Filming on or next to the highway requires our agreement. Read our Filming guidance document (pdf format, 48 Kb) to help with your application.

Before you apply

Risk assessment

A risk assessment form must accompany all applications - see our example (docx format, 56Kb) and include a copy of your companies public liability insurance for no less than £10 million. 

Traffic management

For Temporary Traffic Management requests (Stop/Go, Temporary Traffic Lights, etc.) to facilitate filming on the public highway, please apply for a Road Space Booking application: https://www.oxfordshire.gov.uk/contactus/contact-road-space-booking

Please note: Road closure requests for filming on the public highway require a minimum of 12 weeks notice.

Costs

Filming charges - daily fees. Charge calculated depending on the size of the crew working on the public highway and the complexity of filming requirements.

Crew size filming charges per day

Crew refers to anyone associated with the production (crew, cast, supporting artists, etc.) working on the public foot-way/highway.

• 1 – 10 Crew £110 (capped at a maximum fee of £370)
• 11 – 29 Crew £370 (capped at a maximum fee of £1,470)
• 30 – 40 Crew £1470 (capped at a maximum fee of £2,350)
• 41+ Crew £2,350 (capped maximum fee by negotiation)

VAT applies to these charges.

Filming applications include Broad Street, Catte Street, Holywell Street, Merton Street, New College Lane, Oriel Square, Queens Lane and Turl Street, Oxford and Britwell Hill Road, Nr. Watlington are subject to the maximum filming fees (on the sliding scale). For crews of 41+ please contact Filming in Oxfordshire to discuss charges.

Please note: You will be liable for the full cost of the licence if the filming request is cancelled after the filming approval licence has been granted. This also applies to any filming which didn't take place after the licence was issued.

Temporary road closure requests for filming require at least 12 weeks notice to consider and process the SEO (Special Event Order) needed for this legal process.

Please supply details on the filming application form by contacting Filming In Oxfordshire for a SEO application form.

Parking requests for filming productions

For all on-street parking enquiries in Oxford City and the District Council areas, please email Oxfordshire County Council's Parking Enforcement Team. Should you require bay suspensions (please note these are for Technical Vehicles to park only) please complete the online application form on our Requesting a suspension of parking controls page.

Zero Emission Zones and Bus gates: Oxford City

• information on the ZEZ'
• Information on the Bus gates in Oxford City

Notice period

Oxfordshire County Council requires at least;

• three months' notice for major/large productions (usually over 41+ crew, with potential road closure/temporary traffic management/equipment on the highway requests)
• two months' notice for medium-size productions (between 11 and 40 crew, cast, extras etc. working on the production with potential temporary traffic management and/or equipment on the highway requests)
• at least 15 working days notice for small productions (usually up to 10 crew, with no temporary traffic management and/or equipment on the highway requests). Filming requests for small productions in Broad Street, Catte Street, Holywell Street, Merton Street, New College Lane, Oriel Square, Queens Lane and Turl Street, Oxford require at least 30 working days’ notice
• may ask you to undertake a filming consultation/letter-drop with all frontages (such as colleges, businesses, residents, etc.) featuring in or affected by your proposed filming activities. The contact letter must provide full information regarding: the production filming intentions and include contact details for a named member of the production team should a frontage wish to make contact. Any objections or concerns received regarding: the proposed filming must be forwarded to the County Council for consideration and to determine if a filming licence will be granted. This consultation/letter-drop must be undertaken at least 10 working days before the proposed filming date for small productions (up to 10 crew, cast, extras etc.) and at least 30 working days before the proposed filming date for medium (between 11 and 40 crew, cast, extras etc.) and large/major (over 41 crew, cast, extras etc.) productions. 
  • Please note: filming requests for Broad Street, Catte Street, Holywell Street, Merton Street, New College Lane, Oriel Square, Queens Lane and Turl Street, Oxford require a consultation/letter-drop with all affected frontages at least 30 working days before the proposed filming date, regardless of production size. 
• Regarding filming requests for commercial photoshoots, advertisements, product promotions etc.
  • The County Council will require your production to undertake a consultation/letter-drop with all frontages (such as colleges, businesses, residents, etc.) who will or may feature in the completed advertisement, photoshoot etc. The consultation/letter-drop must be completed at least 30 working days before the proposed shoot date.  
  • The letter must provide full information re: the photoshoot/advertisement, proposed dates, times etc. and include contact details for your production team (name, phone number and email address) should a frontage wish to contact you with any objections or concerns. 
  • Any objections or concerns from the frontages re: the photoshoot/advertisement etc. must be forwarded onto the County Council for consideration and to determine if a licence will be granted.  
  • Due to the consultation/letter-drop requirements re: commercial photoshoots, advertisements, product promotions etc a minimum notice period of two months before the proposed shoot date is required for the filming application and associated documents to be submitted

If you cannot meet the required notice period, please contact Filming in Oxfordshire to discuss what may be possible.