Within the Los Angeles region, any filming activity that has a commercial purpose and is not filmed on a certified sound stage or studio backlot must have a film permit from the local governmental jurisdiction or agency.

FilmL.A. is the contracted sole provider of film permit coordination for the County and City of Los Angeles and numerous other cities and agencies. When filmmakers apply for permits, our team of production coordinators works hand-in-hand with our client jurisdictions to obtain the required approvals from agencies or departments such as police and fire, transportation, animal regulation and public works.

This process is now handled through our state-of-the-art Online Permit System (OPS) . Location Managers and other customers can apply for a permit online and review the status of required approvals in real-time. When all requirements are met, completed permits can be received by email.

Getting governmental approvals is only one aspect of the permitting process. We work to strike a balance between the needs and interests of the entertainment industry and the neighborhoods involved with on-location production. We work to uncover neighborhood concerns before a permit is issued, so that the concerns can be addressed through the permit's conditions, and we serve as intermediaries between neighbors and production crews when problems arise during filming.