El Dorado County, CA Filming & Production: Location Permits (2026)

020(A) states plainly that no person shall use any public or private property, facility or residence for the purpose of taking motion pictures, television, digital media or commercial still photography without first applying for and receiving a permit from the County designee. 030 with sign-off from the County Administrative Office, Department of Transportation, Sheriff, County Counsel, and Risk Management, issues the permit. 040(B): contact information, the exact filming address and location within it, the inclusive dates and hours, a description of the activity, personnel counts, any activity which may cause public alarm such as gunfire, pyrotechnics, or drones, vehicle and equipment counts with a parking plan, and drone documentation if applicable.

Permit fees are set by separate Board of Supervisors resolution. 050 layers on liability insurance naming the county as additional insured, workers' compensation coverage, a hold-harmless agreement, and, where the county requires it, a refundable security deposit for site cleanup and restoration. Only four categories skip the permit entirely: breaking news, purely personal recording, filming at a certified studio, and narrow portrait photography that needs no road closure, personnel, or drones.