EXT. SOMERSET — REGION
Somerset is flat wetland, limestone gorge, wooded hills and moorland coast inside one county — and, unusually, one council that publishes its filming fees. Bath and North Somerset sit outside it as separate councils.
● The short version
Filming on Somerset Council land or the highway goes through Screen Somerset: an application form, your risk assessment, a certificate of public liability insurance and the Somerset Filming Code of Conduct. Fees are published — a permit to film costs £68.60 for a crew of up to ten with more than ten working days’ notice. Commercial drone filming over council land needs filming permission. On Exmoor, the park authority owns 7% of the land and can only grant permission on that. Private land needs the owner’s permission and a location agreement.
● THE GROUNDTERRAIN & WHAT IT READS AS
GRD/01
The Somerset Levels are wide, flat, drained wetland — rhynes, willows and big skies that read as far from England as anywhere in the south. The Mendips rise to the north-east with limestone gorge and quarry; the Quantocks are wooded combes and open heath.
GRD/02
West Somerset runs into Exmoor: moorland that drops straight to the Bristol Channel, with steep cliffs and wooded valleys. Exmoor is shared with Devon, and most of it is in private hands.
● ACCESS & LOGISTICSWHO CONTROLS WHAT
One council front door for council land and the highway, a park authority for its own land on Exmoor, and owners for the rest.
ACC/01
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Owner / manager | Somerset Council for its land and the highway; Exmoor National Park Authority for the 7% of Exmoor it owns; the National Trust; private owners and estates. |
| Permit route | Screen Somerset application with risk assessment, public liability certificate and the Somerset Filming Code of Conduct. Contact filming@somerset.gov.uk. |
| Permit fee | Crew of 1–10: £68.60 with more than 10 working days’ notice, £102.80 with less. Crew over 10: £102.20 and £135.80. VAT included. |
| Drone filming | Needs filming permission over council land. £134.60 half day, £203.10 full day, any crew size. |
| Council land | Guidance from £336.40 for a small half day up to £1,370.20 for a large full day; precise fees agreed on disruption and staff time. |
| Highways | Road closures and traffic restrictions go to the highways team, with their own lead-in times. Temporary closures start at £645. |
| Exmoor | Exmoor National Park Authority owns 7% of the park and can only give permission on that land. Everywhere else, the landowner. |
| Bath & North Somerset | Separate councils from Somerset Council. Bath Film Office helps crews planning to film in Bath. |
| National Trust | National Trust Filming and Locations Office — filmoffice@nationaltrust.org.uk. Filming needs a contract signed by both parties; no unauthorised drone flights on Trust land. |
Requirements last checked 16 October 2026. Verify current figures and notice periods with the authority before you rely on them.
● QUESTIONSFROM PRODUCTIONS
FAQ/01
For Somerset Council land or the highway, apply through Screen Somerset with your risk assessment, a certificate of public liability insurance and a signed Somerset Filming Code of Conduct. Private land needs the owner’s permission and a location agreement instead.
FAQ/02
Somerset Council publishes its fees. A permit to film for a crew of one to ten costs £68.60 with more than ten working days’ notice, or £102.80 with less. For a crew over ten it is £102.20 or £135.80. Location fees for council land and property are agreed separately, with guidance starting at £336.40 for a small half day.
FAQ/03
Commercial drone filming over Somerset Council land needs filming permission; the council charges £134.60 for a half day and £203.10 for a full day. The flight itself falls under Civil Aviation Authority rules, and private owners and the National Trust set their own policies.
FAQ/04
Exmoor National Park Authority can only give permission on land it owns — 7% of the park. For the rest of Exmoor you need the landowner’s permission.
FAQ/05
No. Bath and North East Somerset is a separate council from Somerset Council, and Bath Film Office helps crews filming in Bath. North Somerset is also a separate council.
● EXT.PRIVATE LOCATIONS
EXT. is scouting privately owned houses, farms and estates in Somerset for the library. If a location you need is in private hands, that is the route in.
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Tell us the brief and we will tell you whether it exists here, who owns it, and what it costs. mike@extlocations.co.uk · 01202 022 158. Own somewhere in Somerset? List it free →