Riverside, CA Filming & Production: Location Permits (2026)

The City of Riverside operates a Film Office at (951) 826-5587 as the single point of contact for commercial film, television, still photography, and student productions. An application must be submitted at least five business days before the shoot (longer for street closures, stunts, pyrotechnics, or exotic animals) with location details, crew and vehicle counts, equipment lists, and a shooting schedule. Required documents include a Certificate of Insurance showing $1,000,000 combined single limit general liability with the City of Riverside named as additional insured, and workers' compensation for all employees as required by Labor Code Section 3700. Permit fees vary by production type: a low-impact still shoot is lower, while a feature film with equipment trucks and catering pays location rental plus personnel costs for police officers, fire safety officers, or parks staff. City-owned historic locations like the Mission Inn Avenue pedestrian zone, Fox Performing Arts Center exterior, White Park, Fairmount Park, and Mount Rubidoux require additional site-specific approvals. California Government Code Section 8589.3 encourages streamlined state and local film permitting; productions on Caltrans right-of-way need a separate Caltrans encroachment permit. News gathering of spontaneous events does not require a permit.