Culver City Waives Film Permit Fees, Cuts Insurance
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- Culver City fully waived its per-application Motion and Still Photography fees as of May 11, saving productions $660 per permit, and reduced minimum insurance requirements to match neighboring municipalities.
- Culver City is also offering full waivers on its Daily Use Fees of $350 (Motion) and $75 (Still Photography), reducing costs by up to 60% and cutting total administration fees by $1,700 on a typical three-day shoot.
- The original ordinance took effect December 1, 2025, and already included free production parking, a partial credit for film permit fees above 2024 rates, and suspension of city business tax collection.
- Since December 2025, Culver City has issued 15 filming permits totaling 17 shooting days and has subsidized approximately $33,846 in fees, with application fee subsidies charged against a capped $500,000 allocation.
- Mayor Freddy Puza framed the industry as part of the city's identity and economic backbone, while Elaine Warner, director of economic development, called the enhanced package a still-evolving pilot program with no additive fiscal impact.
- California expanded its Film & Television Tax Credit Program in 2025, raising statewide incentives to $750 million annually through 2030, the broader backdrop against which Culver City is positioning its local measures.
Why it matters: Culver City is using fee waivers—capped at $500,000 in subsidies—to compete for productions that have been migrating to lower-cost jurisdictions. With only 15 permits issued since December 2025, the program is still small-scale, but the per-shoot savings of $1,700 represent a meaningful reduction for productions weighing Los Angeles-area locations against out-of-state and international alternatives.
