Provo, UT Filming & Production: Street Closures (2026)
Key Facts
- Permit authority
- Provo Police Department
- Application deadline
- 10 days ahead if traffic is affected
- Max permit length
- 30 days
- 300+ person threshold
- Also needs Ch. 6.20 special event permit
- Officer cost
- Applicant pays actual traffic-control officer time
- Final decision maker
- Mayor, after Police Chief recommendation
Summary
Provo requires a City permit before anyone shoots a motion picture or video production on public streets, sidewalks or public places. The Police Department handles applications, and productions involving 300 or more people must also get a Chapter 6.20 special event permit.
It shall be unlawful for any person to utilize public streets, sidewalks and public places for the purpose of any show, play, sale, commercial display, commercial demonstration or for the production of any play or motion pictures and video productions without first applying for a permit to so utilize the public streets, sidewalks and public places.
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance 2026-17, passed June 9, 2026).
Full Breakdown
050 makes it unlawful to use public streets, sidewalks or public places for a show, commercial display, or "the production of any play or motion pictures and video productions" without first getting a permit. 060, the written application goes to the Police Department and must state the applicant's name, address and phone number; a precise description of the activity and the area to be used, including anything likely to cause permanent changes like marring of street or sidewalk surfacing, lawns or parking strips; the number of people involved and the exact time and date of the activity; and a description and placement sketch of any equipment used.
20 and meet all of its requirements, including the Fire Chief, Chief Building Official, Public Works Director and Police Chief sign-off process. If the activity will interfere with normal traffic, the application must be filed at least ten days ahead, and if the Chief of Police determines officers will be needed for traffic control, the applicant must agree in writing to pay the actual cost of the officers' time. 070, the Chief of Police reviews the application and, within five days, forwards it to the Mayor with a recommendation and an estimate of cleanup or repair expense.
The Mayor then grants, denies, or conditions the permit on the applicant posting a bond calculated to cover potential cleanup or property damage. Any permit issued under this chapter is capped at a temporary period of no more than thirty days, and the Mayor's decision is delivered in a letter that serves as the permit itself; a denial must state the reasons in writing. 040, which does not apply to film shoots.
Violations & Fines
Filming on a public street, sidewalk or public place without the 9.15.050 permit is a violation of Provo City Code, and using the streets for this purpose without authorization exposes the operator to the City's general misdemeanor citation process along with liability for a bond-backed cleanup or repair estimate set by the Mayor under 9.15.070. Because a permit can be conditioned on a bond and revoked or refused outright, an unpermitted shoot risks the crew being ordered off the street by police mid-production, in addition to any repair costs the City assesses for surface damage.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who approves a filming permit for Provo streets?
How far in advance must a film crew apply?
Is there a limit on how long a Provo filming permit lasts?
Does a large film production need an extra permit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Provo
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