Marin County, CA Filming & Production: Student Filming (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- Marin County Code § 5.36.030
- Waiver scope
- All or part of application fee
- Approval authority
- Board of supervisors
- Permit still required
- Yes, under § 5.36.010
- Insurance still required
- Yes, under § 5.36.050
Summary
Marin County still requires the Chapter 5.36 commercial filming permit for student or educational productions, but Section 5.36.030 lets the board of supervisors waive all or part of the application fee when the filming serves an educational or public purpose, easing the cost for student filmmakers and nonprofit or classroom productions.
All or any portion of the fee may be waived with approval of the board of supervisors if the filming is being done for educational or public purposes.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Municipal Code: Supplement 2026 Update 1).
Full Breakdown
020 otherwise charges for each eight-hour period of filming on county property. 010, which still requires a permit from the responsible department director before using county property, from the public works director before using county roads and right-of-ways, or from the Parks, Open Space and Cultural Services director before using county parks. 060 or pay for the county's cleanup. 030 conditions the waiver on approval by the board of supervisors, a school or college project seeking a fee waiver should request it when the permit application is filed, rather than assuming a reduced or waived fee applies automatically to any project described as educational.
Violations & Fines
Filming a student or educational project on county property without first obtaining the Chapter 5.36 permit is unlawful under § 5.36.010, even though the fee itself may be waived under § 5.36.030; a waived fee does not waive the insurance requirement of § 5.36.050 or the cleanup obligation of § 5.36.060.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can student filmmakers get a filming permit fee waived in Marin County?
Does a fee waiver mean students do not need a filming permit?
Who decides whether an educational film project gets a fee waiver in Marin County?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Marin County
California rules heatmap·Compare Marin County to another location·View the California filming & production overview
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