TENNESSEE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION FILMING / ROAD PERMITS
Planning to film on a Tennessee state highway or state-controlled roadway?
If your production involves a road controlled by the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT), additional coordination and approval may be required beyond your local film permit.
This is particularly important for productions involving driving shots, picture vehicles, lane closures or traffic control.
WHEN SHOULD YOU CONTACT TDOT?
TDOT may need to be involved if your production plans to:
Film on a state highway
Close or restrict a state-controlled road or lane
Conduct a driving shot requiring traffic control
Place production equipment within state right-of-way
Impact normal traffic flow
Use state-controlled roadside property
Not every road in Tennessee is controlled by TDOT. Some roads are maintained by cities, counties or other agencies, so determining who controls the road should be one of your first steps.
NASHVILLE ROAD VS. STATE ROAD
If you're filming on a Metro Nashville-controlled street, your starting point will generally be the Metro Nashville Office of Film + Special Events and the Nashville Department of Transportation + Multimodal Infrastructure (NDOT).
If you're filming on a state-controlled road or highway, TDOT may need to be involved.
METRO NASHVILLE FILM + SPECIAL EVENTS
TENNESSEE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
LANE CLOSURES + TRAFFIC CONTROL
Filming that impacts traffic can require additional review.
TDOT requires approved traffic control for permitted work within state highway right-of-way and requires traffic-control measures to follow applicable roadway safety standards.
Productions considering a driving shot, lane closure or other activity that affects traffic should contact TDOT early in pre-production to determine what approvals and traffic-control measures are required.
START WITH THE TENNESSEE ENTERTAINMENT COMMISSION
For productions coming into Tennessee, the Tennessee Entertainment Commission (TEC) is also a useful starting point.
TEC provides statewide production support and can help productions navigate Tennessee agencies and resources.
TENNESSEE ENTERTAINMENT COMMISSION
TDOT REGIONAL OFFICES
TDOT operates through regional offices across Tennessee. Nashville and much of Middle Tennessee fall within TDOT Region 3.
TDOT provides regional contacts for traffic, right-of-way and other transportation questions.
TDOT LOCAL + REGIONAL INFORMATION
For general TDOT inquiries:
Tennessee Department of Transportation
Phone: 615-741-2848
PLAN ROAD SHOOTS EARLY
Road filming can require significantly more planning than a standard location shoot.
Before locking a road location, consider:
Who controls the roadway
Traffic volume
Number of lanes
Intersections
Time of day
Driving speed
Picture vehicles
Camera vehicles
Crew and equipment placement
Traffic-control requirements
Lane or road closures
Police or other traffic-control personnel
Safe areas for production vehicles and crew
A road may look perfect creatively but be impractical once traffic, safety and permitting requirements are taken into account.
OFFICIAL RESOURCES
TENNESSEE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
TDOT LOCAL + REGIONAL INFORMATION