Special Use Permits

Events involving over 20 participants on hiking trails, bike paths, carriage roads, and motor roads, such as walk-a-thons, running and bicycling events, and motorcycle rides.

Filming and Still Photography

Updates to Commercial Filming Permits on Park Land

 

Effective October 28, 2022, the National Park Service rescinded interim guidance that was in place during litigation regarding commercial filming and has returned to longstanding laws and regulations governing commercial filming in parks. Questions and answers about filming and photography are provided below.

Those interested in commercial filming activities on land managed by the National Park Service should reall all the information below and are encouraged to contact us for more information about filming in the park and to discuss how to minimize potential impacts to visitors and sensitive park resources.

What is Considered Commercial Filming?

"Commercial filming" means the film, electronic, magnetic, digital, or other recording of a moving image by a person, business, or other entity for a market audience with the intent of generating income. Examples include, but are not limited to, feature film, videography, and documentaries. Commercial filming may include the advertisement of a product or service, or the use of actors, models, sets, or props. 

Do I need a permit to film?

Under federal law, all commercial filming that occurs within a unit of the National Park System requires a permit.  

Does Non Commercial Filming Require a Permit?

Individual parks may require a permit for non-commercial filming if necessary to manage the activity, to protect park resources and values, to preserve wilderness character, to minimize conflict between user groups, or to ensure public safety. Examples of non-commercial filming include, but are not limited to, filming for tourism bureaus, convention and visitor bureaus, and student filming. If you have questions about whether a non-commercial film project requires a permit, please contact the park where you intend to film in advance.

Low-Impact Filming

“Low-impact filming’ is defined as outdoor filming activities in areas open to the public, except areas managed as wilderness, involving five people or less and equipment that will be carried at all times, except for small tripods used to hold cameras. Those participating in low-impact filming activities do not need a permit and are not required to contact the park in advance. If low-impact filmers have questions about areas where they want to film, please contact the park directly.

Videographers, filmers, producers, directors, news and other staff associated with filming are reminded that rules and regulations that apply to all park visitors, including park hours and closed areas, still apply to filming activities even if a permit is not required. Check with the park staff for more information on closures, sensitive resources, and other safety tips.

Non-Low-Impact Filming

Filming activities that do not meet the description of low-impact filming require at least ten days advance notice to the National Park Service by contacting the park directly in writing. The park’s superintendent will determine whether the filming activities will require a special use permit for filming. Based on the information provided, a permit may be required to:

• maintain public health and safety;

• protect environmental or scenic values;

• protect natural or cultural resources;

• allow for equitable allocation or use of facilities; or

• avoid conflict among visitor use activities.

Examples of requests that may require a permit include, but are not limited to: entering a sensitive resource area, filming in areas that require tickets to enter, or filming in visitor centers, picnic areas, or other visitor areas. The decision to require a permit rests with the park superintendent based on potential impacts to park resources or the visitor experience.

Contact the park directly if unsure whether or not a filming activity is considered low-impact or may require a permit.

What Fees are Required with a Permit?

In a addition to the standard entrace fees to the park must be paid where applicable, Federal law requires the National Park Service to recover its administrative costs for commercial filming and still photography activities that require a permit. Cost recovery includes an application fee and any additional charges to cover the costs incurred by the National Park Service in processing your request and monitoring the permitted activities. This amount will vary depending on the park and the size and complexity of the permitted activities. The application fee must be submitted with your application. 

In addition, Federal law also requires the National Park Service to collect a location fee that provides a fair return to the United States for the use of park lands for commercial filming and for still photography requires a permit. The National Park Service uses the following fee schedules for filming and photography: 

Commercial 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 

Still Photography 

• 1–10 people - $50/day 

• 11–30 people - $150/day 

• Over 30 people - $250/day 

Permits issued for non-commercial filming may be subject to cost recovery charges, including an application fee, but a separate location fee will not be charged. 

Still Photography

When is a permit needed?

