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Denver, CO Filming & Production: Location Permits (2026)

Significant Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified August 2026

Film location permits in Denver, CO, sometimes called film shoot permits, production permits, or filming authorizations, cover commercial photography, video shoots, and motion picture production.

Key Facts

Permitting agency
Denver Arts & Venues
Applies to
Filming on any city-owned property
Agency options
Approve, approve with conditions, or deny
Citation
DRMC § 2-193(22)

Summary

Denver Arts & Venues reviews and approves, conditions, or denies permit applications for filming operations on any city-owned property before production can begin.

Review permit applications for public permitted events and filming operations on city-owned property, and approving, approving with conditions, or denying same. For purposes of this division, the term "public permitted event" means a temporary pre-planned gathering held on public property owned by the city and county, open to the public, involving permitting by, and coordination of, multiple city agencies. The term "public permitted event" as used herein, hereby expressly excludes passive or continuous activation of public space including programs operated by Denver, and expansions of established business operations such as patio dining or sidewalk sales, and any other activation or expansion deemed by the executive director not to be a public permitted event. (Ord. No. 355-11, § 5, 6-27-11; Ord. No. 213-15, § 2, 5-18-15; Ord. No. 773-19, § 3, 8-26-19; Ord. No. 2156-25, § 1, 1-26-26)

Source: Denver Film and Music OfficeView official code

Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 147 Update 3).

Full Breakdown

The Revised Municipal Code puts location filming under Denver Arts & Venues, the same office that reviews festivals and road races. Producers must submit a permit application for any filming operation on city-owned property; Arts & Venues can approve it outright, approve it with conditions, or deny it. The code carves out an exception for continuous, non-event activity such as regular business operations, so a one-off shoot on public land is what triggers review. Violating any rule or regulation the director issues to administer the program is itself a code violation.

Violations & Fines

Filming on city property without an approved permit, or violating conditions of one, is a code violation under DRMC § 2-195; Denver Arts & Venues can also deny or revoke approval.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a permit to film on Denver city property?
Yes. Denver Arts & Venues reviews every filming-operation application for city-owned property and can approve it, approve it with conditions, or deny it before you shoot.
Which office in Denver handles filming permits?
Denver Arts & Venues, the agency that also manages theaters, arenas and public permitted events like festivals and road races.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Denver

All Denver rules

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