Virginia Beach, VA Filming & Production: Production Noise (2026)
Key Facts
- Permit authority
- City Manager or designee
- Noise condition basis
- City Code § 4-1(e)(2)
- Filing window
- 30 days to 6 months ahead
- Violation penalty
- Class 1 misdemeanor
Summary
Motion picture, video, or broadcast productions on Virginia Beach public property need a special event permit, and the city manager can attach noise restrictions as a permit condition.
(4)Motion picture, video or broadcast television productions, other than news media, involving the staging of vehicles, equipment, props or personnel on public property...Such conditions may include, but are not limited to:...(2)The provision of adequate crowd and traffic control, security, fire protection, food handling, waste and refuse disposal, and noise restrictions.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 170 Update 1).
Full Breakdown
Under City Code § 4-1(a)(4), any motion picture, video, or broadcast television production (other than news media) that stages vehicles, equipment, props, or personnel on public property, or that uses city equipment, services, or employees, needs a special event permit from the city manager. Section 4-1(e)(2) lets the city manager attach conditions to that permit, including 'noise restrictions,' alongside crowd control, security, and waste-disposal terms. Applications go in 30 days to 6 months ahead through the city manager's office, with a nonrefundable processing fee set under § 4-1.1.
Violations & Fines
Filming without the required permit, or breaking a permit condition such as an imposed noise restriction, is a Class 1 misdemeanor under City Code § 4-1(k).
Frequently Asked Questions
Does every film shoot in Virginia Beach need a permit?
Can the city set specific quiet hours for a shoot?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Virginia Beach
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