Film location permits in Bakersfield, CA — sometimes called film shoot permits, production permits, or filming authorizations — cover commercial photography, video shoots, and motion picture production.
The City of Bakersfield issues its own film permit for commercial productions on city property and city streets — Kern County's free film permit (issued by the Kern County Film Commission) does NOT cover the City of Bakersfield. The city permit costs $200 ($170 permit fee + $30 business license) and requires $2 million general liability insurance with an endorsement (a certificate alone is not accepted).
Bakersfield is one of Kern County's 11 incorporated cities where the County Public Works Road Permits office does not issue film/road permits — productions filming on Bakersfield streets, sidewalks, or city-owned property must apply directly to the City of Bakersfield Special Events & Film Permits office. The permit fee is $200 ($170 permit + $30 city business license). Productions must provide $2 million general liability insurance and must submit an insurance endorsement naming the City of Bakersfield as additional insured — a certificate of insurance alone will not be accepted. Lead time and additional services (police, fire standby) are coordinated through the Special Events office. Productions involving only privately owned interior locations with no city impact may still need a city business license but not necessarily a film permit.
Filming on city property or city streets without a permit can result in a stop-work order, citation under the city's general administrative code, and cost recovery for city services consumed (police, fire, traffic control). Repeat violators may be denied future permits.
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See how Bakersfield's location permits rules stack up against other locations.
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