For property owners

What to Expect When a Film Crew Uses Your Home

Having your home considered for a film or television production can be exciting, but even a one-day shoot may involve scouts, prep work, equipment, vehicles and a long production day. This guide explains the usual process, the questions to ask and the protections to have in place before a crew arrives.

Production size and impact vary widely. A small interview may involve a few people and limited equipment. A feature, television episode or commercial may involve dozens of crew members, support vehicles and separate prep and wrap days.

This page is general information, not legal, insurance or tax advice. New Jersey does not publish a homeowner guide of its own, so much of what follows is general industry practice drawn from the official California and New York City guides, clearly labelled where that is the case. Anything specific to New Jersey is sourced to the State. Last reviewed: August 2026.

Is your home actually selected?

An inquiry is not a booking. A scout is not a booking. Productions routinely look at several properties for one scene, and the one they choose may not be the one they liked best on the day.

Locations fall through for reasons that have nothing to do with your house. The California Film Commission lists the usual ones: weather sending a crew to a covered interior instead, the schedule running ahead or behind, an actor falling ill, a script rewrite, or equipment failing to arrive. Any of these can move or cancel a day at short notice. California Film Commission, Your Property in a Starring Role

Treat every stage as provisional until the agreement is signed, and do not turn down other plans on the strength of a phone call.

The initial scout

A location scout usually comes alone or with one other person. Their job is to work out whether your property matches what the script needs and whether a crew can physically work there. Expect them to:

Photograph the rooms and exteriors they are interested in
Look at access, natural light and how the space sounds
Ask about parking, for both crew cars and equipment trucks
Trace the route equipment would take from the street to the room
Ask where crew could hold, where catering could set up and which restrooms exist
Ask what is off limits and what you would not agree to

Scouts photograph, they do not usually negotiate. Contracts and money go to a location manager or production manager.

Do not post about it. Unreleased projects are confidential, and casually naming a production on social media can cost you the job and the production its location. Say nothing publicly unless the production has told you in writing that you may.

The technical scout

If your property stays in contention, a much larger group comes back. This is the technical scout, and depending on the project it can include people from locations, directing, camera, lighting, grip, art, sound, transportation and safety. Ten or more people walking through your house is normal at this stage. California Film Commission

It is a good sign. It is not a decision. Your property is still being compared with others, and nothing is confirmed until the agreement is executed and the production formally locks the location.

Questions to ask before you say yes

Ask all of these, and write down the answers. A professional production will have them ready. Vagueness on several of these at once is itself the answer.

The legal name of the production company, not just the project
Project title and type: feature, television, commercial, photography, student, digital
Who your day-to-day contact is, and who the location manager is
References from the last few properties they filmed at
Prep, filming, hold and wrap dates, listed separately
Access hours for every one of those days
How many cast and crew will be on site
How many vehicles, what size, and exactly where they will park
Which rooms and which exterior areas they want
Whether furniture will be moved and what set dressing they plan to bring in
Whether they need to paint, drill, mount anything or make any alteration
Where crew will eat, whether anyone will smoke, and which bathrooms they will use
Animals, children on set, or anything sensitive about your household
Drones, stunts, weapons, smoke, haze, fire or any special effect
What they need from your electricity and water, and whether a generator is coming
Who is notifying your neighbours and who is arranging parking
Which municipal permits they are obtaining, and when
Proof of insurance, and an additional insured endorsement naming you
The fee, the payment schedule, overtime terms and what happens on cancellation
How damage gets documented, repaired and signed off

If you do not recognise the company, ask for references from their last few locations and check the producer's or director's credits. California Film Commission

The location agreement

This is the part that protects you, and it is worth slowing down for. A location agreement should identify:

The exact areas being licensed, and everywhere that stays off limits
Prep, filming, hold and wrap dates as separate line items
Permitted access hours for each day
The location fee and the payment schedule
Overtime and additional-day charges
Cancellation and weather provisions
Utilities and any reimbursable expenses
Hotel or relocation arrangements if you have to leave
Parking and vehicle restrictions
Any alteration that has been approved, described specifically
Personal property that is not included
Cleaning, trash removal and restoration
The damage deposit and how it is returned
Insurance and indemnification
Rights to photograph the property and use how it looks
Confidentiality, if either side wants it
Governing law and how disputes are handled

About the State's sample agreement

The New Jersey Motion Picture and Television Commission posts a sample location agreement. It is useful for seeing what these documents contain. It is not a form to sign.

