Film Permits Under COVID-19

CONDITIONS FOR FILM PERMITTING UNDER THE SAN FRANCISCO ORDER OF THE HEALTH OFFICER No. C10-07y

 
San Francisco Conditions for Film Permitting have been lifted in accordance with the Order of the Health Officer No. C10-07y on Tuesday, June 15, 2021. Below are requirements found in the Order of the Health Officer to ensure safety and compliance that productions should still adhere to, if applicable:
 

The following are best practices to reduce COVID-19 transmission: Get vaccinated; Stay home if sick, and talk to your doctor; Wear a mask for added protection; Maximize fresh air; and Clean your hands.

 

REQUIREMENTS FOR FILM PERMITTING UNDER COVID-19: 

1. We need 7 business days before your first shoot date for permit turnaround. If you are using a drone camera for filming, we may need additional days to work on your submission (be aware that the process will not begin until all required documentation has been submitted).

2. Submission of our updated permit application (bottom left corner of the document should say Use Agreement 08/20).  

  • Please download the permit, fill it out, save it and send it to us. DO NOT FLATTEN/PRINT/SCAN PERMIT APPLICATION PDF BEFORE SENDING TO FILM OFFICE, we need to receive the fillable format in order to work on your submission.  
  • DO NOT PRINT, SIGN AND EMAIL THE SIGNATURE PAGE, we will do all signatures at the end of the permitting process through DocuSign. 

3. The film or media production must develop and implement a process that ensures that all cast, crew and personnel have completed a self-screening for COVID-19 symptoms before arriving on each day of the production. Any person who answers “yes” to a screening question must not be permitted to enter the location.

4. All other permit application requirements and guidelines still apply (insurance, parking production vehicles, etc.)  

  • Please use this updated film notice template with special wording regarding COVID-19 when you need to notify a neighborhood of your parking and/or filming activity. 

 

FAQ FOR FILM PERMITTING UNDER COVID-19: 

Are permits for film productions allowed at this time?  
Yes, provided that productions are in compliance with the listed guidelines above. 
 
How long will it take to process a permit?  
We need a minimum of 7 business days.  
 
What else do I need to know? 
  • FilmSF staff may conduct drop-in inspections of permitted productions. 
  • Please be respectful of the public and merchants and try to impact access to merchants as little as possible. 
  • Posted parking will be limited in order to facilitate merchants getting back to business, including curbside pick-ups by their customers.
 
 

RESOURCES:

Testing Resources: Please note that the below is not a comprehensive list of vendors
CDPH Testing Lab Vendor List
Mission Wellness Pharmacy
https://mydoctorsf.com/

San Francisco Department of Public Health website on COVID-19: 
https://www.sfdph.org/dph/alerts/coronavirus.asp
The Toolkit section and the Coronavirus Facts section of the DPH site also includes signage in multiple languages which you can use to meet some of the notice requirements in the Safety Protocol. Additional Public Health information can be found at https://www.sfcdcp.org/infectious-diseases-a-to-z/coronavirus-2019-novel-coronavirus/

San Francisco Department of Human Resources is a valuable source of information to help respond to questions you may have regarding topics such as employee assistance programs, telecommuting, application of various leave policies, employee non-compliance with safety requirements, and other COVID-19 related personnel issues: https://sfdhr.org/covid-19

San Francisco Office of Economic and Workforce Development has helpful resources for businesses and workers: https://oewd.org/resources-businesses-and-employees-impacted-covid-19

Other sites with relevant information:

Safety Considerations - Suggestions for production safety while filming in San Francisco