California Consumers Challenge Years of “Junk Fees” on State Park Reservations

A series of class action lawsuits is shining a spotlight on the companies behind ReserveCalifornia.com, the California’s reservation platform for campsites, cabins, and tours. According to the filings, millions of Californians may have been charged illegal “junk fees” over a seven-year period — first by Conduent State & Local Solutions, and later by Tyler Technologies, the multibillion-dollar contractor that took over the system in 2024.

The cases are being led by the Almeida Law Group, a consumer-protection firm that has now filed coordinated actions in federal court alleging that both companies used a deceptive “drip pricing” model that added mandatory reservation fees only at the final checkout screen. The lawsuits argue that this practice violates California’s Honest Pricing Act (SB 478) and longstanding state laws prohibiting false advertising and unfair business practices.

Conduent: 2017–2024

Conduent operated Reserve California from 2017 until August 2024. During that period, the company allegedly collected more than $66 million in reservation fees. According to the complaint, Conduent never disclosed that these fees were retained by the company rather than California State Parks, and continued using the same interface even after the state’s new pricing law took effect on July 1, 2024.

One plaintiff, Lisa Bluemel, reported being quoted $35 for a campsite at Morro Bay State Park, only to see a $7.99 fee added at checkout — a 22.8% increase. She was falsely led to believe the fee went to the state, not a private contractor.

Tyler Technologies: 2024–present

Tyler Technologies assumed control of the reservation system in August 2024 under a 10-year contract. Contract documents project that Tyler could collect nearly $400 million in reservation fees over the life of the agreement. The lawsuit alleges that Tyler continued the same drip-pricing model used by its predecessor.

In one example, James Chowning booked a same-day campsite at San Onofre State Beach. He was quoted $45, but an $8.25 fee appeared at checkout — an 18% increase. Like Bluemel, he was led to falsely believe the fee was paid to California State Parks.

California’s Crackdown on Drip Pricing

The litigation comes as California intensifies its efforts to eliminate hidden fees across industries. The Honest Pricing Act, which took effect in July 2024, requires that all mandatory charges be included in the first price displayed to consumers. The Attorney General’s office has issued clear guidance: “The price a Californian sees should be the price they pay.”

The law prohibits:

• Adding mandatory fees later in the transaction
• Advertising a base price plus “additional fees”
• Disclosing unavoidable charges only at checkout

The Almeida Law Group’s filings argue that both Conduent and Tyler Technologies violated not only the Honest Pricing Act, but also California’s Unfair Competition Law, False Advertising Law, and other consumer-protection statutes.

Millions Potentially Affected

ReserveCalifornia.com processes reservations for more than 250 locations within the state park system, making it one of the most widely used public-land booking systems in the country. Attorneys estimate that hundreds of thousands — if not millions — of consumers may have been charged the disputed fees.

The lawsuits seek:

• Refunds of all reservation fees retained by the contractors
• Restitution
• Statutory damages
• Court-ordered changes to ensure honest pricing

California State Parks is not a defendant in either case, and plaintiffs emphasize they are not challenging any fees retained by the state.

In a significant development for the statewide litigation effort, in December 2025, Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers of the Northern District of California denied Tyler’s motion to dismiss the central claims, allowing the case to proceed under

California’s Consumer Legal Remedies Act (CLRA), Unfair Competition Law (UCL), and False Advertising Law (FAL).

The ruling represents the first judicial interpretation of the Honest Pricing Act (SB 478) in the context of state-park reservations — and it squarely rejects several of the defenses raised by Tyler Technologies.

Among the key findings:

• Drip pricing allegations are actionable. The court held that failing to include the reservation fee in the initial displayed price is sufficient to state a claim under the CLRA, UCL, and FAL.
• Reliance and harm were adequately pleaded. The judge confirmed that consumers may rely on the initial quoted price, and that paying an unlawful fee constitutes economic injury — even if the fee is revealed later in checkout.
• Campsite reservations qualify as “services” under the CLRA. This finding brings state-park reservations squarely within the scope of the Honest Pricing Act.
• The “government-imposed fee” safe harbor does not apply. The court found factual disputes as to whether the reservation fee was truly imposed by the State, noting that plaintiffs plausibly alleged that Tyler retained the fee itself.
• UCL and FAL claims survive. Because the safe-harbor argument failed, the court allowed all statutory claims to move forward.

For the Almeida Law Group, the order marks a major procedural victory. It confirms that the Honest Pricing Act applies fully to online reservation systems, and that consumers may challenge hidden or late-disclosed fees. The ruling also provides a roadmap for the parallel case against Conduent, which involves the same pricing model during the earlier years of the Reserve California system.

To date we have filed class action suits against:

• Tyler Technologies, Inc.
• Conduent State and Local Solutions, Inc.

Developments in the case(s):

• Chowning, et al. v. Tyler Technologies, Inc. – Motion to Dismiss Opposition

Junk fees litigation in the news:

• Camping at a state park can require a tough reservation — and extra fees. Are they legal?, San Diego Union-Tribune, May 16, 2025
• California State Parks Website Contractor Adds Illegal Junk Fees, Lawsuit Claims, Fresno Bee, May 10, 2025
• California Campers Accuse Software Giant of Illegal ‘Drip Pricing, SFGate, May 9, 2025
• California State Parks Website Contractor Adds Illegal Junk Fees, Lawsuit Claims, Sacramento Bee, May 8, 2025

The Almeida Law Group, working alongside Cutter Law P.C., is continuing to investigate claims statewide and is encouraging consumers to come forward if they believe they were charged hidden reservation fees.

The  case team is lead by California Managing Partner Wesley M. Griffith of the Almeida Law Group and John Roussas of Cutter Law. Other key team members include Partner Karen O’Connell, Of Counsel David A. McGee, Associate Loc G. Ho, and Paralegal Garrett Syke, from the Almeida Law Group.

Individuals who booked campsites, cabins, tours, or day-use reservations through ReserveCalifornia.com from August 2017 to the present may be eligible for compensation if the lawsuits succeed.