What Is a MOME Film Permit for Drone Productions in NYC? (2026)

If you plan to film commercially with a drone in New York City, you will quickly discover there is not one permit but potentially two. The NYPD drone permit governs the take-off and landing of the unmanned aircraft itself. The MOME film permit governs filming on location in the city. This guide explains the MOME permit in full — what it is, when it applies to a drone production, and how it fits alongside the NYPD requirement.

What MOME Is and What It Permits

The Mayor's Office of Media and Entertainment (MOME) issues film permits for productions shooting on location in New York City. The permit covers the act of filming on City property — streets, sidewalks, parks, and other public locations — and is administered separately from the NYPD's drone authorization. For a commercial drone shoot, the MOME permit and the NYPD drone permit address two different things and are required independently.

When a MOME Permit Is Required

Under MOME's film permit rules, a permit is required when a production does any of the following:

• Uses equipment packages beyond hand-held cameras, cameras on a tripod, or hand-held items (for example bounce boards, boom microphones, and similar gear)
• Uses production vehicles requesting parking privileges (excluding personal cars, minivans, SUVs, and pickup trucks)
• Asserts exclusive use of City property
• Uses prop weapons, prop vehicles, actors in police uniform, or stunts
• Requires NYPD or FDNY assistance

When a MOME Permit Is NOT Required

A MOME permit is not required for productions that use only hand-held cameras or cameras on tripods, do not assert exclusive use of City property, do not use prop weapons, prop vehicles, stunts, or actors in police uniform, and do not request parking privileges. The threshold is built around the production's footprint on public space, not the artistic intent.

Why Drone Shoots Often Cross the Threshold

Drone operations frequently trigger MOME requirements because the supporting equipment package — control stations, monitor setups, charging or generator equipment, and support vehicles — typically exceeds the hand-held exemption. The key practical point: evaluate your full equipment footprint, not just the drone itself. A solo operator with a small drone and no ground rig may sit below the threshold, while a full production crew almost always sits above it.

Fee and Application Basics

The Bottom Line for Drone Productions

For most commercial drone shoots in NYC, plan on a dual-permit workflow: an NYPD drone permit for the unmanned aircraft and a MOME film permit for the production. Apply for both in parallel rather than waiting for one before starting the other. On the day of the shoot, carry both permits — either agency may ask to inspect them, and both sets of conditions apply at the same time.