Wyoming
The Wyoming Film Office (Office of Tourism) smooths access but does not permit; state parks and historic sites require a special use permit, and roughly half the state is federal land with its own rules.
Guidance, not legal advice
Permit
Conditional
Issuer: Wyoming Film Office (Wyoming Office of Tourism)
Cost: Varies by property; state park special use permits carry a nominal fee plus insurance
Processing: State parks quote 2 to 4 weeks to process a permit application
The Wyoming Film Office does not issue permits; its published role is easing the process with land managers. There is no statewide photo permit. Wyoming State Parks and Historic Sites (State Parks & Cultural Resources) require a special use permit for shoots, with a nominal fee and adequate insurance; for commercial still photography, the state's published triggers are advertising use, models, sets, or props, and activity with potential for resource damage or visitor disruption. About half of Wyoming is federal land, where BLM, Forest Service, and NPS permitting applies instead.
Drone / airspace
Legal under FAA rules; commercial drone work requires FAA Part 107
Commercial drone work requires FAA Part 107. Note that drones are prohibited from launching or landing inside Yellowstone and Grand Teton, which dominate the state's northwest. 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
Working ranches are private property; the classic Wyoming ranch shot needs landowner permission, and corner-crossing disputes make land status worth checking before walking to a viewpoint.
Practical notes
- Yellowstone and Grand Teton follow NPS rules, not Wyoming's; both parks have tightened commercial-use permitting in recent years, so verify current federal requirements separately.
- The 2-to-4-week state park processing window rules out spontaneous permitted shoots at places like Sinks Canyon; file before your trip.
- The T.A. Moulton Barn and Mormon Row sit inside Grand Teton National Park: federal jurisdiction, despite every Wyoming tourism brochure using them.
Sources
Keep shooting
Knowing the rules is half the job. The craft side: