BLM Releases EXPLORE Act Implementation Guidance
BLM Update: EXPLORE Act Title III Implementation Guidance
The U.S. Bureau of Land Management has released interim implementation guidance to implement Title III of the EXPLORE Act, marking one of the most significant updates to the federal Special Recreation Permit (SRP) system in decades.
The underlying Title III reforms established by the ORBA and SEMA supported EXPLORE Act became federal law in January 2025 and will shape future recreation permitting across BLM-managed public lands.
The EXPLORE Act is a comprehensive public lands law that will improve the permitting process for motorized recreation events on federal lands and bolster the economic impact of outdoor recreation businesses, including manufacturers, retailers, guides, and local businesses nationwide.
While the guidance itself is interim pending formal regulatory updates, it is intended to modernize and streamline recreation permitting by establishing clearer permit categories, standardized fee structures, improved processing timelines, and expanded administrative flexibility for organized recreation activities and events.
Among the notable changes:
Elimination of discretionary “needs assessments” previously used in some permitting processes
Expanded use of streamlined environmental review tools and categorical exclusions
New “nominal effects” standards for certain low-impact organized activities
Creation of temporary and long-term permit pathways for recreation service providers
Standardized visitor use day (VUD) administration and allocation procedures
Transition to RAPTOR as the primary permitting platform beginning February 2026
For the off-road recreation community, these reforms have the potential to improve consistency, predictability, and transparency in the permitting process for organized events, guided recreation services, and public land recreation access. At the same time, implementation at the field-office level will remain critically important. Resource protection, public safety, operational feasibility, and consistency across districts will continue to shape how these policies are ultimately applied on the ground. According to the BLM, the changes are intended to “modernize and simplify the SRP process by reducing administrative hurdles, speeding up permit processing, and making requirements more consistent across BLM offices.”
Reference: https://www.blm.gov/blog/2026-02-02/applying-for-blm-special-recreation-permits-just-got-easier
ORBA will continue monitoring implementation of Title III and engaging on issues impacting recreation access, event operations, stewardship, and long-term public lands policy affecting the off-road industry.
Want to read the full implementation guide? Click HERE to read the EXPLORE Act - Title III Interim Guidance