POLICIES AND PERMITS
A Public Assembly Permit is required when any group/person wishes to conduct a demonstration, display a banner, hold a performance, conduct a ceremony, scatter human ashes, have a meeting, etc. The following is a partial list of regulations related to public assemblies at Liberty and Ellis Islands:
1. All requests for public assembly permits must be made a minimum of 72 hours in advance and in writing on the approved form to the Superintendent or designee. This 72 hour period may be waived by the Superintendent or designee if the size and nature of the activity will not unreasonably require the commitment of park resources or personnel in excess of that which are normally available or which can reasonably by made available within the necessary time period.
2. Public assemblies are restricted to the designated area at the flagpoles of Liberty and Ellis Islands. Public Assemblies may not exceed two hours in length.
3. No more than two public assembly permits will be issued for any one day. Permits will be issued on a first come, first served basis.
4. Public assemblies may only take place during hours when either island is open to public use. The maximum number of participants in a public assembly is 500 for Liberty Island, and 1,000 for Ellis Island.
5. Signs or placards are limited to those made of cardboard, poster board , or cloth having dimensions no greater than three feet in width, twenty feet in length, and one-quarter inch thickness. All signs and placards shall be attended to at all times and no sign or placard shall be tied, fastened, or otherwise attached to any post, fence, sign, statue, flagpole, refuse receptacle, tree, or other structure in the park. For additional information on sign restrictions, please call the Protection Division at 212-363-3200.
6. All costs incurred by the Statue of Liberty National Monument as a result of a public assembly permit from the Superintendent or designee may be recovered from the permit holder.
7. Noise levels must not exceed the limits established in 36 CFR 2.12.
8. Public assemblies shall not interfere with normal public use or pedestrian flow. All participants of public assemblies must arrive by commercial NPS concessionaire ferry.
9. The permit holder of a public assembly permit requiring power, equipment, furniture, or other items must provide their own materials and transport those materials aboard the commercial NPS concessionaire ferry. The permit holder is encouraged to contact the concessionaire ferry to ensure that the equipment and items sought can be transported. No structures may be constructed. Approval from the Superintendent or designee must be obtained in advance to use any of these items.
10. The permit holder is responsible for cleaning the public assembly area upon the completion of the event.
11. A permit may contain additional reasonable conditions and additional time limitations, consistent with this section, in the interest of protecting park resources, the use of nearby areas by other persons, and other legitimate park value concerns.
To obtain a Public Assembly Permit, or if you need additional information, call (212) 363-3200, ext. 107.
After receiving the Application for Public Assembly Permit, complete and return to the attention of the Superintendent for review and consideration. If your application is approved, a Public Assembly Permit will be issued to you. You must sign the Public Assembly permit upon receipt, and have it available for inspection during your public assembly. Please check-in at the Administration building prior to beginning your public assembly.
Return all completed applications to: Office of the Superintendent, National Park Service, Statue of Liberty National Monument, Liberty Island, New York, NY 10004 or FAX to (212) 363-8347.
Commercial Film Permits and Other Photographic Guidelines
A Commercial
Film Permit is not required for personal use photography. If the photography is
displayed in the home or shown to friends and family, and is not planned on being displayed for any other purpose,
it is classified as personal use. All other types of photography require a Commercial Film
Permit and for purposes of permits will be known as commercial photography. Depending upon the nature and use
of filming, a non-refundable Film Permit Fee (25.00) may be applied. Permits are available at the Administrative
Office at Liberty Island or contact staff at the Ellis Island Information Desk.
The following is a partial list of regulations related to commercial photography and permits as well as general photographic safety guidelines at Liberty Island and Ellis Islands:
1. There is no interior filming permitted inside the Statue of Liberty. Interior filming includes filming in the museum, lobby, from Fort Wood, the promenades, 3P, 4P, or 6P levels. All filming is from ground level.
2. There is no filming permitted in any closed areas of the park. Closed areas include: west sections of Liberty Island, north and west sections of Ellis Island 1, and all of Ellis Islands 2 and 3.
3. A tri-pod may be used if hand held photography is not possible, or practical. The tri-pod may not be of the rolling type, nor exceed three feet at its widest point. Tri-pods are not permitted to be used inside the Ellis Island Museum, inside the Statue of Liberty, in any pedestal or monument area, or anywhere its use could impact public safety. Anyone using a tripod will be required to fill out a Filming Permit. Depending upon the nature and use of filming, a non-refundable Film Permit Fee of $25.00 may be applied.
