Plano, TX Filming & Production: Location Permits (2026)

Plano's film ordinance funnels every qualifying shoot through the special event coordinator, who routes the application to all affected city departments for a joint approval. A permit is triggered any time the production impacts a city right-of-way such as a street or sidewalk, occurs on city-owned property, needs traffic control like barricades or lane closures, or involves firearms (real or simulated), pyrotechnics, or dangerous stunts, per § 11-357(1). Applicants follow the same certificate-of-insurance and indemnification rules imposed on special event permits. Timing is fixed by production type under § 11-358: commercials and episodic television need at least two business days' notice before filming or related setup starts, while feature films need at least five business days.

Section 11-359 spells out what the application must contain, the project title and type of production, the specific filming location(s), dates and times on location, the production company's address and point of contact, the location manager's contact information, a production schedule, headcount and vehicle count, anticipated city resources, a site map, identification of any public areas where the public will be restricted, and a description of any alterations to public property. A permit obtained under this article cannot be transferred to another production or applicant, and conducting any qualifying filming activity without first securing the permit is expressly declared unlawful under § 11-357(2).