California Golden Bear Pass: Eligibility, Income Limits, and How to Apply

The California Golden Bear Pass is a free annual pass that waives vehicle day-use entry fees at more than 130 state park units for California residents who receive SSI, CalWORKs, or Tribal TANF benefits, or who are 62 or older with limited income. The pass costs nothing to obtain for 2026 and covers the pass holder plus a spouse or registered domestic partner. Which application path you use depends on which benefit you receive.

Who Qualifies

California Public Resources Code Section 5011 sets four eligibility categories. You qualify if any one applies to you:

You receive Supplemental Security Income through the Social Security Administration, including aid to the aged, blind, or disabled.
You currently receive benefits under CalWORKs (California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids).
You receive aid under the federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program through a tribal administrator (Tribal TANF).
You are 62 or older and your average gross monthly income from all sources falls below the state threshold.

The income-based pathway is only for people 62 and older. If you are under 62 and do not receive SSI, CalWORKs, or Tribal TANF, you do not currently qualify, regardless of income.¹

2026 Income Limits for Seniors

If you are applying as a low-income senior, your average gross monthly income from all sources must not exceed:

$1,732 per month for a single applicant
$2,352 combined per month for a married couple or registered domestic partnership

“All sources” is literal: Social Security, pensions, veterans’ benefits, rental income, investment returns, and anything else coming in. These figures apply to 2026 passes.²

Documents You Need

Every applicant provides a copy of a valid California driver license, state-issued photo ID, or current school ID. Interim or temporary IDs are not accepted. If you are adding a spouse or domestic partner, include a copy of their photo ID too.³

Beyond the ID, each category has its own proof:

SSI: A current SSI benefit statement or benefit verification letter from the Social Security Administration, dated within one year of your application.
CalWORKs: Documentation showing your case is active in the month you submit the application. A printout from your online benefits portal or a letter from your county social services agency works.
Low-income senior: Either a current reduced-fee senior limited-income sport fishing license from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, or proof-of-income documents such as Social Security statements, pension statements, VA benefit letters, W-2s, 1099s, or rental income statements. Income documentation must be dated within one year of the application.

Some older guides online say benefit verification letters must be dated within 30 days. The 2026 application form allows documents dated within one year.³

How To Apply

California State Parks begins accepting 2026 applications on December 1, and passes become valid January 1.² The route you use depends on your eligibility category.

Online for SSI Recipients and Low-Income Seniors

Apply at ReserveCalifornia.com. Create an account, select “Apply for a Discount Pass,” choose the Golden Bear Pass, upload your documents, and submit. After the Parks Pass Office reviews and approves your application, you’ll get an email to log back in and finish. The pass benefit becomes available in your account right away, and the physical card is mailed afterward.⁴

Separate Portal for CalWORKs Recipients

CalWORKs recipients apply through the California Department of Social Services at cdss.ca.gov/goldenbearpass. CDSS confirms your eligibility, then State Parks prints and mails the pass. The form works on a smartphone.⁵

Tribal TANF Through Your Administrator

If you receive Tribal TANF, you cannot apply by mail or through the State Parks online portal. Apply through your Tribal TANF administrator, who handles the application on your behalf.⁶

By Mail

You can also download the Golden Bear Pass Application (Form DPR 578) from the California State Parks website, complete it, and mail it with your supporting documents to the Parks Pass Office.³ Make sure the name on your documents matches the name on your ID. If an application is incomplete or denied, the office sends a notification with the reason.

What the Pass Covers

The pass provides free vehicle day-use entry at over 130 state park units. It covers one passenger vehicle or highway-licensed motorcycle with a capacity of nine people or fewer, as long as the pass holder is in the vehicle.⁷ It also covers your spouse or registered domestic partner.¹

The pass is valid from the issue date through December 31 of that calendar year, no matter when you applied. You reapply each year.⁶

What the Pass Does Not Cover

The Golden Bear Pass is strictly for vehicle day-use entry. It does not waive camping fees, per-person entry or tour fees at museums and historic sites, boat use fees, group use or group site fees, special event fees, commercial use fees, oversized or additional vehicle fees, or supplemental fees. It cannot be combined with any other pass or discount. Entry is subject to available space, so a park at capacity on a peak weekend can still turn you away.⁸

The pass is not accepted at park units run by local governments, private operators, or concessionaires. The statute also excludes three state-operated sites: Hearst San Simeon State Historical Monument, Sutter’s Fort State Historic Park, and the California State Railroad Museum.¹ Before you plan a trip, check the current acceptance list on the State Parks site; being part of the state system does not automatically mean a park takes the pass.⁸

Using and Replacing the Pass

At staffed entrance stations, show the pass to the attendant. At self-pay locations, display it on your dashboard so it’s visible through the windshield, along with your self-payment receipt if applicable.⁹ If you don’t have the pass with you, expect to pay the full day-use fee. Attendants will not look up your status at the gate.

If your pass is lost or stolen, notify California State Parks through the “Park Pass Questions” contact form on their website. The old pass is cancelled and cannot be reactivated, so you have to submit a new application for a replacement. Refunds are not issued for lost or stolen passes.¹⁰

Golden Bear Pass vs. Senior Golden Bear Pass

These are two different programs. The Golden Bear Pass requires SSI, CalWORKs, or Tribal TANF, or that you be a low-income senior 62 or older, and it works year-round. The Senior Golden Bear Pass is available to anyone 62 or older regardless of income, but it only provides free entry during non-peak season.¹¹ If you’re 62 or older and qualify on income, the Golden Bear Pass is the better deal because it covers every day of the year. The Senior version is designed for seniors who earn too much for the income-based Golden Bear Pass but still want reduced access during quieter periods.

1
California Legislative Information. California Public Resources Code PRC 5011
2
California State Parks. Golden Bear Pass
3
California Department of Parks and Recreation. Golden Bear Pass Program Application 2026
4
California State Parks. Online Application Steps
5
California Department of Social Services. Golden Bear Pass
6
California State Parks. Golden Bear Pass
7
California State Parks. Golden Bear Pass Terms and Conditions
8
California Department of Parks and Recreation. Golden Bear Park Acceptance List
9
California State Parks. Golden Bear Pass Terms and Conditions
10
California State Parks. Senior Golden Bear Pass
11
California State Parks. California State Park Passes