How to Get an Albion Basin Photography Permit | Albion Basin Photography

UPDATED for the 2024 season – You NO LONGER need an Albion Basin Photography Permit. Thanks to the ruling in Price v. Barr creators no longer need permits to shoot commercially on national land and this applies to the Albion Basin area. You can read more about this on the national parks site.

I would LOVE to work with you! Please contact me to book your family session. To view more of my portfolio follow me on Instagram.

How to get an Albion Basin Photography Permit is a question I’ve been asked a TON on my social media accounts lately, so I thought I’d quickly write a post with the instructions for everyone. If you are planning to shoot at Albion Basin this summer as a photographer, boutique, or blogger, YOU NEED A PERMIT. They will fine you and kick you off the mountain if you are not prepared with your permit, so here’s what you need to know.

How to apply for an Albion Basin Photography Permit:

1. Complete the application and ensure all business legality requirements are met including having a Tax ID number and business insurance with a liability policy.
2. Submit application to US Forest Service allowing 10 business days for processing.
3.  Pay fee – $180 application fee + $50 per day of shooting

What you need to know before applying for an Albion Basin Photography Permit:

You need to have a Tax ID number

In order to apply for a permit you need to have a government issued Tax ID number so that the Forest Services knows you are a legit business that follows the laws and pays taxes. This is also helpful because your tax ID number is like your social security number, so the forest service knows exactly who is coming to Albion for business.

You need to have Business Insurance

Another part of the permit checklist is taking out a Certificate of Insurance for 1 million dollars from your business. Basically, this is so that if something were to happen to you or a client whilst on Albion Basin you wouldn’t sue the Forest Service and instead could provide your own insurance to coverage any damages you cause. A lot of photographers have equipment insurance, but having liability insurance like this is typically an additional cost, so make sure you check your policy and work with your agent on this.

You need to pay the application fee AND the day usage fee

The cost of the permits can add up quickly. The application fee is $130 and the day usage fee is $50. You have to pay the application fee each time you apply for a permit. BUT you can apply for multiple days of a permit at once, so that way you only pay the application fee once. I applied for all of my 8 Albion dates at once that way I only paid the application fee once.

Who do I contact to apply for Albion Basin permits?

The contact is Ben Kraja with the Forest Service and the phone number listed online for contacting him is 801-733-2660. Here is a link to the application: https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/fseprd696248.pdf

Albion Basin is BEAUTIFUL! And is a dream to shoot at. But it’s also been over crowded. Requiring all photographers, boutiques, and bloggers to shoot with a permit will hopefully help with the crowding, so please, if you’re going to shoot at Albion follow the rules so that those that did pay get to enjoy the beauty!

And as always, I’d LOVE to work with you! Please contact me to book your family pictures. To view more of my portfolio follow me on Instagram.