Chicago
Chicago's film permit fee, the $1,000,000 insurance requirement, and when a low-impact photo shoot needs no permit at all.
Guidance, not legal advice
Permit
Conditional
Issuer: Chicago Film Office (Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events)
Cost: $250 film production permit; a reduced $25 fee applies to students, nonprofits, and very small-scope shoots
Processing: Apply ahead; insurance must be on file before the permit issues
A permit is required once you occupy the public way with equipment or vehicles, or block pedestrian or vehicle traffic. Low-impact photography that does none of those things may need no permit. A certificate of insurance with $1,000,000 general liability per occurrence, naming the City of Chicago as additional insured, is required.
Drone / airspace
Commercial drone work requires FAA Part 107; the city adds insurance and approval requirements
Local takeoff, landing, and park restrictions sit on top of FAA airspace rules. For Part 107 and drone law, see Drone Authority.
Street / public space
Yes: you can photograph what is visible from public space in the US
Private property sets its own rules regardless of city law.
Practical notes
- The Chicago Park District and the Riverwalk permit separately from the city film office; Millennium Park and the lakefront have their own media rules.
- Cloud Gate (the Bean) and other public artworks can carry usage restrictions for commercial imagery; confirm before a commercial shoot.
Sources
Keep shooting
Knowing the rules is half the job. The craft side: