El Hierro Film Commission

Permisos

Filming permits

The processing of filming permits depends on the type of location (natural areas, beaches, roads, buildings, etc.) and the relevant authority in each case. When filming includes several locations, separate permits will only be required if each location falls under the jurisdiction of a different authority.

Las solicitudes deben presentarse ante el organismo correspondiente, mediante registro de entrada y con una antelación mínima (el tiempo de cada administración está indicado en los desplegables a continuación), acompañadas de:

  • Memoria del proyecto
  • Copia de la póliza de seguro de responsabilidad civil en vigor que cubra la actividad de rodaje
  • Copia del documento de identidad de la empresa o persona jurídica
  • Plan de seguridad, si aplica.

It is necessary to provide details of the intended use of the space (traffic closures, technical installations, drones, etc.), as well as a description of the filming, technical requirements, schedule, and safety and environmental protection measures.

Se recomienda informar a El Hierro Film Commission para que la oficina haga seguimiento del estado de la solicitud con la administración competente.

Simplifica tu trámite: Formulario unificado

Para facilitarle el proceso, puede descargar el formulario a continuación, verificado por las administraciones competentes de la isla,  y presentarlo como solicitud de permiso de rodaje, junto a la documentación anteriormente mencionada.

Solicitud de Permisos y Contactos

Protected Natural Areas

If filming takes place within a protected natural area, it will be necessary to obtain an environmental report or authorization from the Island Council. If, in addition, it affects the road (traffic, closures, road occupation, parking, signage, etc.), authorization must be requested from the Roads Department of the El Hierro Island Council.

 

Department of the Environment of the Cabildo of El Hierro

To view protected areas in the Grafcan viewer, apply the 'Protected Areas' filter to the content and then select 'Canary Network of Protected Natural Spaces'.

Para ver los espacios protegidos en el visor de Grafcan aplica en contenido el filtro ‘Áreas protegidas’ y luego selecciona ‘Red Canaria de Espacios naturales protegidos’.

Contact: Miguel Ángel Rodríguez Domínguez | mrodriguez@el-hierro.org | (+34) 922 553 400 ext. 1721

 

Department of Infrastructure, Maintenance, Works and Roads of the Cabildo of El Hierro

Contact: Victoria Cabrera Soto | vcabrera@el-hierro.org | (+34) 922 553 400 ext. 1512.

 

Estimated time: 2 months

Ministry of Public Works, Housing and Mobility, Directorate General of Coasts and Management of the Canary Islands Maritime Space of the Government of the Canary Islands

Solicitud de permiso

To apply for the permit, follow the procedure below: 

  • Descriptive report of the activity; you can use this form. It must include:
    • Economic report: estimate of the economic investment to be made in that location, defining expected management expenses, calculation of income and profits
    • A plan or orthophoto showing the area to be used for filming. Normally at a scale of 1:1000. You can use the Grafcan viewer: https://visor.grafcan.es/mobile/
    • Beach/coast conservation declaration: the production company undertakes to immediately remove all installations once the occupation is finished, as well as to carry out a complete cleaning of the area used and any other action necessary to guarantee the full conservation of the space.
  • Valid civil liability insurance certificate , with sufficient coverage to cover potential property damage, personal injury, and losses that may be caused to third parties during the course of the activity. Download template

  • Declaration of compliance with Article 44.7 of Law 22/1998, of July 28, and Article 97.1 of the General Coastal Regulations, approved by Royal Decree 876/2014 of October 10, signed. Link to the document here.
  • Payment of fee 163 using  form 700: Select "163 - Fee for reports and other optional actions" and "1 - AUTHORIZATIONS PROVIDED FOR IN ART. 49…" (Approximate price €55.00)
  • Declaration of responsibility for compatibility with marine strategies, if buoyage is installed. Download template
Pago de tasas y canon

Once the application has been processed by the Coastal Authority and the authorization issued, this agency will require payment of two fees—a deposit and an occupancy fee—before issuing the final decision. At that point, the following steps must be taken:

    • Deposit the guarantee at the Canary Islands Autonomous Community Deposit Fund (link to the procedure). You must be registered as a third party with the Government of the Canary Islands (procedure for individuals or, if a legal entity, "creditors acting as representatives").
    • Payment of the occupancy fee, as indicated in the resolution. This is calculated on the estimated net profit of the activity—usually between 30% and 35% of the budget—applying 8% to this amount to determine the final sum.
Devolución de fianza

Once the project is completed, the deposit must be refunded by submitting a general application to the Government of the Canary Islands, preferably through the electronic office of the Western Coastal Management Agency. . The following documentation must be included:

  • Request for refund of the deposit.
  • Resolution authorizing filming in Costas.
  • Proof of deposit of the bond.

