“The Whitewater Commission was created in 1992 within the vision of Natural Resources (DNR) to replace the Whitewater Advisory Council. The Commission was established for the purpose of assisting the director of DNR in regulating, studying, and investigating the whitewater industry to arrive at an efficient market allocation of outfitters that protects public safety and allows for the enjoyment of the natural beauty of the state. The Commission is composed of ten members and is required to meet quarterly. ”

– Office of Legislative Auditor

Publications and Reporting

Licenses & Forms

Meetings

Online Reporting

State Law and Regulation

Become a Whitewater Outfitter & Guide

To obtain a Whitewater Outfitter & Guide License, you must apply with the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources.

  1. Submit a license application with a letter of intent addressed to Director Stephen McDaniel and a non-refundable application fee of $250.00. Applications submitted no later than March 15 of each calendar year will be considered for issuance within that year and will become effective Jan. 1 of the following calendar year. Submit applications to:
    Division of Natural Resources
    Law Enforcement Section
    324 4th Avenue, Building 74
    South Charleston, WV 25303
  2. After approval by the director and review by the WVDNR Law Enforcement Section, applications shall be referred to the Whitewater Commission for evaluation and recommendation. The commission shall act on each application no later than Sept. 31.
  3. After approval, the applicant must send $500 per license issued for the annual license fee.
  4. Before operation, the licensee must have a $1,000 outfitters & guides surety bond written and submit the original along with a copy of its current commercial general liability insurance. Also, a natural resources police officer will inspect the outfitter & guide’s equipment, location, CPR and first aid certification.

Insurance and Bond Specifics

Before any outfitting services are offered or rendered, each commercial whitewater outfitter shall execute a surety bond in the penal sum of $1,000, payable to the state of West Virginia and shall hold valid public liability insurance in the name of the licensee with minimum coverage of $300,000 per occurrence for bodily injury and $25,000 aggregate for property damage. The issuing insurance company shall furnish immediate written notification of the cancellation of the policy and/or the surety bond to the director. The requirement of cancellation notification shall be printed on the bottom of every policy.

Contact

West Virginia Division of Natural Resources
Law Enforcement Section
324 4th Ave.
South Charleston, WV 25303
Phone: (304) 558-2784
Fax: (304) 558-1170
dnrwhitewater@wv.gov