Filming in Liverpool: permits and fees

Who issues permits

Liverpool Film Office operates within Liverpool City Council and is the single point of contact for all filming and photography on council land, buildings, facilities, and public highways. Founded in 1989 as the first film office in Europe, it also coordinates permits across the wider City Region including Wirral, Sefton, Knowsley, Halton, and St Helens.

Process

All applications must be made with at least five working days notice — this is a firm minimum with no exceptions. Applications are submitted online through the Film Office’s portal at filmingapplication.openbrolly.com/start/liverpoolv2. The team coordinates with highways, parks, and all other relevant departments.

Liverpool City Region registered production companies are not charged admin fees but must still apply. For parking, separate forms are required for bay suspensions and yellow line dispensations.

Fees

Fee schedules are published on the Liverpool Film Office website (last updated March 2025). Liverpool City Region registered production companies pay no admin fees. For non-registered productions, fees are structured by shoot type and duration. Parking bay suspensions and single yellow line dispensations carry separate charges.

What’s covered

All Liverpool City Council land and buildings, public highways within Liverpool, Albert Dock, council parks, civic buildings including St George’s Hall. Productions have used Liverpool extensively as a period stand-in for London and New York.

Typical restrictions

Five working days minimum — no exceptions. Child employment on set requires a separate Child Licence from Education Welfare. Parking suspensions and yellow line dispensations are separate applications with their own forms and processing times.

Contact

• Application portal: filmingapplication.openbrolly.com
• Web: liverpoolfilmoffice.tv

Apply on the Liverpool Film Office website → liverpoolfilmoffice.tv