When planning a film shoot in the USA, obtaining permits is often required, especially for public locations, commercial projects, or large-scale productions. During the pre-production process, one of the key steps is securing all necessary legal permissions to avoid fines or disruptions. In filmmaking pre-production, location scouting identifies suitable sites, and research determines whether permits from local city or county film offices are needed. This is part of the broader film pre-production workflow, which includes budgeting, scheduling, and casting. Conclusion: Yes, you generally need permits for filming in the USA, and the pre-production process must carefully address this by integrating permit acquisition within the filmmaking pre-production steps, ensuring a well-organized film pre-production phase.