Hackensack, NJ Filming & Production: Street Closures (2026)
Key Facts
- Trigger
- Barricades/devices blocking public streets
- Officer staffing
- Off-duty police may be required
- Waiver factor
- Street/parking restriction extent, § 85-7C
- Reimbursement
- Lost parking meter revenue owed
Summary
Any filming that blocks pedestrian or vehicular traffic with barricades, devices or temporary structures on public streets triggers Hackensack's Chapter 85 permit requirement. The City Manager weighs traffic congestion and equipment removal before waiving any street-use restriction, and the Police Department can require off-duty officers to manage the closure.
No person or organization shall film or permit filming on public or on private property where such filming involves the use of public property for the operation, placement or temporary storage of vehicles or equipment utilized in such filming, including, but not limited to, any temporary structure, barricade or device intended to restrict or block off pedestrian or vehicular traffic, without first having obtained a permit from the office of the City Clerk ... The extent to which the applicant is requesting restrictions on the use of public streets or public parking facilities during filming.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4592721; v20 updated 2026-01-06; through 01-06-2026).
Full Breakdown
Section 85-2A of the Filming chapter (adopted May 21, 2024 by Ordinance No. 19-2024) reaches beyond simple photography: it covers any use of public property for parking or storing filming vehicles and equipment, and specifically any temporary structure, barricade or device intended to restrict or block off pedestrian or vehicular traffic. A permit from the City Clerk is required before that activity can occur, and it must name the approved location and dates. Section 85-3B(3) lets the Police Department require the hiring of one or more off-duty law enforcement officers for the permitted times, and Section 85-3C requires the permit holder to take reasonable steps to minimize interference with the free passage of pedestrians and traffic and to comply with all lawful Police Department directives.
When an applicant asks to restrict use of public streets or public parking facilities, Section 85-7C makes that one of six factors the City Manager must weigh before waiving any chapter requirement, alongside potential traffic congestion (Section 85-7A) and the applicant's ability to remove vehicles and equipment from public streets (Section 85-7B). Section 85-9 requires the applicant to reimburse the city for lost parking meter revenue or other revenue the city could not collect because of the street closure.
Violations & Fines
Filming that blocks streets without a permit, or beyond the approved dates and location, is a Chapter 85 violation subject to Section 1-15's general penalty: a fine up to $2,000, imprisonment up to 90 days, or community service up to 90 days, with each day treated as a separate offense. The City Manager may also refuse or revoke a permit under Section 85-5 where street-blocking filming would unreasonably impede traffic flow or endanger public safety, with denials appealable to the City Council within 10 days under Section 85-6.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit just to park production vehicles on a Hackensack street?
Can the city require police officers for a street closure shoot?
What happens if my closure blocks a scheduled city activity?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Hackensack
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