Beach driving permits in the Hamptons

A parking sticker lets you leave a car at the road end. A drive-on permit lets you take it onto the sand. They are different permits from different offices, and the rules for where and when vary by beach. If you only need a parking permit, start with the permit offices.

East Hampton

The Town of East Hampton issues beach drive-on permits through the Town Clerk: free for residents, $450 for a general non-resident and $135 for a cooperative owner. A launch ramp permit for non-residents is $175. Residents can request one with the online parking application.

Rules on the Town’s beach pages: vehicles are not allowed on the beach from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. between the Thursday before Memorial Day and September 15, and only designated areas allow driving. Town code also requires a towrope or chain, a jack, a fire extinguisher and a spare tire. The Town publishes a beach driving guide.

A Town drive-on permit is required at beaches inside East Hampton Village too. The Village adds its own ban on vehicles between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. from May 15 through September 15.

Landings where drive-on access is a major feature include Lazy Point, Napeague Lane and Little Albert’s Landing.

Southampton

Southampton Town Trustees, not Parks and Recreation, run 4x4 beach driving from 240 West Montauk Highway in Hampton Bays, (631) 287-5717. Their permit page says permits are available only to freeholders, residents or taxpayers of the Town under Article 340 of the Town code, and non-resident applications are denied. Non-residents can buy a Trustees ID for boat ramps only.

The Trustees’ application form (dated January 2024, so confirm current fees) lists a 4x4 resident ID at $40 for one year, $15 for seniors, $90 for three years, $45 for senior three-year permits and nothing for active military and veterans. A replacement costs $20. Proof of residency is one of: a driver’s license with a Town street address, a current tax bill in the applicant’s name or three utility bills (current, six months old and a year old). The Trustees note that all-wheel-drive vehicles are not 4x4 vehicles.

The Village of Southampton publishes its own beach 4x4 guidelines on the Village beaches page.

Suffolk County

Suffolk County Parks requires a recreational vehicle permit for the outer beach at Cupsogue. Shinnecock East lets off-road vehicles drive the outer beach. The county’s annual resident recreational vehicle permit is $100, with a $50 discounted rate for the first permit of seniors, handicapped residents, volunteers and veterans.

Quick reference

Fines and tow rules apply to all. See where to buy and enforcement for how each office polices the sand.