From October 1 through April 15, the BLM requires a permit for the vehicle you bring into the Imperial Sand Dunes at Glamis. A weekly permit is $55 bought online ahead of time or $70 bought on site. A season permit is $185. Buy it at isdpermits.net.
Renting a UTV from us? You don't need a permit or sticker for our machine. Every rental leaves our shop with a current plate, registration and OHV sticker.
Who needs a permit
The permit is for the street-legal vehicle you bring into the dunes: the truck you camp out of, the motorhome, the rig that tows your own machines. It's per vehicle, not per person, so passengers and kids don't need their own.
Display it in the windshield, date side out, as soon as you arrive. Permits are non-refundable. An America the Beautiful pass doesn't cover it.
The permit doesn't reserve a campsite. Camping is first-come, first-served with no reservations. Our Glamis camping guide covers the main areas.
Weekly or season?
- Weekly: $55 online in advance, $70 on site.
- Season: $185, good October 1 through April 15.
Four weekly permits bought online come to $220, so if you'll make four or more trips this season, the season permit is the better buy. Buying online before you leave saves $15 a week and one stop when you get here.
Renting from us: what's already handled
- A current plate, registration and OHV sticker on every machine. No permit or sticker needed for the rental.
- A whip flag, installed.
- Helmets, one per rider, handed out at pickup while we go over sizes. Kids' helmets, goggles and gloves are for sale at the shop.
- A quick pickup at our shop on Vendor Row, next to the Glamis Beach Store: we check your license and paperwork, hand out helmets and walk around the machine with you.
If you camp in the dunes, the vehicle you bring in still needs its own permit.
Coming from out of state
Renting is the easy way to do Glamis from out of state. There's no machine to tow and no California OHV paperwork, because our UTVs are already plated and registered.
- The driver is the renter: 25 or older with a physical driver's license.
- A passport, state ID or international driving permit works as ID for riders who aren't driving. It doesn't let anyone drive.
- Bringing your own off-highway machine? California has its own rules for out-of-state OHVs, and some need a California nonresident OHV permit. Check with California State Parks before you come.
The BLM rules at Glamis
These apply to everyone in the recreation area, on our machines or your own. The full list is on the BLM rules page.
- Whip flag: every vehicle needs a red or orange flag, 6 by 12 inches, on a whip that reaches 8 feet off the ground.
- Helmets and seat belts: everyone in a side-by-side wears a helmet, and belts stay on whenever it's moving.
- 15 mph zones: keep it under 15 mph within 50 feet of camps and groups of people, and no faster than 15 mph within 500 feet of Highway 78, Gecko Road and Grays Well Road.
- Quiet hours: 10 pm to 6 am.
- No glass beverage containers.
- Alcohol: no drinking while driving any vehicle, and nobody under 21 can have alcohol.
- Campfires: no pallets, no wood with nails or screws, and no burning plastic, oil or gas.
- Closed area: the North Algodones Dunes Wilderness, north of Highway 78, is closed to all vehicles. Maps are available at the BLM ranger stations.
Our rules on rental machines
- Only the primary renter drives: 25 or older with a physical driver's license.
- Riders can be any age. A parent or guardian signs for anyone under 18.
- Every rider signs a vQuip waiver before pickup. No signed waiver, no ride.
- Helmets on at all times. California law requires it, and so do we.
- No night riding. Have the machine back before closing on your last day, and never leave it in the dunes overnight.
- If it breaks down, call us and stay with the machine. After hours, call (760) 573-6825 and press 8.
Everything else you need for pickup is on our rental requirements page.
Quick answers
Do I need a permit for a rental UTV?
No. Our machines leave the shop with a current plate, registration and OHV sticker, so there's nothing extra to buy for the rental itself. Heading to pickup? Here's our pickup checklist.
Do kids need their own permit?
No. The permit is per vehicle, not per person.
Do I need a permit if I'm not camping?
The permit isn't tied to camping. During permit season it's required for the vehicle you bring into the dunes, whether you stay a day or a week. Our rental UTVs never need one.
Can I buy the permit when I get there?
Yes, for $70 a week instead of $55 online. Buying ahead is cheaper and one less thing to do when you arrive.
When do I need a permit?
October 1 through April 15. That lines up with our rental season, which runs October 16, 2026 through April 14, 2027. See our season calendar for the holiday weekends.
Questions before your trip? Call or text us at (760) 573-6825.
