Last updated on July 5th, 2024 at 09:42 am
Florida residents enjoy a new 30-day reservations advantage at Florida State Parks with camping and cabins, effective January 1, 2024.
Included are cabins, RV sites, tent, boat and equestrian camping but not primitive backcountry sites or ‘glamping’ at parks that offer it.
The new law allows Florida residents to book sites up to 11 months in advance, while non-residents will only have a 10-month advance reservation window.
Florida State Parks operates 65 campgrounds within its award-winning 175-park system, and most are booked solid well in advance.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I prove eligibility?
When booking a campsite through the Florida State Park campground registration system, Florida residents will be asked to register a valid Florida driver’s license number or state ID card number.
Your license or state ID will be matched against records maintained by Florida Department of Motor Vehicles. If residency is confirmed, you will be immediately allowed to proceed with your reservation.
Verification will be required annually, and proof of eligibility is required upon arrival at the campground.
State Parks Reservation web site: reserve.floridastateparks.org
How do I register?
You can register in advance or when you book a campsite through the Florida State Parks reservation system, reserve.floridastateparks.org, or by phone, 800-326-3521.
If you already have an account, you can log into your account at any time and go through the simple verification process. By registering in advance, you save time later.
Can a resident reserve a campsite for someone else?
No. Registered campers must produce identification upon arrival at the campground, and the ID must match the name on the reservation.
Florida residents will be asked to produce a drivers license or state ID, which includes your photograph, and it must match the reservation.
Non-compliance will result in being turned away at the gate, and violations may also lose their right to make future reservations.
Do Florida residents enjoy preference at state forests and national parks?
No. The resident-preference rule does not apply to campground reservations in Florida State Forests, national parks or national forests, nor does it apply to public campgrounds managed by city and county parks.
Many county parks have their own advanced booking rules, including county resident preferences for advance bookings. Other county and municipal parks do not accept advance reservations, which gives local residents an advantage.
Do Florida seniors still get a discount?
Yes. Florida residents 65 and over are entitled to a 50% discount on the base camping rate at Florida state parks with camping. The discount does not apply to the $7 daily utility fee adopted last year, nor does it apply to cabin rentals.
The 50% discount is also available to Florida citizens with a Social Security disability award certificate or a 100% disability award certificate from the federal government. A 50% discount on the base camping fee is also available to families from a licensed foster home.
Why did the rules change?
Residents have long felt disadvantaged by the crush of visitors from out of state who snap up campsites for prime tourist seasons. Most state park campgrounds are sold out minutes after sites become available.
Visitors from out of state counter that they pay the bills through sales and tourist taxes, not to mention spending in support of local businesses and jobs. They prefer a level playing field.
The Florida state legislature, responding to pressure from voters, passed legislation allowing resident preferences in 2023, and it was signed into law by Gov. DeSantis.
Any other changes?
A two-night minimum is now required for cabin rentals in Florida State Parks.
In the past, the two-night minimum only applied to weekends.
Related story: Stunning Gulf beaches prevail at Florida state parks with camping in the Panhandle
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It’s about time!! Long overdue
I truly understand the frustration of Florida residents concerning camping in their own state parks. I hope that it doesn’t come back and bite the state in the butt as your winter campers from out of state tend to book for 2 weeks whereas residents tend to be weekend partiers . An experienced concerned camper!
@Penelope Brooks,
Tell me you’re a snowbird without telling me you’re a snowbird, living cheap in Florida State Parks, instead of paying rent in a residential RV park.
@SteveG, There is nothing cheap about it. To start it cost me about $2K just to pull my camper from MN to Florida. And don’t forget, most snowbirds are also paying for their residence back at home on top of the cost to camp over the winter. You surely don’t think we sell our homes every winter and snowbird on the cheap right?
As if reservations for John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park weren’t impossible already.
Depends on whether you are a Florida resident, Ed. But I agree when it comes to visitors from out of state. Pennekamp is very popular with Florida residents, and the new rules may effectively shut out non-residents.
Thank you for this informative post! And, thank goodness for this change. It’s so frustrating to be a home-state resident and not be able to easily camp in your own state. Will still require some planning and scheduling but it’s a tad bit better.
It was bound to happen. The state parks aren’t campgrounds anymore, they are RV parks for enormous vehicles that rarely fit in the parks. All the comforts of home and even wi-fi. That’s why they are so popular for snowbirds, Florida residents, and full-timers that aren’t even retired but can work from their RV (home). Too many RV’ers and not enough parks! Next they will have to change the campground host rules to open up some more spots. Maybe it would have been better to start with U.S. citizens at 11 months and Canadians at 10. That would definitely have made an impact! I see more Canadian plates on vehicles in the winter than neighboring states plates. Oh, and eliminating golf carts, ATV’s, and large electric bikes (motorcycles) would also help. State parks are for relaxation not places to ride around on motorized toys! Give our wildlife a break!