Welcome to FilmApp DeKalb

The DeKalb Entertainment Commission Office Hours:
8:30 AM - 5:30 PM EST Monday - Friday 


A film permit shall be submitted five (5) business days in advance of the proposed prep date.  A rush fee shall be assessed to permits submitted with less than five business days of processing time.  Applications or documents submitted after the close of business (5:30 PM EST) on any given day will not be counted as RECEIVED until the next business day.  A complete fee schedule is available for download from the menu on the right. 
The online credit card payment gateway accepts VISA, MASTER CARD and DISCOVER.

For information on accessing county services, visit www.dekalbcountyga.gov or call 404-371-2000 or 311 from a landline. 
For information about COVID-19, visit www.dekalbcountyga.gov/coronavirus.  

Georgia Film, TV COVID-19 Resources and Film Industry Best Practices CLICK HERE
 

*****PERMIT ALERTS******

DeKalb County is performing infrastructure improvements that may affect film production on location. Below is the link for more updates:

https://www.dekalbcountyga.gov/departments/watershed-management

 




The DeKalb Entertainment Commission is the official film office for
Unincorporated DeKalb County, City of Tucker, and the City of Stonecrest, GA.

To support DeKalb County’s rapidly expanding film industry, the DeKalb Entertainment Commission has streamlined the permitting process for film productions with the launch of our new online application software FilmApp DeKalb. A film permit is not required for filming on public property for news gathering purposes.  Please see the county film ordinance, filme fee schedule, and other useful documents to your right for more informtion. The film permit application fee is nonrefundable. To dertermine the correct city to file your film permit application, here is the county jurisdictional film permits map (click here

The process and fees are different for student filmmakers. Download the fee schedule to your right and contact the DeKalb Entertainment Commission for more information. Students will need to provide proof of current enrollment and insurance to receive student rates.

MORATORIUM:
Below are the moratorium dates for 2024-2025. Crew parking, lane, and street closures are prohibited in residential areas during the following dates:

December 29, 2023 – January 5, 2024, New Years
May 24 – 28, Memorial Day

July 3 – 7, Independence Day
August 30 - September 2, Labor Day
November 26 – December 1, Thanksgiving
December 22 – 28, Christmas
December 29, 2024 – January 5, 2025, New Years

*In addition, this moratorium includes no equipment left over and/or parked in lanes in the residential areas.*

PRODUCTION ELEMENTS CHECKLIST

A FILM PERMIT APPLICATION IS REQUIRED FOR ALL FILM ACTIVITY OCCURRING IN UNINCORPORATED DEKALB COUNTY, CITY OF TUCKER, AND THE CITY OF STONECREST

Additionally, filming activity that occurs containing any of the following elements will require a permit:

  • Filming outdoors between 11:00 PM and 7:00 AM within a 300-foot radius of a dwelling unit, residence, place of worship, or business
  • Filming on public property and/or in buildings that are owned by the county and not leased to a third party, or in a building of which the county is a lessee
  • Filming requires the setup of barricades, street closure, lane closure, or sidewalk closure
  • Occupation of the right-of-way
  • Use of Pyrotechnics or other explosives
  • Smoke effects, water effects, or flame effects
  • Use of any equipment that can be potentially dangerous
  • Display or use of real or artificial firearms, grenades, or other weaponry
  • Vehicle chases and/or crashes
  • Dangerous stunts that have a reasonable likelihood of causing substantial personal injury
  • Use of equipment that has a reasonable likelihood of causing damage to public property
  • Filming that includes sound as defined and regulated by the DeKalb County Noise Ordinance
  • Use or presence of any animal which is naturally inclined to do harm or capable of inflicting serious harm upon human beings, or any animal whose possession or sale is prohibited by federal, state, or local law
  • Use of temporary structures (tents) or generators
  • Use of intellectual property belonging to DeKalb County
  • Use of public property that is owned or maintained by the Department of Watershed Management
  • Filming in a park, school or building maintained by DeKalb County, Georgia. 
GETTING STARTED CHECKLIST:
 