Still photographers require a permit only when:

1. the activity takes place at location(s) where or when members of the public are generally not allowed; or
2. the activity takes place after normal business hours
3. the activity uses model(s), sets(s), or prop(s) that are not a part of the location's natural or cultural resources or administrative facilities; or
4. a park would incur additional administrative costs to monitor the activity.

What fees will I have to pay?

The National Park Service will collect a cost recovery charge and a location fee for still photography permits. Cost recovery includes an application fee and any additional charges to cover the costs incurred by the National Park Service in processing your request and monitoring your permit. This amount will vary depending on the park and the size and complexity of your permit. The application fee must be submitted with your application.

For any questions, please contact Montezuma Castle National Monument by email or at (928) 567-3322 x0

Public assemblies and meetings are allowed by permit only in the following areas:

• Montezuma Castle National Monument:
  • Montezuma Castle Unit: (See Appendix A)
    • In front of the Montezuma Castle Visitor Center, an area one-half the width of the sidewalk between the picnic area access trail and the first refuse container, directly in front of the administrative access road, approximately 8’ deep by 10’ wide. The area available may be extended up to 30’ behind the 12”x12” barrier beam and down the administrative access road. If utilizing this extended area, Permittees must stay on the uphill side of the split rail fencing along the south side and not encroach on the vegetation to the north.
    • Montezuma Castle Picnic Area, west half, an area approximately 30’x30’. Permittees will not cross over the split rail fence delineating the west end and/or north edge of the picnic area, nor will they encroach upon the gabion along the south edge.
  • At the Montezuma Well Unit, (See Appendix B)
    • An area located in the main parking area adjacent to the main trail to the Well on the opposite side of the trail from the Contact Station, approximately 20’ wide x 15’ deep (approximately 2-3 diagonal parking stalls). The exact location in parking lot may be adjusted as necessary due to other circumstances and/or previous use by vehicles.
    • Montezuma Well Picnic Area, north end, adjacent to the dirt turn-around, an area approximately 50’x50’.

Persons participating in these public assemblies and meetings will not approach vehicles or inhibit the flow of pedestrian and/or vehicle traffic through the adjacent areas.

 

Not all of these sites may be available at any given time due to other scheduled or unscheduled park functions or events.

 

**NOTE: As of Oct. 5, 2010, 36 CFR §2.51(b) was added. This states that a small group, defined as 25 people or less, is not required to obtain a permit prior to exercising their First Amendment Rights to Free Speech. However, they are still required to use the designated areas, as described above and shown on the attached maps (Appendix A, B, and C), and obey all rules and regulations regarding public assemblies and meetings. Other 36 CFR sections affected by and pertinent to this change include 2.22-Property, 2.31-Trespassing, Tampering, and Vandalism, 2.32-Interfering with Agency Functions, and 2.34-Disorderly Conduct.

Absent a permit, the running-at-large, herding, driving across, allowing on, pasturing or grazing of livestock of any kind in a park area for agricultural purposes is prohibited. Additionally, a permit can only be issued in the following circumstances:

• As specifically authorized by Federal statutory law; or
• As required under a reservation of use of rights arising from acquisition of a tract of land; or
• As designated, when conducted as a necessary and integral part of a recreational activity or required in order to maintain a historic scene.

The solicitation or demand for gifts, money, goods or services requires a permit under §2.50, §2.51, or §2.52 in the Superintendent Compendium, and is subject to the terms and conditions specified therein.

Sale or distribution of printed materials is allowed by permit only in designated areas. Vehicles may not be approached.

All scientific research involving cultural or natural resources conducted in the monuments must be associated with a research permit. Research permit requests are submitted through the Research Permit and Reporting System (RPRS), a web-based application. The RPRS allows park staff to efficiently review proposed research activities and track existing permitted projects. Additionally, RPRS provides researcher accountability by facilitating a peer review process and by requiring the submission of annual reports following the acceptance of permit applications. All potential research activities, including those proposed by individuals, private institutions and employees of the National Park Service are subject to the RPRS application and permit process. No research-based activities should occur on park lands without an approved RPRS permit. Additional information on the process can be found at: https://irma.nps.gov/RPRS/