Missouri to end free camping on conservation areas with $5 permit starting March 2027
State conservation officials cite trash, overstays and vandalism. Campers will need a permit and a name label on every tent or RV.
Missouri is ending free camping on its conservation areas, according to a report by RVtravel.com. The outlet reported that the Missouri Conservation Commission approved a new permit requirement on October 23. Starting in March 2027, anyone camping on Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) land will need a $5 permit.
The state manages about 1,000 conservation areas, and more than 320 of them offer camping, RVtravel.com reported. Until now, campers could stay without paying a fee or registering.
The permit costs $5 for up to five consecutive days, or four nights, and covers as many as 10 people. Campers may buy three permits in a row, for up to 15 calendar days, and no more than six permits per person each year. Each tent, travel trailer, motorhome or other sleeping unit must display a durable label, visible from outside, showing the permit holder's full name and address or conservation number.
Sites will stay first-come, first-served, and a permit will not reserve a spot. Permits will be sold through MDC's online system, authorized vendors and by phone, and can be displayed in the department's MO Fishing and MO Hunting apps.
Officials say the change is meant to address vandalism, illegal camping, overstays and other problems, according to the report. Conservation officials have found abandoned tents, mattresses and trash at campsites, and some areas have been closed to camping.
RVtravel.com cited MDC figures showing that in 2015, agents issued 11 citations and two warnings for camping outside designated areas or staying too long. By 2024, that had risen to 30 citations and 153 warnings, not counting littering, off-road driving or other violations. Without registration, agents have trouble identifying who is camping where, and the department says permits will make enforcement easier.
The commission also made two other changes, the outlet reported. A proposed ban on leaving personal property unattended for more than 24 hours was dropped after public comments. And campers will now be allowed to collect dead and downed wood for personal campfires, which was previously prohibited, as long as the wood stays within the conservation area.
For RV owners, the report noted that none of MDC's conservation-area campgrounds provide hookups, and some sites can be reached only on foot or by boat.
What remains unclear is whether the fee will deter the people causing the problems. RVtravel.com wrote that this "remains to be seen," adding that the department hopes knowing who is camping on its land will help agents deal with repeat offenders. The report does not describe penalties for camping without a permit or how the label rule will be enforced.
