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Broward County, FL Filming & Production: Production Noise (2026)

Some Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified August 2026

Key Facts

Noise threshold
Audible at 25 feet
Applies to
Handheld filming on Specified Property
Permit issuer
Broward County Film Commissioner
Governing law
County Code § 20-261
Enforcement
Code or law enforcement officers

Summary

Broward County requires a filming permit once a handheld production creates noise that is frequent, habitual, or long and audible 25 feet away, per County Code Sec. 20-261.

These county ordinances apply to unincorporated areas of Broward County. Incorporated cities within the county may have their own rules that take precedence over county-level regulations.

...or the creation of noise that is frequent, habitual, or long, and plainly audible at a distance of twenty-five (25) feet from the area where the individual is located;

View official code

Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 72 | Administrative Code: Supplement 28).

Full Breakdown

Under Broward County Code Article XIII, a single handheld camera used solely for personal or family filming on county- or Participating-Municipality-owned 'Specified Property' is exempt from the county film permit requirement, unless it crosses one of several triggers. One trigger is noise: if the filming creates noise that is 'frequent, habitual, or long, and plainly audible at a distance of twenty-five (25) feet from the area where the individual is located,' the handheld exemption no longer applies and a permit from the Broward County Film Commissioner is required before filming continues, per Sec. 20-261(b)(2)a.3.

Violations & Fines

Filming past the 25-foot noise threshold without a permit can result in enforcement by code enforcement officers or law enforcement under Sec. 20-265, citing the production for operating without the required Sec. 20-261 permit.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does casual phone video need a filming permit in Broward County?
No, if it's a single handheld device used only for personal or family filming and stays quiet. It becomes permit-required once it creates noise that is frequent, habitual, or long and audible at 25 feet.
What counts as noise 'plainly audible at 25 feet' under Sec. 20-261?
The code sets no decibel number -- it's whether sound from the filming activity can actually be heard from 25 feet away from where the person is located.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Broward County

All Broward County rules

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