Clayton County, GA Filming & Production: Location Permits (2026)

Under Sec. 43 of the county's zoning ordinance, no person or organization may commence filming, permit filming, or take still photographs on public property, meaning streets, sidewalks, parks and County buildings, without first applying for and obtaining a film/photography permit from the Community Development office. The same rule reaches private property whenever the shoot will interfere with the public's use of public property or rights-of-way, so a production blocking a sidewalk or lane from a private lot still needs the permit. Applicants should file at least 14 days before the shoot date if practicable, and the county flatly refuses any application submitted within 72 hours of filming, leaving no last-minute walk-up option.

Once issued, the permit must be displayed at all times during filming and is not transferrable to another production (Sec. A). Along with the base permit fee, applicants pay any additional charges for street-closing permits, parking restrictions, and off-duty police officers set by the Board of Commissioners, payable by cashier's check, postal money order, or the county's online payment system (Sec. 4). The Director of Public Works finding a substantial safety risk or a conflict with scheduled street maintenance or an existing excavation permit is grounds for denial, and the county can also deny a permit for incomplete or false applications, missing insurance, unpaid fees, or activity that would violate other federal, state, or local law (Sec.

B). Off-duty police officers are mandatory whenever the shoot involves firearms, pyrotechnics or hazardous materials, actors in look-alike public-safety uniforms, or the closing of any street or lane (Sec. C).