Who gives permission to shoot in Mumbai?

There is no single answer, because Mumbai's locations are managed by different bodies. Depending on where you shoot, permissions or no-objection certificates may be needed from:

  • The municipal corporation, for public roads, footpaths, gardens and civic properties.
  • The local police, for traffic, crowd control and public order.
  • Railways, for stations, platforms and trains.
  • MMRDA, for areas it manages, such as parts of Bandra Kurla Complex.
  • Film City management, for shoots inside Film City, Goregaon.
  • The forest department, for protected areas such as Sanjay Gandhi National Park, where shooting is permitted at all.
  • Port, airport, heritage or other specific authorities for those properties.
  • Owners and housing societies for private homes, offices, shops and buildings.

What documents do you usually need?

Requirements differ by authority, but productions are commonly asked for:

  • An application on the production company's letterhead with shoot dates, timings and locations.
  • A synopsis or script extract of the scenes being shot at the location.
  • Crew and equipment details, vehicle numbers and unit size.
  • Identity and registration documents of the production company.
  • Insurance and indemnity documents for some locations.
  • Location owner consent for private property, and society NOC for residential buildings.

How long does permission take?

Simple private locations can be locked in days. Public locations, railway shoots, protected areas and anything involving traffic control can take one to several weeks. Always build permission time into the pre-production schedule, and keep a backup location in mind.

Common mistakes to avoid

  • Assuming a location owner's yes is enough for a public-facing shoot.
  • Under-declaring the unit size or equipment on the application.
  • Planning drone shots without separate drone clearance.
  • Ignoring housing society rules on timings, parking and noise.
  • Leaving permissions until the final week of pre-production.

How BeeHive Productionns handles permissions

As part of line production, BeeHive scouts locations, advises on what is feasible, prepares and files applications, coordinates with authorities and societies, and keeps the paperwork on set. Because rules and fees change, we confirm current requirements for every shoot.