Bungee jumping is legal in the US in most places, but no single federal law governs it. Regulation is left almost entirely to state and local governments, so whether a jump is lawful — and under what conditions — depends on where you plan to do it. A handful of states restrict certain configurations, roughly half have specific safety provisions, and the rest fold bungee jumping into broader amusement-ride rules or barely address it at all.
Why There Is No Federal Bungee Law
Two federal agencies touch the sport, and neither one regulates it as a whole.
OSHA covers the workers running the operation, not the customers jumping. A 1992 agency interpretation letter stated that “Public safety concerns — involving customers and bystanders — are left to regulation by State and local authorities.”1Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Letters of Interpretation – Bungee Jumping OSHA can cite operators for workplace hazards, especially where cranes are used as jump platforms, but its concern stops at employee safety.2Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Bungee Jumping From Cranes
The Consumer Product Safety Commission has jurisdiction over mobile amusement rides — equipment that travels from site to site — which can include portable bungee setups.3U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. Directory of State Amusement Ride Safety Officials Fixed-site operations at permanent locations fall outside the CPSC’s reach. State and local regulators step into that gap.
How State Rules Vary
As of the most recent nationwide surveys, roughly two dozen states include specific bungee jumping provisions in their regulations. The approaches differ sharply. Some states prohibit certain configurations, such as jumps from anything other than a fixed platform, while allowing operations from permanent structures under regulated conditions. A few states have imposed outright moratoriums at various points, though these have shifted as the industry matured and safety standards developed.
Many states regulate bungee jumping through existing amusement-ride licensing frameworks rather than through bungee-specific laws. A 1995 OSHA letter observed that states had “either banned bungee jumping or are regulating bungee jumping through their amusement licensing activities, using as a guide the New Zealand Standard for the Operation of Bungee Jumping Sites.”4Occupational Safety and Health Administration. OSHA Enforcement of Safety and Health Requirements Which Apply to Bungee Jumping From Cranes More recently, ASTM International published a dedicated standard addressing bungee practices, and that standard is increasingly referenced in state frameworks.
Because rules differ so sharply from one jurisdiction to the next, anyone planning to jump should contact the state agency that oversees amusement rides or recreational safety in the area where the jump will take place. In states without explicit bungee provisions, local municipal ordinances may fill the gap, or the activity may exist in a regulatory gray zone with little formal oversight.
Jumping on Federal Lands
Public land brings its own layer of permitting on top of state rules.
On land managed by the Bureau of Land Management, any organized or commercial recreational activity requires a Special Recreation Permit. The criteria are broad: charging a fee, advertising, competing, or operating in designated wilderness almost always triggers the requirement. Applications run through the agency’s online RAPTOR system, and the BLM is explicit that operators should “not advertise, collect fees, or begin operations until you have received written authorization.”5Bureau of Land Management. Special Recreation Permits Requirements also vary by location, so contacting the local BLM field office early is essential.
National parks are a much harder door. Federal regulations prohibit delivering or retrieving a person “by parachute, helicopter, or other airborne means” within park boundaries except in emergencies or under a specific permit.6eCFR. 36 CFR 2.17 – Aircraft and Air Delivery The National Park Service has applied this regulation to activities like BASE jumping and would almost certainly treat an unauthorized bungee operation the same way. Obtaining a permit for a commercial bungee operation inside a national park is not a realistic expectation; the NPS treats these activities as generally prohibited, with narrow exceptions at best.
What a Legal Operator Should Have
In states that regulate the activity, a lawful bungee operation generally has to clear several hurdles. The specifics differ by jurisdiction, but a few obligations show up consistently.
Operators need the relevant business permits and, in many states, must register each bungee device with the state agency overseeing amusement rides. Annual permit and inspection fees range from a few dozen dollars to several hundred, depending on jurisdiction and the number of devices.
Liability insurance is essentially universal as a regulatory requirement. States that specify a floor generally require at least $1 million to $2 million per incident, with coverage extending to participants, spectators, and all personnel involved, including any crane operators. An operator who can’t produce proof of insurance is operating outside the rules.
Safety inspections take two main forms. About ten states require operators to arrange inspections through an accredited third-party service; others send state inspectors directly. Inspections cover platform integrity, the condition of cords and harnesses, and anchoring and retrieval systems. Operators are generally expected to keep detailed maintenance logs and replace equipment on a set schedule or whenever wear appears.
Staff rules focus on the jump master, the person overseeing each jump. States with detailed regulations typically require jump masters to have completed a minimum number of jumps themselves, along with formal training in site procedures, emergency response, rescue techniques, and handling panicked jumpers. Site personnel are generally required to be at least 18.
Before you jump, you can ask to see the operator’s current permits, business license, and proof of insurance. A legitimate operator won’t hesitate.
Waivers: What They Do and Don’t Cover
Every commercial operator will hand you a waiver before you jump. These documents ask you to acknowledge the inherent risks of the activity and agree not to sue if something goes wrong. In most states, a well-drafted waiver is legally enforceable for injuries caused by ordinary negligence.
Waivers have hard limits. A valid waiver lowers the legal standard an injured person must meet, from ordinary negligence to gross negligence or willful misconduct, but it does not make the operator untouchable. If a company uses dangerously worn equipment, ignores its own safety protocols, or operates with untrained staff, a waiver will not shield it from a lawsuit. Courts have consistently held that operators cannot contract away liability for conduct beyond simple carelessness.
Clarity matters too. A vague or confusingly written waiver that fails to spell out the specific dangers is far less likely to hold up in court. A waiver that seems incomplete is a signal about the operator, not just the paperwork.
The picture is murkier for minors. Operators typically require a parent or guardian to sign an additional indemnification agreement before anyone under 18 can jump. Whether a parent can legally waive a child’s future right to sue varies by state, and many jurisdictions either limit or refuse to enforce such waivers. The legal protection a parent grants may not be as ironclad as the document implies.
Jumping Without Permission
Not every bungee jump happens at a licensed commercial site. People occasionally jump from bridges, buildings, or other structures without permission, and the legal consequences can be serious. The most common charge is criminal trespassing, usually a misdemeanor but one that can escalate to a felony depending on the structure involved and whether the jumper bypassed security measures.
Beyond trespassing, unauthorized jumpers may face reckless endangerment charges, particularly if bystanders, motorists, or rescue personnel are put at risk. Equipment confiscation is common. In national parks, the Park Service can pursue charges under federal regulations governing unauthorized aerial delivery.6eCFR. 36 CFR 2.17 – Aircraft and Air Delivery Fines, legal defense costs, and the possibility of jail time for repeat offenders make the legal exposure of an unauthorized jump substantial on its own, before any physical risk is counted.