If filming takes place within a Protected Natural Area, it will be necessary to process in parallel the request for a favorable report from the Environment Department of the Island Council.

Likewise, the competent City Council must be notified of the planned action in the public maritime-terrestrial domain.

For roads, permits must be requested from the DGT (Spanish Directorate General of Traffic) and the relevant Island Council or Town Hall. If using a public space, such as a square, the application must be submitted to the corresponding Town Hall.

DGT (General Directorate of Traffic)

To carry out filming that affects roads, it is necessary to request authorization from the Directorate General of Traffic (DGT) through its electronic headquarters.

 

Required documentation:

  • Application for filming authorization duly completed (dates, times, roads affected, type of road occupation, traffic closures, etc.).
  • Identification document: ID card, passport, residence card or CIF (in the case of a company).
  • Representation document, if the application is made on behalf of a legal entity.
  • A report or descriptive document that includes:
    • Project description.
    • Start and end dates.
    • Routes to be used, kilometer points, type and duration of occupation or closures.
    • Human and material resources planned.

 

Payment of fees:

  • Rate 1.4 (approximately €20).
  • Companies must pay the fee through the DGT's electronic office.
  • Individuals can make the payment online or by bank transfer (form 791). In the latter case, they must provide proof of payment (“copy for the Administration”) duly signed.

 

Contact: tirce.jpttf@dgt.es (+34) 922 227 840 ext. 473828 / 473834

 

El Hierro Island Council: Department of Infrastructure, Maintenance, Works and Roads

For filming that affects roads under island ownership, it is necessary to process the corresponding authorization with the Cabildo of El Hierro, through its electronic headquarters.

 

Documentation and requirements:

  1. Report on the performancewhich must include:
    • Dates, times and expected duration of the occupation.
    • Identification of the affected road(s), indicating their official name and the starting and ending kilometer points.
    • Need for occupation of additional spaces, if applicable.
    • Detailed report of the safety measures available for filming, whether human resources, signage or both, at each cut or node (link, intersection, connection, access…) that is affected.
  2. Insurance: proof of contracting a civil liability insurance (and, where applicable, accident insurance), which covers possible damages to third parties and to the public domain.
  3. Applicant documentation: National identity card, passport, residence card or tax identification number of the promoter (attach a copy if the application is submitted manually).

 

Contact: Victoria Cabrera Soto | vcabrera@el-hierro.org | (+34) 922 553 400 ext. 1512

Estimated time: 2 month

Town halls (public roads, squares, etc.)

Council of Valverde
Contact: (+34) 922 55 00 25
Estimated time: 30 días.

Council of La Frontera
Contact: (+34) 922 555 999
Estimated time: 15-30 days.

Council of El Pinar
Contact: (+34) 922 558 085

Estimated time: 15-30 days.

The use of drones in El Hierro is subject to the regulations of the State Aviation Safety Agency (AESA) and the airspace regulations managed by ENAIRE, due to its status as a Biosphere Reserve and the existence of areas with flight restrictions.

 

Before any operation, it is essential to consult the airspace zoning on the ENAIRE Drones platform, where permitted, restricted or conditional areas are identified.

 

Operating requirements (AESA)

The operation must comply with current AESA requirements, including:  

– Registration as a UAS operator in AESA

– Pilot training and accreditation according to standard STS scenarios (if applicable)

– Valid civil liability insurance specifically for drones (minimum €1,000,000).

 

Permits based on location

Depending on the filming location:

  • Protected natural areas:
    • Prior authorization from the Environment Department of the El Hierro Island Council
  • Other environments (depending on the area affected):
    • Relevant sectoral permits (coasts, roads, urban areas, etc.)

