Contra Costa County, CA: Commercial Filming on Public Right-of-Way (2026)

Ordinance Code Section 82-44.404(h) exempts a film-making activity for which a filming permit has been obtained in accordance with Chapter 56-8 of the code from the Temporary Events Ordinance's separate permit requirement, so a movie or commercial shoot large enough to otherwise count as an "event" does not need to run through both permitting tracks. Instead, Section 56-8.402 requires that no person engage in commercial motion picture production on public property or requiring public services without obtaining a filming permit, issued by the county's director of general services rather than the Department of Conservation and Development.

Section 56-8.408 conditions that permit on the production furnishing evidence of comprehensive liability insurance, including owned and non-owned automobile coverage, with a combined single limit of at least one million dollars for bodily injury and property damage, naming the county, its officers and employees as additional insureds. Section 56-8.410 sets issuance deadlines tied to how much the shoot disrupts traffic: permits that do not require traffic control lasting more than three minutes issue within two working days of a complete application, permits needing longer traffic control issue within four working days, and permits requiring a road closure take up to ten working days.

Section 56-8.602 requires the applicant to cover the county's actual costs, including police, fire and other services the filming occasions, and Section 56-8.604 lets the county keep a cancellation fee if the production cancels after 3 p.m. on the last working day before the scheduled shoot.