#StayinLA

StayinLA's

8 COMMON-SENSE FIXES

FOR LA'S FILM PERMITTING SYSTEM

PLEDGE YOUR NAME IN SUPPORT OF THESE RECOMMENDATIONS

These recommendations come directly from 50 hours of StayinLA's on-the-ground research and direct engagement–including conversations with location managers, city departments, key staffers from the Mayor's and City Council offices, and FilmLA, which must be a partner in implementing every reform, as they sit at the center of the permitting process.

At present, there is no equity in the city's production system: the high impact studio productions can absorb today's permitting costs and inefficiencies, but low and medium impact productions cannot. Without them, crew face a feast-or-famine cycle that has already been widely reported and felt. And larger studios face greater pressure when there aren't smaller productions to fill the gaps between TV seasons or major films.

Generally, low and medium impact productions are also where the next generation of crew, producers, and creative talent get their start – the pipeline that sustains film and television as the city's third largest economic generator, responsible for billions in local spending and tens of thousands of jobs.

PLEDGE YOUR SUPPORT. PUSH THE CITY TO ACT.
It's been 143 days since the Mayor's Executive Directive.

With runaway production an ongoing reality, and the new state tax credit poised to bring more work back to California, the City must take action now to ensure that small and mid-sized productions can afford to film here. Without them, the long-term health of the industry, and the economic impact it delivers to Los Angeles, is at risk.

While we have identified many opportunities to evolve the permitting process, we are presenting these first eight targeted permitting reforms spanning Fire, Police, Recreation & Parks, DOT, and the City Council. They address unnecessary costs, outdated rules, and structural inefficiencies. Together, these changes would make Los Angeles more film-friendly, while maintaining public safety and community balance.

These are practical, administrative requests.
They don't require changes to governing ordinances, personnel rates, or a
legislative vote. With sufficient political will, every one of them could be
executed today.

Fire (LAFD)

1. 1-Year Pilot: Waive Spot Check Fee for Low-Impact Shoots
Run a 1-year pilot waiving the spot check fee for low-impact shoots, defined as productions with 20 or fewer people and no pyrotechnics, special effects, or drones. Despite its name, this fee is not a safety inspection but a cost-recovery charge for labor and materials required to review fire-related activity. Waiving it would reduce barriers for smaller productions while allowing the City to measure impact and volume.
2. Ensure Leadership Continuity in the LAFD Film Unit
Unlike LAPD and Recreation & Parks, where staff remain in place for years and build deep expertise and relationships, LAFD rotates the Film Unit captain every three years under union rules. This turnover erases institutional knowledge, disrupts relationships, and leads to inconsistent policy enforcement. The City should explore transferring day-to-day Film Unit responsibilities to a civilian employee under the direction of a sworn Fire Captain, ensuring both safety and continuity over time.

Police (LAFD)

3. Create a Standing Process to Revisit and Remove Outdated Restrictions
LAPD and FilmLA maintain internal restrictions on locations when areas become unsafe or overloaded with filming. These are different from special conditions, which require Council action. These restrictions are intended to be flexible and removable, yet they are only revisited sporadically. The City should require LAPD and FilmLA to conduct regular reviews of restrictions tied to a clear timeline, where they must either be renewed with justification or automatically expire. The Mayor's Film Liaison office should ensure this process happens consistently.

Recreation & Parks (RAP)

4. 1-Year Pilot: Waive Location Fees for Low-Impact Shoots
Run a 1-year pilot eliminating location and parking fees for low-impact shoots to measure impact and volume. Work with RAP to define what qualifies as low-impact (e.g. 20 or fewer crew members and no pyrotechnics, special effects, or drones, which is how Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority defines low-impact).
5. 1-Year Pilot: Waive Admin Fee for Special Facilities
Run a 1-year pilot eliminating the $150 RAP admin surcharge added on top of already higher fees for special fees to measure impact and volume.