 

Flight plan and technical documentation

Every transaction must include:

    • GPS coordinates of the flight zone
    • Maximum operating radius (usually ≤ 100 m)
    • Take-off and landing points
    • Drone model
    • Dates, times and duration of the operation
    • Description of the operation and purpose of the filming
    • Security measures and risk mitigation

 

Additional coordination (when applicable)

Prior notification to the Ministry of the Interior at least 5 days in advance if flying:

    • In urban areas (presence of elements such as streetlights, pedestrian crossings or water channels)
    • Regarding gatherings of people
    • Areas where there is a possible impact on public safety
    • Operations that may require coordination with Security Forces and Agencies

 

Operational limitations

Flight conditions (altitude, distances, specific restrictions) will be determined by AESA and ENAIRE regulations and the applicable sectoral authorizations in each case.

Consult ENAIRE zoning

Contact: drones@enaire.es

Competent institutions

Protected natural areas

Department of the Environment of the Cabildo of El Hierro
Contact: Miguel Ángel Rodríguez Domínguez | mrodriguez@el-hierro.org | (+34) 922 553 400 ext. 1721

Public roads and highways

Cabildo + DGT: For applications and contact information, see the previous section on Public Roads and Highways

Coastline and beaches

Ministry of Public Works, Housing and Mobility, Directorate General of Coasts and Management of the Canary Islands Maritime Space of the Government of the Canary Islands

Email: costas@gobiernodecanarias.org

Phone:: (+34) 922 922 424 | (+34) 922 924 880

Urban/municipal areas

Corresponding City Hall: For application and contact information see the previous section Public Roads and Highways.

Mar de Las Calmas Marine Reserve

Flying over the Mar de Las Calmas Marine Reserve is prohibited without specific fishing authorization.

Ministry of the Interior

AESA (State Aviation Safety Agency)

Authorization must be requested from AESA when the drone operation cannot be carried out within the OPEN category and, therefore, requires an operation in the SPECIFIC or STS category.

Contact: drones.aesa@seguridadaerea.es

Phone:: (+34) 91 396 84 50
Estimated time: 15-30 days.

To film or take photographs at El Hierro Airport, it is essential to request a permit.

 

Email: dahierro@aena.es
Phone: (+34) 922 553 700 | (+34) 913 211 000
Estimated time:20-30 days.

To carry out any audiovisual activity in ports, it is necessary to request the corresponding authorization through its electronic headquarters.

The following documentation must be attached to the application:

  • Copy of the ID of the signatory and the CIF of the production company.
  • Document proving the representation of the person signing the application or sufficient power to act on behalf of the company.
  • Descriptive report of the activity, indicating means to be used, period of occupancy, schedules, expected capacity and technical equipment.
  • Site plan and sketch of the area to be occupied, indicating its main dimensions (width, depth, etc.).
  • Estimated budget for the activity, detailing income, expenses and expected net profits before taxes for the use of the requested public domain.
  • Certificate of the current civil liability insurance policy, covering possible incidents or accidents in the port area.

 

In the case of aquatic filming, authorization is required from the Ports of Tenerife and the Maritime Authority. rodajes acuáticos, se requiere una autorización en Puertos Tenerife y Capitanía Marítima.

Hiring certified divers is mandatory.

 

Port of La Estaca

Managed by Ports of Tenerife..
Email: dominiopublico@puertosdetenerife.org | plae@puertosdetenerife.org
Phone:: (+34) 922 605 400

 

Port of La Restinga

Managed by Canarias Ports..

The rates applicable to the Port of La Restinga can be found at this link.

Email: puertolarestinga@puertoscanarios.es

Phone:: (+34) 822 280 065 | (+34) 828181 140

 

Maritime Authority of the Port of La Estaca and La Restinga

Phone:: (+34) 922 550 903, Port Authority | (+34) 922 551 254, La Estaca | (+34) 822 280 065, La Restinga
Address: Edificio Nueva Terminal 1ª plta
Puerto de la Estaca s/n
38910 Valverde

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