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US State

Kentucky

Kentucky's film office runs the incentive program, not permits; commercial shoots in Kentucky State Parks need a permit application to the park manager and Central Office consent.

Verified Jul 1, 2026 2 official sources
Permit: conditional

Guidance, not legal advice

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

Permit

Conditional

Issuer: Kentucky Film Office (Cabinet for Economic Development)

Cost: Varies by property and locality, see the film office

The Kentucky Film Office within the Cabinet for Economic Development administers the Kentucky Entertainment Incentive (KEI) program and acts as the state's production resource; it does not issue a general filming permit. Routine permits come from cities such as Louisville and Lexington. The layer photographers actually hit is Kentucky State Parks: commercial photography requires a permit application submitted to the park manager, commercial filming is prohibited without written consent from the Kentucky State Parks Central Office, and location fees for advertising, fashion, and catalog photography are negotiated case by case.

Official permit page

Drone / airspace

Commercial drone work requires FAA Part 107

Kentucky State Parks drone applications must include a copy of the operator's license, and parks on US Army Corps of Engineers land require a separate federal request. For Part 107 and state 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 state law.

Practical notes

  • Several Kentucky State Parks sit on Corps of Engineers property; if your shoot or drone flight crosses that boundary you need two separate approvals.
  • Bourbon distilleries are private property with their own photo policies; the state permit question never arises there.

Sources

Keep shooting

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

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