Department of Transportation (DOT)

6. Posting Requirements: Align with State Minimum of 24 Hours
DOT requires 48 business hours for posting, even though the state only requires 24. DOT argues this gives the community more notice, but because weekends don't count and DOT staff hours differ from standard office hours, the 48-hour rule creates unnecessary delays. Aligning with the 24-hour state minimum would still balance community use while reducing permitting friction.
7. 1-Year Pilot: Waive Lane Closure Fee for Low-Impact Shoots
Run a 1-year pilot eliminating lane closure fee for low-impact shoots. Work with DOT and LAPD to define what qualifies as low-impact (e.g. 20 or fewer people and no filming activity on the street). This would reduce barriers for smaller productions while allowing the City to measure impact and volume.

Los Angeles City Council

8. Create a Standing Process to Revisit and Remove Outdated Special Conditions
Special conditions set by council members often remain long after the original issue has passed, limiting production without improving community outcomes. The City should require regular review of these conditions with FilmLA at set intervals –for example, midway through each councilmember's term every two years. Reviews should ensure special conditions reflect a balance between community needs and production, rather than one-off complaints. FilmLA, in coordination with City Council, should also be tasked with standardizing conditions across districts and making clear commitments so that new special conditions are rarely needed.

SEE OUR SUPPORTERS

Our Working Definition of Impact*

Tier	Core definition (permit lens)	Typical controls
Low-impact	≤ 40 people (cast+crew) on site; no pyrotechnics, stunts, drones, live animals; no lane/street closures (parking only); minimal gear; ≤ 2 days at a single address.	Fast-track review, reduced/waived fees (spot-check, RAP location, DOT lane fees), 24-hr postings OK, no monitor by default.
Medium-impact	41-80 people or any one "plus factor": drone use (standard part 107), intermittent traffic holds, sidewalk closure, limited lane closure, minor set dressing, 3-7 days at location.	Standard fees; targeted inspections; survey/notice where applicable; monitor if any closures/SFX; 48→24 hr posting alignment.
High-impact	>81 people or any high-risk activity: pyrotechnics, stunts, aerials, major street/lane closures, big set builds, multi-block footprint, 8+ days, or multi-unit shoots.	Full inter-departmental review; traffic plan; community mitigation; monitor(s) mandatory; bonds/escrows where needed.

Upgrade rules (simple and enforceable): any request for (a) pyros/stunts/aerials, (b) lane/street closure, or (c) major build → auto-bump to Medium or Large regardless of headcount.

Ref*

West Hollywood (CA) – Low-Impact Filming Program

“West Hollywood offers reduced permit fees through its Low-Impact Filming Program for small productions with casts and crews of 15 people or fewer working entirely on private property. Additional reduced fees may apply for limited low-impact use of public property.”

Public property includes city facilities, parks, commercial, and residential areas.

Source: City of West Hollywood Film Fees & Policies

Vancouver, BC — Ultra-Low Impact Definition

“To qualify as ultra-low impact, a production must have: Less than 15 persons (cast and crew); Minimal equipment; Minimal parking impact; No traffic control; No diesel generator; No curfew extension.”

Ultra-low impact productions are eligible for a reduction of 85% off the daily permit fee..

Source: Filming Fees – City of Vancouver (Ultra-Low Impact section)

City of London (UK) — Low-Impact Filming Definition

“We issue a Notice of No Objection for small, portable filming on the streets where no equipment or traffic control licences are required.”

Source: Film & Photography Permissions – City of London

New York City (MOME / NYC Film Office) — Low-Impact / No Permit Threshold

“No Permit: … you do not need a film permit if you are (1) using a hand-held camera, a camera on tripod, hand-held props and/or hand-held equipment, (2) not asserting exclusive use of City property, (3) not using prop weapons, prop vehicles, stunts, actors in police uniform, and (4) not requesting parking privileges for production vehicles.”

Source: When a Permit Is Required and Fee Info – NYC Mayor’s Office of Media & Entertainment