The Commission labels its location agreement as a representative example and recommends consulting an attorney. The currently posted sample also contains California governing-law and Los Angeles County jurisdiction language, so New Jersey property owners should not sign or adapt it without careful review. NJ Commission sample location agreement (PDF)

The Commission's own disclaimer says it provides the sample "solely as a representative example", makes no claim that it is "accurate or legally effective", and tells you to consult an attorney before relying on it. We agree, and we are not going to rewrite it for you.

One general point worth knowing, because it applies to most standard location agreements and not just this one: they are typically drafted for the producer. In the posted sample the grant of permission is irrevocable, the owner cannot rescind it, the owner's remedy is limited to money damages, force majeure lets the producer reschedule without further fees, and the owner gives certain warranties and indemnities back to the producer. None of that is unusual. It is simply the reason to read the document you are handed, and to take advice on it, rather than assuming it is neutral.

Insurance

Insurance is where homeowners most often assume they are covered when they are not. There are two separate questions: what the production carries, and what your own policy does when you are paid for the use of your home.

What to ask the production for

Proof of the production's commercial general liability insurance
Confirmation that the insured entity is the same company signing your agreement
An additional insured endorsement naming you, for the relevant dates and activities

A certificate is not the same as coverage. A certificate of insurance summarises what the production has. The California Film Commission states the distinction directly: the certificate tells you what cover the company holds, while the endorsement is what extends that cover to your property. Ask for the endorsement, check the dates and the described activities, and have an insurance professional or attorney review it when the project warrants it. California Film Commission

How much cover

The Commission states that as a rule filmmakers working in New Jersey carry general liability insurance of $1 million, and $2 million in the City of Newark, and that additional insurance may be required of crews using pyrotechnic effects or performing stunts. NJ Commission regulations

Read that as a general rule and a floor. It is not a finding that the amount will be right for your situation. Riskier activity and some municipalities require more.

Your own policy

Call your own insurance agent before you accept payment. The National Association of Insurance Commissioners notes that most homeowners policies are not designed for short-term paid use of a home, that insurers may deny claims even where no explicit exclusion appears, and that policies commonly limit or exclude business activity in the home. NAIC, renting out your home

That NAIC guidance addresses home-sharing rather than filming, so treat it as the reason to make the call rather than as a ruling about production work. Your agent can tell you what your policy actually does.

Permits and municipal requirements

Filming inside a privately owned house does not automatically eliminate municipal requirements. Rules may depend on the town and the production's impact, including exterior equipment, street parking, trucks, generators, noise, drones, special effects and public-safety needs.

The Commission notes that most New Jersey counties, cities, towns and public properties have their own regulations for production. NJ Commission regulations New Jersey has no single statewide film permit, so the answer is specific to your municipality.

Check your town’s filming requirements

Our New Jersey film permit guide explains how local approval generally works, and the town guides cover individual municipalities where we have verified the requirements from official sources.

We do not state that any town requires no permit unless that town's own official source says so. If your municipality is not covered yet, ask the clerk directly rather than assuming.

Some activities raise the stakes regardless of the town. Drone operators must be FAA certified and need permission from the controlling entities where they fly. Theatrical firearms require written authorization from the New Jersey State Police, and out-of-state permits are not valid here. Explosive effects must be handled by a coordinator licensed in New Jersey, with pyrotechnics coordinated with local fire officials. NJ Commission regulations If a minor will work at your property, see child actor work permits; that process changed on August 1, 2026.

Preparing the house

Most of what protects you happens before anyone arrives.

Remove medication, financial records and private documents from the house
Secure valuables, firearms and anything irreplaceable, off site if you can
Photograph or video every area the production will touch, and date the files
Photograph existing damage specifically, so old marks are not disputed later
Identify off-limits rooms in writing, not verbally
Decide where food and drink are allowed, and where they are not
Set the rule on smoking and where it may happen
Agree floor, wall, landscaping and driveway protection before anyone arrives
Say what your electrical and water supply can actually take
Make arrangements for pets and children away from the property
Confirm which bathrooms crew may use, or whether portable facilities are coming
Exchange emergency contacts in both directions
Identify the one production representative who can approve changes

On valuables, the safest option is to take them out of the house. Locking things in an ordinary room only helps if the production has agreed in writing that the room is completely off limits and access-controlled. A locked door in an active work area is not security.

