Filming & Production in Berkeley, CA (2026)
3 verified filming & production rules for Berkeley, California, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Location Permits
Commercial for-profit filming in any Berkeley park or on any public street, sidewalk or alley that requires street closure or traffic control needs a permit from the City Manager before shooting begins. News, court and private/family filming are exempt.
Berkeley Commercial Filming Location Permits
Some RestrictionsBerkeley Municipal Code § 9.78.010
No person shall conduct, cause to be conducted, participate in, engage in, hold, manage, employ, permit or allow another to conduct any commercial for profit filming in any park, or on any public street, sidewalk, alley or sidewalk within the City in a manner which requires either street closure or other traffic control measures or measures affecting pedestrian circulation, without first obtain...
Production Noise
Berkeley bars commercial filming between 10 p.m. and 8 a.m. in residentially zoned areas unless the City Manager finds it will not create noise above ambient levels or undue light or glare, and restricts commercial-zone filming during morning and evening rush hours.
Berkeley Filming Hours and Noise Limits
Some RestrictionsBerkeley Municipal Code § 9.78.050(B)
No filming shall be permitted between ten p.m. and eight a.m. in areas of the City zoned for residential use, unless the City Manager or their designee determines that the filming would not result in undue light or glare, or noise in excess of the ambient levels during those hours. No filming shall be permitted in areas of the City zoned for commercial use between the hours of six-thirty a.m. t...
Street Closures
Filming that closes or partially closes a Berkeley street needs at least three business days' notice, or seven days if a major or collector street closes or public transit must be re-routed, plus insurance if the closure hits two or more intersections.
Berkeley Filming Street Closure Rules
Some RestrictionsBerkeley Municipal Code § 9.78.030(B)-(C)
Applications for the following types of filming shall be made at least seven business days prior to the filming: 1. Filming that involves the use of pyrotechnics; and 2. Filming that involves the closure or partial closure of major or collector streets and/or the re-routing of public transportation. C. Applications for filming that involves closure or partial closure of any other type of street...
Looking for Alameda County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Berkeley city rules.
Filming & Production in Alameda County →