St. Petersburg, FL Filming & Production: Street Closures (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- City Code § 16.70.050.1.5
- Film exemption
- POD-authorized closures skip standard process
- Temporary closing cap
- 365 days from date of approval
- Access rule
- Full ped+vehicle block only if necessary
- Non-exempt review
- Commission hearing, appeal to Council
- Unauthorized closure penalty
- Up to $500 fine or 60 days jail
Summary
St. Petersburg exempts film-production street closures from its standard temporary street-closing process. City Code § 16.70.050.1.5 lets the Planning & Development Services Department (POD) authorize a closure tied to a film shoot without the frontage-consent petition and commission-hearing track other temporary closings require, provided pedestrian and vehicle access aren't both blocked unless the shoot needs it.
A closing shall mean a complete or partial physical impairment or prohibition of vehicular access to a street or alley, but shall not include a street or alley vacation and shall not include impairment or prohibition of vehicular or alley access authorized by the City for construction purposes, necessitated by public emergency and at the instance of the City, authorized by a fire or police official acting in the course of his official duties, in accordance with a race permit issued under F.S. ch. 549, or in connection with a film production if authorized by the POD, all of which are exempt from the process for a street closing. Both pedestrian and vehicle access shall not be prohibited at the same time unless it is necessary to achieve the purposes of the closing (e.g., emergencies, race permits, filming).
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 54).
Full Breakdown
Under St. 5, a 'closing' is any complete or partial physical impairment or prohibition of vehicular access to a street or alley that is not a formal street or alley vacation. ch. ' Because that category is exempt, a production doesn't file the same application non-exempt closures require: no petition signed by property owners representing 51 percent of linear frontage, no staff report to the commission designated in the Decisions and Appeals Table, and no City Council hearing for closures over seven days. , emergencies, race permits, filming)', language that expressly names filming as a reason a full block-face closure can be necessary.
5, including notice to the Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority, the Pinellas County School Board and the county, and, for closures longer than seven days, commission review and a possible appeal to City Council. Chapter 16 does not set its own fine for closing a street without the required authorization; enforcement runs through the City's general Code penalty provision.
Violations & Fines
Blocking a public street without POD authorization or outside the exempted categories is a Code violation under § 1-7, punishable by a fine up to $500.00, up to 60 days imprisonment, or both, with each day of an unauthorized closure a separate offense. The City may also pursue a code enforcement board citation under F.S. ch. 162 and Chapter 9 of the City Code, or injunctive relief for a continuing obstruction.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a film crew need a separate street-closing application in St. Petersburg?
How long can a street stay closed for filming?
Can both the sidewalk and the roadway be closed at once for a shoot?
What happens if a production closes a street without authorization?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in St. Petersburg
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