San Luis Obispo County, CA Filming & Production: Location Permits (2026)

County Code Sec. 052 bars using any county property, or property or facilities of the special districts under the Board of Supervisors, for motion picture production, television production or still photography without first applying for and receiving a film permit from the issuing agency, defined at Sec. 051 as the director of central services or a designee. The bar does not reach use of public property that is indistinguishable from ordinary public use and does not interfere with public or county operations. Applicants file on the director's form under Sec.

055, disclosing the production company and on-location contact, filming dates and call times, scenes involving firearms, explosives, open flame, pyrotechnics, animals, stunts or vehicle/watercraft/aircraft filming, vehicles to be parked on public streets, cast/crew count, and proof of insurance. Sec. 057 sets minimum auto and comprehensive general liability coverage, workers' compensation compliance under Labor Code Sec. 3700, and requires the county be named additional insured with primary, non-contributory, occurrence-based coverage; certificates must precede any filming. Sec. 056 requires the permittee to indemnify and defend the county against claims arising from the production.

Under Sec. 054 the issuing agency sets fees (approved by the Board of Supervisors) covering personnel and property usage, and may require a cash deposit or certificate of deposit to guarantee site cleanup, refunded after inspection minus any cleanup costs incurred. Sec. 059 lets the issuing agency deny or revoke a permit in its discretion for reasonable cause tied to public health, safety or welfare, or unreasonable interference with normal property use, and lets it cancel a permit for violation of the chapter.