Arcadia, CA Filming & Production: Location Permits (2026)
Film location permits in Arcadia, CA, sometimes called film shoot permits, production permits, or filming authorizations, cover commercial photography, video shoots, and motion picture production.
Key Facts
- Permit required
- All filming except exclusively private or family use
- Fee
- $250.00 first day, $75.00 each additional day per location
- Insurance
- $1,000,000.00 certificate naming the City
- Neighbor notice
- Written notice to immediately adjacent properties
- Separate permit
- Each location and each set of filming dates
- Approving officer
- License Officer or designee
Summary
A film permit is required in the City of Arcadia, California for all filming except filming exclusively for private or family use. The fee is $250.00 for the first day and $75.00 for each additional day per location, with a $1,000,000.00 insurance certificate naming the City, and adjacent properties get written notice before filming.
A film permit shall be required for all types of filming except filming that is exclusively for private or family use. ... Each film permit issued shall authorize only the filming location and the filming dates listed on the film permit application form. An approved film permit is required prior to the start of any filming activity. ... A separate film permit and fee is required for each filming location and for each set of filming dates. Set of filming dates shall mean the dates requested on the original application. The dates do not necessarily need to be consecutive. ... A certificate of insurance in the amount of not less than One Million Dollars ($1,000,000.00) naming the City of Arcadia and Arcadia Redevelopment Agency (if applicable) as additional insured(s) and approved by the City Attorney is required prior to the issuance of a film permit. ... The film permit fee is Two Hundred Fifty Dollars ($250.00) for the first day and Seventy-five Dollars ($75.00) for each additional day for each location where filming will be conducted.
Full Breakdown
Article VI, Chapter 6, Division 6 of the Arcadia Municipal Code (Motion Picture Filming) controls filming in the City of Arcadia, California. Section 6616 requires a film permit for all types of filming except filming that is exclusively for private or family use. The applicant completes the City of Arcadia film permit application package and all required forms before issuance, including a detailed description of the filming and the equipment to be used (Section 6616.1).
Each permit authorizes only the filming location and the filming dates listed on the application form, and an approved permit is required before any filming activity starts (Section 6616.2). A separate permit and fee applies to each filming location and each set of filming dates. A set means the dates requested on the original application, and those dates do not need to be consecutive (Section 6616.3). The License Officer or designee reviews and approves permits consistent with the film permit policy in the application package (Section 6616.5).
Insurance is a condition of issuance: a certificate of not less than $1,000,000.00 naming the City of Arcadia and Arcadia Redevelopment Agency (if applicable) as additional insureds, approved by the City Attorney (Section 6616.4). The City can require police, fire or other city services as part of the process, and the applicant pays the cost the City incurs, with a possible deposit (Section 6616.6). Before filming starts, each applicant notifies in writing all properties immediately adjacent to the filming location, describing the activity and the dates and times scheduled (Section 6616.7). The fee is $250.00 for the first day and $75.00 for each additional day for each location (Section 6616.8).
Violations & Fines
Section 6616.10 lets the License Officer or designee revoke a film permit or deny an application for misrepresentation about the filming, personnel or equipment; activity that becomes a hazard or unduly disruptive to neighbors; filming beyond the hours in the permit; fire or life safety items left uncorrected after notice from police or fire personnel; failure to keep the required insurance; failure to follow permit terms; and conditions that amount to a public nuisance. Revocation is grounds to deny the applicant's later permits.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a film permit to shoot video in the City of Arcadia?
How much does an Arcadia film permit cost?
Do neighbors have to be told before filming in Arcadia?
What insurance does the City of Arcadia require for filming?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Arcadia
California rules heatmap·Compare Arcadia to another location·View the California filming & production overview
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Location Permits in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Los Angeles County handle location permits.