Some outfitters may hold two of the same permit — this is what we call stacked permits. This article explains what stacked permits are, how the system handles them, and what needs to be in place for tracking to work correctly.
How to Set It Up
Step 1 — Add your permits
Go to Compliance Hub → Permits and add each permit you hold. If you have two permits, add both as separate entries. Enter the permit number and any notes for each one.
Once both are added, the Permits list groups them under a single heading with a count badge showing how many you hold — a quick way to confirm the stack registered.
Step 2 — Create Custom Locations
This is the most important step. Go to Compliance Hub → Locations and create a location for each section in the permit.
Click + New location and give each one a name and abbreviation. Both are required; capacity rules are optional and can be added later.
Each Custom Location links to one held permit and one section of that permit. That link is what tells Brindlechute which permit to charge when a guide reports that section. Without it, the system won't know where to assign usage.
Because each location binds to a single permit, stacked permits need their own locations. If you run Dam to Pacific under two Madison River SRPs, create two locations — one bound to each permit — and name them so your guides can tell them apart.
A location can only be linked to one permit per season. When you set up your second permit, any location already bound to the first won't appear in the picker. That's expected — create a new location for it.
Step 3 — Add your locations to the permit group
Once your Custom Locations are created, go back to your permit and open Capacity and limits. Each row under Applicable Area Locations is one section of the permit, identified by its area and its start and end points. Pick your location in the row for each section you run.
Step 4 — Set your capacity limits
In the Applicable Area Locations table, click the pencil on a location row to open Edit location, then choose + Add a rule. Each rule sets what to count, a time window, a limit, and the date range it applies to. Rules attach to the location, so each section can carry its own limit.
Set these to reflect exactly what your permit paperwork says.
Step 5 — Decide how guides select their section
You have two options for how to assign which permit a trip report applies to:
Guide selects it — The guide sees a permit section selector in their trip report and chooses which section applies.
You manage it — The permit selector is hidden from guides, and you handle permit assignment yourself. Good if you'd rather keep permit assignment in your own hands.
With stacked permits this matters more than it might look — because each location is tied to one permit, whoever picks the location is deciding which permit gets charged.
You can set this yourself: go to Guides, click Modify Guide Report, scroll to the Stacked Permit section, and switch the Permit selector toggle on or off. See Control Whether Guides Can Select a Stacked Permit for the full steps.
How usage gets counted
A submitted trip charges one permit, not both. Whichever location the trip is reported under determines which permit the usage counts against — so with stacked permits, choosing the location is choosing the permit.
Viewing Usage and Compliance
Once trips are being submitted and assigned to sections, you can view all permit usage under Reporting → Yearly Usage. Each section will show usage counts against the applicable permit, so you always know where you stand.
A Note on Setup
Stacked permit configuration is something the Brindlechute team sets up with you — it's not meant to be done on your own. If you're getting started with permits or need to add new sections, reach out to your account manager and we'll walk through it together.
Questions?
Reach out via Intercom or contact your account manager and we'll get it sorted.