Film Permits

Rules and Regulations

Film Permit Process
General Rules and Regulations
Traffic Control

Online Film Permit Application

Film Permit Application

Film Permit Process

The City of Palmdale requires a film permit whether filming on private property, City property or Community Redevelopment Agency property, or filming within the City right-of-way. The City shall require the production company to have a copy of the permit on site at all times.

John Mlynar is the City of Palmdale's film liaison. The permit application information may be submitted by the production company (the "Permittee") to John Mlynar online on Web site at http://www.cityofpalmdale.org/visitors/film_permits.html or by facsimile at 661/267-5122.

The film office will expedite the permit process by coordinating all City department reviews and approvals, and will make every attempt to issue permits within 5 business days.

If other non-City of Palmdale agencies have jurisdiction, the Permittee shall notify such overlapping jurisdictions and shall submit a copy of signed approval by these agencies/jurisdictions along with the City of Palmdale permit application.

SHERIFF	Los Angeles County Film Desk, Marsha Townsend, Film Liaison
	(323) 526-5641 (phone) (323) 267-6694 (fax)

FIRE	Los Angeles County Public Safety & Film Unit Fire Prevention Division
	864 N. San Vicente Blvd., West Hollywood, CA 90069
	(310) 358-2397 (phone) (310) 358-2385 (fax)

The $110.25 film permit fee is set forth in the Palmdale Fee Resolution. Business license fees will not be collected when City/location fees are being charged.

The City requires an insurance policy rider for general liability and evidence of workers' compensation for $1,000,000 each occurrence and aggregate with endorsement naming the City of Palmdale, the Community Redevelopment Agency, the Palmdale Civic Authority, the Palmdale Housing Authority, and the Palmdale Industrial Development Authority as additional insureds.

Film Permit Rules and Regulations

This Document by Itself Does Not Constitute a Film Permit, but Must Be Attached to a Permit Issued by the City of Palmdale.

Authority: An encroachment permit to encroach on the public right-of-way for purposes of film or television production is issued pursuant to 12.08 of Title 12 of the Palmdale Municipal Code. The film permit ordinance is codified in Chapter 9.50 of the Municipal Code.

Standards: All work shall be performed in accordance with the permit and all City ordinances, rules and regulations.

Acceptance of Provisions: Permittee agrees that the performance of any work under the permit shall constitute an acceptance by the Permittee of all provisions thereunder.

Keep permit on worksite: The permit shall be kept at the worksite and upon request must be shown to any representative of the City of Palmdale. All warning and safety devices shall conform to the current Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices and MUTCD California supplement.

Fire hydrants shall not be blocked and access to them shall be maintained at all times.

Law Enforcement: The use of Sheriff's deputies or California Highway Patrol is mandatory when filming in the public right-of-way.

Permits for other agencies: Permittee must obtain all other paperwork or permits required by the applicable law enforcement agency, the Los Angeles County Fire Department and other public or private agencies or private property owners or individuals necessary in order to perform the intended work. If this provision is not complied with, the permit shall be null and void.

Clean-up of right-of-way: Upon completion of work, all materials and debris shall be entirely removed and the right-of-way left in a condition satisfactory to the City of Palmdale.

Permittee shall properly maintain any encroachment authorized herein and shall exercise reasonable care in inspecting and immediately repairing any damage to the public right-of-way or public property which occurs as a result of said encroachment or as the result of any work done hereunder. Permittee shall notify abutting property owners affected by this permit prior to starting any work hereunder.

Liability of Damages: Permittee shall indemnify, hold harmless and defend, in any actions at law or in equity, the City of Palmdale, the Palmdale Community Redevelopment Agency, the Palmdale Civic Authority, the Palmdale Housing Authority, and the Palmdale Industrial Development Authority, their employees, officers, agents, and elective and appointed boards from and against all claims, losses, damages, including property damage, personal injury, including death, and liability of any kind, nature and description arising out of or in any way connected with the work performed pursuant to the permit by Permittee, or any contractor or subcontractor. This indemnification shall extend to claims, losses, damage, injury and liability for injuries occurring after completion of the work, as well as during the work's progress.

Liability Insurance: Permittee shall obtain at its sole expense, and keep in full force and effect during the term of this permit broad form property damage, personal injury, automobile, employers' and comprehensive liability insurance with a one million dollar ($1,000,000) limit on a per occurrence basis. Use if pyrotechnics and/or aircraft requires a five million dollar ($5,000,000) limit. The policy shall stipulate that such insurance will operate, as primary insurance and that no other insurance maintained by the City will be called upon to cover any loss. The policy shall provide insurance endorsements naming the City of Palmdale, the Palmdale Community Redevelopment Agency, the Palmdale Civic Authority, the Palmdale Housing Authority, and the Palmdale Industrial Development Authority, their employees, officers, agents, and elective and appointed boards as additional insureds. Furthermore, Permittee shall obtain and maintain workers' compensation insurance coverage in the California statutory amounts.

Revocation of Permit: The permit may be terminated by the Film Liaison for non-compliance with rules and regulations hereon.

Traffic Control

The Permittee shall submit traffic control plans signed and stamped by a registered traffic engineer. The City of Palmdale will review the traffic control plan at no charge with three to five days' notice. The traffic control plan must be submitted to the Film Liaison with the application for approval when any of these four following conditions apply:

Moving traffic over the street centerline.
Reducing the number of travel lanes by more than one lane.
Any road closure (one or two way).
Any work performed within 250 feet of a traffic signal.

The following procedures shall be followed during intermittent traffic control:

The intermittent traffic control shall be implemented by Los Angeles County Sheriff's deputies or California Highway Patrol officers. Each period of intermittent traffic control during which traffic is to be stopped shall ABSOLUTELY NOT EXCEED 5 minutes.
Access to all private property shall be maintained at all times, unless otherwise approved by the City of Palmdale.
Emergency vehicle access shall be maintained at all times.
All traffic signs, traffic control devices and control procedures shall be in conformance with the Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices and MUTCD California supplement.
Additional traffic controls may be required to facilitate public safety and traffic flow, if deemed necessary by the Sheriff's department and/or the City of Palmdale.

For general information, please call Film Liaison John Mlynar at 661/267-5120 or 661/267-5115 or 661/267-5119 or 888/4FILMAV (inside California only).