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Phoenix, AZ Filming & Production: Street Closures (2026)

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

Key Facts

Permit authority
City Manager, before filming
Standard fee
$350 per permit
Approval criteria
Traffic, safety, disruption, property
Exemptions
News coverage, established studios
Appeal path
Hearing, then City Council

Summary

Phoenix requires a City Manager permit before any motion picture or TV production can use public streets, right-of-way, or property, with permit rules set by traffic, safety, and disruption criteria.

No person shall use any public property, facility or right-of-way belonging to the City of Phoenix for motion picture or television productions without first applying for and receiving permit from the City Manager. ... The rules and regulations shall be based upon the following criteria: 1. Traffic congestion at particular locations within the City; 2. The safety and convenience of all persons; 3. The disruption of normal activities of all persons at particular locations within the City; and 4. The safety of property within the City.

View official code

Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance G-7524, passed June 17, 2026).

Full Breakdown

Under Phoenix City Code Article VIII, no one may use any public street, sidewalk, facility, or other right-of-way belonging to the City of Phoenix for a motion picture or television production without first applying for and receiving a permit from the City Manager. The City Manager sets rules governing the form, timing, and location of filming activity, and those rules must be based on traffic congestion at the location, the safety and convenience of all persons, disruption of normal activities, and the safety of property. The standard permit fee is $350. Coverage of current news events and shoots by an established local studio are exempt from the permit requirement; charitable or educational productions still need a permit but the fee can be waived.

Violations & Fines

Filming on a Phoenix street or other public right-of-way without a City Manager permit violates City Code Article VIII; the City Manager can deny or revoke a permit, with the decision appealable to the City Council after a hearing.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a permit to close a Phoenix street for filming?
Yes. City Code § 10-60 requires a City Manager permit before using any public street, right-of-way, or facility for a motion picture or television production, unless an exemption applies.
How much does a Phoenix filming permit cost?
The standard fee is $350 under City Code § 10-64. Charitable or educational productions can have the fee waived but still need a permit.
What factors decide whether Phoenix will approve street use for filming?
Under § 10-61, rules must weigh traffic congestion, public safety and convenience, disruption of normal activity, and safety of property at the location.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Phoenix

All Phoenix rules

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