Short answer: It depends how ambitious your shoot is. If your shoot is just you and a handheld camera or maybe a tripod, and you’re not holding a parking space or anything like that, you’re fine. And, of course, this all goes out the window the second that car’s parked for the shoot, or you rig lights or whatever to it, or the NYPD needs to clear the street for you. That’s where you’re looking at permits.
If you’re just an honest citizen snapping pictures on the street, your camera does not merit a permit. They expect tourists to wander around with a phone or camera to their face. Even with a tripod, maybe even using hand-held props, you’re technically fine. As long as you’re not claiming exclusive use of City property, have no prop vehicles, stunts or fake weapons, and are not impersonating police officers, you are in the clear.
Trigger a Permit
A picture car parked on the street for the shoot, however, needs a permit, since it’s taking exclusive use of the parking spot. If someone else pulled into that spot, they’d disrupt the shot. No way around it - the fact that the car is parked specifically for the shoot has converted your parking spot into a film-only resource. Moving shots are going to trigger a permit too, unfortunately, whether it’s one car filming another car, a hood or side mount on your filming car, or a tow rig, or a process trailer. And any shots that involve pulling into or out of the curb lane require a permit.
Any shoot using equipment beyond a hand-held camera, tripod, or anything you could hold in your hand (think bounce boards, boom microphones, etc) needs a permit. And if you need NYPD or FDNY on set for whatever reason, that’s a trigger too. Insurance is required by the city for a permit.
If your shoot is small and not otherwise needing a permit, it’s outdoors on City-owned public property, and the property is not already permitted to someone else, you can choose to request a Letter in Lieu of Permit. It’s not actually a permit, but it’s a letter in lieu of a permit, hence the name.
The Film Office Permits
The Film Office permits are flexible and you get a lot of benefits for the money - free police assistance, free parking privileges, and access to most outdoor locations at no charge. Right off the bat, every period of two weeks, including partial periods, is a $500 non-refundable fee. If you run a day long on that span, it’s another $500. If the fee would be an unreasonable hardship, you should contact the Film Office before filing, sending a letter of intent and a project budget with narrative. They’ll look at your application and your budget and respond in up to three business days.
The City will want commercial general liability insurance with a minimum limit of $1,000,000 per occurrence, naming the City of New York as an additional insured. Have your broker email a certificate of insurance to the Film Office at least 48 hours prior to filing for the permit. All permit applications should be submitted no later than 48 business hours before the shoot day. If the permit includes parking, make sure to post No Parking signs at least 48 hours ahead.
Jurisdiction
New York is notably byzantine when it comes to jurisdiction. Shooting in a park? Go to the Parks Department for permission before you file for a film permit. Want to use an historic bridge? Run it through the MTA. The Port Authority oversees a few bridges and tunnels, and local airports. Take a deep breath if you’re filming on MTA, Port Authority, state or federal property. But if you need to stage anything on City property, park cars, or bring in police or fire department services, that’s where the Film Office comes into play.
Wherever you’re shooting in the five boroughs, keep in mind that the Film Office FAQ will tell you drone flying isn’t allowed here. Don’t plan on any aerial shots.
Outside the city: In East Hampton, a Town Clerk permit is needed for most shoots. They want to know a week ahead of time if you’re doing stills. Miami Beach, in contrast, charges no permit fee for filmmaking. If you need city services, though, you’ll pay for them.
