San Diego County, CA Filming & Production: Street Closures (2026)
Key Facts
- Permit issuer
- Road Commissioner (County)
- Film exception via
- SD Motion Picture & TV Bureau
- Also required for exception
- CHP traffic control, County insured
- Closures over 24 hours
- Need Board of Supervisors approval
- Violation penalty
- Misdemeanor, up to $1,000 or 6 months
Summary
Unincorporated San Diego County requires a Road Commissioner permit to close a street for a parade or special event, but film shoots working through the San Diego Motion Picture and Television Bureau with CHP traffic control and insurance are exempt.
No person shall conduct or manage a parade or special event without a written permit from the Road Commissioner or the Board of Supervisors. ... This section does not apply to: ... (4) Film making activities that: a. are conducted under the auspices of the San Diego Motion Picture and Television Bureau of the San Diego Chamber of Commerce, and; b. have the California Highway Patrol conducting traffic control in conjunction with the filming; and; c. have a Certificate of Insurance indemnifying the County of San Diego as an additional insured.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-141: Administrative: Current through Ord. No. 11007 (N.S.), effective 7-10-26 | Regulatory: Current through Ord. No. 11008 (N.S.), effective 7-24-26).
Full Breakdown
County Code § 72.249.5 requires a written permit from the Road Commissioner (or Board of Supervisors on appeal) before anyone closes a street for a parade or "special event." Section 72.249.5(i)(4) carves out film-making activities run under the San Diego Motion Picture and Television Bureau of the San Diego Chamber of Commerce, provided the California Highway Patrol handles traffic control and the production carries a Certificate of Insurance naming the County as additional insured. Section 72.249.6 lets the Road Commissioner temporarily close the street once a permit issues; closures over 24 hours need Board of Supervisors sign-off.
Violations & Fines
Closing a street or holding a parade/special event without a Road Commissioner permit violates County Code § 11.116: a misdemeanor punishable by up to a $1,000 fine, six months in jail, or both.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do film shoots need a street closure permit in unincorporated San Diego County?
How long can a street stay closed for a permitted event?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in San Diego County
California rules heatmap·Compare San Diego County to another location·View the California filming & production overview
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