Which US Cities Issue Press Credentials? 27 Cities Compared

Policies differ from city to city. This guide sorts twenty-seven large US cities by what their own official sources say. Read the section for your city, then check the linked policy before you act.

Which cities have a standing press credential program?

Three cities in our review publish a credential application or policy. They are Chicago, Los Angeles and New York City. Each draws the line in a different place.

Chicago. The Chicago Police Department says applicants for its news media credential must be full-time employees of a valid Chicago news major media outlet ^[1]. The listed jobs are reporter, producer, camera operator, photographer or engineer ^[1]. If you freelance, read that requirement closely before you apply ^[1].

Los Angeles. The LAPD press pass policy describes representatives of newspapers, news services, and radio or television stations that keep a regular news service ^[2]. It also names self-employed reporters and photographers who regularly cover news events where police or fire lines are set up in the city ^[2]. Check with the LAPD about what it asks applicants to provide.

New York City. The Mayor's Office of Media and Entertainment Press Credentials Office describes a member of the press, for its press card, as an individual who gathers and reports the news ^[3]. That means publishing or broadcasting by electronic, print or digital media ^[3]. The definition lists articles, commentaries, books, photographs, video, film and audio ^[3].

What do San Francisco and San Jose say about press passes?

San Francisco and San Jose each publish material about press passes. San Francisco's page describes who qualifies ^[4]. San Jose's page lists a fee ^[5]. Check each page for application steps.

San Francisco. A San Francisco press pass document says only persons employed by newsgathering media qualify ^[4]. They must cover breaking news in the city and need to pass through police and fire scenes on a regular basis ^[4]. The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency says press vehicle parking permits may be issued to news organizations, media outlets, and freelance reporters or photographers with a current press pass from the San Francisco Police Department ^[6].

San Jose. The San Jose Police Department's permit fee page lists a press pass at $200 per permit ^[5]. Its Permits Unit manual says a city code section limits press placards to news photographers with heavy camera equipment ^[7]. Ask the department who qualifies before you pay ^[5].

Which cities ended their press pass programs?

Two cities have said, in their own words, that they stopped issuing passes.

San Diego. A San Diego Police Department notice says the department decided to discontinue the Media Identification Card (or Press Pass) Program and the associated parking placards, effective February 13, 2026 ^[8].

Washington, DC. The Metropolitan Police Department states that on April 1, 2015, it ceased the issuance of Media Passes ^[9].

If your city stopped issuing passes, you may still want something that shows who you report for. One option is to join the National Press Association. An NPA credential is not a city press pass. It does not give you legal rights or special access.

Which cities mention credentials without naming a city program?

Some police rules refer to credentials or press identification. They do not describe a city application in the sources we reviewed.

Dallas. A Dallas police general order says media with employer-issued identification, a Department of Public Safety press pass, or other valid media identification will be allowed immediate access to the area next to the command post ^[10]. The order lists several kinds of ID, not just one ^[10].

Las Vegas. The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department says all credentialed media representatives must submit public records requests through its public records portal ^[11]. The page quotes a definition of credentialed media. It covers any reporter or editorial employee employed by or affiliated with a newspaper, press association, or commercially operated, federally licensed radio or television station ^[11].

Nashville. The Metropolitan Police media relations procedure refers to officers who deem it necessary to request the identifications or credentials of media representatives ^[12]. It adds that credentials may make access quicker to scenes where the police department has primary responsibility ^[12].

Seattle. A Seattle Police policy document states that the existence of "press credentials" extends no special privileges to any citizen ^[13].

Which cities publish media-access rules or contacts instead?

Many of the remaining cities publish rules for how officers treat media, or a point of contact. That is not a press pass. These rules and contacts do describe how officers and offices handle media.

Scene access and recording rules

Houston. General Order 800-02 tells officers not to allow media inside an established inner perimeter or immediate crime scene ^[14]. It says they may allow media inside an outer perimeter if that does not jeopardize safety or an investigation ^[14].

San Antonio. Procedure 307 says officers should not restrict the movement of media personnel unless their actions clearly and directly interfere with police operations or investigations ^[15].

Philadelphia. Directive 4.16 says members of the media will be given access as close to a demonstration or press event as possible, with a clear, unobstructed line of sight and within hearing range, whenever possible ^[16]. Directive 8.12 says a private individual's right to record officers in the public discharge of their duties is equivalent or coextensive with that of the press ^[17].

Phoenix. Operations Order 1.10.00 defines media as any individual who gathers, produces and disseminates news to the public in any form ^[18]. It says this includes employees of news organizations and self-employed individuals, independent contractors or freelancers ^[18].

Portland. A Portland Police Bureau directive tells members to treat anyone who identifies as media, a journalist, a broadcaster or a legal observer as an authorized legal observer or member of the media ^[19]. The same goes for anyone displaying signs of those roles ^[19].

Baltimore. The Baltimore Police Department's media policy says media are afforded the same access as the general public ^[20].

