AUSTIN — Texas officials have proposed dramatic increases in licensing fees for summer camps, part of a broader effort to improve safety and oversight following the deadly July 4 Central Texas floods that claimed 27 lives at Camp Mystic.
The Texas Department of State Health Services published the updated camp rules last week in the Texas Register for public review. Currently, camps pay annual registration fees that max out at $750 for initial licenses and $464 for renewals. Under the new proposal, fees would jump to $21,000 for initial licenses and $19,000 for renewals, with exact amounts depending on camp size and type.
Key changes include:
- Day camps: Minimum initial license increases from $250 to $950; maximum from $250 to $4,000. Renewal fees rise from $50–$150 to $750–$3,500.
- Overnight camps: Minimum initial license rises from $750 to $2,150; maximum to $21,000. Renewal fees increase from $100–$450 to $1,900–$19,500.
Unlike previous rules, which were based on the number of operating days, the new fees would scale according to annual camper enrollment, ranging from under 100 campers to more than 10,000.
One camp lobbyist told the Texas Tribune that the fee hikes are necessary to support the expanded oversight system and ensure camps can meet new safety standards. Officials emphasized that the fee structure may adjust as operations adapt over time.
Camps and other stakeholders have until December 19 to submit feedback on the proposal.
The changes follow the Hill Country flood, when heavy rainfall caused the Guadalupe River to swell dramatically, sending a 30-foot wall of water through floodplains. Cabins at Camp Mystic, located near the river, were swept away, leading to the tragic deaths of 25 campers and two staffers, now remembered as “Heaven’s 27.”
State officials say the fee increase is part of broader measures to strengthen disaster preparedness and child safety at summer camps across Texas.