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recreationstate

The Plate Is the Pass — No Recreation Passport at Any State Park

A Michigan-registered vehicle carrying a resident Disabled Veteran, Ex-Prisoner of War or Medal of Honor plate needs no Recreation Passport. That covers state parks and recreation areas, state forest campgrounds, boating access sites and trailheads. There is nothing to apply for and no card to carry: the plate on the vehicle is what is checked at the gate. The Ex-POW plate carries no rating requirement at all, so a former prisoner of war with no VA disability rating still gets in free.

Verified August 27, 2026

What this benefit is

A Michigan-registered vehicle carrying a resident Disabled Veteran, Ex-Prisoner of War or Medal of Honor plate needs no Recreation Passport. That covers state parks and recreation areas, state forest campgrounds, boating access sites and trailheads. There is nothing to apply for and no card to carry: the plate on the vehicle is what is checked at the gate. The Ex-POW plate carries no rating requirement at all, so a former prisoner of war with no VA disability rating still gets in free.

What it's worth: Recreation Passport not required for entry

  • The vehicle must be Michigan-registered and carry a RESIDENT Ex-Prisoner of War, Disabled Veteran, Medal of Honor or Congressional Medal of Honor plate.
  • Covers state parks and recreation areas, state forest campgrounds, boating access sites and trailheads.
  • Nothing is applied for. The plate is checked at the gate.
  • The EX-POW PLATE HAS NO RATING REQUIREMENT. A former prisoner of war with no VA disability qualifies for the plate and therefore for entry.
  • The Disabled Veteran plate has its own VA rating test, applied by the Secretary of State.
  • Camping fees are separate from entry and are not waived by this.

Who is entitled to it

  • You served in the U.S. armed forces.
  • You have a service-connected disability, which is the route to the Disabled Veteran plate.
  • Michigan's state parks.

Not sure whether that describes you?

Answer a few questions about this benefit specifically — we only ask what this one actually depends on, and we stop as soon as we know.

How to claim it

  1. 1Check which plate is on the vehicle you actually drive to the park. The waiver follows the plate, not the person.
  2. 2If you do not yet hold one, apply to the Secretary of State for the Disabled Veteran, Ex-POW or Medal of Honor plate.
  3. 3If you were a prisoner of war, ask about the Ex-POW plate even with no VA disability rating — it does not require one.
  4. 4Do not buy the Recreation Passport at renewal if your vehicle carries a qualifying plate.
  5. 5Budget separately for camping. Entry is waived; a campsite is not.
Form
No application — the plate is the pass
File with
No filing; Secretary of State for the plate
No renewal
Once granted it does not need renewing.
Worth knowingBecause the waiver attaches to the vehicle, a veteran travelling in someone else's car still needs a Recreation Passport on that car.

Sources

This finder provides an informational match, not a government eligibility determination. The responsible agency decides your application.