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Boise film permit launched in November 2024; 24 applications processed in first year, staff say
Summary
Andrea Kantor told council the city launched a film permit in November 2024 to streamline commercial filming on public property. Since launch staff have processed 24 permits and continue outreach; the permit is intended to help industry stakeholders seek further state-level incentives.
Andrea Kantor, policy adviser in the mayor’s office, provided a progress report on the city’s film permit, which became available to applicants in November 2024.
Kantor said the film permit and associated ordinance aim to provide a clearer, tiered permitting path for commercial filming on public property and to collect data to inform future incentives. "Since launching the permit, there have been 24 permits applied for and reviewed by staff with a hope for more in 2026," she said.
The ordinance and permit create tiers for low- to high-impact commercial filming and exclude student and contest films from permitting requirements; Kantor said stakeholders flagged student films as important to keep exempt. The city completed outreach to about 50 film-industry stakeholders in 2022–23 while drafting the permit and implemented the application in the Accela permitting system.
Kantor said the city expects local organizations, including the Idaho Film Society, to use the permit experience as it advocates to Idaho Commerce for state-level incentives. "We've recently heard that the Idaho Film Society is working on kind of portfolio of work, and we'll use the city's film permit as an example when they go speak to Idaho Commerce," Kantor said.
Council members thanked staff and encouraged continued outreach to state partners to pursue incentives and to leverage Idaho’s diverse landscapes to attract production.
Why this matters: the permit gives the city and industry a common process and data source to support possible future incentives or a film office. Staff said they will continue outreach and process improvements in 2026.