Media offices and contacts

Several cities list a media contact. These are the ones we found.

• San Antonio: the Police Media Services Detail provides information to the news media and the public through a central point of contact ^[21].
• Atlanta: the police Public Affairs page says an on-call PIO will work to assist journalists ^[22].
• Austin: the police Public Information Office says its staff answer journalists' queries and handle requests for booking photos and interviews ^[23].
• Boston: the police records page says members of the media should send records requests in writing to the Office of Media Relations ^[24].
• Charlotte: Communication & Marketing says it is the primary contact for news media for general inquiries and public record requests ^[25].
• Denver: the police news page says an on-call Public Information Officer is available after hours for in-progress incidents only ^[26].
• Detroit: a police directive designates Media Relations as the primary source of information for the media ^[27].
• Fort Worth: the police Public Relations Office asks that media inquiries go to policemedia@fortworthtexas.gov ^[28]. Its home page says a media portal can be accessed by authorized members of the media ^[29].
• Indianapolis: the police say the primary way to contact a PIO is by email at IMPD.PublicAffairs@indy.gov ^[30].
• Jacksonville: the Mayor's Public Affairs Office says media should contact media@coj.net for interviews, records requests and other inquiries ^[31]. The Sheriff's Office lists 904.630.2133 and MediaRelations@jaxsheriff.org ^[32].
• Seattle: the city's media contacts page says to contact Public Information Officers for media questions and requests tied to their department ^[33].
• Houston: when an employee is unsure whether you are media, the order says to send you to the Office of Community Affairs ^[14].

Film permits and event credentials

If you shoot video, a film permit rule may apply to you. Several cities carve out news coverage. Others do not mention it in the pages we reviewed, so read the page for your city.

Atlanta says a filming permit is not required on public property while exercising First Amendment rights ^[34]. Columbus says no film permit is needed when media report for a live news program ^[35]. Denver's film rules list same-day media coverage of developing or emerging news stories as an activity that needs no film permit ^[36].

Austin requires a film permit application for all student and commercial filmmaking that takes place on or affects the right-of-way ^[37]. Boston says you need permits from several departments to film in the city ^[38]. Detroit's film office issues a no-fee general permit for all work in the city ^[39]. Indy Parks lists a photographer who is a member of the news media documenting current events in its vendor permit rules ^[40].

Some credentials are tied to a single event. Columbus Recreation and Parks announced that, for the first time, it would offer media credentials to the headlining performance at Jazz & Rib Fest ^[41]. Portland's media parking permit form says the permit must be used for news gathering purposes only ^[42].

What does a press credential do, and what does it not do?

Read the city's own words. Some cities say press credentials extend no special privileges ^[10]. ^[13]

Dallas says that in public areas, any identification called "press credentials" does not extend any special privileges or access to any individual ^[10]. Seattle's policy document says press credentials extend no special privileges to any citizen ^[13].

Some policies say credentials may help at a scene. Nashville says they may make access quicker at scenes under police primary responsibility ^[12]. Dallas gives immediate access near its command post to media with employer-issued ID, a Department of Public Safety press pass, or other valid media identification ^[10].

Philadelphia Directive 8.12 addresses private individuals who record officers in the public discharge of their duties ^[17]. It treats that right as equivalent or coextensive with that of the press ^[17].

What should you do if your city has no program?

You have options. Work through them in order.

1. Find the media office. Look for the police or city media contact listed above, or on your city's site. Several cities list one ^[33]. ^[25]
2. Carry ID that shows who you report for. Dallas accepts employer-issued identification or other valid media identification at its command post ^[10]. If you are a freelancer, bring proof of published work.
3. Learn the perimeter rules. Houston bars media from inner perimeters but may allow outer-perimeter access ^[14]. Ask what the line is before you cross it.
4. Check for event-specific credentials. Some events issue their own, as Columbus did for one festival performance ^[41].
5. Check film permit rules before you shoot. News exemptions exist in some cities, and not every permit page mentions them ^[36]. ^[37]
6. Document your work. Keep clips, links and assignment emails in one place. Our guide to press credentials for independent reporters explains what an NPA credential can and cannot show. You can also see how an NPA press credential can document your work.

Our guides for individual cities

We publish a step-by-step guide for each of these cities, or a note on what its police rules say. See also all city guides.

• Chicago press credentials
• Dallas press credentials
• Houston press credentials
• Los Angeles press credentials
• New York City press credentials
• Philadelphia press credentials
• Phoenix press credentials
• San Antonio press credentials
• San Diego press credentials
• Washington, DC press credentials

How we checked, and what this guide does not cover

We read official city and police pages, policies and permit pages for large US cities. For many cities we did not find a published press credential program.

That is not proof that a city has no program. Cities change policies, and some rules live in documents we did not see. Check the linked source page before you rely on it.

This guide does not cover state law. Check your state's law for your rights to record, enter public spaces and request records. If an officer detains you or seizes your gear, contact a lawyer or a press freedom hotline.