Road Filming

Kylesku Bridge, Sutherland

The Highlands offer some of the most scenic road routes in the World so it is no surprise that our tracks are popular and featured in numerous high profile projects.

The Highlands Council welcomes crews and aims to support production in the area to encourage the benefits that it brings, however the volume of filming, especially in certain areas of Highland, has grown considerably in recent years and can have impacts on local communities, businesses and landowners.

For filming on public roads you will need permission from Transport Scotland or the Highland Council. If you wish to film on private estate roads or tracks you will need permission from the landowner and potentially require assistance for access due to locked gates and barriers.

The guidance below aims to help the industry to work in the area lawfully, productively, and considerately to minimise the impacts on residents and businesses. The Guidance applies to all forms of production and work relating to visual media (including but not limited to feature films, shorts, television, commercials, online content, music videos, stills shoots, gaming content) using roads owned and managed by the Highland Council.

If you need more information, are unsure about statutory regulations, permits or whether the Guidance and Code of Practice applies to your shoot, we would like to help.
info@scotfilm.org
01463 702 955

You must have explicit permission before filming on or along a Highland Council road or roadside, and it is illegal to operate traffic management without the explicit permission of the Road Authority.
If you wish to use Traffic Management on a Highland Council road, please read our Roads Guidance before approaching for permission.
If you wish to film on or alongside a Highland Council road please complete the Road Filming Application and submit to the Highland Council via info@scotfilm.org (your application will then be forwarded to the relevant Officers).
Submitting an application does not automatically grant permission for any road/roadside filming.
If you wish to have Traffic Management in place, you must hire an authorised Traffic Management Company to apply and operate this on your behalf.

Highland Road Filming Guidance

Highland Filming Code of Practice 

Highland Road Filming Application