Filming in the Isle of Man

Why not download our Producer's Pack? The pack contains all of the information here and much more; it will ensure you have met all requirements and considered all factors when filming on location in the Isle of Man.

The Isle of Man is a self governing dependency of the crown, and as such recognises the current monarch of the UK as Head of State. However, whilst the Isle of Man is part of the British Isles it is not part of the UK and is proud to have its political and constitutional independence allowing for its own laws, traditions and culture.

Situated at the centre of the British Isles, the Island is no more than one hour away by air from all major UK cities. The Island can be accessed via plane or ferry with multiple daily flights to and from London, and many of the UK's main cities, and sailings from Heysham and Liverpool night and day. Telecommunications are recognised as amongst the best in the world.

For more information on the Island, please visit www.gov.im/isleofman

Laws and Regulations relating to filming on the Isle of Man differ from those in the UK, so the following permits and permissions must be sought from the Isle of Man Government for the length of the shoot (on the Island).

The permit/licence forms listed below must be completed at least four weeks before shooting begins on the Island, and in many cases, public notices will be issued to local newspapers 10-21 days prior to the beginning of principal photography. It is therefore vital that all permits are fully investigated and applications submitted well in advance of the shoot.

The main regulations follow:

Work Permits

A work permit exemption is granted to all British and EU Citizens providing specialist services to any specific production. Anyone working on a production who is not a British Citizen or a National of the European Economic Union will require an Overseas Labour Permit which can take up to three weeks to process and must be applied for well in advance of arrival on the Island.

Please refer to the Producer's Pack and visit the Work Permits Webpage for further information.

Immigration

If an aircraft is being chartered from anywhere outside of the UK directly to the Isle of Man, the Island's Immigration Office must be consulted well in advance of arrival of any persons travelling to the Island who are not British Citizens. Please contact the immigration office for further information.

NI, Tax and Accounts

Production Accountants will find guide notes here. Please contact Peter Barlow at Department of Treasury for further information regarding NI contributions on ++ 44 (0) 1624 685045 or by email.

Road Closures, Traffic Control and Suspension of Parking

If temporary road, lane or footway closures, or any changes to existing conditions are required for filming purposes, advice should be sought a minimum of 1 month prior to commencement of any filming on any public road, lane or footway.

All Temporary road closures are advertised in the local press; 7 full days must occur between the date of the advertisement and the road being closed. A minimum of 21 days notice must be allowed from receipt of the Application. A plan showing the area and extent of the road closure must accompany the application.

An application form can be found here. A copy of all applications must be forwarded to Isle of Man Film.

Performances by Children

Under the Performances by Children Regulations 2004 any production employing a child performer whilst filming on the Island will be required to apply for a Licence for a Performance by a Child. The application should be completed by the Producer (or designated other acting on their behalf) and submitted to the Department of Education at least 21 days prior to the first date the child will begin their performance. An application form can be found here.

Use of Fireworks/Pyrotechnics

In order to use pyrotechnics you must notify the Department of Home Affairs and give notice in a local newspaper. The only exceptions to the requirements under the legislation are sparklers and some indoor fireworks plus domestic use on Bonfire night.

Refer to the Producer's Pack for the paperwork; the Department of Home Affairs can be contacted through their web site for further information.

Firearms

10 days notice must be given to the IOM Constabulary and the Steam Packet Company if weapons are brought into the Island via ferry freight.

Notifying Local Authorities

Out of courtesy, a production should contact the Commissioners in the parish in which they are planning to film to notify them of their intentions. Click here for contact details.

Local Trainees

Each production is contractually obliged to take on at least four local trainees. Trainees can be sourced via the Crew and Facilities database. We request that, unless the trainees are taken on as work experience, that they are paid at least the local minimum wage. If you have any problems sourcing a trainee, please contact us.

Freight Travel

The Isle of Man Steam Packet Company offers a twice daily Heysham service which is a four hour journey in each direction. Due to the volume of traffic they may only be able to accommodate the bulk of the traffic on the daytime sailings. The Liverpool to Isle of Man service is daily between the period of April – mid October. Between October and March it only operates over the weekend. Sailing times vary depending on the dates of travel. Please download an account application form or contact the freight office for further information on +44 (0) 1624 645620.

Harbours

It is appropriate to contact the Harbour master of the Harbour that you intend to use for filming. Visit their website for contact details.

Helicopters

Exemptions and permissions issued under the Air Navigation Order in the UK are not valid in the Isle of Man. A separate application should be made giving at least one calendar month's notice. Please refer to the Isle of Man Civil Aviation Administration for further information.

Water

Permission must be sought from the Isle of Man Water Authority before drawing any water on the Isle of Man. There are also restrictions on the use of containers holding fuel, chemical substances etc on the Water Authority's property.

Radio Communications

Please note a licence from the Communications Commission is compulsory if using radio communications.

Mobile use

It is likely the cheapest option is for Production or individual crew to obtain Pay As You Go SIM cards from one of the local providers Manx Telecom and Cable & Wireless. Refer to the Producer's Pack for more information.

Weather

Weather forecasts for the Island can be found at the Government Infocentre whilst Tide Tables can be found through the BBC's North West website

Downloadable Documents