Skip to content
ApertureAuthority
Country

Bolivia

Bolivia's national copyright law is silent on panorama, but Andean Community Decision 351 fills the gap; camera drones are treated as aerial work.

Verified Jul 1, 2026 2 official sources
Permit: conditionalPanorama: Full (via Andean Community Decision 351)

Guidance, not legal advice

Rules change and enforcement varies. Confirm with the issuing authority before you shoot. Drone law depth lives at Drone Authority.

Drone Authority

Check the flight side

Photography access and drone permission are separate questions. Drone Authority covers the flight-law side for this country.

Permit

Conditional

Issuer: No permit for casual public photography; site authorities and the Ministry of Cultures for heritage and archaeological locations on commercial shoots

Personal photography needs no permit, including at Salar de Uyuni. Commercial production at archaeological sites (Tiwanaku) and some heritage zones needs authorization. Rules for protected areas run through SERNAP for production work.

Drone / airspace

Regulated by Bolivia's DGAC; camera drones are classified as aerial work, with registration for drones over 250 g and per-flight notification requirements

Because photography counts as trabajos aereos, private camera-drone users fall under the aerial-work category; sub-6 kg flights are reportedly notified via an online form in advance. For depth, see Drone Authority.

Street / public space

Yes to photograph in public; consent-first norms apply to identifiable people

Street photography is lawful. Ask before photographing people in indigenous communities and at ceremonies; commercial portrait use should have a release. Avoid photographing protests and blockades up close.

Freedom of panorama

Full (via Andean Community Decision 351)

Bolivia's Law No. 1322 of 1992 has no freedom-of-panorama provision, but Decision 351 of the Andean Community, binding on Bolivia, permits reproducing architectural works, fine art, photographic works, and applied art permanently located in places open to the public. Wikimedia Commons classifies Bolivia as FoP OK on that basis.

Practical notes

  • Salar de Uyuni allows personal drone use with no site-specific national permit, but shared-tour operators often restrict it; clear it with your driver first.
  • The salt flat's wet-season mirror is the signature shot (roughly December to March); bring lens cloths, salt spray is corrosive to gear.
  • La Paz cable cars (Mi Teleferico) are a legitimate aerial platform where drones are impractical; photography from cabins is allowed.

Sources

Keep shooting

Knowing the rules is half the job. The craft side:

More in Countries

← All location guides