Filming in Maplewood, New Jersey
A production guide to Maplewood’s current filming ordinance, fees, insurance, hours and the separate county and transit authorities that may control a location.
Maplewood combines Township-controlled streets and public spaces with properties managed by Essex County, NJ TRANSIT and private owners. Maplewood Memorial Park has an Olmsted design history, while South Mountain Reservation supplies a much larger county-controlled natural setting. The commercial areas, parks, schools, station and homes do not share one permitting authority.
Maplewood is a Film Ready certified locality. The Township publishes a current filming page, an online application route, a current ordinance and a named filming contact.
Information checked July 24, 2026
- County
- Essex County
- Film Ready status
- Film Ready certified locality
- Municipal starting point
- Maplewood Township Clerk
- Filming contact
- Amari Allah, Deputy Township Clerk
- Phone
- 973-762-8120 ext. 2103
- Town Hall
- 574 Valley Street, Maplewood, NJ 07040
- Published lead time
- At least four days before the setup date
- Published hours
- Camera activity 7:00 a.m.–9:00 p.m.; crew wrap by 10:00 p.m., Monday through Sunday
- Basic permit
- $100 standard; $125 expedited
- Bond
- $500 cash
- Public-property daily fee
- $150 under $20 million; $500 over $20 million
Documented location character
Official sources support these descriptions:
- The National Park Service identifies Maplewood Park as an Olmsted-designed park. Its published history describes a plan incorporating a pond, playfields, tennis courts and a World War I memorial.
- Essex County describes South Mountain Reservation as a 2,110-acre nature reserve spanning portions of Maplewood, Millburn and West Orange, with trails, carriage roads, overlooks and other park features.
- Maplewood’s municipal materials identify Maplewood Memorial Park as a Township resource, while the current code limits “public lands” to property under Township jurisdiction and control.
These sources support park, neighborhood and commercial-setting descriptions. They do not establish availability or permission for a particular setup.
When a permit is required
Chapter 125 requires a Township Clerk permit for filming on public property in Maplewood, including setup, filming and breakdown. Its definition also includes production use of streets, sidewalks and other public rights-of-way for lights, cables, trucks, trailers and generators. News-story filming is excluded.
The code says a municipal permit is not required when filming occurs entirely on county, state or federal property, no municipal services are used, no public right-of-way is obstructed and the applicable outside authority has issued its permit.
For filming exclusively on private property with no disruption to public property or rights-of-way, the code says no daily filming fee applies, but an application is still required and the production must certify that filming remains exclusively private.
Application and lead time
The Township publishes the current Filming License Application on its Applications and Forms page. The code requires filing at least four days before the setup date. The Township Clerk or Administrator may waive that period only when related approvals are complete and affected parties do not need notice.
The application should identify: exact location and controlling owner, setup, filming and breakdown dates, requested hours, cast and crew count, vehicles, parking and public-right-of-way use, lighting, cables, generators and equipment, police, fire and public-works needs, and adjacent residents and businesses affected.
Insurance and indemnity
For filming on Township public land, Chapter 125 requires:
- $500,000 bodily injury for one person
- $1,000,000 aggregate per occurrence
- $300,000 property damage per occurrence
- Township of Maplewood named as an additional insured
- Five days’ notice to the Township before policy cancellation
- Written indemnification
The current application page repeats the same core limits. Obtain the exact current certificate wording before issuance.
Bond
The current code and application page publish a $500 cash bond. The code says it will be returned within ten days after filming if there has been no public-property damage or public expense caused by the production.
Hours and night filming
The ordinance publishes: filming from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., camera wrap expected by 9:00 p.m., crew wrap by 10:00 p.m., Monday through Sunday.
The night-filming restriction applies to exterior filming. Night scenes require approval in the permit or a waiver. Record setup, camera and crew-wrap hours separately in the permit.
Notice
When the Clerk or Administrator determines that filming will affect adjacent property owners, businesses, merchants or tenants through additional light, noise, foot traffic or vehicle traffic, the applicant must give written notice at least three days before setup.
Proof of notice to adjacent residents and businesses must reach the Clerk’s office within two days of the requested shooting date. The code lists required notice contents, including address, company contact, dates and hours, vehicles, parking and whether an officer will be present.
Police, fire and public safety
The Police Chief may require off-duty officers under an agreed public-safety plan. The Township may request a preproduction meeting with the Clerk, Police, Fire Prevention and other departments. An on-site licensed electrician can be required when existing electrical power lines are used and the production does not have one on staff.
