Picture Car Glossary
clearance for a picture car
What is a clearance for a picture car?
Updated June 2026 · Revolution Picture Cars
Also called vehicle clearance.
A clearance for a picture car is the legal authorization confirming that a specific vehicle, its identifying features, brand marks, or custom design elements can be used on camera without infringing third-party intellectual property rights.
Production clearance departments review picture cars for recognizable trademarks, copyrighted design elements, and any identifiable real-world branding before approving a vehicle for principal photography. Specialty or concept vehicles sometimes require manufacturer clearance letters before they can appear on screen.
Example
A one-off custom build with a distinctive body needs clearance that its design does not infringe a manufacturer's protected features, and that any visible badging is either licensed or removed before it reaches camera.
Figures are illustrative, chosen to show the mechanics rather than to quote market rates.
Where you'll see it
Handled by production legal in prep, informed by what the picture car coordinator flags at sourcing.
Common mistake
Leaving clearance until the car is on set. A distinctive vehicle that cannot be cleared has to be replaced or redressed, and that is a prep problem rather than a shooting-day one.
Related questions
- What needs clearing on a picture car?
- Visible badges and marks, distinctive protected design features, custom livery, and anything identifying a real business or person.
- Who handles picture car clearance?
- Production legal, working from what the picture car coordinator flags at sourcing, so the art department can plan covers rather than improvise.
Official sources
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