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Aperture

US city permits

Do you need a film permit, and what does it cost?

Across major US cities, the line that matters most for a solo shooter is the handheld exemption: whether you can shoot without a permit as long as you stay off the public way and use hand-carried gear. Here it is side by side, with the permit fee and the insurance each city wants.

By Joel Kelly

This is guidance, not legal advice

Fees, insurance limits, and exemptions change, and many cities split jurisdiction with parks, counties, and transit agencies. These are summaries; each row links to the full city guide and its official film-office source. Verify with the issuing office before you shoot.
Handheld exempt15
Depends on impact10
Permit required2
Atlanta
Handheld exempt
Per city fee schedule
$1M general liability
Austin
Handheld exempt
No permit fee, reimburse city costs
$500K general liability
Denver
Handheld exempt
Free permit
Complex shoots only
Honolulu
Handheld exempt
~$20 to $300/day
$1M if high impact
Los Angeles
Handheld exempt
~$31 stills rider, ~$931 motion
$500K+ general liability
Miami
Handheld exempt
~$150 county, Miami Beach free
$1M general liability
Nashville
Handheld exempt
~$130
$1M general liability
New York City
Handheld exempt
Free permit
$1M general liability
Phoenix
Handheld exempt
Tiered, per fee schedule
$1M/$2M general liability
Pittsburgh
Handheld exempt
$525 film, $50 stills
Workers comp required
Portland, Oregon
Handheld exempt
~$133 parks, $250 buildings
$2M general liability
San Antonio
Handheld exempt
No permit fee
COI, city additional insured
San Francisco
Handheld exempt
~$200/day stills
$1M/$2M general liability
Savannah
Handheld exempt
$30 plus $325/location
COI, city additional insured
Washington, DC
Handheld exempt
$30 plus tiered, $150 stills
$1M general liability
Boston
Depends on impact
No flat fee, $5K bond
$1M PIP plus bond
Charleston
Depends on impact
Per special-events schedule
$1M general liability
Chicago
Depends on impact
$250 ($25 reduced)
$1M general liability
Detroit
Depends on impact
Free general permit
Required, limits vary
Houston
Depends on impact
No flat permit fee
$1M general liability
Minneapolis
Depends on impact
Not published, $35 change fee
$1.5M for park shoots
New Orleans
Depends on impact
~$50 total
$1M general liability
Philadelphia
Depends on impact
Service fees ~$125 to $400
$1M, set by risk mgmt
San Diego
Depends on impact
Free registration
$1M/$2M general liability
Seattle
Depends on impact
~$25/day
COI, city additional insured
Dallas
Permit required
$50/location, $250 complex
$1M/$2M general liability
Las Vegas
Permit required
City free, county $45
$1M/$2M general liability

Summarized from official municipal film-office pages.

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