Filming in Yosemite National Park

Federal NPS permits, fees, and restrictions.

When no permit is required

• Crews of 8 or fewer
• Hand-carried equipment only
• Open public areas
• No adverse impact on resources or visitors
• No exclusive site use

When a permit IS required

• Crews of 9+
• Non-hand-carried equipment (dollies, generators, vehicles)
• Wilderness areas (always requires a permit regardless of crew size)
• Exclusive site use
• Any activity potentially disturbing visitors or resources

Fees

Application processing fee

• $200 — minimal oversight (small crew, camera & tripod, non-wilderness, public areas)
• $300 — greater oversight (crews of 3+, sound recording, interviews, wilderness, vehicles, props/lights)

Monitoring

• $500/day flat rate (4–11 hours)
• $50/hour for each hour beyond 11

Location fees by crew size — filming

1–2 people, camera & tripod only	$0/day
1–10 people	$150/day
11–30 people	$250/day
31–49 people	$500/day
Over 50 people	$750/day

Location fees by crew size — still photography

1–10 people	$50/day
11–30 people	$150/day
Over 30 people	$250/day

Cancellation

Minimum $100 per scheduled monitor.

Restrictions and disqualifiers

• Weekends and holidays: still photography permits are NOT issued
• Wilderness areas: no structures, motor vehicles, generators, mechanical transport, motorized equipment, motorboats, or aircraft landings
• Tioga Road and Glacier Point Road are closed in winter, typically reopening in June
• Aerial photography and drones: extremely restricted, rarely approved
• Night filming with artificial lighting in wilderness: prohibited
• Peregrine falcon nesting areas: air and ground restrictions apply
• Wild animals captured elsewhere: prohibited, even if trained
• Digging, cutting brush, or moving natural features: prohibited without environmental review

Insurance and bond

• Minimum $1M liability insurance issued by a US company
• United States named as "additional insured"
• Refundable damage bond may be required for high-impact projects

Application timeline

• Standard: 30-day minimum processing
• Environmental, cultural, or tribal consultation review: 90-day minimum
• NPS Film Permit Coordinator: (209) 379-1858

How to apply

• Short form — still photography and small crews (NPS Form 10-931, PDF)
• Long form — filming and complex projects (NPS Form 10-932, PDF)
• Payment: check or money order only (no credit cards), payable to "National Park Service"
• Current NPS guidance and forms — the park publishes the authoritative version; check it before you file

Mail to

Attn: Catherine Carlisle-McMullen
Special Park Uses / Still Photography and Weddings
Yosemite National Park, National Park Service
P.O. Box 700
El Portal, CA 95318

How Yosemite Mariposa Film Commission supports Yosemite productions

• Pre-application consultation on project feasibility and scoping
• NPS coordinator liaison and application prep
• Base camp logistics in Mariposa (lower cost than in-park staging)
• Crew transportation between Mariposa and Yosemite Valley, Wawona, and El Portal
• Local vendor network for extended shoots