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Photography & Filming Permits & Permissions

Filming at the Tidal Basin

Resources

If you plan a commercial photo shoot or video filming in the Washington DC area–including, in some cases, wedding photos–you might require a permit. In some instances, like the Vietnam Women’s Memorial or the FDR Memorial, no commercial photography or filming is allowed at all. Your best bet, to cover yourself, is to get in contact with the relevant supervisory body. And I’d strongly recommend getting in touch with them well ahead of time to ensure enough time for your application to be processed if one is necessary. While some offices claim a very respectable turnaround of 4-6 days, it’s entirely possible that others might take much longer.

And something to bear in mind is that in this economic climate, some local governments have begun to more strictly enforce the need for permits as a means of revenue raising.

Here is a growing list of relevant websites for applying for photography and filming permits for popular locations in the Washington DC area.

National Mall & Memorial Parks

Park areas administered by this office include more than one thousand acres and includes the original Mall area itself, many of the uptown circles, squares, and triangular parcels of land, East Potomac Park, and West Potomac Park.

The National Park Service issued clearer guidance in February 2021 on permit and filming requirements for National Parks.

Firstly, the NPS no longer distinguishes between commercial, non-commercial, or news gathering filming like it used to.

Secondly, “low-impact filming” is a determining factor on whether advance notice and/or a permit is required. The NPS defines that as: “outdoor filming activities in areas open to the public (excluding areas managed as wilderness), consisting of groups of five persons or fewer, and involving equipment that will be carried at all times—except for small tripods used to hold cameras.”

You can find the official NPS guidance here.

Washington DC Cherry Blossoms - March 24, 2016

George Washington Memorial Parkway

Park areas administered by this office include: Arlington House: The Robert E. Lee Memorial, Arlington Memorial Bridge & Memorial Avenue, Belle Haven Marina, Belle Haven Park, Clara Barton National Historic Site, Collingwood Park, Columbia Island Marina, Claude Moore Colonial Farm, Daingerfield Island, Dyke Marsh Wildlife Preserve, Fort Hunt Park, Fort Marcy, Glen Echo Park, Gravelly Point, Great Falls Park, Jones Point Park, Lady Bird Johnson Park, Lyndon Baines Johnson Memorial Grove-on-the-Potomac, Mount Vernon Trail, Netherlands Carillon, Potomac Heritage Trail, Riverside Park, Roaches Run Waterfowl Sanctuary, Theodore Roosevelt Island, Turkey Run Park, U.S. Marine Corps War Memorial (Iwo Jima Memorial), Washington Sailing Marina, and Women in Military Service For America Memorial.

Outdoor filming in these areas fall under the same National Park guidance above. You can find the official NPS guidance here.

Shoots that do not qualify as “low-impact” will need advance notice and permission. For those, you will need to contact the National Park Service office for Special Use Permits.

TV Reporters at Rolling Thunder Motorcycle Rally

Arlington National Cemetery

The Cemetery provides this guidance:

Photography is permitted within the grounds of Arlington National Cemetery. Public use of a tripod or lights is not permitted without permission from the Office of Public Affairs. News photographers and videographers need to make arrangements with the Office of Public Affairs ((877) 907-8585).

We ask media and cemetery visitors/tourists seeking to photograph those visiting gravesites to respect the solemnity of Arlington National Cemetery by refraining from taking pictures or filming someone who is visibly mourning and asking for permission to film or photograph those visiting a gravesite. Many are very open to talking with media and cemetery visitors about their loved ones and want to see their loved ones honored and remembered.

Arlington County, VA

Filming Permits

Alexandria, VA

Filming Permits

District of Columbia

Filming Permits
Department of Parks and Recreation Permits and Reservations

Maryland Film Office

Filming Permits

Virginia Film Office

Filming Permits

Smithsonian Institution

Media Contacts

US Capitol Police Photography Permit

White House

For over 40 years, the White House banned cameras on the public tours within the grounds. In July 2015 they lifted that ban. But there are still strict restrictions on the kind of gear you can take in. The official guidance is:

Permitted Items: Phones and compact still cameras with a lens no longer than 3 inches are allowed inside the White House. Photography is permitted but may not interfere with the enjoyment of other guests on the tour.

