Plainfield, NJ Filming & Production: Location Permits (2026)

The City of Plainfield regulates filming in Chapter 9, Article 21, titled Film Permit Required. Section 9:21-1 defines filming as any film, including a movie, television program, commercial, video documentary, music video or internet video, used in whole or in part for sale, lease or other commercial exchange. Rehearsals, preparations, and the assembly and dismantling of equipment all count as filming.

Under § 9:21-2(a), no person films or permits filming in the City without a permit that sets out the location and the date or dates. No permit is required for productions using a hand-held camera, a camera on a tripod, hand-held props or hand-held equipment, as long as they do not assert exclusive use of City property, use prop weapons, prop vehicles, stunts or actors in police uniform, or request parking privileges for production vehicles. Anything beyond that, such as bounce-boards or boom mics, needs a permit. The Administrator can waive the five-day period if the applicant has all related approvals and adjacent property owners or tenants do not need to be notified.

Permits are issued by the office of the Municipal Clerk during normal business hours (§ 9:21-2(b)). One permit covers outdoor filming on one day and indoor filming on one day, and a premises in a residential zone is capped at 10 filming days per calendar year without a waiver (§ 9:21-2(c)). If inclement weather or other good cause cancels a shoot, the Clerk can issue a new permit for other dates at no additional fee (§ 9:21-2(d)).

On private property, the written consent of the owner and/or tenant must accompany the application. Businesses, merchants and residents on the block get written notice within three days prior to the shooting date, objections go to the Municipal Clerk and become part of the application, and proof of service is due at least two days prior (§ 9:21-2(e)). The application also lists the dates of any filming at the location in the previous 12 months and states whether stunts, firearms or pyrotechnics are planned (§ 9:21-2(f)). Section 9:21-6(a)(1) prints the standard fee at $150 per day.