SANTA MONICA
Film & Photography Permit Portal

The City of Santa Monica requires a Certificate of Insurance (COI) to be submitted. The COI must be addressed to the City of Santa Monica at 1685 Main Street, Santa Monica, CA 90401. The certificate must provide coverage with minimum limits of $1,000,000 and include general liability, automobile liability, umbrella/excess liability, and workers’ compensation insurance.

Film Santa Monica manages Temporary No Parking (TNP) signage for film productions in-house. To request signage, please submit a permit application through our portal, specifying the metered spots you need and their locations. A permit coordinator will contact you within 24 to 48 hours. If your request is approved, you can pick up the TNP signage at our office: 2427 Main St, Santa Monica, CA 90405.

For the City of Santa Monica lot reservations, please fill out a permit application through our permit portal and provide all the necessary details. A permit coordinator will reach out with the City of Santa Monica parking reservation application. Once you have a definite date and number of spaces needed, please fill out the City of Santa Monica parking application provided by your permit coordinator and return it to them by a minimum of 10 business days prior to your activation date. The City of Santa Monica will then generate an invoice and map for your permit coordinator to then review. Please be aware, once the invoice has been generated, you will not be able to request any changes regarding space counts, lot chosen or event date change. Please note that the City of Santa Monica only generates one invoice per reservation. If you require additional details or need a breakdown of charges, please contact the Film Santa Monica team at info@filmsantamonica.com. 

You can apply for a film permit through Film Santa Monica’s online permitting portal. We recommend submitting your application at least 5 business days before your intended shoot date. Complex shoots may require more lead time.

Any commercial filming, photography, or media production taking place on public property, including streets, sidewalks, parks, and the beach requires a permit. Permits may also be required for productions on private property that involve large equipment, generators, street closures, or impact public spaces.