---
kind: "section"
citation: "54 U.S.C. § 101918"
title: "54"
title_heading: "National Park Service and Related Programs"
number: "101918"
heading: "Transfer or conveyance of concession contracts or leasehold surrender interests"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/54/101918"
units:
  - "Subtitle I — National Park System"
  - "Division A — Establishment and General Administration"
  - "Chapter 1019 — Concessions and Commercial Use Authorizations"
  - "Subchapter II — Commercial Visitor Services"
---

# §101918. Transfer or conveyance of concession contracts or leasehold surrender interests

- (a) **Approval of Secretary.—** No concession contract or leasehold surrender interest may be transferred, assigned, sold, or otherwise conveyed or pledged by a concessioner without prior written notification to, and approval by, the [Secretary](/usc/54/100102.md?p=3).
- (b) **Conditions.—** The [Secretary](/usc/54/100102.md?p=3) shall approve a transfer or conveyance described in [subsection (a)](#a) unless the [Secretary](/usc/54/100102.md?p=3) finds that—
  - (1) the individual, corporation, or other entity seeking to acquire a concession contract is not qualified or able to satisfy the terms and conditions of the concession contract;
  - (2) the transfer or conveyance would have an adverse impact on—
    - (A) the protection, conservation, or preservation of the resources of the [System unit](/usc/54/100102.md?p=6); or
    - (B) the provision of necessary and appropriate facilities and [services](/usc/54/100102.md?p=4) to visitors at reasonable rates and charges; and
  - (3) the terms of the transfer or conveyance are likely, directly or indirectly, to—
    - (A) reduce the concessioner’s opportunity for a reasonable profit over the remaining term of the concession contract;
    - (B) adversely affect the quality of facilities and [services](/usc/54/100102.md?p=4) provided by the concessioner; or
    - (C) result in a need for increased rates and charges to the public to maintain the quality of the facilities and [services](/usc/54/100102.md?p=4).
- (c) **Modification or Renegotiation of Terms.—** The terms and conditions of any concession contract under this section shall not be subject to modification or open to renegotiation by the [Secretary](/usc/54/100102.md?p=3) because of a transfer or conveyance described in [subsection (a)](#a) unless the transfer or conveyance would have an adverse impact as described in [subsection (b)(2)](#b-2).

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 113–287, § 3, Dec. 19, 2014, 128 Stat. 3147.)

## Notes

| Historical and Revision Notes |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Revised<br>Section | Source (U.S. Code) | Source (Statutes at Large) |
| 101918 | 16 U.S.C. 5957. | Pub. L. 105–391, title IV, § 408, Nov. 13, 1998, 112 Stat. 3512. |

In subsection (b)(1), the word “other” is added for consistency in the subchapter. See section 101926 of the revised title.