CEQA - Information for County Clerks

County clerks collect environmental document filing fees from project applicants at the time the notice of determination (NOD) is filed for a Negative Declaration (ND), Mitigated Negative Declaration (MND), or Environmental Impact Report (EIR).

County clerks are required to maintain both electronic and paper records of all environmental documents received. These records are required to be available to CDFW for audit purposes during normal business hours (Fish & G. Code, §711.4 (e)(1)). Each county is required to summarize and record the collected environmental document filing fees on a State of California TC-31 report and remit the amount collected to the State Treasurer (Cal. Code Regs., tit. 14, § 753.5 (e)(8)). County clerks are required to submit all environmental document filing fees within 30 days of the month in which they are collected (Fish & G. Code, §711.4 (e)(2)).

A photocopy of the State of California TC-31 Report submitted to the State Treasurer should be submitted to CDFW on a monthly basis along with the following documents (Cal. Code Regs., tit.14, § 753.5 (e)(10)(A)):

  • CDFW copies of all environmental document filing fee cash receipts including all voided receipts (Cal. Code Regs., tit. 14, § 753.5 (e)(10)(B));
  • Photocopies of all no effect determinations filed in lieu of the environmental document filing fee, attached to the appropriate receipt (Cal. Code Regs., tit. 14, § 753.5 (e)(10)(C));
  • Photocopies of all NODs, attached to the appropriate environmental document filing fee receipt (Cal. Code Regs., tit. 14, § 753.5 (e)(10)(D));
  • Photocopies of all previously paid cash environmental document filing fee receipt, attached to the appropriate NOD (Cal. Code Regs., tit. 14, § 753.5 (e)(4));
  • Photocopies of all NOEs, attached to the appropriate environmental document filing fee receipt (Cal. Code Regs., tit. 14, § 753.5 (e)(10)(E)); and
  • The name, address, and telephone number of all project applicants for which an NOD has been filed (Cal. Code Regs., tit. 14, § 753.5 (e)(8)(E)). If this information is contained on the environmental document filing fee receipt, no additional information is required.

Effective January 1, 2015, the Department of Fish and Wildlife no longer prints and distributes numbered books of environmental document filing fee receipt to counties. The books have been replaced by an electronic version of the Environmental Filing Fee Cash Receipt (DFW 753.5a) (PDF).

County Clerk Resources

Forms

Alternative Receipts

Section 753.5 of the California Code of Regulations, Title 14 states that counties may generate an alternative cash receipt provided that the receipt contains the same information as the CDFW issued Environmental Filing Fee Cash Receipt Form (DFW 753.5a) (PDF). CDFW will issue a letter of approval if the alternate environmental filing fee receipt contains all required information (Cal. Code Regs., tit. 14, §753.5(e)(7)). County Clerks must submit alternative environmental document filing fee receipts to CDFW and receive approval prior to use.

Submit the draft alternative environmental document filing fee receipt to CDFW at CEQA@wildlife.ca.gov. CDFW will process your request and respond within 30-days.

Q&A

Additional Resources

Habitat Conservation Planning Branch
1010 Riverside Parkway, West Sacramento, CA 95605
Mailing: P.O. Box 944209, Sacramento, CA 94244-2090