Standard Disclaimer
FilmLA has gathered the location filming information in this article as a service to the entertainment industry. It is updated regularly, but also subject to change. FilmLA cannot and does not guarantee that the information contained here is at any time complete and without error. By using this site, you acknowledge these limitations and agree that neither FilmLA, nor its predecessors, successors, partners, affiliates, directors, officers, employees, agents or representatives shall be liable for any reason for damages of any nature (including special, incidental, compensatory, consequential or punitive) to any individual or entity who uses or relies on the information contained here for any purpose. Factual errors may be reported to FilmLA using the links provided at the bottom of the article.
Standard Requirements
Permit Requirement
A film permit is required for all commercial filming activity within the City of Vernon, whether on public property, public right-of-way or private property.
Application Deadline
10 AM DEADLINE
Application / location submission is due in MyFilmLA by 10 a.m. Late applications are ineligible for processing.
Below are the minimum processing times for permit applications. Holidays may affect deadlines. Changes due to holidays will be posted on our website (www.filmla.com) and sent to registered subscribers via Production Alert, prior to the holiday.
- Processing for on-location filming requires a three full business days prior to the first activity date (not including Fridays). This does not include the date of submission.
- All high impact or exceptional activity (example: stunts, special effects, gunfire, aerial activity, closures) will require additional lead time.
- Vernon is closed every Friday. The application submission deadline does not include Fridays when the City is closed.
For clarification on deadlines please contact FilmLA's Solution Services department at (213) 977-8600 or info@filmla.com.
Standard Filming Hours
Standard Filming Hours are from 7:00 am to 10:00 pm, Monday-Friday and 9:00 am to 10:00 pm on weekends when filming in residential areas. Any request for filming outside these hours may require a community filming survey, showing significant support of the requested activity from the affected residents. Commercial areas do not have filming hour restrictions.
Insurance Requirements
Filmmakers seeking permits to film on-location in the City of Vernon must have insurance on file with FilmLA. If you do not have insurance on file, please provide us with mandatory insurance as per the insurance requirements below.
Insurance coverage limits may vary based on activity and location. We do not advise you to purchase insurance without first discussing your filming plans with a FilmLA insurance specialist.
Please forward all insurance requirements for this jurisdiction to your broker for processing.
Final permits will not be released until all insurance has been reviewed and approved by FilmLA, so please submit your insurance certificates as soon as possible.
Required Insurance Coverage
- Commercial General Liability
- Auto Liability
- Proof of Workers’ Compensation
Minimum Limits (per occurrence)
- $500,000 - Still Photography only
- $1,000,000 - General Liability per occurrence
- $2,000,000 - General Aggregate
- $5,000,000 - Aircraft use
- Excess liability (when required)
Additional Insured
- The City of Vernon added as additional insured; see link below for specific wording and sample.
- FilmLA must also be added as additional insured; see link below for specific wording and sample.
Insurance Submission
You may submit insurance documentation via MyFilmLA using the file upload link. This upload link can be found in the request email sent to you from the Insurance Department.
If you have any questions about our requirements, please contact our office at 213.977.8600 and ask to speak with an insurance specialist.
City of Vernon Insurance Guidelines / Sample
Department Requirements
City of Vernon Building Department
An occupancy inspection may be required for any set building or filming activity which would impact the structure of the existing building.
Los Angeles County Fire Department
The Los Angeles County Fire Department is the fire authority for the City of Vernon.
LA County FD Field Inspection Program
LA County FD Location Inspection Checklist
City of Vernon Health Department
The City of Vernon Health Department is responsible for the health and public safety of its citizens. Production companies must comply with codes governing hazardous materials and all health standards in providing the appropriate number of restrooms, and sanitary conditions for food preparation. Catering companies must display a current health permit and documentation of food handler certification as well as a vehicle inspection done within the last 90 days. The following guidelines will be evaluated when reviewing permit application for approval. Health Department forms will be attached to the application by a FilmLA Coordinator for approval.
- Restrooms: Adequate restrooms shall be provided or made available to facilitate the crew on site. Any additional mobile trailers used must have water for hand washing. “Port-a-potties” are not allowed.
- Solid Waste & Trash: All solid waste and trash generated shall be properly removed and disposed of. Any debris generated from the building of sets, shall be recycled whenever possible.
- Catering: All catering shall be provided by a licensed caterer. A copy of the current local health permit (Vernon‟s, Los Angeles County, Orange County, Ventura, or similar) shall be submitted along with a copy of the latest inspection report and the Food Handlers/Managers Certification. Caterers without valid documentation must apply for a new Vernon Health Permit at Vernon City Hall. If you are using local restaurants to supply limited food service, please provide the name and addressed of facility to be used.
- Craft Service: Provide a name and telephone number of the company/person providing service. Craft services are restricted to serving non-perishable, single service, individually wrapped and labeled foods. No food preparation is permitted (sandwiches, smoothies, etc.)
- Hazardous Materials: No hazardous materials or wastes shall be used or generated unless approved by this office in advance. A local permit allowing use of hazardous materials must be provided prior to approval.
Film permits that address each concern in the manner specified are given approval by our department. Film permits not requiring any of the specified items must state that they are N/A or explain why they are not required (small production units, student films, etc., may be exempt).
City of Vernon Health Inspection Form
City of Vernon Police Department
The responsibility of the City of Vernon Police Department includes vehicle parking and traffic control. All permittees must conform to the Manual of Traffic Controls, State of California Department of Transportation.
