Filming & Production in Los Angeles County, CA (2026)
4 county-level rules, plus city-specific rules for 15 cities in Los Angeles County, California.
Verified from official government sources
Location Permits
Commercial still-photography shoots with 15 or more on-site cast and crew, held outside an approved production facility within the County Fire Protection District, need a Fire Department operational permit and pay a $277 fee under Title 32.
LA County Still Photography Fire Permits
Some RestrictionsLos Angeles County Fire Code (Title 32) §§ 4801.3, 4803.2, 4803.4; Appendix QQ Table QQ104.2.1
COMMERCIAL STILL PHOTOGRAPHY PRODUCTION. Includes all activity attendant to the staging or shooting of commercial still photography production to create single or multiple photographs for sale or use for a commercial purpose. ... 4. Commercial still-photography production that both: is outside of an approved production facility, and has an on-site cast-and-crew number of 15 or more persons. ......
Production Noise
Unlike almost every other noise source in unincorporated Los Angeles County, motion picture production and related activities are entirely exempt from Chapter 12.08's noise chapter: no zone dBA limits, no nighttime curfew, no citation exposure for on-set sound.
LA County Film Production Exempt From Noise Code
Few RestrictionsLos Angeles County Code § 12.08.570
The following activities set out in this chapter shall be exempted from the provisions of this chapter: ... E. Motion Picture Production and Related Activities;
Street Closures
Filming that uses the public road right-of-way in unincorporated Los Angeles County, including lane or street closures, needs a Public Works highway permit; the county charges a $468 daily inspection fee just for filming in the right-of-way.
LA County Filming Street Closure Permit Fees
Some RestrictionsLos Angeles County Code § 16.10.090.A.3 (Encroachment Inspection fee schedule)
Subject to Section 16.10.070, each applicant for a highway permit shall pay applicable inspection fees to the commissioner, according to the following schedule: ... 3. Encroachment Inspection Lane closure/detour (per day) $354 each day ... Filming in road right-of-way $468 each day
Student Filming
In unincorporated LA County, verified student film productions skip the Fire Code permit fee for filming and still-photography permits on the initial issuance.
LA County Student Film Permit Fee Waiver
Light RestrictionsLos Angeles County Fire Code § 4803.4
Exception: Verified student filming productions and nonprofit 501(c)(3) organizations shall not be subject to a film or still-photography permit fee for the initial issuance of each permit. Permit revisions shall be subject to the permit-revision fee for each applicable permit.
Filming & Production by City in Los Angeles County
15 cities in Los Angeles County have their own filming & production rules. Each link goes to that city's dedicated page with code citations.
1 verified rule • Location Permits
2 verified rules • Location Permits, Street Closures
2 verified rules • Location Permits, Student Filming
3 verified rules • Location Permits, Street Closures
2 verified rules • Location Permits, Student Filming
2 verified rules • Location Permits, Student Filming
2 verified rules • Location Permits, Production Noise
2 verified rules • Location Permits, Student Filming
2 verified rules • Location Permits, Street Closures
1 verified rule • Location Permits
3 verified rules • Location Permits, Production Noise
3 verified rules • Location Permits, Street Closures
4 verified rules • Location Permits, Production Noise
3 verified rules • Location Permits, Street Closures
2 verified rules • Location Permits, Student Filming
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