PERMITS & REGULATIONS
No matter the crew size or impact, the City of Austin requires a permit to film on or commercially use a public property like a road, sidewalk or park.
Permits are generally not required to use a private property for filming except when pyrotechnic effects, weapons or stunts are in-play. Be it public of private property, all weapons/safety must be signed off by the Austin Police Department and all pyrotechnic effects must be permitted by the Austin Fire Department.
For motion picture set construction guidelines for sets, please reference the City of Austin Development Services Department Permit Exemptions.
The Austin Film Commission does not issue permits. This page is a resource with descriptions of processes, guides (where applicable), application links and contact details for each permitting office. The following Austin entities oversee film permitting for their areas of oversight:
The following are additional regulatory resources for filming locally:
If you are working in the communities surrounding Austin, please reference the Film Friendly Texas Directory for permitting contacts in those jurisdictions.
CITY OF AUSTIN - STREETS & SIDEWALKS
Requests for the use of City of Austin Right of Way (city streets, sidewalks, and alleys) by commercial, student, or mobile filming, are reviewed and processed by the City of Austin Office of Special Events (OSE) in the Transportation and Public Works Department. It is recommended that Permit requests be filed at least 5 days prior to the filming start date to accommodate the request. Permits applications are free. Depending on the impact of the shoot, there may be incurred costs for things like use of police on-site and reserving parking.
The OSE have a great Film Permit Process Guide that gives a great detailed overview of how to apply for a permit. It is recommended that this document is reviewed prior to applying for a film permit.
Right of Way permit requests are filed online through the City of Austin's ABC Permitting Portal. The following is a link to the official Right of Way website with permitting instructions (which includes greater detail and requirements) as well as a link to the ABC Portal create/submit an online permit request: Apply for a Right of Way Film Permit.
The ABC Portal for the Film Permit is also used for general B-Roll Permits and Parking Permits/Meter Reservations - they are all the same permit. Note, any vehicles being used for production like box trucks or even crew street parking will require a film permit if the public right of way is being utilized.
As highlighted in the OSE Right of Way permitting guidelines, productions need to provide the following as part of the permitting process: Austin Police Department Film Application, proof of insurance, description of impact with a map highlighting production site and notification sign-off from any impacted residents or businesses to resolve any conflicts that may occur due to filming (two attempts must be made).
The OSE Film Considerations includes a list of film activities most common in Right of Way permits issued along with official definitions and requirements, these activities include: Right of Way Closures, Intermittent Traffic Control (ITC), Police Escort, Mobile Bubble, B-Roll and more.
If you are requesting any type of road closure, a Traffic Control Plan will also be needed as well as on-set police assistance. For complete road closures, productions are asked to have permit requests submitted 10 days prior to filming. Complete closures also have additional requirements like notification signage prior to filming and an engineering plan for rerouting traffic. Signage and engineering plans are paid for by the production.
For questions, please contact:
City of Austin Transportation & Public Works Department:
Office of Special Events (OSE)
512-974-6501
TransportationSpecialEvents@austintexas.gov
Please check the Austin Center For Events Calendar for upcoming road closures that could impact your production.
If you are not sure which local jurisdiction permits a certain roadway or need to check for permit conflicts, you can find out if a roadway is overseen by City, County or State along with any active permits in the area with Right of Way GIS Profiles.
CITY OF AUSTIN - PARKS & WATERWAYS
To film on Austin Parks properties—like Zilker Park, Pfluger Bridge, the Hike and Bike Trail, Mount Bonnell, Lady Bird Lake, Decker Lake, & Lake Austin—a permit must be obtained from the City of Austin Parks and Recreation Department (PARD) Office of Special Events. It is recommended that requests be filed 7 days in advance of filming start date and 14 days for large impact productions.
For full application, instructions and the filming FAQ with detailed requirements, please reference the Parks & Recreation Office of Special Events Page.
The Park Directory includes a full list of the over 300 City of Austin Parks properties.
For questions, please contact:
City of Austin Parks & Recreation Department:
Office of Special Events
512-974-6797
reservations@austintexas.gov
CITY OF AUSTIN - PUBLIC LIBRARY
Reservations for filming and photography are based upon availability as determined by library staff. It is recommended that all filming requests be made 21 days prior to the production day. Filming is welcome but must not interfere with the public’s regular use of the facility during open hours.
Commercial Filming and Photography Permit requests are available via the Austin Public Library Events Services Office. There are also Filming Guidelines that outline requirements and process for filming on APL properties.
For questions, please contact:
APL Event Services Office
512-974-7585
APLrental@austintexas.gov
CAPMETRO
The Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority (CapMetro) coordinates routing (and rental) buses and trains as well as oversees all company real estate such as bus stops and train stations. There is a $300 application fee and it can take up to 21 days to process requests. CapMetro staff must approve all access, activities and the performance of any work such as filming and photography on their vehicles and properties. CapMetro has an online Film Request Application.
For questions, please contact:
Derek Heino
Program Manager, Partnerships & Business Development, CapMetro
512-826-5739
derek.heino@capmetro.org
STATE OF TEXAS - CAPITOL GROUNDS
To inquire about filming on the State Capitol Grounds, requests must be submitted to the State Preservation Board. The State Preservation Board also has Guidelines available highlighting the process.
For questions, please contact:
Robert Davis
Events & Exhibits Coordinator, State Preservation Board
512-463-3051
Robert.Davis@tspb.state.tx.us
STATE OF TEXAS - OWNED PROPERTIES
In order to film on a state-owned property—like a building or park—a request must be submitted to the Texas Film Commission. Permit requests can be filed online through the State Property Use - Request for Use Application.
For questions, please contact:
Texas Film Commission
512-463-9200
TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION (TXDOT) - HIGHWAYS
To film on any State of Texas highway right of way in the area, you must obtain permission from the TxDOT Austin District Office, which oversees Bastrop, Blanco, Burnet, Caldwell, Hays, Gillespie, Lee, Llano, Mason, Travis, & Williamson counties. Local corridors overseen by TxDOT include: I-35, US 290, US 183, US 281, SH 71, SH 195, SH 130 toll road, Loop 1 (MoPac), & Loop 360. TxDOT asks that all inquires be directed to the mailbox below with full detail of the filming request.
For questions, please contact:
TxDOT Austin District Office
AUS_events_film@txdot.gov
LOWER COLORADO RIVER AUTHORITY (LCRA)
Organizations and individuals wanting to film or take photographs on LCRA property can apply online. The LCRA oversees a number of beautiful parks and waterways as well as offices and unique industrial spaces in the Austin area. Local properties including McKinney Roughs Nature Park, Lake Bastrop, and the Dalchau Service Center. The Parks Directory includes a list of LCRA properties.
For questions, please contact:
Caleb Harmon
Parks Business Development Account Manager, Lower Colorado River Authority
512-300-4031
filming@lcra.org
UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN
Filming on the University of Texas at Austin campus is overseen and permitted by University of Texas Marketing and Communications and can be applied for online. Reference the University's Filming Guidelines for requirements and please note rules prohibit filming commercials or advertisements on university property.
For questions, please contact:
University of Texas Marketing and Communications
utfilming@utexas.edu