Permits for commercial photos, filming in parks

Introduction

You must have a permit it you want to do most kinds of commercial photography, filming, or sound recording in parks and reserves in the Northern Territory (NT).

Commercial means for money, or to promote a product or business.

Some parks are jointly managed by Parks and Wildlife NT and Aboriginal Traditional Owners.

The permit you need can depend on whether the park you want to photograph is jointly managed, or how you obtain the images, such as from an aircraft.

When you don't need a permit

You don't need a permit to take photos or film for your hobby or personal interest.

You don't need a permit if your images or recordings are for tourism promotion that is sponsored by Tourism NT and you are accompanied by a current tour operator.

You don't need a permit if your photography or filming:

  • is not for advertising
  • is standard photography
  • has no sets or props
  • has no crew or paid models
  • poses no risk to the public or the park.

News crews in parks

You don't need a permit to take photos or film news and current affairs but you must contact the media liaison officer about your plans. Call 08 8982 2307.

Overseas photographers

If you aren't an Australia citizen, you must show one of the following visas to the Parks and Wildlife Commission Permits and Concessions office before you can get a permit:

  • a temporary residence visa
  • a media and film staff (subclass 423) visa
  • an entertainment (subclass 420) visa.

Types of permits to film in parks

You can get any of these permits to take commercial photos or film in a park: 

  • standard photography permit
  • non-standard photography permit
  • annual photography permit.

Standard photography

Permits for standard photography cost $55.

Standard photography is where:

  • you are not taking unusual images
  • you do not need special access or activity 
  • there are no cultural concerns to Aboriginal Traditional Owners
  • you do not need to be supervised. 

An outcome on applications for this permit can take up to five days. 

Non-standard photography

Non-standard photography costs $55, plus extra fees depending on what you want to do.

Non-standard photography is where:

  • you are taking unusual images
  • you need special access or activities
  • you need to be supervised
  • you want to do something that may raise concerns with Aboriginal Traditional Owners.

If the park is not jointly-managed, it can take up to 14 days for you to get an outcome on your permit application. 

However, if the park is jointly-managed, it can take up to 35 days for you to get an outcome on your permit application. 

If you are a tourism photojournalist or agent contact the Parks and Wildlife Commission Permits and Concessions office.

Annual photography

Permits for annual photography cost $55.

You can get this kind of permit if you meet all of the following conditions:

  • you are an individual photographer or film-maker
  • you are producing stock images or footage
  • you are doing standard photography (see standard photography information above)
  • you have no sets or props
  • you have no crew or paid models
  • there is no risk to the public or the park
  • you will not use the material for advertising without approval from Parks and Wildlife.

Where other approval is needed

If you want to photograph or film in any of the areas listed below you may need to get approval from Aboriginal Traditional Owners. Special conditions may apply.

You may not be allowed to work in a park if what you want to do is not in the interest of the Parks and Wildlife Commission or its Aboriginal partners.

Indigenous cultural intellectual property is protected.

To find out where you can use a drone to film and what rules apply read about permits to use aircraft and drones in parks.

Park Conditions
Nitmiluk National Park You can get a permit for up to 6 months.
Gurig Gunak Barlu National Park

You must follow the photography and filming guidelines PDF (237.1 KB) and apply using the following forms:

If you have any trouble accessing these files, you can request an accessible version via email pwpermits@nt.gov.au

Karlu Karlu (Devils Marbles) Conservation Reserve You can film and photograph only in public areas, but not the large native fig in the main visitor area. You can't film or photograph anyone climbing rocks.
Chambers Pillar Historical Reserve You can't film or photograph Castle Rock.
Rainbow Valley Conservation Reserve

You can film and photograph only in public areas.

You can't film or photograph south of the walking track. The Rocky Bluff of Rainbow Valley must not be climbed or accessed.

If you want to go to the clay pans you need to state this in your permit application and you will need approval from Traditional Owners.

If you get a permit, you can get to the clay pans only on foot and a ranger or a Traditional Owner must go with you.

Emily and Jessie Gaps Nature Park You can film and photograph only outside the southern entrance of the gap.
Corroboree Rock Conservation Reserve Commercial filming or photography is not allowed.
N’Dhala Gorge Nature Park Commercial filming or photography is not allowed.
Trephina Gorge Nature Park Commercial filming or photography at the art site in the gorge is not allowed.
Finke Gorge National Park Commercial filming or photography of people on the rocks at Kalaranga lookout is not allowed.

Other special areas

To find out about working at other parks contact the Parks and Wildlife Commission.


Before you apply for a permit

Before you apply to get a permit to film or take photos you should read the rules and guidelines for safety, comfort and permits in parks and reserves.

You should also read about the rules for flying drones in parks.

You may have to acknowledge the department or its partners in your work.

You may have to pay a security deposit.

How your images are used

When you apply for a permit you must say how and where your images will be used, and you must use them only for that.

It may be a condition of your permit that you have to show your work to the department or its partners so they can decide if it is proper and accurate.

Permit conditions

You may be able to change the conditions of your permit.

You may be able to get and pay for a permit for work that you have already done.


Insurance for commercial photos in parks

To get a permit for commercial photography or filming in parks, or to film using aircraft including drones, you may have to first get 'all risks' public liability insurance for $10 million or more. 

The insurance certificate must be in your or your company's name and cover the dates of your activity.

You may need this insurance if any of the following applies:

  • your work poses an unusual risk to people or the park
  • you have a crew of three or more people
  • you use sets or props
  • you use unusual vehicles 
  • you have paid models or talent
  • you want to use aircraft in parks.

How to apply for a permit

To apply for a permit to film or take photos in a Northern Territory park, follow these steps:

Step 1. Fill in the appropriate form. 

For commercial filming and photography:

Trade and commerce in a reserve or park form PDF (791.5 KB)
Trade and commerce in a reserve or park form DOCX (167.9 KB)

For commercial filming or photography using an aircraft including a drone:

Operation of aircraft - trade and commerce form PDF (587.7 KB)
Operation of aircraft - trade and commerce form DOCX (71.3 KB) 

Step 2. Pay the fee - read more about filming and photography fees.

Step 3. Submit your application form and fee by email, fax or in person to the Parks and Wildlife Commission Permits and Concessions office.


Rules for commercial photos and filming

There are rules for filming or taking photos in a Northern Territory (NT) park.

You must not film or photograph anyone doing anything improper, unsafe or anything that's not normal visitor activity.

This includes:

  • being less than 2 metres from cliff edges
  • jumping off rocks or ledges into water
  • not wearing appropriate clothing or equipment for the activity photographed
  • rock or boulder climbing where it's not allowed
  • areas where access is not allowed for safety or cultural reasons
  • interfering with flora or fauna eg. in or near crocodile habitats - Be Crocwise.

These rules don't apply to characters in a feature film.


Fees for filming and photography

The minimum fee for a permit to do commercial photography or filming is $55.

Additional fees will apply if:

  • you want a permit for non-standard photography on short notice
  • your work needs to be supervised by Parks and Wildlife Commission staff or by Traditional Owners, or you want to use staff or Traditional Owners as talent
  • you are working on a feature film or a major project - NT-based film makers may not have to pay this fee if the work is a benefit to the NT or the public image of a park.

Talent fees

To find out about using staff as talent and additional fees contact the Parks and Wildlife Commission Permits and Concessions office.

To find out about using Traditional Owners as talent contact Screen Territory.