Washington County, UT Filming & Production: Street Closures (2026)
Key Facts
- SR-18 trigger
- Mile marker 10 to 39, 75+ attendees
- Under 200 people
- Must use paved trail, not roadway
- Road closure
- Separate encroachment permit required
- Signature-event carveout
- Ironman, St. George & Snow Canyon marathons
- Unpermitted fine
- $1,000 civil fine + daily $500 for violations
Summary
Filming crews using SR-18 in unincorporated Washington County cannot close or impair the roadway without county sign-off: shoots under 200 people must use the paved county trail instead of the road, and any other road closure needs a separate encroachment permit.
Special events on SR-18 with less than two hundred (200) participants shall utilize the paved county trail, not the roadway, and shall share the trail with the public. It is the intent of this provision to get small special events off SR-18 and onto the trail. Special events on SR-18 with two hundred (200) or more participants may use the roadway unless the County determines that requiring use of the paved county trail is in the best interest of the county.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-17: Code current through: Ord. 2026-1329-O, passed 8-18-2026).
Full Breakdown
Section 3-3-3(A)(1) singles out SR-18 for special treatment: because of vehicle and active-transportation traffic between mile marker ten and mile marker thirty-nine, any special event on that stretch, including a filming event, is automatically a major event once it draws 75 or more attendees. Events with fewer than 200 participants must use the paved county trail rather than the roadway, sharing the trail with the public, specifically to keep small productions off SR-18. Events with 200 or more participants may use the roadway itself only if the county does not determine that the trail is in the county's best interest, and the county alone decides whether the trail should be closed to the public during filming; the applicant or organizer is responsible for supplying all needed road, trail, or other signage.
Section 3-3-5(C)(17) requires the application to include a complete map of all traffic controls and full or partial road closures, and states plainly that impairment of the roadway, including lead vehicles, escort or sweeper vehicles, or barricades, is prohibited except for three named signature events (Ironman, St. George Marathon, and Snow Canyon Half Marathon). Beyond SR-18, section 3-3-3(B) requires any filming production wanting a full or partial road closure anywhere in the unincorporated county to obtain a separate encroachment permit, and states that no exceptions to the permit chapter apply once a closure is requested.
Violations & Fines
A production that closes or impairs a road, including SR-18, without the required permits can be shut down by the sheriff's office. Section 3-3-12 imposes a $1,000 civil fine for the unpermitted event, $500 per day for violating approved traffic-control conditions, a class B misdemeanor for an unpermitted major shoot, and a class C misdemeanor for an unpermitted minor one; the county may also deny future permits to the same production for two years.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a film crew shoot a scene on SR-18 itself?
What extra permit does closing a road require?
Who provides signage for a filming closure on the trail or SR-18?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Washington County
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