Placer County, CA Filming & Production: Location Permits (2026)
Film location permits in Placer County, CA, sometimes called film shoot permits, production permits, or filming authorizations, cover commercial photography, video shoots, and motion picture production.
Key Facts
- Permit trigger
- Any commercial-use filming on county or private location
- Issuing office
- Placer-Lake Tahoe Film Office, economic development division
- Property owner consent
- Separately required under § 5.25.030(E)(7)
- Lead time
- 2 business days, 3 if traffic control needed
- Exemptions
- News media, personal video, certified-studio filming only
Summary
Anyone filming for commercial purposes on county-owned property, or on a private facility or residence in unincorporated Placer County, must first obtain a film permit from the Placer-Lake Tahoe Film Office under County Code § 5.25.020(A), and must separately secure the property owner's consent.
A. Permit Required. No person shall use any county owned or controlled or private property, facility or residence in the unincorporated area of the county of Placer for the purpose of taking motion pictures, television, commercials, digital content, or still photography for commercial use, without first applying for and receiving a film permit pursuant to this article.
Full Breakdown
020(A) states the core rule: no person shall use any county owned or controlled or private property, facility or residence in the unincorporated area of the county of Placer for the purpose of taking motion pictures, television, commercials, digital content, or still photography for commercial use, without first applying for and receiving a film permit pursuant to this article. 030(A), which also serves as the county's liaison coordinating the permit with other departments before and during filming. 030(E)(7) separately requires that an applicant obtain the property owner's permission, consent, and/or lease for use of property not owned or controlled by the city/county, so a location permit does not substitute for the private landowner's own authorization.
030(C) is to issue the permit within 24 to 48 hours. 020(B) exempts only three narrow categories from the location permit requirement: spontaneous news media coverage, personal or family video not for commercial use, and filming conducted at a certified studio location.
Violations & Fines
Filming on county-controlled or private property for commercial use without a location permit violates § 5.25.020(A). Under § 5.25.060, the county provides written notice of the violation, and if the applicant fails to correct it, the county may revoke any permit already issued and require that all filming activity cease immediately.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a county permit to film at a private residence in unincorporated Placer County?
How far in advance must a location filming permit be requested?
Is personal video at a private home exempt from the permit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Placer County
California rules heatmap·Compare Placer County to another location·View the California filming & production overview
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