Photographing everything first is the single most useful thing on this list. It is what turns a later disagreement about a scuffed floor into a five-minute conversation. Both the California and New York City guides recommend it. NYC Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment

What prep may involve

Prep is the work of turning your house into the set the script describes. Depending on the project it can include:

Moving or removing your furniture
Bringing in temporary furnishings and props
Covering windows with gels or blackout material
Laying floor protection along every route the crew walks
Changing or covering signs and artwork
Adding temporary wall treatments or false walls
Minor painting or landscaping
Running cables through protected routes
Staging equipment in and around the property
Reserving parking, sometimes days in advance

Every alteration should be approved in advance and written down, including how it gets undone. Nails, tape, pins and clamps on walls, doors, beams or woodwork should be pre-approved rather than assumed. NYC MOME

For antique furniture, artwork or heirlooms, you can ask that professional or bonded movers handle the item, or simply keep it out of scope. California Film Commission

What the filming day feels like

Honestly, a lot of it is waiting, punctuated by bursts where everyone moves at once.

Crew usually arrive before the stated camera time, sometimes well before
Equipment and floor protection go in first, which is the noisiest part of the day
Long quiet stretches alternate with short bursts of concentrated activity
The same few seconds of action may be repeated many times over
Rooms that feel spacious will feel crowded with a camera crew in them
Lights are often placed outside windows, including upstairs windows
Cables and equipment may run through rooms that are not being filmed
Meals, holding and restrooms are frequently somewhere other than your house
A scheduled production day commonly runs about twelve hours, often longer
You may be asked to stay in one area or to leave for a period, per your agreement

On vehicles, the numbers are worth knowing in advance. The California Film Commission puts a typical feature at 10 to 25 equipment trucks and 60 to 95 cars, with a commercial at roughly half that. California Film Commission New York City's guide notes trucks ranging from 15 to 65 feet, with 35 feet typical. NYC MOME Most of that will not be in your driveway, but it will be somewhere, and that is what the parking plan is for.

Talk to one person. Raise everything with the location manager or the designated representative. Giving separate instructions to individual crew members is how requests get lost and how two departments end up doing contradictory things in your living room.

Neighbours and parking

The production should handle whatever the municipality requires: notification, the parking plan, and any public-safety coordination. That is the location manager's job, not yours.

Your job is to flag what they cannot know. Tell them early about a neighbour with access needs, a shared driveway, an HOA or condo board, tenants, or a street that cannot take a truck. Problems raised in advance get solved. The same problems raised on the morning become everyone's bad day.

Requirements differ by municipality. Some jurisdictions require notification of affected neighbours, and some require approvals from a proportion of residents within a set radius, but this is not universal and neighbour signatures are not always needed. California Film Commission Your town's ordinance decides.

Wrap and restoration

Wrap is when the crew packs out. Do not go to bed and check in the morning.

Walk the property with the location manager before the last truck leaves
Compare what you are looking at with the photographs you took beforehand
Check furniture, walls, floors, landscaping and the driveway specifically
Photograph any damage immediately, that day
Report problems in writing as well as in person
Agree who repairs what, and by when
Confirm all trash and temporary materials have gone
Sign a final condition release only after the property has been inspected and restoration is actually complete

That last point matters more than it looks. A condition release is you confirming the property came back in the condition it went out. Signing it while repairs are still outstanding gives away the leverage you need to get them finished. NYC MOME

Payment and pricing

We do not publish New Jersey location rates, because no authoritative source does and inventing one would not help you. New York City's guide describes these payments as a private negotiation in which amounts vary dramatically. NYC MOME

What actually drives the number:

The production's budget
Crew and vehicle count
Interior versus exterior use
Prep, hold, filming and wrap days
Access hours
Whether you are displaced
Utilities
Parking
Alterations
Exclusivity
Overtime
Restoration risk

What is negotiable

More than most homeowners realise. All of the following are ordinary things to ask for rather than impositions:

Full or partial payment in advance
A refundable damage deposit
Separate rates for prep, hold, filming and wrap days
Overtime terms if the day runs long
Cancellation and rescheduling terms
Reimbursement for utilities, cleaning, lost use or accommodation

As a sense of general practice, the California Film Commission suggests prep and strike days are commonly charged at one third to one half of the filming day rate, and that exterior-only use is usually priced lower than interior. California Film Commission Those are California conventions rather than New Jersey rules, but they show the shape of a normal deal.

A note on tax

Federal tax law contains a special rule for a dwelling used as a home and rented for fewer than 15 days during the tax year. When the requirements are met, the rental income generally is not reported and related rental expenses are not deducted. Eligibility depends on the homeowner's specific facts, and federal treatment does not necessarily determine New Jersey tax treatment. Consult a qualified tax professional. IRS Topic 415 IRS Publication 527

Be sceptical of anyone who tells you filming income is simply tax-free. The rule is narrow, it depends on how you use the property the rest of the year, and it is not a substitute for advice.

Red flags

Pause and get more information if a production does any of the following.

