Filming in the city

How to apply for permission to film or photograph in the city.

For all filming and photography on outdoor council-owned land in Brighton & Hove, please apply through Sussex Film Office using the following online forms:

We also require you to submit a risk assessment and copy of your public liability insurance to grant consent for filming.

Please note we require a minimum 3 working days’ notice for all filming applications.

Some popular locations in Brighton & Hove are not public land. For filming in these areas, you will need to contact the owners of these areas directly. These areas include:

Impactful filming in the city and road closures

If your filming will have an impact on the city such as road closures, we will need more notice than three working days.

If your filming requires a road closure, then we will need at least 12 weeks notice for the application to be processed. Please phone the events office at 01273 292712 to discuss any road closures before you submit a road closure application. You can view further information and road closure application form on our website.

If your filming requires traffic management without a road closure, please call us to discuss this further.

Filming in the sea

For any filming that involves people swimming or entering the sea, we will need a minimum of 10 working days. You will need to do a risk assessment and arrange any additional safety measures such as a life boat.

Please contact our seafronts team before applying for filming consent, for specific advice relating to your activities in the sea. You can phone the Seafronts Team on 01273 292716.

Filming on other council-owned land

Filming on some council land requires other departments to be involved. This includes filming in car parks, council buildings or housing land. In such instances, we will need a longer period of notice.

Filming with a drone in Brighton & Hove

If you want to use a drone as part of your filming, then please submit these documents with your completed application form:

  • drone operators CAA licence
  • drone operators Insurance
  • drone operators risk assessment
  • flight map showing where the drone will take off and land, as well as where it will be flown

Parking bay suspensions

If you need parking during your filming, you need to give a minimum of 7 working days’ notice for bay suspensions. Please see the Parking Suspensions Page for more information.

Staff and locations

If you are looking for locations, crew or facilities in Brighton & Hove, please visit The Sussex Film Office website. You can also phone them on 01903 951 030 or send an email to hello@sussexfilmoffice.co.uk.