San Clemente, CA Filming & Production: Location Permits (2026)

44 defines "filming" broadly to cover staging or shooting commercial still or motion pictures, television programs, and advertisements, but it exempts spontaneous television news coverage, private home movies, small productions of two or fewer crew members that do not use props or restrict public property, and filming that happens entirely inside a filming studio. 020 requires anyone doing filming that touches public property or a public right-of-way, or restricts its normal use by the public, to first obtain a San Clemente filming permit. 050, including safety risks, conflicts with previously approved uses of the site, and diversion of city personnel.

Applicants must submit the city's filming permit application and fee to the Department of Beaches, Parks and Recreation, cover staff and equipment recovery costs under the adopted Commercial Filming Policy unless a fee waiver is granted, and satisfy security and insurance requirements before the permit issues. A denial or a condition can be appealed in writing to the City Clerk no later than two working days before filming is set to begin, and the City Manager decides the appeal on the record. The City Manager can also suspend or revoke an issued permit for false information, an unmitigated public-safety threat, or a permit-holder's failure to meet a condition of approval.