Yes, on registration with the City of Cape Town, you would need to supply proof of your public liability insurance which is applicable in South Africa.
For complex shoots, additional insurance may be applicable.

All film related activity requires permissions to film. Should you be a student, your institution should be registered with the City of Cape Town.
Through your institution, you may apply for film permission – please provide proof of your current student card. A letter from your institution may be required.

Yes, when applying for film permissions, you would need to disclose any special effects – any film related activity that requires the use of flammable materials, explosive devices or open flame is considered a special effect. The Film Permit Officer would get input from the necessary Emergency Departments around the details of the application.

There are no location permit fees to film on public open space within The City of Cape Town; however service fees (i.e., Traffic Services, Parking Bays, etc) are applicable.

As a general rule, the following categories will apply for film shoots:

Tier 1
In most cases, applications falling into this category are uncomplicated, with little or no negative impact and should be able to be processed within 24 hours. No community consultation will be expected, and if any notification is required, it will be limited. Minimum monitoring may be imposed and the standard conditions of approval should apply.

Tier 2
In most cases, these shoots are of moderate impact and should be processed within 48 hours. Post-permit approval community notification and on-set monitoring may be required. Conditions of approval will be more restrictive and location-specific.

Tier 3
In most cases, these applications will be complex, may have potentially significant impacts and will take a minimum of 4 working days to process, as they are likely to be subject to other legally required approval processes. Community consultation is a more likely requirement, as is consistent on-set monitoring. If in an environmentally sensitive area, the employment of an Environmental Control Officer will also be required. Conditions will be more onerous and will include consideration of local environmental issues.

Principally concerned with location filming as opposed to filming within a studio, Council permit processes are designed to manage all location filming, either on Council-owned land or which may impact on Council land, even where the actual activity of filming takes place on land other than Council land.

This includes (but is not limited to) activities that:

• interrupt traffic on municipal roads
• interrupt pedestrians on sidewalks
• require wires or cables running across or over sidewalks or municipal roads
• require the use of generators, tripods or dollys on sidewalks or municipal roads
• impact on public use of, or access to public parking areas, community facilities, beaches, public open space and nature reserves under City of Cape Townís management; and generate noise and air pollution.

Filming on private (or State) owned locations is generally a matter between the landowner and the film company, although approvals may be required for amongst other things sets or structures. As a temporary activity, there are no zoning scheme requirements governing film activities. If a property zoned for residential purposes is utilised exclusively or predominantly for filming, the use of the property would be regarded as commercial and an application for an appropriate use designation would need to be made to the Town Planning Department of the City of Cape Town.