Prohibited Items: Video cameras, including any action camcorders, cameras with detachable lenses, tablets, tripods, monopods, and camera sticks are not permitted on White House Tours. Flash photography and livestreaming are not permitted while on the tour.

The rules also change without warning, so it’s best to confirm at the time of your reservation.

White House Tour Photography

Nearby & Related:

  • Smithsonian Castle, Washington DC
    Smithsonian Castle
  • US Supreme Court building on a clear day
    US Supreme Court
  • Theodore Roosevelt Memorial with Plane and Sun
    Theodore Roosevelt Memorial
  • United States Capitol building with reflection on water
    A Photographers' Guide to Washington DC
  • Navy-Merchant Marine Memorial with Red Tulips
    Navy-Merchant Marine Memorial
  • Robert Taft Memorial and Carillon in Washingotn DC
    Robert A. Taft Memorial and Carillon

Washington DC Visitor Guides

If you're coming in from out of town, here are some of the most popular guidebooks that can help you make the most of your visit.

Fodor's Washington, D.C.: with Mount Vernon, Alexandria & Annapolis...
Fodor's Washington, D.C.: with Mount Vernon, Alexandria & Annapolis...
  • Fodor's Travel Guides (Author)
  • English (Publication Language)
Check Price on Amazon
Fodor's Washington D.C 25 Best 2021 (Full-color Travel Guide)
Fodor's Washington D.C 25 Best 2021 (Full-color Travel Guide)
  • Fodor’s Travel Guides (Author)
  • English (Publication Language)
Check Price on Amazon
Frommer's EasyGuide to Washington, D.C. 2020
Frommer's EasyGuide to Washington, D.C. 2020
  • Pratt, Meredith (Author)
  • English (Publication Language)
Check Price on Amazon
Lonely Planet Washington, DC (City Guide)
Lonely Planet Washington, DC (City Guide)
  • Lonely Planet (Author)
  • English (Publication Language)
Check Price on Amazon

And here are some interesting options for less traditional guidesbooks if you'd like an emphasis on exploring DC on foot or diving into some of the region's rich history.

National Geographic Walking Washington, D.C. (National Geographic Walking...
National Geographic Walking Washington, D.C. (National Geographic Walking...
  • NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC
  • Kennedy, Barbara Noe (Author)
Check Price on Amazon
A History Lover's Guide to Washington, D.C.: Designed for Democracy...
A History Lover's Guide to Washington, D.C.: Designed for Democracy...
  • Fortier, Alison (Author)
  • English (Publication Language)
Check Price on Amazon

David Coleman Photography

I’m a professional travel & location photographer based in Washington DC and traveling all over. Seven continents. Dozens of countries. Up mountains. Under water. And a bunch of places in between. You can find my main site at havecamerawilltravel.com. Or check out what’s in my go-to travel photography kit.


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About David Coleman

I take photos. I travel. I write. I do it for a living.

I’m based in Washington, DC.

You can find more of my work at havecamerawilltravel.com.

And if you’re visiting DC in the spring, be sure to check out my DC Cherry Blossom Watch site.

David Coleman Photography

I’m a professional travel & location photographer based in Washington DC and traveling all over. Seven continents. Dozens of countries. Up mountains. Under water. And a bunch of places in between. You can find my main site at havecamerawilltravel.com. Or check out what’s in my go-to travel photography kit. Or get in touch here.

Licensing Images

Looking for travel stock photos or prints? I might be able to help. You can search my collection here:

If you already have a buyer account with Alamy and would prefer to use that, you can search my images directly here.

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Photos by David Coleman. Please contact me for licensing images.
All images are registered with the U.S. Copyright Office.


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