They will not tell you the legal name of the contracting company
They will not give references from previous locations
They cannot produce insurance
They want access before anything is signed
They press you to decide now, without written terms
They avoid the subject of permits
They will not commit to crew or vehicle numbers
They want alterations that were never discussed or approved
They resist documenting condition, damage or restoration
Payment is offered by some unusual or unverifiable method
You are asked to pay a fee to secure a supposed booking

None of this means a small production is a bad one. Student films, independent features and one-person photography shoots are legitimate work and often a pleasure to host. A small budget is not a warning sign. Judge the risk on documentation, communication and insurance, not on the size of the company.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a permit if the filming is inside my house?

Possibly. Filming inside a privately owned house does not automatically remove municipal requirements. The New Jersey Motion Picture and Television Commission notes that most New Jersey counties, cities and towns have their own regulations for production. What triggers a permit is usually the production's footprint outside the house: equipment on the street, trucks, generators, parking, noise, drones or effects. Check your own town rather than assuming either way.

How much can I charge?

There is no published New Jersey rate, and we will not invent one. The New York City Mayor's Office of Media and Entertainment describes location payments as a private negotiation in which amounts vary dramatically. What you can charge depends on the production's budget, how many people and vehicles arrive, whether they need the inside or only the outside, how many prep, hold, filming and wrap days are involved, and whether you have to leave. Ask what the production has done at comparable properties, and price the disruption rather than the square footage.

Does the production provide insurance?

A professional production normally carries commercial general liability insurance. The Commission states that as a rule filmmakers working in New Jersey carry $1 million of general liability cover, and $2 million in the City of Newark, with additional insurance possible for stunts or pyrotechnics. Ask for proof, and check that the insured entity is the same company that is signing your agreement.

Is a certificate of insurance enough?

Not on its own. A certificate summarises what cover the production has. It does not necessarily make you an additional insured. The California Film Commission puts it plainly: the certificate states what coverage the company has, while the endorsement is what extends that coverage to your property. Ask for the additional insured endorsement, check it names the right dates and activities, and have a professional look at it if anything is unclear.

Can the crew move my furniture?

Only if you have agreed to it. Set dressing routinely involves moving or removing furniture, adding props, covering windows and changing artwork. All of it should be written down before anyone starts, and photographed first. For antiques or heirlooms you can ask that professional or bonded movers handle the item, or simply put it out of scope.

Do I have to leave during filming?

That depends entirely on what you agree. Some owners stay in a designated room, some leave for the day, and some are displaced for longer. If you have to leave, accommodation is a normal thing to negotiate rather than a favour to ask for. Whatever you decide should be written into the agreement, including which areas stay off limits.

How long is a filming day?

Longer than most people expect. The California Film Commission puts the average filming day at twelve hours across all types of production, often longer, and that is the camera day. Crew arrive before it to unload and lay floor protection, and stay after it to strike. Prep and wrap may be separate days entirely.

What happens if something is damaged?

Raise it immediately, while the crew is still there. Show the location manager or assistant director, photograph it the same day, and put it in writing. Minor damage is often repaired on the spot or scheduled quickly. Larger claims may go through the production's insurance. This is the reason to photograph everything before anyone arrives, and the reason not to sign a final release until the work is done.

Can filming income be tax-free?

Not universally, and you should be wary of anyone who says so. Federal tax law contains a special rule for a dwelling used as a home and rented for fewer than 15 days in the tax year, under which the income generally is not reported and related expenses are not deducted. Whether you qualify depends on your own facts, federal treatment does not decide New Jersey treatment, and this is a question for a qualified tax professional rather than a website.

Does listing my house guarantee that it will be booked?

No. Listing a property, here or in the State's own library, means it can be found. It is not a booking, a promise of interest, or an income stream. Most properties that get scouted are never filmed at, and productions routinely look at several houses for one scene.

Submitting your property

If you would like your property considered, you can send us the basics and we will come back to you. It takes about a minute; we ask for detail later rather than up front.

List your property for film and television Check your town’s filming requirements

Submitting a property does not guarantee acceptance, scouting or booking, and it is not a listing service. We do not charge property owners, and you should be wary of anyone who asks you to pay to be considered.

You can also submit your property directly to the State's own Location Photo Library, separately and at no cost. NJ Commission Location Photo Library

Sources

How this guide was researched

New Jersey publishes production regulations and a location library, but no homeowner guide of its own. Where this page describes how a shoot unfolds, it draws on the official California and New York City homeowner guides and says so. Where it states something about New Jersey, it is sourced to the State.

Nothing here is legal, insurance or tax advice, and no municipal permit requirement is asserted for any specific town on this page.

Last reviewed: August 2026

Related: list your property, the film locations directory, location marketing, and plan your shoot if you are on the production side.