Some filming and photography beyond personal use needs a special use permit.
Lead time The park asks for at least four weeks for other special use permits
Fees Cost recovery fees apply to special use permits
| Do you need one? | Some filming and photography beyond personal use needs a special use permit. Under NPS rules, groups of eight or fewer using hand-carried gear in open areas, without exclusive use or resource impact, generally need no permit. |
| Who issues it | National Park Service, Guadalupe Mountains National Park permits office. |
| Lead time | The park asks for at least four weeks for other special use permits; no filming-specific figure stated. |
| Fees | Cost recovery fees apply to special use permits; the park lists a $150 nonrefundable application fee for other permit types. |
| Drones | NPS policy (36 CFR 1.5, Policy Memorandum 14-05) has superintendents prohibit launching, landing or operating drones on park lands and waters, with few exceptions. |
| Also | Applications go to the park's permits mailbox; the general long-form special use application is posted on the permits page. |
From the official pages: Guadalupe Mountains NP - Special use permits ↗︎ · NPS - Filming, still photography and audio recording ↗︎ · NPS - Unmanned aircraft in the national parks ↗︎. Rules and fees change; confirm with the office before you shoot. Not legal advice.