How To Get a Photography and Special Use Permit in Washington DC
If you decide to have your Tiny Wedding at a public space in DC (Package One), you’ll need to check to see what the permit requirements are for the location you choose. All locations run by the National Parks Services including anything on The National Mall requires a permit and then some - believe it or not, there aren’t many places in DC that you can get by without one. But don’t fret! We have a list of our favorite locations here that note the requirements. If the location you choose does require a permit, we’re here to help you make the process as painless as possible by including some resource below. If you go with a location that’s not on our list, we’ll help you determine the permit requirements for that, too!
DON’T SKIMP ON THE PHOTO PERMIT!
When you go to the National Parks website, it’ll say that all commercial photography requires a permit. Initially, you might think, “Great! Our tiny wedding isn’t for commercial use” but, unfortunately, NPS considers any type of professional photography “commercial.” You might also think, “Well, do we really need a permit? Can we risk it?” We require all of our couples to obtain a permit if one is required. NPS is extremely strict when it comes to photo permits and they have zero issue with asking for proof of permit during a shoot or wedding. There is absolutely nothing worse than having to move a ceremony or photoshoot mid-way through because you don’t have a permit - it creates chaos and is a waste of precious time with your officiant and photographer. So trust us - the permit is worth it and it’s fairly easy to get!
The amount of time needed to process each permit can range from a few days to a few weeks. It is our clients responsibility to take care of the permit process as quickly as possible.
SPECIAL USE PERMITS IN DC
The National Parks technically only allows “weddings” at 3 locations: The Jefferson Memorial on the West Lawn (2-hour limit), The George Mason Memorial (1-hour limit, no set-up is permitted), and The DC War Memorial (2-hour limit - this is a wonderful option if you’re worried about the weather.)
We’ve found that since our “ceremonies” only last 15-20 minutes we can get away with holding a ceremony at other NPS-owned locations, as long as we have, at the very least, a photo permit (see below.) If you choose to go with one of the three locations listed above, you’ll need to fill out a Special Use Permit, instead, which you can find by clicking here.
OBTAINING A DC PHOTO PERMIT
1. Click this link NPS Application for Still Photography Permit and fill out the application. The processing fee is $90. You can pay by check or credit card. We recommend credit card as your request will be processed faster. Be as detailed as possible on the permit application to speed the process along as it can take anywhere from a few days to a few weeks to get approved.
2. Mail the application to NPS. The address is 900 Ohio Drive, S.W. Washington, DC 20024
3. You can expect someone from NPS to reach out to you via email. Sign the PDF they send and email it back to them.
4. NPS will then email you the issued permit that you will need to keep with you on the day of your Tiny Wedding. We recommend that you email a copy to us, as well, so that we have multiple copies.
The permit itself is $50 for 10 people or less and increases with guest count plus the $90 application fee.
1-10 people $50/day
11-30 people $150/day
30 people or more $250/day
BUT WHAT ABOUT?…
Not sure if the location you’ve chosen needs a permit? Our friends at Kat Forder Photography have a list of just about every location in Washington DC you could possibly think of with its policy. Check them out and find the list on their website!
The Tiny Wedding Collective is a Washington DC-based all-inclusive elopement and intimate wedding planning service for DC and Baltimore, Maryland. A Tiny Wedding is for couples who want to celebrate their commitment in a thoughtful, stylish way but don’t want the stress and fanfare of a big, expensive wedding. Not all couples fit inside the same traditional box and it’s time that we make space for inclusivity, diversity, and creativity. To find out more about what it’s like to work with us, please fill out our contact form here.