Miami beaches for photos: which ones, at what hour, and under whose rules
South Beach, Crandon Park and Bill Baggs are run by three different authorities. Permits, opening hours, lifeguard-stand rules and the season when turtles take precedence.
A Miami beach photo session is governed by whoever owns that stretch of sand — the City of Miami Beach, Miami-Dade County or the State of Florida — and the three disagree on almost everything from permits to opening hours.
South Beach and the rest of Miami Beach
The City of Miami Beach runs the most photographer-friendly rules in the region. Its Film & Print office charges no permit fees at all (checked September 2026), and exempts from the permit a single photographer working handheld, with no models, assistants or crew, no large props and nothing blocking the sidewalk. Anything bigger uses a free citywide permit covering teams of up to twelve with handheld equipment on streets, sidewalks, city beaches and parks, requested at least three business days ahead.
Two beach rules from the city's guidelines:
- Lifeguard stands may be used as a backdrop, but not by stepping inside the coned-off safety area around an active stand or blocking the lifeguard's view.
- South Pointe Park and the area around Ocean Rescue headquarters at 10th Street need the Ocean Rescue chief's approval, and anyone in the water above the knee generally needs an off-duty lifeguard present.
South Beach faces east, and it is the Miami beach where a sunrise session works: the stands and the sand are empty before seven.
Crandon Park and the county beaches
Crandon Park on Key Biscayne and Haulover to the north are Miami-Dade County parks. The county's permit page says permits are required to use its parks and beaches for film or photography, applied for through its film office, and that shooting without one can bring a civil citation and removal. It also flags the marine turtle nesting season, May 1 to October 31, with restrictions on filming on its beaches during those months.
Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park
The 1825 lighthouse at the tip of Key Biscayne, with palms and an east-facing beach. The park's hours are 8 a.m. to sundown every day of the year, with entry at $8 per vehicle of two to eight people. That opening time is after sunrise in every month — the sun rises at about 6:30 a.m. in June and just after 7 a.m. in late December — so Bill Baggs is a morning location, at its quietest in the first hour after the gate opens.
At a glance
| Beach | Authority | Permit for a small session | Sunrise? |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Beach, Lummus Park | City of Miami Beach | Free; a lone handheld photographer is exempt | Yes |
| Crandon Park, Haulover | Miami-Dade County | Generally required | Check park hours |
| Bill Baggs | Florida State Parks | Park entry; ask the park about photography | No — opens at 8 a.m. |
For a proposal on the sand, see proposal photography and the Miami city page; for timing a whole trip, the Miami vacation photography guide.
Frequently asked questions
- Do you need a permit for beach photos on Miami Beach?
- Not always, and never a paid one. The City of Miami Beach charges no fee for its Film & Print permits and exempts a single photographer working handheld with no models, assistants or crew. Larger sessions use a free citywide permit requested at least three business days ahead.
- Can you take sunrise photos at Bill Baggs in Miami?
- Not of the sunrise itself. Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park on Key Biscayne opens at 8 a.m. every day, after sunrise in every month of the year. It works as an early-morning location with the lighthouse; South Beach is the Miami beach for a sunrise session.