No Permit: Standing on a City sidewalk, walkway of a City bridge or within a City park while using a hand-held camera and not otherwise asserting exclusive use of City property is NOT an activity that requires a permit.
Permits and Locations Before filming in NYC, you need to obtain permits from various agencies, including the Mayor's Office of Media and Entertainment, the NYC Department of Parks and Recreation, and the NYC Department of Transportation.
In order to film or photograph in Central Park, please submit this request form. Once you receive approval from the Conservancy, apply for an official permit with the Mayor's Office of Media and Entertainment.
In order to film or photograph in Central Park, please submit this request form. Once you receive approval from the Conservancy, apply for an official permit with the Mayor's Office of Media and Entertainment.
MTA Rules stipulate that in most cases, you are allowed to take photos and video on the NYC subway for personal, non-commercial use.
To plan filming in Times Square you must file a permit with The Mayor's Office of Media and Entertainment (MOME).
However, in general, it is legal to film people in public places where they do not have a reasonable expectation of privacy. This means that you can typically film people in places like parks, streets, and sidewalks, even if they are not aware that you are filming them.