
- License dates extend from July 1 of one year through June 30 of the following year.
- If a license is granted after April 1 of a license year, that license will extend to June 30 of the following year.
- Example: If a business is licensed by DATCP on April 1, 2019, then its license will expire June 30, 2020.
- Renewal fees for existing establishments shall be submitted to DATCP before June 30 each year.
Fees
Type of Facility | Annual License Fee | One-time Pre-inspection Fee |
Campground 1-25 Sites | $175 | $380 |
Campground 26-50 Sites | $250 | $565 |
Campground 51-100 Sites | $305 | $700 |
Campground 101-199 Sites | $355 | $830 |
Campground 200+ Sites | $410 | $965 |
Instructions
- To obtain a license through DATCP, call (608) 224-4923 or email our licensing specialists.
- The licensing specialist will get you the information you need and will explain the process steps.