Doral's Filming & Production: The Rules That Matter

Every city handles filming & production a little differently. In Doral, Florida, there are 2 distinct rules that residents and property owners should be aware of. Some are stricter than what neighboring cities enforce, and others are more relaxed. Here is what you need to know.

Location Permits

Filming on any city-owned site, facility or right-of-way in Doral requires a permit from the city manager or a designee under Sec. 8-136(a). The permit process, set out in Sec. 8-137 and Sec. 8-138, reviews public liability insurance, filming locations and whether the shoot would block government business or public access.

Key details: Permit required for: City-owned sites, facilities, rights-of-way. Issuing authority: City manager or designee. Denial grounds: Impedes government business/public safety. Appeal window: 10 days. Appeal decision: City manager, final.

Filming on city property without the Sec. 8-136 permit is a code violation the city manager's designee can act on directly, including denying future permits to the same production; the code's remedy is administrative, running through permit denial or revocation under Sec. 8-138 and Sec. 8-141 rather than a fixed fine, with appeal of any adverse decision due within ten days under Sec. 8-140.

Student Filming

Doral exempts students and faculty filming exclusively for educational purposes from the general film permit requirement in Sec. 8-136(a). That carve-out sits in Sec. 8-136(b)(3) alongside two other exemptions: personal or family use footage, and breaking news coverage by print or electronic media.

Key details: Exempt group: Students and faculty. Condition: Exclusively educational purpose. Other exemptions: Personal use; breaking news coverage. Governing section: Sec. 8-136(b)(3). Falls outside exemption: Commercial or public-distribution use.

Filming that goes beyond the exclusively educational purpose described in Sec. 8-136(b)(3), such as footage later used commercially or distributed outside a class assignment, loses the student exemption and falls back under the general permit requirement in Sec. 8-136(a); shooting on city property without that permit exposes the production to denial of future access and revocation authority under Sec. 8-141.

Doral is more permissive than most cities when it comes to student filming. That said, there are still limits.

The Bottom Line

Doral's filming & production rules are a mixed bag. Some areas are strict, others are relaxed, and the details matter. The best approach is to check the specific rule that applies to your situation rather than assuming Doral is broadly strict or permissive.

This guide is based on Doral's current municipal code. Local rules can and do change, so check the individual ordinance pages for the latest details, penalties, and FAQs.