Before completing your permit application, please select the following link to ensure you are filing in the correct jurisdiction (application fees are NON-REFUNDABLE):
https://dekalbgis.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=2c4edbedbc394a7eb8d9a107aecb0bc1 

Completed On-Line Film Permit Application with all signature pages fully executed:
  • Copy of notification letter sent to residents and businesses within a 300-foot radius of the requested closure(s) or filming location (list the time and date of road/lane or sidewalk closures)
  • Sensitive areas require signatures from residents and businesses. You shall be alerted if your desired location is designated as a sensitive area in Unincorporated DeKalb County. If you have further questions, please call Shelbia Jackson at the DeKalb Entertainment Commission.
    • The notification letter must include the DeKalb Entertainment Commission as an additional contact for businesses and residents impacted by proposed filming activities as follows:  Shelbia Jackson, Director, DeKalb Entertainment Commission, sljackson@decidedekalb.com 404.388.4621
  • The film permit application should include the signed and dated notification letter along with a list of the addresses notified and the date of delivery. 
  • Filming occurring between the hours of 11 pm and 7 am shall require signatures from residents and businesses within a 100-foot radius of the impacted area.
  • A traffic control plan and/or detour route (ONLY if the application includes a request for FULL street, lane, or sidewalk closure)
  • There shall be seven (7) day advance notice of FULL ROAD CLOSURE requests and three (3) day advance notice of lane closure requests (A $200 rush fee is charged for late notices.)
  • Traffic Control Plan shall include the number of lanes to be closed on a street, length of closures per street, detour route for full road closures, and location of necessary signage
  • Traffic Control Plan shall follow MUTCD (Manual Uniform Traffic Control Devices) guidelines; Please use the link: MUTCD; please call the office if further clarification is needed NO HAND-DRAWN PLANS SHALL BE ACCEPTED
  • Certificate of insurance (COI) naming DeKalb County, GA,1300 Commerce Dr. Decatur GA 30030 as the certificate holder
    • A film permit will not be issued without a certificate of insurance 
    • Minimum Insurance Requirements:  $1M general liability, $1M automotive liability, $1M worker’s compensation & employer’s liability coverage.  
      • An increase in coverage minimum requirements may be necessary if project activity substantially increases liability levels; i.e. usage of helicopters, drones, complicated stunt work.  If an increase in minimum coverage is necessary, applicant/production shall be notified during the project review process
    • If filming in Tucker or Stonecrest, the COI names the city where filming is taking place as the certificate holder:
      • City of Tucker - 1975 Lakeside Parkway, Suite 350A, Tucker, GA 30084
      • City of Stonecrest - 3120 Stonecrest Blvd #190, Stonecrest, GA 30038
DeKalb Fire Marshal Policy:

The DeKalb Fire-Rescue Department, Fire Marshal Office (FMO) handles all fire and life safety oversight for motion picture and television production studio sound stages, approved production facilities and production locations, and all commercial digital media production within DeKalb County, Georgia.   An FMO Preliminary site inspection is required for ALL film sets and should be coordinated with a minimum 5 business days advance notice to be performed during normal business hours.  In accordance with the DeKalb County Fire Rescue Department Fire Safety Officers & Fire Standby Personnel Policy, Production Location Policy and Approved Production Studio Facilities Policy, FMO inspectors tasked with the prevention and abatement of fire and life hazards will verify applicable tent separation, generator, and cooking equipment, as well as other applicable NFPA 140, NFPA 10, and IFC conditions and requirements (see attached policies for further clarification).  Regarding FMO Preliminary Site Inspection:  Upon scheduling, provide site supervisor contact information, ensure site supervisor/production representative will be on-site during inspection, and most importantly please ensure the site set-up is complete by inspection date.  Questions regarding life safety requirements, i.e. tents, canopies, storage, sprinklers, etc. should be directed to FMO Coordinator.

