Film, Photography, & Sound Recording Permits

Drones Are Prohibited in Yellowstone National Park

The launching, landing, or operation of uncrewed aircraft is prohibited in Yellowstone National Park.

 

 

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• Special Use Permits

Summary: Yellowstone National Park conserves and protects areas of untold beauty, grandeur and historical importance for current and future generations. Today, visitors to national parks continue to memorialize their visits through filming and photography. Some film, photography, and sound recording activities require a permit—use this information to help you plan.

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Who Needs a Permit?

You will need a permit if your group has nine or more people participating in the filming, still photography, or sound recording activity or if your activity does not meet all of the requirements listed below for a permit exception.

Who Does Not Need a Permit?

You will not need a permit for your filming, still photography, or sound recording activity if you meet all of the following:

• Group Size: Your group has eight or fewer people involved in the activity.
• Equipment: Only handheld equipment and/or a tripod or monopod are used.
• Visitor Experience & Resource Protection: The activity does not interfere with other visitors’ experiences or disturb natural, cultural, environmental, or scenic resources.
• Park Costs: The activity is not likely to result in additional administrative costs for the park, as determined by the Film Permit Office.
• High-Visitation Areas: The activity does not take place in a small or confined area that receives a high volume of visitation. See details below.
• Public Access: The activity takes place in an area open to the public.
• Non-Exclusive Use: The activity does not require exclusive use of any site or area.
• Incidental Activities: The filming or photography activity is merely incidental to or documenting an activity or event that is allowed or authorized in the park (e.g., a wedding or family reunion).

Localized Areas With High Volume of Visitation

During the summer season, areas such as Old Faithful, Grand Prismatic, Fairy Falls Overlook, Artist Point and other major overlooks along the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone are considered high visitation areas.

If you are planning on filming, photographing, or recording in one of the aforementioned areas, or an area where your filming activities may impede the experience or access of other visitors, please contact us before submitting your permit application.

Fees

Application Fee

An application fee of $350 must be paid at the time of submitting the application and is non-refundable. Payment may be made via credit card by calling 307-344-2110. You may also mail a check (payable to National Park Service) or payment form to the following address: Yellowstone National Park, Attn: Film Office, PO Box 168, Yellowstone National Park, WY 82190.

Monitoring Fee

Yellowstone National Park staff must monitor certain filming, photography, and sound recording activities. This includes, but is not limited to, projects with large crews or extensive equipment, those that may cause resource damage, or those that could impact visitor use.

Upon approval of the application, if it is deemed that a monitor should be assigned to your project, there will be a cost recovery charge based on the monitor’s hourly rate from the time they start at their duty station until they return from monitoring. The assignment and estimate will be provided prior to the final permit being issued and the balance calculated after the activity is completed.

How to Apply

Download and fill out the special use permit application to go along with your non-refundable application fee (see Application Fee above). Applications may be emailed (preferred) to e-mail us or mailed to:

• Yellowstone National Park
  Attn: Film Office
  PO Box 168
  Yellowstone National Park, WY 82190.

Filming, photography, and sound recording permits are considered in the order they are received. Allow 2 to 4 weeks (depending on project type and the volume of requests) to process an application and issue a permit.

Interviews & Filming with Employees

Interviews and on-camera appearances by employees may be available based on staff availability under the following conditions:

• The employee is selected and/or approved by the park's Public Affairs Office and is depicted performing their normal duties or serving as a subject matter expert. Do not reach out to staff directly.
• The employee’s appearance supports National Park Service goals and has a beneficial effect for the Service.
• The role is not scripted. Employee’s may demonstrate aspects of their job but may not act or spend time on multiple takes. Film crews are not permitted to shadow NPS employees on the job or place body cameras on staff. NPS employees will not participate in reality-style productions.
• The employee is paid by the park as part of his or her regular working hours. The permittee will reimburse the park for this cost.
• If the filming requires overtime or backfilling of positions, the National Park Service will be reimbursed for any such additional costs through the permitting process.

 

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