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

Significant Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Film location permits in Yolo County, CA, sometimes called film shoot permits, production permits, or filming authorizations, cover commercial photography, video shoots, and motion picture production.

Key Facts

Governing section
Sec. 9-3.213(d), Commercial Activities
Approval needed
Written permission from the Director
Related permit/fee section
Sec. 9-3.215, Permits and Fees
Covers
Commercial filming, photography, related activity
Violation class
Infraction under Sec. 9-3.202

Summary

Yolo County bans commercial filming or photography in county parks unless the Director gives written permission first. Sec. 9-3.213 groups filming with other commercial activities, all of which require a valid permit or written authorization from the Director before they can happen on park land.

These county ordinances apply to unincorporated areas of Yolo County. Incorporated cities within the county may have their own rules that take precedence over county-level regulations.

No person shall do any of the following within a park without a valid permit or other authorization: ... (d) Conduct any commercial filming or photography or actively related to commercial filming or photography except by written permission from the Director; (e) Conduct any activity of a commercial nature except by written permission from the Director or concessionaire agreement.

View official code

Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-21: Supplement 2026 S-21 includes: Local legislation current through Ord. 1584, effective June 25, 2026).

Full Breakdown

Sec. 213, Commercial Activities, lists five things no one may do in a county park without a valid permit or other authorization, including selling goods or services, posting advertisements, and conducting commercial activity generally. Subsection (d) singles out filming: no person may conduct commercial filming or photography, or activity actively related to it, except by written permission from the Director. Subsection (e) is the catch-all, barring any activity of a commercial nature except by written Director permission or a concessionaire agreement. There is no published fee schedule specific to filming inside this section; permits and any associated charges for park uses generally run through Sec.

215, which lets the Department set fees such as facility-use charges and reimbursement for labor, equipment, and overhead, and lets the Director attach conditions it finds necessary for park protection or public health and safety. Because approval is entirely discretionary and location-specific, a production company must secure the Director's written sign-off before setting up equipment, blocking trails, or filming for commercial purposes anywhere on Yolo County parkland, adopted as part of Ord. 1581, effective December 18, 2025.

Violations & Fines

Commercial filming or photography in a Yolo County park without the Director's written permission violates Sec. 9-3.213 and is an infraction under Sec. 9-3.202, punishable under California Government Code Section 25132. The Sheriff's Office and the Director are authorized under Sec. 9-3.201 to remove violators from the park or revoke any permission already granted.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a permit to film commercially in a Yolo County park?
Yes. Sec. 9-3.213(d) prohibits commercial filming or photography, or activity related to it, in any county park unless the Director has given written permission first, and Sec. 9-3.215 governs any associated fees or conditions.
Is there a set fee for a Yolo County filming permit?
The code does not print a flat filming fee. Charges follow the Department's adopted fee schedule under Sec. 9-3.215, which can include facility-use charges and reimbursement for County labor, equipment, and overhead tied to the shoot.
What happens if a film crew shoots in a Yolo County park without permission?
It is treated as an unpermitted commercial activity under Sec. 9-3.213, an infraction under Sec. 9-3.202 punishable under Government Code Section 25132, and the Sheriff's Office or Director can remove the crew from the park under Sec. 9-3.201.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Yolo County

All Yolo County rules

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