The short answer
A commercial shoot needs a permit when it uses public property: a park, a beach, a street, a sidewalk or a public building. For the county and its cities, one free application to the Palm Beach County Film and Television Commission covers it, and the commission asks for three business days. The Town of Palm Beach is the exception: it runs its own process and the Town Council approves every commercial filming permit. Private property with the owner's permission usually needs no permit unless the shoot spills onto public space.
When a shoot needs a permit
Public property is the trigger. The Palm Beach County Film and Television Commission issues permits for parks, beaches, streets, sidewalks and public buildings. It says private property can also require one when filming affects adjacent roads or sidewalks, when pyrotechnics or stunts are involved or when a municipality has asked for special permitting in residential areas.
The size of the crew is not the test. A photographer with one assistant on a public beach for an ad campaign is doing commercial work on public property, and the commission's application lists still photography as a project type next to commercials, web content and feature films.
A shoot inside your own office, restaurant or showroom is a different matter. If the crew, the gear and the parking all stay on private property and the owner has agreed, there is normally nothing to file. Ask the commission when you are unsure. The call costs nothing and the staff work with the city on your behalf.
Who issues permits across the county
Most permits come from one office. The Palm Beach County Film and Television Commission describes a free one-stop process covering more than 50 municipalities, taxing districts, county departments and other entities. Its staff deal with the municipal contacts for you. The commission states plainly that it does not issue permits for the Town of Palm Beach.
| Where you are shooting | Who issues the permit | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| County public property and unincorporated areas | Palm Beach County Film and Television Commission | One free online application; allow three business days for a standard permit |
| City of West Palm Beach public property | Film and Television Commission one-stop process | The city's Community Events division separately permits special events on public property and rights-of-way |
| City of Boca Raton property | Film and Television Commission | The city says commercial filming and photography on its property require the commission's permit, including drone use |
| Town of Palm Beach public property | The Town itself, by Town Council approval | Commercial districts only, with no filming on streets; apply well ahead of a monthly council meeting |
| Palm Beach County parks and beaches | Film and Television Commission for commercial projects; Parks and Recreation for private portrait sessions | Parks issues daily or annual photography permits to businesses and asks for five business days |
| Florida state parks | The Florida Park Service | Commercial photography is allowed, but a production that disrupts the park requires a contract with the Division of Recreation and Parks |
| Private property | The owner's permission; a permit only in certain cases | A permit can be required if the shoot affects public roads or sidewalks or involves stunts |
How the Town of Palm Beach differs
The Town handles its own permits and sets a higher bar. Its permits page says Chapter 22 Article IV of the Town Code requires a permit for all commercial photography or videography on public property, that the Town Council must approve every application and that commercial filming is allowed only in commercial districts.
- Applications are due no less than 20 business days before the council meeting where they will be heard
- The Town Council generally meets on the second Tuesday of each month
- Commercial filming is prohibited in residential districts and filming on streets is prohibited
- No filming between 8 and 10 a.m. or between 3 and 5 p.m.
- The application needs a letter of intent with each public location and time, a description of the business and a certificate of insurance
- Exempt: short personal or family shoots, student and faculty educational shoots, news coverage of live events and law enforcement filming
County parks and state parks
County parks split photography into three kinds. Visitors may take personal photos freely. A business running private portrait sessions needs a Parks and Recreation photography permit. Commercial projects such as advertisements, catalogs, commercials and programs are scheduled and permitted through the Film and Television Commission instead of the parks department.
The county's Parks and Recreation page lists what counts as commercial: photos that appear in advertisements, calendars, catalogs, guidebooks, magazines or other published print, and filming for educational or documentary videos, television advertisements, programs, infomercials and movies. A brand shoot for a website or a campaign belongs in that group.
State parks follow a statewide rule. Florida Administrative Code Rule 62D-2.014 allows private and commercial photography in state parks, but commercial photography such as a motion picture production requires a contract with the Division of Recreation and Parks if it will disrupt normal operations, harm park resources or disrupt the public's enjoyment. Speak with the park manager early.
What the county permit asks of you
The commission's permit is free, but it has conditions. The commission says securing a permit requires a $1 million comprehensive or commercial general liability policy, with more for stunts or special effects, and that the number of insurance certificates depends on where you film. It sends the exact certificate wording after you apply.
Some scenes bring police with them. The commission says local law enforcement must be assigned when an exterior shoot needs traffic control or shows prop firearms, weapons or actors in police uniforms, and the production pays for the detail. For large commercial productions it recommends a pre-production meeting about three weeks before cameras roll.
How far ahead to apply
Work backward from the slowest approval. The county commission asks for three business days for a standard permit and longer for road closures, traffic control or special effects. County parks ask for five business days for a photography permit. The Town of Palm Beach requires 20 business days before a council meeting that happens once a month.
- Standard county permit: three business days, with rush requests possible if you tell the office immediately
- Road closures, traffic control or closing a public area: longer, so raise it on the first call
- County parks private session permit: five business days from the application
- Town of Palm Beach: 20 business days before the monthly council meeting, then the hearing itself
- State parks: contact the park manager before you set a date, since a contract may be needed
- Controlled airspace for drone flights: FAA authorization comes first and can be requested well in advance
Frequently asked
Yes, if the work is commercial. The Palm Beach County Film and Television Commission permits public property including beaches, and its application lists still photography as a project type. In county-run beach parks, a business doing private portrait sessions needs a Parks and Recreation photography permit instead. Beaches inside the Town of Palm Beach fall under the Town's own rules, which require Town Council approval for commercial photography on public property.
Yes. The Film and Television Commission says permits for public property within the county are issued at no cost to the production. Free does not mean without cost elsewhere: the commission requires liability insurance, some scenes require a paid law enforcement detail and individual venues can charge their own location or rental fees. The Town of Palm Beach charges for its own filming permit, so check its current schedule.
Usually not. A shoot that stays entirely on private property with the owner's permission does not use public space, which is what the county permit covers. The Film and Television Commission says a permit may still be required if filming affects adjacent roads or sidewalks, involves pyrotechnics or stunts or takes place where a municipality has requested special permitting for residential areas. Tenants should also check the lease and tell the landlord.
No. The Palm Beach County Film and Television Commission states that its office does not issue permits for the Town of Palm Beach and directs productions to the Town. The Town requires a permit for commercial photography or videography on public property, approved by the Town Council, and it prohibits filming on streets. A shoot inside a private shop or courtyard with the owner's consent is a separate question to raise with the Town Clerk's office.
Sources
- Palm Beach County Film and Television Commission
- Film and Television Commission: One-Stop Permitting
- Film and Television Commission: Standard permit application
- Town of Palm Beach: Permits and Licenses (Filming)
- City of Boca Raton: Media, Film and Photography Requests
- City of West Palm Beach: Event Permits
- Palm Beach County Parks and Recreation: Photography and Videography
- Florida Administrative Code Rule 62D-2.014: Activities and Recreation in state parks