Maryland
Maryland's film office markets the state rather than permitting it; commercial shoots on Maryland Park Service land need a permit or right-of-entry agreement under DNR Policy 19-29.
Guidance, not legal advice
Permit
Conditional
Issuer: Maryland Film Office (Maryland Department of Commerce)
Cost: Varies by property and locality, see the film office
The Maryland Film Office is a marketing arm of the Department of Commerce that attracts and assists productions; it does not issue a statewide permit. Routine permits are local: the Baltimore Film Office covers the city, and counties such as Montgomery run their own film and park permit programs. The layer photographers actually hit is the Maryland Park Service (Department of Natural Resources): under MPS Policy 19-29, commercial photography and filming on state park land requires a permit or a standard right-of-entry agreement plus applicable service charges, with a $500 one-time administrative charge cited for commercial filming. Private, non-commercial photography in public areas of state parks is expressly exempt.
Drone / airspace
Commercial drone work requires FAA Part 107
Maryland state law reserves drone regulation to the state, so check DNR and park-level rules rather than expecting county drone ordinances. 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
- Assateague's wild ponies live on a mix of national seashore (NPS) and state park land; the rules change at the boundary.
- Montgomery and Prince George's county parks (M-NCPPC) run their own photography permits separate from both the state and the counties' film liaison offices.
Sources
Keep shooting
Knowing the rules is half the job. The craft side: