Wicomico County, MD Filming & Production: Location Permits (2026)

Wicomico County's parks chapter treats commercial filming as a form of commercial activity, and commercial activity on park land is prohibited except by permit from the Department. The chapter then carves out an exception: county-managed facilities may be used for low-impact commercial photography and filming without a permit if the use does not significantly interfere with public use of the site and does not damage the natural, cultural, or historical features of the facility or land. Low-impact is defined precisely: filming or photography in park areas open to the public, involving 10 people or fewer, and using only minimal equipment that can be carried.

Anything beyond that threshold is high-impact, and the chapter requires the production to obtain a permit or use agreement from the Department and pay any service charges the county assesses. Permits are handled under the chapter's general permit section: applications go on a Department-issued form with any required fee, and the Director or a designee decides whether the requested area is available and appropriate given size, location, amenities, and public health, safety and welfare. False statements on the application or a prior violation of the parks chapter are grounds to deny a permit outright.

A permit holder is entitled to exclusive use of the reserved area for the dates and hours specified, but the permit is deemed revoked if the grounds are wet or otherwise unsuitable for use without damage to the facility. Enforcement runs through the Sheriff's Office: any violation of the parks chapter or a permit issued under it is a civil infraction carrying a fine of not less than $25 nor more than $1,000, with each day of continued violation counted as a separate offense under a fine schedule the County Council sets by resolution.