Princeton NJ Local Government Press Releases

Princeton Adopts Updated Filming Ordinance, Advancing Its Film Ready Community Application

PRINCETON, N.J. — During Monday night’s Council Meeting, Princeton Council voted to adopt Ordinance 2026-10, completing the final requirement before applying to become a Certified Film Ready Community. The ordinance modernizes Princeton’s filming regulations to align with the Film Ready New Jersey program, establishing a clear, consistent process for permitting and helping minimize disruptions for residents while supporting production activity in the community.

“Princeton has long been a sought?after filming location because of its rich history, distinctive architecture, collegiate atmosphere and abundant green spaces,” said Council President Michelle Pirone Lambros. “Productions such as Oppenheimer and IQ have already recognized Princeton’s unique character, and pursuing Film Ready certification aligns our community with New Jersey’s broader efforts to support the creative economy while ensuring that filming benefits our residents and local businesses.”

New Jersey has emerged as one of the nation’s fastest?growing states for film and television production, even as states such as California have seen recent declines. In 2024, New Jersey’s film industry generated over than $800 million in spending statewide, and the sector continues to grow. By moving toward Film Ready certification, Princeton positions itself to participate more fully in this growth, attract new productions, and support local jobs, hospitality, and small businesses.

Film Ready New Jersey, launched by the New Jersey Economic Development Authority and the New Jersey Motion Picture and Television Commission, is a five-step certification process that prepares municipalities to host film and television productions by standardizing local permitting processes and designating trained municipal film liaisons.

As part of the Film Ready certification process, municipalities must complete a workshop, designate a film liaison, adopt a formal permit process, add potential filming locations to the state’s production database and submit a list of local resources to help connect production companies with essential services. Princeton has already completed several of these requirements, including attending the Film Ready New Jersey workshop, designating Municipal Administrator Bernie Hvozdovic as Princeton’s film liaison and adding filming locations to the state database. The final step—compiling a list of local resources—is underway in collaboration with Experience Princeton.

“Experience Princeton is excited to see the adoption of this ordinance, a critical step toward completing the Film Ready certification process,” said Robin Lapidus, Executive Director of Experience Princeton. “Bringing more production companies to our community increases the visibility of Princeton and supports our local businesses.”

With the ordinance now adopted, Princeton will submit its application to the New Jersey Motion Picture and Television Commission for consideration as a Film Ready municipality, making it easier for location scouts and productions to coordinate filming locally. The updated ordinance takes effect immediately, and filming inquiries will continue to be coordinated through the Municipal Clerk’s Office.