San Francisco, CA Filming & Production: Location Permits (2026)

Film SF administers film permits for the City and County of San Francisco. A film permit is required for any production that could be sold or where crew and/or talent are paid. Applications must be emailed to Film SF at least 4 full business days before the first shoot date. Productions requiring street or lane closures or SFMTA vehicle charters need 5-10 additional business days for processing. Standard filming hours are 7 AM to 10 PM. Filming outside these hours is possible but subject to the City Noise Ordinance, requiring additional resident notification. Community notification is mandatory: film notices must be distributed 72 hours before the shoot date, hand-delivered between 8 AM and 8 PM to residents and businesses on both sides of the street and 300 feet (half block) past the first and last parking space used. Film SF coordinates with SFMTA for parking and street closures, SFPD for traffic and security, SFFD for fire safety, and Recreation and Parks for park locations. Filming in city parks requires a separate permit from the Recreation and Parks Department. The San Francisco Film Commission actively promotes the city as a production-friendly location and provides location scouting assistance.