East Bay Regional Parks District: Embrace Life!

Activities » Permits
Some activities in the Park District require a permit.

Beer and Wine Permit

A fee of $25 will be charged for a beer & wine permit in parks where alcohol is restricted to reserved picnic areas. For information call 1-888-EBPARKS or 1-888-327-2757, press option 2, then 1.

Caterer / Vehicle Access Permit

Call 1-888-EBPARKS (1-888-327-2757) option 2 for information.

Annual Vehicle Access Permit – Rules and Regulations

The East Bay Regional Park District allows vehicle access only at designated reservable picnic sites in specific parks; some sites have no vehicle access at all.  A Vehicle Accessible Sites list may be found below to determine which parks and picnic sites allow vehicle access.  For picnic reservations, we also have a list of Approved Vehicle Access Permit holders.  These catering companies shall be permitted in the parks. If you own a catering company and would like to apply for the annual permit, please see the Annual Vehicle Access Approved Provider Agreement.  

Day Camp Operation Permit

Both for-profit and non-profit day camps must have a permit in order to operate in the East Bay Regional Park District. Please contact Tiffany Margulici at tmargulici@ebparks.org or (510) 544-2540 for more information or to obtain a permit.

Dog Permit

Any person who walks or exercises a dog or dogs for a fee or who walks more than three (3) personal dogs must obtain and have in their possession a revokable annual permit.

  • Private or Non-Profit Dog Walker (Individual): $25
  • Private or Non-Profit Dog Walker (Household): $40
  • Professional Dog Walker (Annual): $250
  • Professional Dog Walker (Semi-Annual): $125
  • Supplemental Permit (Annual): $100
  • Supplemental Permit (Semi-Annual): $50
  • Duplicate Permit (Requires additional photograph of applicants): $15

To purchase a dog permit, call the Public Safety Department at (510) 690-6508.

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Film Permit

  1. Commercial Permits: It is used for filming, photography, or videotaping of print ads, commercials, movies, videos and the like. The current fees for a commercial permit are $1,250 for a full day of filming, $750 for a half-day or $165 per hour. Other fees may include:
    • $25/hour for park staff wages
    • $9/day for vehicle parking
    • $9/day for any animals that may be used
    • $30/hour for set construction
  2. Individual Permits: The fee for individual photography permits is $100. The permit is good for 12 months from the issue date.
  3. Student Permits: A fee waiver may be requested for student photography permits. Fee waivers are granted at the discretion of the Community Relations Manager and/or Film Coordinator. Proof of Liability Insurance is required.

Film fees are subject to change. East Bay Regional Park District Film Permits are processed and issued by the Public Affairs Department and are subject to review by the Community Relations Manager and the Risk Department. All fees must be paid prior to the filming itself.

To apply for a film permit, download the Film/Video Location Requests and Film Permit forms and return completed application along with the fee to: East Bay Regional Park District, P.O. Box 5381, Oakland, CA 94605-0381, Attn: Public Affairs Department.

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Fishing Access Permit

Daily Fishing Permit

An EBRPD Daily Fishing Access Permit ($4 per day for persons age 16 and older) is required to fish at Del Valle, Contra Loma, Lake Chabot, Shadow Cliffs, Temescal, Don Castro, and Quarry Lakes. A Daily Fishing Access Permit can be purchased at the park entry kiosk.

A State Fishing License is only required to fish at Cull Canyon, Jordan Pond in Garin, Shinn Pond in Quarry Lakes, and Lake Anza in Tilden.

Annual Fishing Permit

Through the Regional Parks Foundation's Membership Program, an annual EBRPD Fishing Permit can be purchased for both residents and non-residents of Alameda and Contra Costa counties.

Residents of Alameda/Contra Costa Counties Non-Residents of Alameda/Contra Costa Counties
Regular Fishing Permit: $200 per person
Senior, Person with Disabilities, Full-time Student Fishing Permit: $90 per person		 Fishing Permit (all categories): $275 per permit

If you wish to buy an annual Fishing Permit, please email us at membership@ebparks.org or visit any Regional Park with fishing access. You may also visit our Park District Headquarters at 2950 Peralta Oaks Court, Oakland, CA 94605 or phone the Membership Department at (510) 544-2203 or 2214. Temporary annual Park District Permits are not issued. State fishing license is still required for individuals 16 years or older.

Inflatable Play Equipment – Rules and Regulations

The East Bay Regional Park District allows inflatable play equipment to be used only at designated picnic sites in certain parks. Some parks do not allow inflatable play equipment at all. Refer to the Inflatable Play Equipment Site Listto see which parks and picnic sites allow such equipment. You may also refer to this list for limitations on size of equipment allowed. 

For picnic reservations beginning January 1, 2009, only inflatable play equipment rented from East Bay Regional Park District’s Inflatable Play Equipment Approved Provider List shall be permitted in the parks. The District does not allow the use of personally owned inflatable play equipment. If you own a company that rents out inflatable play equipment and would like to become an Approved Provider, please see the Inflatable Play Equipment Approved Provider Agreement.
Additional information and forms...

Special Event Permit Information

Special event permits are required for events such as walkathons, organized trainings, athletic competitions, festivals or other activities which may go beyond the scope of normal park use, or which require partial or exclusive use of a park or area within a park. To receive a special event application, please email Tiffany, Reservations Supervisor at tmargulici@ebparks.org or call her at 510-544-2540. Applications are not available online. To request an application, please include your event date, location and a short description of your request.

Application timeline: Permits applications must be submitted a minimum of 30 days prior to the event. New or unusual events may require up to 90 days and Board approval. You may make a reservation for a special event up to one year in advance. You are encouraged to start planning as early as possible to be sure that your date and location are available and that your application has enough time to be processed. Your application is complete when the Reservations Department has received your application form, which has been approved by the park supervisor, proof of insurance and fees. Your event may be cancelled if your application is not complete 15 days prior to the event.

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Metal Detector Permit

Metal Detector Permits can be purchased through the Reservations Department. Please call 1-888-327-2757, option 2, 3. This $20 permit is good for 2 years and is non-refundable.

Other Permits (including EBMUD Trail Use Permit)

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