Permits

Tuolumne County is home to several filming jurisdictions but the majority are covered by County or City permits.
City & County permits must go through the Film Commission, but all others have specific agencies.
We are happy to help the process with any of the film permits though and will help guide you to the necessary organization!
If you are unsure of which permit(s) your location requires, do not hesitate to contact us and we will help you determine which permit(s) you need.

City Permits

A City Permit is required to film within the city limits of Sonora.
The City of Sonora prefers at least 2 weeks to process all applications.
Fee: Free*

City permits require a completed application which can be downloaded here. This application must be filled out and returned to the Film Commission (film@gotuolumne.com).
*The City requires that the applicant provide the policy rider, naming the City of Sonora, its officers, officials, employees and volunteers as additional insured.
An indemnification agreement between the City and production company is required and can be downloaded here.

*Please note that while the basic permit has no fee, any additional permits (ex: encroachment permits) may add costs.

County permits

Any locations that aren't located within City Limits, owned Federally or by the State, require a County Permit.
The County prefers at least 2 weeks to process all applications.
Fee: Free

The County requires a completed application which can be downloaded here. This application must be filled out and returned to the Film Commission (film@gotuolumne.com).
The County requires proof of insurance to be shown for an application to be processed.

state parks

Tuolumne County is home to two state parks: Railtown & Columbia State Historic Park.
Both of these require you to go through the California Film Commission to obtain these permits.
The CFC requires at least 4 business days to process applications.

The California Film Commission's Application is online and can be completed here.
Insurance requirements from the California Film Commission are listed here.
While the California Film Commission permit is free, some things may require a fee. To find a list of these fees, the California Film Commission lists them here.
For more info on filming in state parks in California, there's a handy page from CFC with contacts and guidelines here.

Railtown 1897

Railtown 1897 is located in Jamestown, California and is home of several trains, historic train station & roundhouse, and a scraps yard. On site is a timeline of famous movies and TV shows that have utilized their trains + some props and set pieces!

Columbia STate historic park

Columbia State Historic Park is a living history town and is closed off to vehicular traffic (with exception of their horse carriages). It's home to High Noon and many other movies over the last several decades!

Black Oak Casino Resort

Black Oak Casino is owned and operated by the Tuolumne Band of Me-Wuk Indians.

For filming in the Casino and on Casino grounds, contact the following:
Dee Baldwin
Marketing Media & Promotional Manager
dbaldwin@blackoakcasino.com

United States Forest Service

The Stanislaus Forest makes up over half of Tuolumne County!
If you don't know if the land you're on is private or public,
you can contact the forest service and they will let you know.
The Forest Service prefers at least 2 weeks to process all applications but during peak times can take 6 to 8 weeks to process.

The permit application for the United States Forest Service can be downloaded here. It must be filled out and sent to the appropriate office (Stanislaus in the case of Tuolumne County) for review.
For more information on filming in our local forest, the Pacific Southwest Regional site has a page dedicated to filming.

Department of interior permits

yosemite national park

Tuolumne County is home to part of Yosemite National Park!
Yosemite has no specified timeframe for permit processing.

The park requires a permit application, proof of insurance, and a pre-film conference. Certain projects may require more and the park will guide you on the necessities.
Yosemite has miscellaneous fees and highly regulates filming in their boundaries, especially during the visitor season (May through October).
All information about filming in Yosemite can be found on their website here.

New Melones and Table Mountain

The Bureau of Reclamation maintains a handful of lands in Tuolumne County,
including New Melones Lake + Trails and Table Mountain.
The Bureau of Reclamation has no specified timeframe for permit processing.

You must fill out a permit application which can be downloaded here.
For a full list of what Bureau of Reclamation requires for an application, it is listed here.
The Central California Area Office represents our area and is located in Folsom.

red hills

The Bureau of Land Management maintains Red Hills near Chinese Camp, California.
Please note that Red Hills is an Area of Critical Environmental Concern.
Their permit process can take anywhere from 30 to 60 days.

The film application for BLM can be downloaded here.
You must also fill out a description of filming which can be downloaded here.
You must provide proof of insurance, listing BLM as co-insured.
You must also provide a map of where you plan on filming.
For a list of fees for filming in BLM lands, you can download their fee listings here.
If you have anymore questions, the film permit process can be found on BLM's website.

Our Local Bureau of Land Management office contact:

Bureau of Land Management
Mother Lode Field Office
5152 Hillsdale Circle
El Dorado Hills, CA 95762

Phone:916-941-3101
Email:BLM_CA_Web_ML@blm.gov

Waiver of Liability Form

Film Permits