New Brunswick, NJ Filming & Production: Street Closures (2026)

Filming on public land in the City of New Brunswick runs through Chapter 5.46, and the office of the city clerk issues the permit. Section 5.46.020 defines public lands to include any public street, highway, sidewalk, square, public park or playground under city control. Section 5.46.030 bars filming on public property without a permit that sets out the approved location and the approved dates, and the permit must be readily available at the site for inspection by city officials.

Street impact is where the chapter bites. Under Section 5.46.040(C), the permit holder must take all reasonable steps to minimize interference with the free passage of pedestrians and traffic over public lands, streets and roads, and must comply with all lawful directives from the city police department. At the chief of police's discretion, and in connection with an agreed upon public safety plan, the applicant must hire off-duty New Brunswick police officers for the times indicated on the permit. The city also reserves the right to require on-site patrol officers where the production can impede the flow of traffic, at the applicant's cost. When the city administrator weighs a waiver, one listed factor is whether the applicant is requesting restrictions on the use of public streets or public parking, alongside traffic congestion from parked vehicles and the ability to remove film vehicles from public streets. The applicant reimburses the city for lost revenue such as parking meter revenue.

Timing and notice are fixed. No permit is issued unless applied for prior to four business days before the requested shooting date, though the city administrator can waive that period. Filming runs Monday through Sunday between 7:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m., with crew wrap-up at 10:00 p.m., and night filming after 9:00 p.m. until 7:00 a.m. must be requested and approved in the permit. Businesses, merchants or residents directly affected get written notice at least three days before the shooting date, with proof of service filed with the city clerk within two days of that date.