Thank you for choosing Chatham County for your film location needs. It is the northernmost county on Georgia’s coastline and is nestled between the Savannah River and the Ogeechee River. Chatham County is home to the City of Savannah and the municipalities of Bloomingdale, Garden City, Pooler, Port Wentworth, Tybee Island, Thunderbolt, and Vernonburg. You will find some of the best fishing piers, community parks, nature preserves, sports facilities, and beaches here.
Checklist For Professional Permits
- Register your project by completing the Savannah Regional Film Commission Project Registration Form. The Film Commission will reply with further details.
- Chatham County Film Permit Application (please be aware this page is US Legal sized when printing)
- Certificate of Insurance
- Signed Affidavit; please note this document must be notarized
- Script pages for filming location(s)
- One secure and verifiable identification of the applicant (such as state issued driver’s license, state issued ID, passport, etc.)
- Upload Notification Letter and distribute on YELLOW paper at least 48hrs in advance of filming activity per location. For an example of a notification letter, please click HERE
Warning
Failure of the production company to comply with the Savannah Regional Film Commission guidelines and conditions set forth in each permit, or the use of any location not specified in the permit, shall give Chatham County grounds to revoke the permit or take other restrictive actions as necessary.
Permit Fees
Chatham County charges a one-time non-refundable $25 Application Processing Fee
All Fees Are Non-refundable Except In Extraordinary Circumstances
| Permit | Fee |
|---|---|
| Professional Permit | $100 per day |
Payment
Applications and associated fees are accepted in person at the Dept of Building Safety & Regulatory Services at 1117 Eisenhower Drive, Suite D, Savannah, Georgia 31406 or by mail at the following address:
Department of Building Safety & Regulatory Services
ATTN: Monica Middleton
P.O. Box 8161
Savannah, GA 31412-8161
Insurance
Insurance Certificate addressed as follows:
Commissioners of Chatham County
124 Bull Street, Suite 150
Savannah GA 31401
Evidence of Insurance must be submitted before a permit can be effective. Please submit your certificate of insurance along with your application.
Notification of Affected Businesses and Residents
The production company is responsible for notifying all businesses and residents affected by the filming activity as per the Savannah Regional Film Commission guidelines. Notification shall take place following the County’s review of the application and no less than two business days prior to the planned activity.
Chatham County reserves the right to deny or revoke permits where insufficient time has been allowed for proper notification, or when the notification process has been improperly applied.
Upload Notification Letter and distribute on YELLOW paper at least 48hrs in advance of filming activity per location. For an example of a notification letter, please click HERE
Chatham County Police Department
To request Chatham County Off-Duty officers, please contact:
Lieutenant Anthony Gallo
Chatham County Police Department
912.652.6922 office
912.346.0056 mobile
agallo@chathamcounty.org
Please email agallo@chathamcounty.org your police needs, number of officers, times and dates within 10 days of filming to guarantee the position is filled. If a production needs to cancel a scheduled officer, you must do so at least 24 hours prior to the officer’s scheduled time.
| Off-Duty Fees | Regular Rate | Holiday Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Extra-Duty Police Officers | $35/hr (4-hour minimum) | $45/hr (4-hour minimum) |
| Extra-Duty Traffic Detail | $45/hr (4-hour minimum) | $50/hr (4-hour minimum) |
| Location Supervisor (5 or more Ofcs) | $50/hr (4-hour minimum) | $55/hr (4-hour minimum) |
| Film Security | $45/hr (4-hour minimum) | $50/hr (4-hour minimum) |
| Film Security Supervisor | $55/hr (4-hour minimum) | $60/hr (4-hour minimum) |
Filming activity requiring five (5) or more Extra-Duty Officers to work simultaneously require a minimum of one (1) Location Supervisor.
Filming activity requiring 2 or more Location Supervisors to work simultaneously require a minimum of 1 Lead Supervisor.
Last minute Extra-Duty detail request, two (2) days or less, is subjected to an hourly rate of $50hr.
Coordinators may charge a Coordinator’s fee only is the job is coordinated during off-duty hours. This fee will be agreed upon between the coordinator and the employer.
In addition to your request, all productions must sign this Indemnify Form before employing an off-duty officer.
Chatham County Sheriff Department
To request Chatham County Sheriff’s Department for Off-Duty Officers, please contact:
Corporal Freddie Jones
Internal Affairs Investigator/ Off-Duty Employment
Chatham County Sheriff’s Office
912.652.7686
fmjones@chathamcounty.org
| Off Duty Fees | Regular Rate |
|---|---|
| Film Security | $32/hr (4-hour minimum) |
| Film Security Supervisor | $47/hr (4-hour minimum) |
Location Supervisor.
In addition to your request, all productions must sign the Chatham County Sheriff’s Dept Off-Duty/Outside Employment Indemnity Agreement.
Chatham County Emergency Services
To request Chatham County EMS, please contact:
Tom Herndon, NRP
EMS Marketing Lieutenant
Chatham Emergency Services
912.247.8771
jherndon@chathames.org
To request Chatham County Fire Department, please contact:
Chief James Vickers
Chief of Fire
Chatham Emergency Services
912.354.1011 ext 1101
jvickers@chathames.org
Parks & Recreation and Facility Rentals
To reserve a Chatham County park or facility, please check to see if the property is first available for your requested dates via the Chatham County Facilities webpage. Then please contact the Parks & Recreation Department at Chatham County Public Works & Park Services.
Chatham County Public Works & Park Services
7226 Varnedoe Drive
Savannah, Georgia 31406
(912) 652-6780
Please note, facilities will need to be scheduled directly through the Parks & Recreation Department in order to secure requested locations. Additional fees may apply.
Student Filming
For student filming, please fill out the Chatham County Student Filming Application and submit to Monica Middleton in person at the Dept of Building Safety & Regulatory Services at 1117 Eisenhower Drive, Suite D, Savannah, Georgia 31406 or by mail at the following address:
Department of Building Safety & Regulatory Services
ATTN: Monica Middleton
P.O. Box 8161
Savannah, GA 31412-8161
Applicants must pay a $25 non-refundable administrative fee with their application. Please make checks payable to Chatham County.
If students wishes to use a Chatham County park or facility, please contact Brittany Johnson with Chatham County Parks & Recreation Department.
For More on Permitting, please contact:
Monica Middleton
Occupational Tax Supervisor
Dept. of Building Safety & Regulatory Services
912.201.4322
912.201.4301 Fax
1117 Eisenhower Drive, Suite D
Savannah, Georgia 31406
mpmiddle@chathamcounty.org