Evanston, IL Filming & Production: Location Permits (2026)
Film location permits in Evanston, IL, sometimes called film shoot permits, production permits, or filming authorizations, cover commercial photography, video shoots, and motion picture production.
Key Facts
- Permit needed for
- Media broadcast, motion picture, still commercial photography
- Exempt
- News transmissions
- Issuing office
- Director of Parks/Forestry and Recreation
- Required paperwork
- Fee, indemnification agreement, insurance certificate
- Security deposit
- Sized to estimated cleanup/restoration cost
- Appeal window
- 7 days, written appeal to Director
- Fine for violations
- Up to $750 per day, § 7-10-8(G)
Summary
Anyone filming a media broadcast, motion picture or still commercial photo shoot in an Evanston park must first get a permit from the Director of Parks/Forestry and Recreation under Evanston City Code Section 7-10-8(D)1.b. The application requires a fee, an indemnification agreement, and insurance naming the City as additional insured, and sometimes a security deposit; permit violations draw civil fines up to $750 per day.
(D)Application For Permits.1.Filing Written Application....b.Media/Motion Picture/Commercial Photography. Any person seeking the issuance of a permit for filming of a media broadcast (other than a news transmission), motion picture, or still commercial photography shall file a written application for permit with the Director of Parks/Forestry and Recreation or his/her designee on a form within such time as shall be prescribed by the Director....2.Application Fee. For any activity described in Subsection (D)1a of this Section, no application for permit shall be considered unless the applicant shall have paid at the time of filing an application for permit the required application fee in an amount in accordance with the schedule of fees set by the Director of Parks/Forestry and Recreation and approved by the City Council....(G)Fines. The violation by a permittee of the terms of his/her permit or the laws and regulations of the City of Evanston shall subject the permittee to a civil fine of up to seven hundred fifty dollars ($750.00). Each day that a violation continues shall be deemed a separate violation.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 21).
Full Breakdown
" News transmissions are expressly carved out and need no permit. Because filming falls under the broader Subsection (D) application scheme, a production must also clear the fee, indemnification, and insurance steps written for every park permit: Subsection (D)2 requires the application fee be paid at filing, set by the Director and approved by City Council; Subsection (D)3 requires an executed agreement to bear policing, cleanup and restoration costs and to indemnify and hold the City harmless; Subsection (D)6 requires a certificate of insurance naming the City of Evanston as additional insured, filed before the shoot begins; and where cleanup risk warrants it, Subsection (D)4 adds a refundable security deposit sized to estimated restoration costs.
Applications are processed in the order received under Subsection (E), and a denial or unmet conditional-approval deadline can leave an application "deemed denied" without further notice. Permits are not transferable under Subsection (D)7. A denied applicant, or one denied a fee, deposit, or insurance waiver, can appeal in writing to the Director within seven days under Subsection (F)1, who must rule within seven business days; First Amendment-protected activity that would be financially precluded by the fee or deposit qualifies for a waiver under Subsection (F)3.
Violations & Fines
Subsection (G), "Fines," makes any permittee who breaks the permit's terms or City law liable for a civil fine of up to $750.00, with each day a violation continues counted as a separate offense. The City may deduct fines from the security deposit on file; any amount owed above the deposit is subject to the same Subsection (F) appeal procedure available for permit denials.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to film a movie or commercial in an Evanston park?
Is a permit required to film a news segment in an Evanston park?
What else does a filming permit application require besides the form?
What happens if a film crew violates its Evanston park permit?
Can I appeal a denied filming permit application?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Evanston
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Location Permits in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Cook County handle location permits.