U.S. National Parks Will Soon Require Proof of Residency or Charge Higher Rates

Today, the United States Department of the Interior announced changes to how national parks are accessed beginning Jan. 1, 2026. In addition to new digital passes and graphics, they are implementing so-called "America-first entry fee policies" to create a two-tiered pricing system. The new pricing for an annual pass will be over 3 times higher for non-residents, while remaining the same for residents.

While much of the coverage of this change has focused on the increased charges facing foreign tourists and the negative impact this will likely have on the United States' tourism industry overall, the Trump administration's new plan also means that residents of the United States will face increased identity or citizenship verification when visiting national parks in the country.

The U.S. federal government has been on a ID tear lately, recently partnering with Apple to enable Digital IDs for age verification and other purposes through the existing passport system. And earlier this year, the last holdout states against Real ID gave in, making Real ID a nationwide requirement for domestic air travel and to enter federal buildings. The Real ID Act was passed in 2005 by the Bush administration, after it was added at the last minute to a tsunami relief and Iraq war funding bill without any Senate committee hearings conducted on the Act.

While many countries around the world embrace centralized national ID systems as a tool of efficiency, U.S. citizens have historically resisted the implementation of such systems out of concerns for privacy and state sovereignty. Many critics and civil liberties groups argue that national IDs create a dangerous environment where any interaction may be monitored. According to the EFF:

National ID cards and the databases behind them comprise the cornerstone of government surveillance systems that creates risks to privacy and anonymity. The requirement to produce identity cards on demand habituates citizens into participating in their own surveillance and social control

The United States still does not have a singular national ID system, but increasing identification requirements in areas where they weren't previously required is yet another artificial way to make it seem like a national ID is "necessary." It seems that this new requirement from the National Parks Service is just another step in the federal government's march towards ubiquitous identification requirements.

Reportedly, not producing valid proof of residency will mean U.S. citizens will simply have to pay the new nonresidents rate of $250 for an annual pass, as opposed to $80. Pricing for other passes besides the annual pass will also be differentiated between residents and nonresidents.