4. No cables may be strung including lighting cables, sound cables, or any other type of cable/wire. Cable/wires may not be run across the grass, walkways, steps, or any other area in which any person may trip or fall over such. The use of portable lights will be limited to camera mounted lights or flash units. No artificial lights of light reflecting devices may be used which is not directly attached to the camera and is compact in size. No electrical hook-ups are permitted.
5. Time periods for film permits shall not exceed three hours in length. The earliest a film permit can be issued in a day is one half hour after the first visitor ferry boat arrives at the island. The latest a film permit may expire is one half hour prior to the final visitor ferry boat departure.
6. The size of the group involved should not be excessive. An average crew size is four persons, one of which is the camera operator.
7. There shall be no displays erected on the island for any reason.
8. Requests for a waiver regarding a specific regulation must be made in writing to the Office of the Superintendent.
To conduct commercial photography at the Statue of Liberty and/or the Ellis Island Museum of Immigration, you can obtain a Film Permit application by calling (212) 363-3200, ext. 107. Complete the permit application and submit to the Office of the Superintendent. Upon receipt of your completed application, the Superintendent will review your application and if approved, will issue a permit. You must have this approved permit available for inspection during filming.
Return all completed applications to: Office of the Superintendent, National Park Service, Statue of Liberty National Monument, Liberty Island, New York, NY 10004 or FAX to (212) 363-8347.
The distribution or sale of printed matter at either Liberty or Ellis Islands requires a Printed Matter Permit issued by the Superintendent. The following is a partial list of regulations related to the sale or distribution of printed matter at Liberty and Ellis Islands:
1. All requests for the sale or distribution of printed matter permits must be made a minimum of 72 hours in advance and in writing on the approved form to the Superintendent or designee. A copy of the printed matter for sale or distribution must be attached to the permit application.
2. No more than two sale or distribution of printed matter permits will be issued for any one day. The sale or distribution of printed matter may only take place during hours when either island is open to public use.
3. The flagpole areas on either island have been designated for the distribution of printed matter.
4. The maximum number of participants in the sale or distribution of printed matter is 10 for either island. The sale or distribution of printed matter shall not exceed two hours in duration.
5. No signs or placards shall be permitted except those made of cardboard, poster board or cloth having dimensions no greater than three feet in width, twenty feet in length, and one-quarter inch thickness. All signs or placards shall be attended to at all times. No signs or placards shall be tied, fastened, or otherwise attached to any post, fence, sign, statue, flagpole, refuse receptacle, tree or other structure in the park.
6. All costs incurred by the Statue of Liberty National Monument as a result of a sale or distribution of printed matter permit from the Superintendent or designee may be recovered from the permit holder.
7. The commercial sale of items other than the printed matter approved for sale with a permit is prohibited.
8. Noise levels must not exceed the limits established in 36 CFR 2.12.
9. Participants of the sale or distribution of printed matter must arrive by the commercial NPS concessionaire ferry.
10. The permit holder of a sale or distribution of printed matter permit requiring power, equipment, furniture, or other items must provide their own materials and transport those materials aboard the Statue of Liberty/Ellis Island Ferry, Inc. No structures may be constructed. Approval from the Superintendent or designee in advance must be obtained for the use of any of these items.
11. The sale or distribution of printed matter shall not interfere with normal public use or pedestrian flow.
12. The permit holder is responsible for cleaning the sale or distribution of printed matter area upon the completion of the event.
13. A permit may contain additional reasonable conditions and additional time limitations, consistent with this section, in the interest of protecting park resources, the use of nearby areas by other persons, and other legitimate park value concerns.
To obtain a Distribution of Printed Matter Permit Application, call (212) 363-3200, ext. 107. Attach a sample copy of the printed matter and submit to the office of the Superintendent. Upon receipt, the Superintendent will review your application and if approved, issue a permit. You must have the approved application available for inspection at all times during the distribution activities.
Send completed applications to: Office of the Superintendent, National Park Service, Statue of Liberty National Monument, Liberty Island, New York, NY 10004 or FAX to (212) 363-8347.
Revised: June 28, 2006.
