Moorpark, CA Filming & Production: Location Permits (2026)
Film location permits in Moorpark, CA, sometimes called film shoot permits, production permits, or filming authorizations, cover commercial photography, video shoots, and motion picture production.
Key Facts
- Permit issuer
- Community development director
- Liability insurance
- $1,000,000 minimum
- Applies to
- Any public or private property
- Violation
- Infraction, per-day penalty
Summary
Moorpark requires a community development director permit to film motion pictures, TV, or still photography on any public or private property in the city, backed by $1 million liability insurance, a hold-harmless agreement, and a possible security deposit.
No person shall use any public or private property, facility, or residence for the purpose of motion picture, television, or still photography production without first applying for and receiving a permit from the community development director.
2. Exemptions. The provisions of this section shall not apply to or affect the following:
a. News Media. Reporters, photographers, or camerapersons in the employ of a newspaper, news service, or similar entity engaged in news media, including on-the-spot print media, publishing, or broadcasting of news events concerning those persons, scenes, or occurrences that are in the news and of general public interest.
b. Personal/Family Video. The recording of visual images (motion or still photography) solely for private personal use, and not for commercial use.
c. Studio Filming. Filming activities (motion or still photography) conducted at a studio designated for such use.
d. Still Photography for Business Advertisements. Still photography for advertisements produced at the business that is the subject of the advertisements, provided all filming activities take place on private property and result in no impairment of the use of the public right-of-way or other public facilities.
e. City-Sponsored Filming. Filming by the city, provided the filming results in no impairment of the use of the public right-of-way or other public facilities.
3.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4978490; v10 updated 2026-07-01).
Full Breakdown
Moorpark requires anyone using public or private property, including a private residence, for motion picture, television, or still photography production to first obtain a permit from the community development director. Exemptions cover news media, personal/family video, filming at a certified studio, city-sponsored filming, and on-site business ad photography. Permit holders must carry at least $1 million in liability insurance naming the city as additional insured, provide workers' comp coverage, sign a hold-harmless agreement, and may owe a refundable security deposit for site cleanup. Violating permit terms is an infraction, with each day of continued violation a separate offense.
Violations & Fines
Filming without a permit, or breaching permit conditions like insurance or hold-harmless requirements, is an infraction; the city can revoke the permit and halt filming, with each day a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to film a commercial in my Moorpark backyard?
What does a Moorpark filming permit require besides the application?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Moorpark
California rules heatmap·Compare Moorpark to another location·View the California filming & production overview
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Location Permits in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Ventura County handle location permits.