Bernalillo County, NM Filming & Production: Location Permits (2026)
Film location permits in Bernalillo County, NM, sometimes called film shoot permits, production permits, or filming authorizations, cover commercial photography, video shoots, and motion picture production.
Key Facts
- Trigger
- any filming or performance in a park
- Apply
- at least 14 days before the shoot
- Manager can
- deny, condition, relocate, or cap attendance
- May require
- insurance naming county as additional insured
- Void if
- unused within 1 hour of reservation start
- Exempt
- county-sponsored activities need no permit
- Penalty for filming without permit
- up to $300 fine / 90 days
Summary
Bernalillo County Code Section 58-10 requires anyone who wants to film or hold a performance in a county park or recreation facility to obtain a permit from the county manager at least 14 days in advance, alongside other permit triggers such as large gatherings, alcohol sales, and sound amplification.
the county manager shall establish a permit system and may require a permit for any activity within a park and recreation facility that satisfies one or more of the following criteria:(1)The activity intends to involve, is reasonably likely to involve or actually involves 150 persons as participants or spectators at any one time; ... (9)The activity involves a contest, competition or race;(10)The activity involves filming or a performance;(11)The activity requires, or is reasonably likely to require, sound amplification.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 92).
Full Breakdown
" Subsection (b) requires the application no later than 14 days before the activity, though the county manager may still review a late application at his or her discretion. Subsection (c) requires the manager to approve a permit only if the activity will not unreasonably harm the facility or neighborhood through noise, litter or traffic; will not pose an unreasonable safety risk; will not unreasonably burden county expense or supervision; does not conflict with an existing booking; is otherwise lawful; is not anticipated to incite disorder; and the applicant has a clean compliance history and pays all fees.
Subsection (d) lets the manager deny the permit or impose conditions such as relocating the activity, capping attendance, requiring liability and property-damage insurance naming the county as an additional insured, requiring an indemnity agreement, requiring medical or security services, requiring a security deposit or bond, or requiring a for-profit applicant to sign a use agreement with negotiated compensation. Subsection (e) lets the manager cancel for cause at any time or for priority county use on 24 hours' notice, and voids any permit unused within one hour of the reservation start. Subsections (f)-(k) cover fees, refunds, non-transferability, compliance with other permits, and an exemption for county-sponsored activities.
Violations & Fines
Filming or holding a permit-triggering performance without the required Section 58-10 permit is prohibited conduct under Section 58-12(b)(5)(a), and every violation of this article is punishable under Section 58-12(a) per the Code's general penalty in Section 1-6: up to a $300 fine, 90 days in jail, or both. A permit holder who cannot produce the permit on request, or who breaks its conditions, is separately in violation under Section 58-12(b)(5)(b)-(c).
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to film a short video in a Bernalillo County park?
How far ahead do I need to apply?
Can the county require insurance for a film shoot?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Bernalillo County
Compare Bernalillo County to another location·View the New Mexico filming & production overview
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