Commercial Filming in National Parks

So you want to film in a National Park, whether you’re a freelancer or a production studio there are some rules and regulations that always need to be followed when filming commercially. It may seem as simple as walking into the park with your camera for a day of shooting, but it’s not. Filming in national parks is regulated by Public Law 106-206, codified at 16 USC 460l-6d, and Part 5 of Title 43 of the Code of Federal Regulations.

There are two main steps that need to be taken in order to film in a National Park with the desire to generate income from your shoot.

• Obtain a Commercial Use Authorization Permit (CUA)

• Pay a fee for the park

Whether you’re freelance shooting out of a backpack or a production studio trucking in equipment for a large shoot you will need to file for a CUA with the National Parks Service. Each park has different regulations and fees for filming. If you’re thinking of filming in a national park this year follow this link to the parks lists where you may apply for an application and a CUA. Commercial Use Authorization