COVID-19 Resource Center

All filmmakers working in Los Angeles are required to understand and apply regulations from Cal/OSHA, the California Department of Public Health, and Los Angeles County Department of Public Health. None of these entities currently impose specific rules on the film permit process, but general business regulations including on-set PPE use, etc. may still apply.

The film industry's Return to Work (RTW) Agreement (details available elsewhere on this page) imposes other requirements on many LA area productions. Please note that FilmLA is unable to advise filmmakers on regulatory compliance matters outside of the film permit process.

A film set is a workplace subject to various layers of regulation under federal, state and local law.  In addition, and more specific to film industry practices, many film companies are operating under COVID-19 labor guidelines, known as the Return to Work (RTW) Agreement.

Effective June 15, 2021, the County of Los Angeles Department of Public Health (LADPH) retired its own Appendix J health protocols specific to film, television and commercial production.

Nonetheless, film production companies, like all businesses that operate within Los Angeles County, are subject to the COVID-19 Ongoing Requirements for Employers.

Yes. All filmmakers working in Los Angeles are recommended to understand and apply regulations from Cal/OSHA, the California Department of Public Health, and Los Angeles County Department of Public Health. The genre, budget and/or scale of your film project are not a consideration. Please note that FilmLA is unable to advise filmmakers on regulatory compliance matters outside of the film permit process.

As of right now, some publicly owned locations such as Los Angeles City Hall and the Los Angeles County Hall of Administration are off limits to filming. Others are available, on a case by case basis. We invite you to contact FilmLA’s Solution Services team with questions.

FilmLA also continues to pay attention to base camp and posted parking requirements, intermittent traffic and pedestrian control, extras holding areas and crew feeds during the permit process.

On-location filming in LA County and LA City sometimes occurs in facilities subjected to vaccination or negative test verification requirements. Examples include bars (LA County ordinance) or restaurants (LA City ordinance). On-location film productions are not subject to these particular requirements as long as either 1) the facility is closed to the public during use by the production or 2) the area used by the production is defined and separated from the area used by the public, including use of a separate entrance. All other relevant COVID-19 ordinances/orders still apply (such as indoor masking), as do CalOSHA requirements. However, the owner or manager of any venue may negotiate for stricter policies.

For film projects covered under the industry’s Return to Work (RTW) Agreement, enforcement of on-set health protocols is the responsibility of a dedicated COVID-19 Compliance Officer (COC ). Even if your production is not specifically subject to these Agreements, they serve as recommended practices for a safe and successful shoot.

Several sets of precautionary guidelines have been developed by the film, television and commercial production industry. Many companies continue to operate under Health and Safety Guidelines that were released June 1, 2020 by the AMPTP’s Industry Wide Labor Management Safety Committee (IWLMSC) Task Force. The Task Force was comprised of health experts and high-level representatives of studios and entertainment unions. You can read these guidelines, as well as the supplemental document developed by various unions and guilds, "The Safe Way Forward".

At this time, State, County, and City-level regulations do not limit the total number of cast and crew you may have on set at one time. The film industry's current Return to Work (RTW) Agreement (details available elsewhere on this page) limits cast/crew access to film sets based on need and a risk-based Zoning system.

Supervision by municipal and/or FilmLA employees is a condition of filming at many locations. All municipal and FilmLA employees assigned and/or required to perform on-site duties on film locations will observe the following:

• Using approved personal protective equipment (PPE), including masks, per Cal/OSHA requirement.
• Maintaining physical distancing, whenever possible.
• Observing sanitation practices, as applicable.
• Agreeing to on-site screening questionnaires (including temperature checks) if requested.

Municipal and FilmLA Employees shall not be required to be tested by production representatives for COVID-19 prior to performing their duties as assigned. Productions may have additional requirements for their employees, vendors and visitors. Municipal and FilmLA employees shall not be subject to such requirements. Per ADA regulations, FilmLA will not disclose vaccination status regarding employees. Productions should plan to adapt on-site practices to observe the preceding procedures.

Due to the closure of our physical office, we currently only accept payment via credit card and business credit accounts. We are unable to accept payments via cash, business checks or money orders.

State of California regulations for the control of COVID-19 allow for on-location filming to occur at this time.

Like any California workplace, a film set is subject to Cal/OSHA health regulations applicable to all employers. Meanwhile, according to the California Department of Public Health, local regulations for the control of COVID-19 can be more strict, but not less strict, than measures applied by the State of California.

The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health has not imposed specific regulation on filmmakers since the retirement of the LA County Public Health Officer Order Appendix J in June, 2021. Nonetheless, it is important to note that the current Return to Work Agreement (RTW) between producers and industry labor unions is more comprehensive than Appendix J, particularly as it pertains to PPE use, regular cast and crew testing requirements, and workforce vaccination.

FilmLA will continue to encourage productions to follow all State, County, City and industry guidelines that are set in place for safety. FilmLA does not set the terms for filming taking place on-location.
At FilmLA, we have modified our business practices to minimize health risk to communities when filming happens on-location. As examples, all of our field employees – the folks who deliver Notices of Filming door-to-door – undergo health checks when reporting to work and are equipped with company issued personal protective equipment including masks, gloves, hand sanitizer and “no touch” tools.

Our Hollywood office is also closed to the public at this time, with most of our staff working remotely.

Yes. FilmLA and City and County representatives including experts from the LA County Department of Public Health worked in late 2020 to update the Filming Survey guidelines. A new process, based heavily on the protocols applying to door-to-door visits by US Census workers, was adopted by City and County authorities. The new process allowed Filming Surveys to resume, while safeguarding the health and safety of residents, business owners and production company personnel.

Yes, FilmLA Monitors are available to oversee productions when ordinarily required. They are under instructions to socially distance at the periphery of the filming location. For their health and safety, Monitors undergo health checks when reporting to work and are equipped with company issued personal protective equipment including masks, gloves, hand sanitizer and “no touch” tools.

FilmLA Monitors are available to ensure compliance with FilmLA coordinated permit. They do not have authority to serve as COVID-19 Compliance Officers or to enforce industry health protocols.

No. Although routine COVID-19 testing is required of entertainment industry employers working during the pandemic, testing results are not reportable to FilmLA. Production officials must continue to report positive Coronavirus diagnoses above a specific threshold to County authorities.

FilmLA also does not track or issue reports regarding productions shut down due to mandatory quarantine.

Film crew members working on-location should report unsafe practices to the COVID-19 Compliance Officer (COC) assigned to their production and union representatives.

Members of the public can report unsafe practices to FilmLA (for courtesy follow up directly with the permitted production company) and also directly to the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health using this online form.

If you wish to reach out the Department of Public Health, they can be reached on their website.