Virginia
The Virginia Film Office helps but does not permit; VDOT highway filming is the one state-level permit it coordinates, and Virginia State Parks require a special use permit for any paid photography.
Guidance, not legal advice
Permit
Conditional
Issuer: Virginia Film Office (Virginia Tourism Corporation)
Cost: Varies by property and locality; see the film office
The Virginia Film Office does not issue film permits; it helps determine whether you need one and from whom. The notable state-level exception is highway rights-of-way: filming there requires a VDOT single use permit coordinated through the Film Office under 24VAC30-151-520. Virginia State Parks (Department of Conservation and Recreation) require a special use permit for commercial photography, explicitly including portrait sessions where a fee is charged and photography destined for marketing or sale; fees vary by park, so contact the park directly. Cities and counties (Richmond, Virginia Beach, Fairfax County parks) run their own permits.
Drone / airspace
Legal under FAA rules; commercial drone work requires FAA Part 107
Commercial drone work requires FAA Part 107. For Part 107 and state drone law, see Drone Authority.
Street / public space
Yes: photographing people and property visible from public space is legal in the US
Military installations are a Virginia-specific caution: the Hampton Roads and Northern Virginia areas are dense with restricted federal facilities where photography rules differ.
Practical notes
- Virginia's rule catches wedding and portrait photographers who assume parks are fair game: charging for the session is what triggers the DCR permit, not crew size.
- Shenandoah and the Blue Ridge Parkway are NPS-managed and follow federal rules, not Virginia's; do not conflate them with Virginia State Parks.
Sources
Keep shooting
Knowing the rules is half the job. The craft side: