Denver Office of Special Events / Denver Film and Music Office issues commercial filming permits at least three business days in advance. Public-property shoots require insurance, security plan, and possible police hire. Student and small editorial shoots are exempt.
Denver's Film and Music Office, housed in Arts & Venues and coordinating with the Office of Special Events, issues filming permits for commercial productions on public property, parks, streets, and rights-of-way. Applications require at least three business days lead time, $1 million general liability insurance naming the city as additional insured, and a location-specific security/traffic plan. Productions using lane closures, generators, drone aerials, or pyrotechnics need additional Department of Transportation & Infrastructure (DOTI) approvals and police-officer hires. Permit fees scale by production size. Denver Parks may charge separate fees. Student films, news media, and small editorial shoots without lane closures or special equipment are generally exempt. Denver actively recruits productions through Colorado state film tax credits.
Filming on city property without a permit violates DRMC §49 with fines up to $999 plus DOTI right-of-way penalties. Police can shut down unpermitted shoots. Failure to insure shifts liability personally and may bar future permits.
See how Denver's location permits rules stack up against other locations.
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