Alpharetta, GA Filming & Production: Location Permits (2026)

Under Section 2.3.2 of the City of Alpharetta's Unified Development Code, commercial television or motion picture filming is treated as a temporary use that the Director may authorize administratively, separate from the standing zoning of the property. At a residential location, the base permit tops out at seven calendar days; a production that needs more time can get up to 21 days only with direct approval from the Mayor and Council, not the Director alone. Whichever body issues the permit, it can attach conditions 'to minimize the disturbance to the residential neighborhood,' and the Code specifically calls out neighborhood notification requirements, parking and traffic control, and limits on hours of operation as examples of what can be imposed.

The Code also sets a hard citywide curfew for filming activity: it cannot commence before 7:00 a.m. or continue after 10:00 p.m., regardless of how many days the permit covers. This section sits among a list of other temporary uses the Director can authorize, such as outdoor tent sales and seasonal events. A production filming outside a residential location, for example in a commercial or office district, is not subject to the seven-day cap under this subsection, since the shorter limit is tied specifically to residential locations.