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The National Press Association

Which U.S. Cities Issue Press Credentials?

By The National Press Association editorial team · Last reviewed: . Policies change, so confirm with the agency before you rely on a guide.

Of the 10 cities we have reviewed, as of October 24, 2026: 3 list a current city-run press credential program; 2 say they have ended their program; for 5 cities we found no standing program on the official pages we reviewed. Each guide below links every statement to the official page it came from. There is no national press pass, so what counts depends on the city, agency, or event.

City guides

  • Press credentials in Chicago

    Program active

    The Chicago Police Department (Communications & News Affairs) issues a media credential. (source: chicagopolice.org, as of October 24, 2026)

  • Press credentials in Dallas

    No standing program found

    No standing city-issued program found on the official pages reviewed as of October 24, 2026; 10 sourced policy statements about media are summarized. (source: dallaspolice.net, as of October 24, 2026)

  • Press credentials in Houston

    No standing program found

    No standing city-issued program found on the official pages reviewed as of October 24, 2026; 7 sourced policy statements about media are summarized. (source: houstontx.gov, as of October 24, 2026)

  • Press credentials in Los Angeles

    Program active

    The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) issues a press pass. (source: lapdonline.org, as of October 24, 2026)

  • Press credentials in New York City

    Program active

    The Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment (MOME) Press Credentials Office issues a press card. (source: nyc.gov, as of October 24, 2026)

  • Press credentials in Philadelphia

    No standing program found

    No standing city-issued program found on the official pages reviewed as of October 24, 2026; 10 sourced policy statements about media are summarized. (source: phillypolice.com, as of October 24, 2026)

  • Press credentials in Phoenix

    No standing program found

    No standing city-issued program found on the official pages reviewed as of October 24, 2026; 8 sourced policy statements about media are summarized. (source: phoenix.gov, as of October 24, 2026)

  • Press credentials in San Antonio

    No standing program found

    No standing city-issued program found on the official pages reviewed as of October 24, 2026; 11 sourced policy statements about media are summarized. (source: sa.gov, as of October 24, 2026)

  • Press credentials in San Diego

    Program ended

    The San Diego Police Department (SDPD) discontinued its Media Identification Card (or Press Pass) program as of February 13, 2026. (source: sandiego.gov, as of October 24, 2026)

  • Press credentials in Washington, DC

    Program ended

    The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) discontinued its media pass program as of April 1, 2015. (source: mpdc.dc.gov, as of October 24, 2026)

How we label each city

  • Program active: the agency’s own pages describe a press credential it currently issues.
  • Program ended: the agency’s own notice says it discontinued its program. Its former rules are not presented as current.
  • No standing program found: we did not find a standing city-issued credential program on the official pages we reviewed, which are listed on that city’s guide. This is a statement about the pages we read, and it can change.

For the bigger picture, read how press credentials work and who recognizes them.

NPA membership is separate from city credentials

A National Press Association membership is a private association credential. It is not government-issued, and it does not guarantee access anywhere. It can serve as identity verification and supporting documentation alongside your published work. It is free to apply.

Apply for a free NPA membership

Sources

Each summary above cites the page it was read from.