Based on the circumstances of the shoot, the applicant may be required to hire Fire Safety Officers (FSO) as determined by the FMO Chief, FMO Coordinator, or designated FMO representative.  The FSO shall have the jurisdictional authority to enforce DeKalb County ordinances as well as the State of Georgia and U.S fire code regulations. The FSO Flat Rate Fee is a minimum of $50 per hour with a four-hour minimum.  Any event lasting over four hours shall be charged an additional fee of $50 per hour.  Payment shall be made by the production company directly to the officer performing FSO duties.  Payment shall be made immediately after the completion of a work cycle or immediately after completion of “fire safety officer duties” as mutually determined by both parties.  If there is no notice of cancellation within 8 hours, FSO will be paid based on the minimum time requested of $200.  Any requests made within 8-hours of the shoot time will be assessed at a minimum of $100 per hour.   Please be advised that less than 8-hour requests are not guaranteed.  A permit will be denied if proper FSO coverage is not confirmed. The DeKalb County Fire Marshal’s Office Coordinator, Inspector Greg Spieks, can be reached at pgspieks@dekalbcountyga.gov or dekalbFMO@dekalbcountyga.gov.
 

DeKalb County Police Policy:

Based on the circumstances of the shoot and public safety considerations, the applicant shall be required to hire off-duty POST-certified police officers as determined and directed by the DeKalb Entertainment Commission and the DeKalb County Police Department (DKPD).  These officers shall have the jurisdictional authority to enforce DeKalb County ordinances, ordinances for the cities of Tucker and Stonecrest, and State of Georgia law.  DKPD will not assess a separate "coordination fee" for the use of their off-duty officers; however, the following is the general pay information for the use of Off-Duty Officers. The Officer(s) flat rate fee is a minimum of $50 per hour with a four-hour minimum.  For productions requiring multiple Officers, there will be a designated “Police Coordinator” who will have a flat-rate fee of a minimum of $55 per hour with a four-hour minimum. Officers are working as private contractors for the production company and no officer will be permitted to work for a production company while on regular duty, except for the Police Liaisons.  Payment shall be made immediately after the completion of a work cycle or immediately after completion of “police safety duties” as mutually determined by both parties.  A 48-hour advance notice is required for all schedule changes and absent notice of cancellation, the Police Officer will be paid the four-hour minimum.  Any requests made within 24-hours of the shoot time will be assessed at a minimum of $60 per hour (Police Coordinator at $70 per hour) with a four-hour minimum.  Please be advised that 24-hour requests are not guaranteed.  A permit will be denied if proper police coverage is not confirmed. The DeKalb County Police Liaisons are Major Nicole Rutland (narutland@dekalbcountyga.gov) and Lt. James Smith (jesmith@dekalbcountyga.gov), Special Services Division.

DeKalb County Water Meter Rentals:
To obtain a Fire Hydrant Meter/WATER METER:  Applicant must include a copy of the completed water meter application in their film permit application.  Email the completed water meter agreement and the approved film permit to hydrantrental@dekalbcountyga.gov.  Watershed Customer Support Representatives will respond to applications and questions with instructions on how to pay for the water meter in-person or online or for help call (404) 371-2677 or (404) 371-2697.

In-person fees are paid at the Watershed Finance Office at 774 Jordan Lane, Decatur, GA 30033.  Once the deposit is paid the applicant is sent to Watershed Maintenance at 1580 Roadhaven Dr., Stone Mountain, GA 30083 to pick up a meter.  Water meter readings can also be sent via email to hydrantrental@dekalbcountyga.gov.  The meter should be returned to Watershed Maintenance at 1580 Roadhaven Dr., Stone Mountain, GA 30083.  Fire Hydrant Meter Application is located on this page under Useful Documents to your right.

Filming on Recreation, Parks and Cultural Affairs Property:
Include a site plan under the Supporting Documents section of your application includes a county park. A screenshot of Google Maps indicating where you would like to film is sufficient. The DeKalb County Department of Recreation, Parks and Cultural Affairs charges the following fees for filming on park property:
  • Commercial Feature Film, Video or Television Production - $1,200 for eight hours, $100 each hour thereafter (per day)
  • Documentary - $100 per hour
  • Public Service Announcement - $50 per hour
  • Student Filming/Photography – Free if not-for-profit, otherwise $50 per hour
  • Commercial Still Photography - $100 per hour
  • For parking services only for base camp, crew or trucks - $500 per day
*Note: When filming at a DeKalb County park or recreation facility, please submit your application via the following link:  Apply to Film

