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Washington County, UT: Commercial Filming on Public Right-of-Way (2026)

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

Key Facts

Threshold to qualify
75 or more people on set
Governing definition
SPECIAL EVENT list names filming events
Max event duration
14 consecutive days
Major-event trigger
200+ attendees or SR-18 use
Unpermitted penalty
$1,000 civil fine, up to class B misdemeanor

Summary

Washington County folds commercial filming into its special events chapter: the SPECIAL EVENT definition lists filming events alongside concerts, carnivals, and races, so a film shoot with 75 or more people follows the same permit, fee, and insurance track as any other special event.

City-specific rules exist: St. George has its own commercial filming on public right-of-way rules that differ from Washington County's county-level regulations. If you live in St. George, check the city-specific page instead.

SPECIAL EVENT: Any gathering of seventy-five (75) or more individuals (including participants, registrants, organizers, spectators, staff, contractors, volunteers, or officials)... occurring for a limited or fixed duration not to exceed fourteen (14) consecutive days. Events include, but are not limited to, athletic events, endurance events, cultural events, entertainment, commercial, carnivals, circuses, concerts, live shows, dances, revivals, filming events, rodeos, race events, fight events, flea markets, swap meets, outdoor sales events, craft fairs, parades, farmers' markets, or other similar gatherings.

View official code

Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-17: Code current through: Ord. 2026-1329-O, passed 8-18-2026).

Full Breakdown

Section 3-3-2 defines SPECIAL EVENT as any gathering of seventy-five (75) or more individuals, including participants, registrants, organizers, spectators, staff, contractors, volunteers, or officials, for a fixed duration not exceeding fourteen consecutive days, and it names filming events directly in the list of covered activities alongside athletic events, endurance events, cultural events, entertainment, carnivals, circuses, concerts, live shows, dances, revivals, rodeos, race events, flea markets, outdoor sales events, craft fairs, parades, and farmers' markets. Because filming events sit inside that same umbrella, a production crew triggers the identical section 3-3-3 permit requirement, the section 3-3-5 application and fee schedule, and the section 3-3-6 conditions (potable water, sanitation, fire protection, traffic control) that apply to a concert or a marathon.

A film shoot that reaches 200 or more people, uses county property, or occupies SR-18 between mile marker ten and thirty-nine is automatically classified a major event regardless of its commercial purpose. The county's stated intent in section 3-3-1 is to mitigate impacts on county services and public safety, not to regulate speech content, so the overlap exists to manage logistics like road use and crowd size rather than film subject matter.

Violations & Fines

Because a qualifying film shoot is legally a special event, the same enforcement chapter applies: the sheriff's office may shut down and disperse an unpermitted production, a $1,000 civil fine attaches to operating without a permit, $500 per day applies to violating approved conditions, and a major event held without a permit is a class B misdemeanor while a minor one is a class C misdemeanor under section 3-3-12.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does a film production fall under the special events chapter?
Section 3-3-2's SPECIAL EVENT definition specifically lists filming events among the gatherings it covers, so once a shoot reaches 75 people it is treated exactly like a concert or race for permitting purposes.
Does the county regulate what the film is about?
No. Section 3-3-1 states the chapter is not intended to regulate the content of speech, and applies only to logistics, safety, and time, place, and manner concerns, not the creative content of the production.
Can a small crew avoid special-event rules?
Yes, if fewer than 75 total people (cast, crew, and support staff) are on site, the gathering does not meet the SPECIAL EVENT definition and no permit under this chapter is required.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Washington County

All Washington County rules

Compare Washington County to another location·View the Utah special events & permits overview

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