Las Cruces, NM
2nd largest city in new mexico
In addition to having one of the best film incentives in America at 35%, Las Cruces offers a robust variety of locations, and a fantastic full service film office.
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Doña Ana County
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Permit Overview
- Guidelines Overview
- Traffic Control
- Pyrotechnics & SPFX
- Prop Guns & Crime Scenes
- Community Considerations
- Responsibilities
Time Frame:
While we require a minimum of three (3) days in advance of the film shooting date for approval of your film permit, you should call the Film Las Cruces office as soon as you have tentative dates for filming. Additional approval from other City departments may be required and you should plan for ample time to work with Film Las Cruces on securing those permits; Sound Permit, Street Closure Permit, Facility Use Permit, Parade Permit, etc. Once a filming permit application has been turned in, Film Las Cruces will provide the production representative with all necessary permit applications required by the City for production representative sign-off.
Insurance:
Obtain liability insurance naming the City of Las Cruces as additionally insured. The City of Las Cruces requires commercial general liability coverage with a minimum limit of $1,000,000 ($1 million) per occurrence and a $2,000,000 ($2 million) aggregate, with the City named as additionally insured. Film Las Cruces shall require a copy of the Certificate of Insurance. Park rentals, facility rentals and LCPD off-duty hires have additional insurance requirements.
Emergency Services:
All communication with emergency services must be coordinated with Film Las Cruces staff. Be sure to completely fill out all applicable sections of the Film Las Cruces FIlming Permit Application if your production requires the use of emergency services.
Roundtable Meetings:
If necessary, Film Las Cruces will coordinate a roundtable meeting based on the unique needs of your production. This may be one meeting, or a series of meetings, scheduled once the Film Las Cruces Filming Permit Application has been completed and turned into Film Las Cruces.
STREET & ROAD CLOSURE
- Street barricading shall comply with the City approved traffic control plan and is the sole responsibility of the applicant.
- Barricading of all streets is the sole responsibility of the applicant.
- Adequate space will be provided at all times on the streets for passage of emergency vehicles.
- Applicant assumes all liability and/or damages, and will hold harmless the City of any liability whatsoever.
- Applicant assumes all responsibility for the conduct of all participants in compliance with City laws.
INTERMITTENT TRAFFIC CONTROL
- You will need a comprehensive map (traffic control plan) of the route of your parade/procession/road closure.
- Turn this map into Film Las Cruces with your filming permit application.
- After the traffic plan is approved by Traffic Operations, your filming permit application form and map will be sent to the appropriate Fire and Law Enforcement Department agencies for approval.
- If you need law enforcement officers or firefighters to assist in your parade/procession/event, you will need to coordinate with Film Las Cruces to make special additional arrangements for this.
- Participants must obey all traffic laws, and must not interfere with vehicle traffic. Failure to obey these regulations will result in immediate suspension of the permit.
- All trailers must have lights in the rear, and the rear vehicle must use flashers.
- Intermittent Traffic Control “holds” may not exceed 5 minutes, unless approved prior to ITC taking place.
OFF-DUTY EMPLOYMENT APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS
- Entities requesting services of the Las Cruces Police Department personnel for Off-Duty employment will submit to Film Las Cruces a Law Enforcement Services Request Form outlining the request. This application should be submitted 30 days in advance.
- The Traffic Section will review the request and confer with the Chief of Police or his designee when determining the number of officers and/ or supervisors required for the request.
- The forms should be completed no later than 30 days prior to the event date.
- The LCPD Traffic Section will be coordinating the Off-Duty assignment and details with you.
- Please ensure the insurance requirements are consulted through a commercial property and casualty company and submitted at the time of your request, which must be 30 days prior to the event date.
- Please understand that the Traffic Section may deny the assignment if the entity is unwilling to comply with the recommendation for staffing.
Pyrotechnics and Special Effects incorporating an open flame must be approved by the Fire Marshal. The Fire Marshal may require appropriate Fire personnel to be present during the detonation of pyrotechnical special effects.
The Las Cruces Fire Marshal’s Office must be notified in advance when the use of flammable liquids/materials and special effects are being planned.
Film Las Cruces will walk you through the notification and approval process.
Productions that include the use of weapons must notify Film Las Cruces 48 hours in advance. Weapons include, but are not limited to, guns, knives, swords, tasers, and explosive devices.
A crime scene in public view must be included in the filming permit application.
The use of blanks or explosives must be approved by the appropriate law enforcement and fire department agencies. Film Las Cruces will coordinate this.
Film Las Cruces will inform you if a notification letter is required. This is intended to provides residents, businesses and other organizations in affected areas information concerning the type of activity that is planned related to the filming, and that they be assured that the production company is committed to making this a positive experience for all concerned. We expect that due respect and consideration will be extended to all residents in the areas in question.
All letters of notification must be forwarded to the Film Las Cruces Office for review and approval before the letter is delivered by film company personnel to the neighborhood(s) where filming is proposed to occur. Letters of notification must be distributed 48 hours in advance of production on location. Film Las Cruces will notify applicant with a radius no less than 300’ for notification letter distribution.
The production will make every effort to mitigate disruptions to residents and commercial activity. Upon receiving a complaint, Film Las Cruces will evaluate the complaint and present a solution to the production.
It is the responsibility of applicants to conform to current laws and requirements and to ensure that the conduct of approved filming take place in an orderly fashion within the prescribed dates, times and locations, whether public or private, within the City of Las Cruces, consistent with the representations made by the applicant in the approved application. Failure to comply with requirements established by City departments can result in a shutdown of the filming with possible legal ramifications. Removal of any garbage, paper, or other debris is the sole responsibility of the applicant.
Permits in Las Cruces
The Film Las Cruces Filming Permit Applications provides the City with important information about activities that may have an impact on right-of-way considerations as well as the City’s ability to provide emergency services to the public. Film Las Cruces will guide you through the entire process.
This is a town on the rise, with a wealth of opportunity just waiting to be tapped into.
“We were looking for a home for 828 Studios and fell in love with Las Cruces,” Todd Lundbohm, Founder and CEO of 828 Productions, said. “This is a town on the rise, with a wealth of opportunity just waiting to be tapped into,” he continued. “For us, it’s about putting down roots, and New Mexico, specifically Las Cruces, gives us the ideal place to do that.”
Las Cruces FAQs
What address should I use on my COI?
The certificate holder should read:
City of Las Cruces
700 N Main St, Las Cruces, NM 88001
Are additional insurance documents required?
At minimum, any City of Las Cruces filming permits will require a COI naming the City of Las Cruces as additionally insured. Please refer to the insurance tab for details regarding coverage and minimum limits. Some City departments, resources, and facilities may require an Additionally Insured Endorsement and/or a WAIVER OF TRANSFER OF RIGHTS OF RECOVERY AGAINST OTHERS TO US (WAIVER OF SUBROGATION).
When do I need a permit to film in the City of Las Cruces?
All non-personal filming activity on public or private property will require, at minimum, a Film Las Cruces filming permit application to be filled out. Filming permit exemptions include news, gathering of news related stories, and other types of documentaries not requiring the use of actors, models, sets, or props).