Toronto Park Photo Permit: How to Book It, Step by Step

The permit call is the one task couples put off. Nobody explains it properly, and the City’s pages assume you already know how it works.

So here is the whole thing in one place. I book shoots at City of Toronto parks all the time, and I walk every couple through this exact process. Once you know the steps, it takes about fifteen minutes.

This post is about how to book. If you are not sure your park needs a permit at all, start with my Toronto photo permits table, which goes park by park. Then come back here for the call.

The short version

Phone: 416-396-7378

Press: 2, for Park Bookings (Toronto Parks, Forestry and Recreation, Client Services)

Hours: Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., as the City lists them

Before you call: create a City of Toronto booking account with both your names on it

Who calls: you, the couple, not your photographer

Season: outdoor park sites typically run May 15 to September 30, in two hour blocks starting on the hour

Cost: $173.36 including taxes for wedding photography at a named City site, for two hours, up to 30 people, as the City lists it

Step 1: create your City account (both names)

Before you pick up the phone, you need an account on the City of Toronto’s registration and booking system. Here is the link to create your City of Toronto booking account.

Use an email you check every day, because that is where the permit confirmation will land.

Then the part people miss. The account must have both names on it. Your name and your partner’s name. The City wants both people on the file before it will book the permit. If only one of you is on the account, fix that before you call, or you will be calling twice.

This is also why the couple books the permit and not the photographer. The account is in your names, so the permit is yours.

Step 2: call 416-396-7378 and press 2

Call during the City’s listed hours, Monday to Friday between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Press 2 for Park Bookings.

Have this in front of you before you dial:

• The park and the exact site you want, by name
• Your date
• Your two hour window, starting on the hour
• How many people will be there, including you two and me
• Whether it is photos only, or a ceremony as well
• The name on your City account

Photos and a ceremony are separate bookings with separate fees, so be clear which one you want. If you are unsure, describe your plan in plain words and let Park Bookings tell you.

You pay by credit card on the call.

After the call, the City emails you a confirmation. Sign it and return it the same day. Do not leave it sitting in your inbox. That signed confirmation is your permit.

Step 3: what to do with the permit on the day

Bring the confirmation with you. The City treats it as your proof that the space is booked for you.

Keep a copy on your phone that opens without signal. Forward me a copy too. If anyone asks mid portrait, I can show it and you never have to stop to dig for it.

Stay inside your window. Two hours sounds like a lot until a ferry runs late.

Which parks actually need this

Not every park needs a permit. My permit table has the full list. A few examples:

• Toronto Islands: yes. Wedding photography at Toronto Island Park is a named City site, listed at $173.36 for two hours. More in my Toronto Islands wedding photos guide.
• Guild Park and Gardens: an engagement session needs nothing. Wedding day photos in the park need a permit. I wrote about that split in Josie and Nelson’s Guild Park wedding.
• Scarborough Bluffs and the Toronto Music Garden: a couple and a camera need nothing at all.
• High Park: one of the parks where the City asks for a permit on a professional shoot. My High Park location guide covers where to shoot once you have it.

The rule of thumb: a couple with one photographer and a handheld camera is everyday park use at most parks. A permit is for formal or wedding photography, and anything taking exclusive use of space.

If your park is not on the City’s named list, the City offers an All Outdoor Park Locations option at $485.47 for two hours, taxes included. That one requires $2 million liability insurance naming the City, so ask about it early. Allan Gardens Conservatory, indoors, is listed at $693.46 for two hours. These are the City’s published numbers. Fees move, so confirm when you book.

When to book

The City says permits may be issued starting the first working day of November in the year before your booking. So if your date is in summer 2027, you can book it from early November 2026.

Summer weekends go first. Saturdays in June, July and August are what everyone wants, and the outdoor season is short.

Book the permit before you go on a venue tour, not after. If your plan depends on a park, the permit is the thing that can say no. Lock it while you still have choices.

What I do on my side

I am one person at every shoot, so the planning is mine too. Before you call, I tell you exactly what to ask for, and I check that your window matches the light. Noon in July and two hours before sunset are very different photos.

Once you have the permit, I keep a copy and plan the walk so every spot fits inside your two hours. You make one phone call. I handle the rest.

Questions couples ask

Do you need a permit for engagement photos in a Toronto park? Often, no. A couple walking a park with one photographer and a handheld camera is treated as everyday park use at most City of Toronto parks. A permit comes in for formal or wedding photography, and for anything that takes exclusive use of space, like equipment, staging or a big group. A few parks, the Toronto Islands among them, ask for one even on a professional session, so check the park before you plan around it.

What is the phone number to book a Toronto park photo permit? Call 416-396-7378 and press option 2 for Park Bookings. That line is Toronto Parks, Forestry and Recreation, Client Services. The City lists its hours as Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Create your City of Toronto booking account before you call, with both partners’ names on it.

Do I need a City of Toronto account to book a photo permit? Yes. Before you call, create an account on the City’s registration and booking system. Put both your name and your partner’s name on it, because the City wants both people on the file before it will book the permit. Once the account exists, you call Park Bookings and book.

Who books the permit, the couple or the photographer? The couple. The account is in your two names, so the permit is booked under you, not under your photographer. I tell my couples exactly what to say on the call, which park and site to ask for, and which two hour window suits the light. Then they make the call.

How much does a Toronto park photo permit cost? The City lists wedding photography at a named site, such as Toronto Island Park, at $173.36 including taxes for two hours, with a maximum of 30 people. The All Outdoor Park Locations option, for any park not on the named list, is $485.47 for two hours and requires $2 million liability insurance naming the City. Allan Gardens Conservatory, indoors, is listed at $693.46 for two hours. Fees move, so confirm when you book.

How far ahead can you book a Toronto park permit? The City says permits may be issued starting the first working day of November in the year before your booking. So a summer 2027 date can be booked from early November 2026. Summer weekends go first, so call as early as that window allows.

What happens if you shoot without a permit? A formal shoot without a permit can be asked to leave. That is the real cost, more than any fee, because it can happen halfway through your two hours with everyone dressed and the light going. If your shoot needs a permit, book it.

If you are planning a pre-wedding session or a wedding in a Toronto park, send me your date and the park you have in mind. I will tell you whether it needs a permit and exactly what to say when you call.