New Jersey
New Jersey permitting is municipal; the state film commission smooths the path, and state parks require a special use permit with a long 90-day lead time.
Guidance, not legal advice
Permit
Conditional
Issuer: New Jersey Motion Picture and Television Commission
Cost: Varies by property and locality, see the film office
There is no statewide filming or photography permit. Most New Jersey municipalities, counties, state parks, and agencies run their own permitting, and the Motion Picture and Television Commission's role is liaison: it helps productions navigate local rules and runs the Film Ready New Jersey program that standardizes municipal permitting processes. On state park land, the NJ State Park Service (Division of Parks and Forestry, DEP) requires a Special Use Permit for commercial photography and filming, and asks for applications at least 90 days before the shoot, one of the longest lead times of any state parks system. Palisades Interstate Park runs its own separate photo and film permit.
Drone / airspace
Commercial drone work requires FAA Part 107
State park and municipal rules add takeoff and landing restrictions on top of FAA airspace rules. 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; boardwalk commercial districts are often privately managed.
Practical notes
- The 90-day state park lead time is the trap for commercial shoots: a wedding-season editorial in a state park needs paperwork a full season ahead.
- Jersey City, Newark, and other larger municipalities have their own film permit ordinances; check the specific town, not just the county.
Sources
Keep shooting
Knowing the rules is half the job. The craft side: