Jefferson Parish, LA Filming & Production: Location Permits (2026)
Film location permits in Jefferson Parish, LA, sometimes called film shoot permits, production permits, or filming authorizations, cover commercial photography, video shoots, and motion picture production.
Key Facts
- Issuing authority
- Office of Film Jefferson
- Applies to
- All unincorporated Jefferson Parish land
- Permit scope
- Parish property only, not private consent
- On-site requirement
- Permit must be carried at location
Summary
Anyone filming commercials, movies, TV shows or videos anywhere in unincorporated Jefferson Parish, on public or private property, needs a permit from the Office of Film Jefferson before shooting starts. Sec. 26-68 makes filming without one unlawful, and the permit itself must be on hand at the location at all times.
In accordance with, including section 26-76 below, and notwithstanding the other provisions of this section, it shall be unlawful for any filming to be conducted within unincorporated Jefferson Parish without first obtaining a permit. A permit is issued by the issuing authority for the purpose of filming in unincorporated Jefferson Parish. This permit does not constitute or grant permission to use or occupy property not owned, leased or controlled by Jefferson Parish. This permit must be in the possession of the permittee, or his or her representative, at all times while on location in Jefferson Parish.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 20 Update 2).
Full Breakdown
Jefferson Parish Code of Ordinances Chapter 26, Article IV governs film and video production and applies to all lands within unincorporated Jefferson Parish, public or private, under Sec. 26-67. Sec. 26-65 states the article's purpose: to set rules for issuing film permits so photographers and motion picture, television, video, commercial and nontheatrical filming companies are encouraged to use parish locations so long as the activity stays consistent with public safety and property protection. Sec. 26-68 is the operative permit requirement: it is unlawful to conduct any filming within unincorporated Jefferson Parish without first obtaining a permit from the issuing authority, defined in Sec.
26-66 as the Office of Film Jefferson within the Department of Citizens' Affairs. That permit covers filming on parish-owned, leased or controlled property only; it does not by itself grant permission to use or occupy property the parish does not own, lease or control, so a crew still needs the private property owner's separate consent. The section also requires the permittee or a representative to carry the permit at all times while on location. Sec. 26-66 defines 'filming' broadly to include staging or shooting motion pictures, television shows, commercials, video tape and still photography, and specifies that the filming period covers setup and strike time in addition to the actual photography.
Sec. 26-70 directs the issuing authority to write further rules and regulations covering the form, time and location of filming activity, and to administer the issuance, review, suspension, revocation, appeal, fees and transfer of film permits, so applicants should expect the Office of Film Jefferson's published regulations to add procedural detail beyond the ordinance text itself.
Violations & Fines
Filming anywhere in unincorporated Jefferson Parish without a permit from the Office of Film Jefferson violates Sec. 26-68. A crew that has a parish film permit but has not separately arranged permission from a private property owner is still trespassing on that property, because the permit under Sec. 26-68 does not itself grant occupancy rights. Permittees must also keep the permit on hand at the filming location at all times.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to film in Jefferson Parish?
Does a Jefferson Parish film permit let me shoot on private property?
What rules govern how Jefferson Parish film permits are issued?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Jefferson Parish
Compare Jefferson Parish to another location·View the Louisiana filming & production overview
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