Contact Kent Film Office

The Kent Film Office is open Monday – Friday from 09:00 – 17:00. 

Gabrielle Lindemann, Kent Film Officer
Abi Lendrum, Assistant Kent Film Officer
Liz White, Assistant Kent Film Officer

Kent Film Office
2nd Floor Invicta House, County Hall, Maidstone, Kent ME14 1XX
Email us at filmoffice@kent.gov.uk
03000422000
Follow us on Instagram @kentfilmoffice


Commercial Filming Enquiries And Requests

PERMITS

Please provide us with a What3Words reference in addition to the location name for all rural, beach or park locations as these are often under multiple ownership and we need to ascertain your precise location within those areas. 

Before applying, you may wish to look at the Guidance further down the page relating to lead-in times, filming fees, traffic management, beach restrictions and parking in the county.

For commercial filming permits and enquiries, please APPLY HERE.

Image of a red bench with Filming in Progress sign attached. Sea in the background. Apply written in Black Text. Link to application page.

Guidance

Lead Times

These lead-in times are to ensure that you are able to film in your first-choice location as areas you apply for may already be pre-booked, have scheduled roadworks or are in need of additional permits as they are privately owned.

We are usually able to turn permits round in shorter time frames but cannot guarantee this.

  • For minimal filming we need 2-3 working days’ notice.
  • For mid-sized productions or when using special equipment like drones  3-5 days are usually required.
  • For larger filming events we ask for at least 8-10 days as these require residents’ letters to be distributed by production at least 6 days prior to filming and any parking dispensations will need to be published on site at least 7 days prior.

For timeframes for dispensations, traffic management and road closures, please consult our Highways Filming page..

Fees

Filming for MINIMAL documentary/factual crews with local contributors or when promoting the area to the visitor economy on the public highway and in public spaces are free of charge.

Excepting filming with a drone over 250g, in which case there is a £150+VAT fee.

However, we reserve the right to administer a £50+VAT admin charge for any permit that has to be changed more than once for reasons other than sickness or bad weather.

Below is merely a rough a guide to the fee structure for non-promotional commercial filming on council owned and KCC managed land:

Admin fee for KCC highways permit which does not impede traffic or pedestrian flow:

  • Minimal (up to 10 people) – £50+VAT
  • 11 to 25 people – £100+VAT
  • 25+ people – £250+VAT

If you need Traffic Management or Road Closures please consult our Highways Filming page where you will find an application form, guidance on fees and lead-in times.

Charges to film in public spaces, such as parks, greens, beaches, squares etc. vary between local authorities. Filming Fees are non-refundable, but if you cannot film due to adverse weather conditions or sickness, we can offer you an available alternate date free of charge.

  • MINIMAL (up to 10 people) – from £300+VAT per day
  • 11 to 25 people – from £500+VAT per day
  • 26-75 people – from £1000+VAT per day
  • 75+ people or for exclusive use from £2000+VAT
  • DRONE PERMIT – £150+VAT

The above fees are based on the level of service required and the amount of disruption to local residents and businesses. Any costs for additional services or staff will be agreed with production in advance.

For projects who require large amounts of admin and/or numerous recce attendances, we reserve the right to charge additional admin costs at £70+VAT per hour where appropriate and agreed.

Parking

In some district authorities we can arrange parking in council owned car parks. Production will have to display permits in windscreens and do their own coning as we cannot reserve these spaces.

The fees for this vary, but as a guide, there will be a £50+VAT admin change to issue permits and inform the officers plus compensation for any paid bays used at the regular tariff.

Below are some guide fees for unit base parking, where it is possible on council managed land:

  • Unit base (small) – from £500+VAT per day
  • Unit base (medium) – from £750 +VAT per day
  • Unit base (large) – from £1000 +VAT per day

This is currently possible in the districts of Dover, Canterbury and Thanet.