DeKalb County School System Film Policy:  
In Order to rent space in DeKalb County School Facilities you will need to do the following:
  • Submit your request 30 days prior to the event start date (Contact: Adrein Walker, Project Specialist (Adrein_Walker@dekalbschoolsga.org)
  • Provide Insurance - Minimum $1,000,000 general liability or public liability for each occurrence/aggregate
  • Submit to a criminal background check by the DeKalb County School District Department of Public Safety at 5861 Memorial Dr., Stone Mountain, GA 30083
  • Obtain written approval from the school principal
  • To gain access to available spaces for rent, please click on the link below and register


Filming at the DeKalb County Superior Courthouse:
The DeKalb County Courthouse located at 556 North McDonough St., Decatur, GA 30030 has suspended all filming activities inside the courthouse until further notice. Please contact the Entertainment office with any questions. 

Filming at the DeKalb History Center, aka Old DeKalb County Courthouse:
Filming is allowed at the Old Courthouse, now known as the DeKalb History Center, located at 101 East Court Square, Decatur, GA 30030.  Please contact Mallory Donaldson, Rental & Reservation Coordinator, at 404-373-1088, ext. 26, or donaldson@dekalbhistory.org.  You will find rental agreement documents on their website at https://dekalbhistory.org/private-events-historic-dekalb-courthouse/.    

Filming at the DeKalb County Jail:
The DeKalb County Jail has suspended all filming activities inside the jail until further notice.  Please contact the Entertainment office with any questions.

Filming at DeKalb Peachtree Airport:
PDK does not allow filming on runways and/or service roads.  Filming cannot interfere with operations of the airport and/or tenants in the immediate area when filming in a corporate hangar.
 FBO’s (Terminal)—Scouts must submit a request to the FBO to film inside an FBO facility before completing a film permit application

                                Atlantic Aviation             770-454-5000                               
                                Epps Aviation                  770-458-9851
                                Signature Flight Support 770-452-0010


A Tech Scout must occur when filming at PDK. Please contact Hunter Hines, Deputy Director at 
770-936-5445 (Office) @ chhines@dekalbcountyga.gov to schedule. Filming at PDK will require two applications, one with DeKalb County and the other with the City of Chamblee. Wylly Harrison is the point of contact for the City of Chamblee (wharrison@chambleega.gov).


Filming using a Drone or other unmanned aircraft system:
The use of a drone or other unmanned Aircraft System for filming requires a film permit application which will be reviewed by PDK Airport Director and the DeKalb Police Department Aerial team will be notified.  Production is responsible for adherence to FAA rules: 

https://www.dekalbcountyga.gov/airport/uas-drones-info

Filming in a DeKalb County-Owned Facility:
Managed independently by departments and may include a fee.  Please contact the DeKalb Entertainment Commission Office for location information.

GDOT Film Policy:
A permit is required for use of the right-of-way on all Georgia State Routes for film purposes. Permits are issued by the various District Traffic Operations Offices. If locations requested are in multiple Districts, a separate Permit must be issued for each District.  Please follow the link for more information.  http://www.dot.ga.gov/PS/Permits 
GDOT Contact:  Michelle Meeks, Metro Atlanta District 7 Traffic Specialist, 770-216-3894 
Email: mmeeks@dot.ga.gov


MARTA Film Policy & Application:
Be sure that all sidewalk, lane and road closures do not impede MARTA bus routes, bus stops or transit stations.  Visit http://www.itsmarta.com/Default.aspx for access to MARTA Transit maps and schedules. A signed license agreement is required to film any commercial photography, television shows, short features or any other film projects on MARTA Property. MARTA will approve or reject the filmmaker's request based on how the project will affect the normal transit service schedule.  Be aware that all film requests must be submitted at least 30 days before filming begins. Please follow the link for more information.  http://www.itsmarta.com/photography-and-film.aspx 
MARTA Contact: Justin Wilson, Communications Specialist, 404-848-5792 Email: jwilson1@itsmarta.com 

Contact the DeKalb Entertainment Commission for more information at
 404.687-2748 or via email at production@dekalbentertainment.com