Spending More Than 5 Min at a Location Can Earn Photogs Jail Time in D.C.

Update: Apparently this isn’t something ordinary photographers need to worry about. See below.

The Washington Post has published a list of 160 misdemeanor offenses that can land you in jail in Washington D.C. While most are quite reasonable (e.g. “Sale of Cigarettes to a Minor” or “Unlicensed Driving Instructor”), there is one that is troubling. Under the category “Photographer Violations” is the entry:

Photographer – More than 5 minutes at location

The entry is quite vague and, as Carlos Miller points out, leaves a lot of room for police officer interpretation.

Update: The Washington Post has written a followup article addressing this issue (thx Darrow). Apparently the law is directed at full-time photographers who photograph passersby on the streets:

”Our policy has been that the street photographer license would apply to persons who are stationed on public space to take photos of passersby,” said agency spokesman Helder Gil in an e-mail. Amateurs aren’t covered, he said, nor are “journalists, professional photographers who take pictures of buildings/scenery, or wedding photographers taking pics of happy couples on D.C. streets and sidewalks.”

So as long as you don’t make a living hustling tourists for snapshots, you can snap away without keeping an eye on your watch.

Image credit: Washington DC – Police Officers at Freedom Plaza by thisisbossi