Do I need a Filming or Photography Permit?

The National Park Service encourages filming and photography when it will promote the protection and public enjoyment of park resources, provided that the activity does not violate the criteria listed below:

• Is appropriate to the purpose of which the park was established.
• Is inspirational, educational, or healthful or otherwise appropriate to the park environment.
• Will foster an understanding of, and appreciation for, park resources and values, or will promote enjoyment through a direct association with, interaction with, or relation to park resources.
• Can be sustained without causing unacceptable impacts to park resources or values.
• Resource protection (natural and cultural) will prevail over any permitted activity, and non-mitigatable degradation of the park's resources will not be allowed to occur.

PERMITS will be required if the project involves any of the following:

• Involves the use of a model (or any on-camera talent), set, or prop, or when the filming, video taping, sound recording or still photography could result in damage to park resources or significant disruption of normal visitor use.
• Involves access into areas not normally open to the public.
• Coverage of breaking news never requires a permit but is subject to restrictions and conditions necessary to protect the park resources, public health and safety and to prevent impairment or derogation of park resources, values or purposes.

Applications may be denied for any of the following reasons:

• Any type of AVIATION.
• Damage to resources is expected which cannot be prevented or mitigated.
• Other activities are already planned or expected to occur at the same time and place, and filming or photography would be incompatible.
• It involves access to areas normally limited to administrative access or closed for resource protection of safety reasons.
• The level of activity within the park is already so high that we would not have staff to assign to work with you.
• The project includes portrayal of activities which are not permitted within a recognized park.
• The production company is unwilling or unable to obtain the necessary insurance.
• The production company is unwilling to reimburse NPS for costs or comply with NPS requirement for posting a refundable bond.

Cuyahoga Valley National Park will not censor the content of any filming project, nor require finished film products for review, files for documentation purposes; however, a storyboard or layout may be helpful during the review process.

Permits issued for commercial photography specifically prohibit implied or stated endorsement by the National Park Service. Identifiable NPS equipment, uniforms, buildings or insignia may not be portrayed in commercial advertising in any way that would imply NPS endorsement of the product.