The production must reimburse out-of-pocket police, fire and public-works expenses, lost revenue, repairs, overtime and approved ancillary-facility costs. Do not publish service rates without a current written quote.
Current fees
| Charge | Published amount |
|---|---|
| Basic filming permit | $100 |
| Expedited permit | $125 |
| Non-revenue student or nonprofit project | Filming fees waived after certification |
| Revenue-producing student or nonprofit project | $25 |
| Daily fee for project under $20 million | $150 per day |
| Daily fee for project over $20 million | $500 per day |
| Private-property daily fee when filming stays private and causes no public disruption | None; application still required |
| Bond | $500 |
The Township may charge parking, police, fire, public works, lost revenue, repairs, overtime and facility use separately. Private location or inconvenience fees are negotiated with the private owner, not by the Township.
Who controls the location?
| Location or impact | Starting authority |
|---|---|
| Township streets, sidewalks, municipal parks, buildings and curb | Maplewood Township Clerk, Police, Fire Prevention and other municipal departments |
| Maplewood Memorial Park | Confirm the exact setup with the Township Clerk and relevant municipal department |
| South Mountain Reservation | Essex County Department of Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs |
| Maplewood Station or other NJ TRANSIT property | NJ TRANSIT Real Estate Development and Planning commercial-filming process |
| Private residence, business, school or institution | Property owner or authorized representative, plus the Township application and any public-impact approvals |
| County road or other county property | Essex County |
Essex County publishes a separate filming permit and contact for county parks. NJ TRANSIT separately requires commercial-filming permission on its property.
Practical production planning
- Apply earlier than the four-day minimum for meaningful parking, police, night work or multi-department review.
- Identify municipal, county, transit and private boundaries before the tech scout.
- Include setup and breakdown in the schedule and notice.
- Confirm whether temporary exterior dressing in a historic area needs a separate property or preservation review.
- Provide actual truck lengths, generator placement, cable crossings and pedestrian-clearance needs.
- Scout the intended time for train, road, aircraft, recreation and neighborhood sound.
- Obtain a written estimate for police, fire, public works, parking and lost-revenue charges.
Documented productions
The Matthew Shepard Story: An American Hate Crime
The State’s 2023 annual report says the production filmed in Maplewood.
American Horror Stories
The 2023 state annual report lists Maplewood among the production’s New Jersey filming municipalities.
White Rabbit
The 2023 state annual report says the production was shot in Maplewood.
Prior filming documents a past use only. It does not establish present availability or approval.
Common questions
Is Maplewood a Film Ready community?
Yes. Maplewood appears on the State’s current Film Ready certified-localities list, and the Township’s own FAQ states that Maplewood is certified.
How far ahead should I apply for a Maplewood film permit?
Chapter 125 requires an application at least four days before the setup date. Apply earlier for police, parking, fire review, night filming, meaningful public impacts or another agency’s permission.
What are Maplewood’s standard filming hours?
The ordinance permits filming from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., with camera wrap expected by 9:00 p.m. and crew wrap by 10:00 p.m., Monday through Sunday. Exterior night filming requires approval or a waiver.
Does private-property filming require an application?
Yes. The ordinance says an application is still required even when filming is exclusively on private property and causes no disruption to public property or rights-of-way. In that situation, no municipal daily filming fee applies.
Does a Maplewood permit cover South Mountain Reservation?
No. South Mountain Reservation is part of the Essex County park system and has a separate county filming-permit process.
Does a Maplewood permit cover the train station?
No. Commercial filming on NJ TRANSIT property requires separate NJ TRANSIT permission.
Official sources
- OfficialNJ Motion Picture & Television Commission, current Film Ready certified-localities list
- OfficialMaplewood municipal Film Ready FAQ
- OfficialMaplewood Code, Chapter 125 Filming
- OfficialMaplewood filming page
- OfficialMaplewood Applications and Forms, Filming License Application
- OfficialMaplewood staff directory, Amari Allah
- OfficialNational Park Service, Maplewood Park
- OfficialEssex County, South Mountain Reservation
- OfficialEssex County park filming permits
- OfficialNJ TRANSIT commercial filming and photography policy
- OfficialNJ Motion Picture & Television Commission, 2023 Annual Report
Checked July 26, 2026 against the Township’s official filming page, ordinance and Essex County pages. Report a correction or updated permit requirement.
Planning a production in New Jersey?
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This guide is researched and reviewed by Sam Moskowitz, a New Jersey-based producer and DP who runs BLL Films. Sam’s production and cinematography credits include work for Netflix, History Channel, Hulu, the NFL and Google. Every changing fact on this page carries a verification date; see how this site is researched for the full process.