DOVER, Del. – Delaware State Parks will begin selling 2026 park passes and surf fishing permits on Dec. 9, according to an announcement from the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control. The agency reports that passes will be available online and at park offices statewide. Daily entrance fees will resume when the annual fee season begins on March 1, 2026.
DNREC attributes the updated fee schedule to its first review in ten years. The agency cites a public outreach effort that included open house sessions, communication through multiple platforms, input from Park Friends groups and approval from the state Parks and Recreation Advisory Council. Survey results referenced by DNREC indicate that nearly seven in ten participants agreed with the adjustment to maintain park services. Annual passes will cost $50 for Delaware registered vehicles and $100 for vehicles registered out of state, with seniors and military members receiving a fifty percent discount. Delaware residents age 65 and older may buy a lifetime pass for $150. Daily entrance fees are set at $5 for in state vehicles at inland parks and $10 at beach parks, while out of state visitors will pay $10 inland and $20 at beach parks. DNREC states that surf fishing permit fees will remain unchanged for 2026, although the off peak permit will end in 2027 following the removal of weekend and holiday reservation requirements at most surf fishing beaches in mid 2025.
The agency notes that federal funding rules prohibit charging out of state residents more than double the rate charged to Delaware residents. DNREC also says it will continue offering discounted annual passes to qualifying households served by State Service Centers, and those with a library card may reserve a pass online at no cost. According to DNREC, Delaware State Parks now host approximately 7.4 million visitors annually, nearly two million more than a decade ago. Information about passes and permits can be found at destateparks.com/passes permits and fees.