When filming in the City of Vernon, production companies must use off-duty City of Vernon police officers. Per City of Vernon Resolution 7141, all filming in the city requires a minimum of two (2) off-duty City of Vernon Police Officers. Intermittent traffic control will be considered following an approved traffic plan and will require a minimum of two (2) City of Vernon police officers.
Any special requests, such as, additional traffic control, driving in reverse of flow of traffic, detouring over double yellow line, use of simulated gunfire, or use of explosives must be submitted on the permit request and authorized by the Police Department.
Posting / Temporary "No Parking" Signs
If production companies are requesting to park equipment vehicles in areas that are not normally allowed, temporary “No Parking” signs must be posted. Production is responsible for posting the “No Parking” signs and placement will be inspected and approved by the City of Vernon. Fees will be imposed if Public Works staff are required to correct postings.
Posting requests must be submitted on the permit application a minimum of 48 hours prior to first prep or film date. Production companies must comply with all ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) requirements.
Fee Schedule
Common Fees, Vernon
FilmLA Basic Fees List
Below are the most common fees assessed by this jurisdiction. Additional application, use, or personnel fees may apply based on location or scope of activity for this jurisdiction. Any fees not directly collected by FilmLA on behalf of the municipality through the film permit must be paid directly to the service provider. FilmLA makes every effort to publish the most up to date fees for these municipal service providers, however fees are subject to change at their discretion.
FilmLA Basic Fees List
| Fee Type | Rate | Per |
|---|---|---|
|
Permit Application Fee Up to 5 Locations, 7 Consecutive Days |
$931 | Permit |
|
Permit Rider Fee During Business Hours |
$148.75 | Rider |
|
Permit Rider Fee After Business Hours |
$208 | Rider |
|
Still Photo Application Fee* Cast/Crew of 16+ Requires Motion Rate |
$104 | Permit |
| Still Photo Rider Fee | $31 | Rider |
| Student Permit Fee (simple) | $52 | Permit |
| Student Permit Fee (complex) | $134 | Permit |
| Non-Profit (PSA) Permit App Fee | $73 | Permit |
| Non-Profit (PSA) Permit Rider Fee | $36 | Permit |
|
Notification Fee Base Radius |
$232 | Radius |
| Lane Closure Administration Fee | $78 | Involved Location |
| Gunfire Administration Fee | $78 | Involved Location |
| Special FX - Explosion & Smoke Administration Fee | $78 | Involved Location |
| Drone Administration Fee | $78 | Involved Location |
| Helicopter Administration Fee | $78 | Involved Location |
|
FilmLA Monitor Fee** Minimum Applies. Subject to OT and DT. Standard Arrival: 1 Hour Prior to Permit Start Time. |
$44.50 | Hour |
* Still photo productions with a cast / crew size of 16 or more people will incur the Motion application fee. Any B-roll or motion filming in conjunction with a still photo shoot will also incur the Motion rate. Additionally, for crews of this size or larger, a LAFD Spot Check Surcharge will also be assessed.
** The FilmLA monitor service is charged in hourly increments based on time at location. For example, if monitor service is required from 6am-10pm, the breakdown of service hours would be 8 Regular hours, 4 overtime hours, and 4 double time hours to cover the service, whether completed by one or multiple monitors.
Common Fees, Vernon
| Fee Type | Rate | Per |
|---|---|---|
| LA County Fire - Filming Review Fee | $343.30 | Permit |
|
LA County Fire - Still Photography Review Fee For Shoots Involving 16+ People |
$277.00 | Permit |
| LA County Fire - Special Effects Permit Fee | $350 | Involved Location |
|
LA County Fire Safety Advisor (FSA) Paid directly to provider and not collected by FilmLA. |
$63.51 | Hour (4hr Minimum, OT/DT Applies) |
|
LA County Fire Safety Officer (FSO) Paid directly to provider and not collected by FilmLA. |
$201.82 | Hour (4hr Minimum, Flat Rate: No OT/DT) |
| Vernon Application Fee | $268 | Permit |
| Vernon Building Inspection Service Fee | $90 | Hour |
| Vernon Street Use Fee | $650 | Day |
| Vernon City Property Use Fee | $500 | Day |
| Vernon Private Property Use Fee | $150 | Permit |
| Vernon Health Inspection Service Fee | $150 | Permit |
| Vernon Posting and Removal Service Fee | $110 | Location |
|
Vernon Police Officer Minimum Two Officers Required per Permit Paid directly to provider and not collected by FilmLA |
$75 | Hour |
Community Relations
Community Filming Surveys
The City of Vernon may require a filming survey, designed to demonstrate that affected residents/businesses have been individually contacted and to solicit individual concerns (if any) regarding the requested activity. FilmLA will provide a survey form, guidelines, sample letter, and a sample map, but the production company is responsible for surveying affected residents and businesses.
Community Survey Guidelines and Forms
Neighborhood Notification
FilmLA's standard notification service satisfies all neighborhood notification requirements for this jurisdiction. Processing notification for on-location filming requires a three day lead time before the first activity. This does not include the date of submission. Please be advised exceptional activity may require more advanced notice.
Special Monitors
When necessary, a FilmLA Monitor will be assigned to an individual production which includes filming that occurs on City-owned property, complicated filming activity and frequently filmed areas, etc. The cost of a Monitor will be billed to the production company.