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CEQA Environmental Document Filing Fees

CDFW imposes and collects an environmental document filing fee to defray the costs of managing and protecting California’s vast fish and wildlife resources, including, but not limited to, consulting with other public agencies, reviewing environmental documents, recommending mitigation measures, and developing monitoring programs.

CEQA Document Fees Effective
January 1, 2020 		Fees Effective
January 1, 2021
Negative Declaration (ND) $2,406.75 $2,480.25
Mitigated Negative Declaration (MND) $2,406.75 $2,480.25
Environmental Impact Report (EIR) $3,343.25 $3,445.25
Environmental Document pursuant to a Certified Regulatory Program (CRP)* $1,136.50 $1,171.25
County Clerk Processing Fee** $50.00 $50.00

* CRPs include certain state agency regulatory programs as defined in section 21080.5 of the Public Resources Code and section 15251 of the CEQA Guidelines. Since July 1, 2013, environmental document filing fees no longer apply to the filing of Notices of Decision or Determination for Forest Practice Rules and Timber Harvest Plans (Pub. Resources Code, § 4629.6, added by Stats. 2012, ch. 289, § 3).

** Additional county fees may apply. Please check with your county clerk's office for details.

Annual Adjustments

CDFW is required to adjust the environmental document filing fees annually (Fish & G. Code, § 713). The annual fee adjustments are based on changes in the Implicit Price Deflator for State and Local Government Purchases of Goods and Services, as published by the U.S. Department of Commerce. The adjusted environmental document filing fee amounts are posted on CDFW's website prior to November 1 of the year before they become effective January 1.

Exemptions & No Effect Determinations

Environmental document filing fees will be waived if a project will have no effect on fish and wildlife (Fish & Game Code §711.4, subd. (c)(2)(A)). Projects that are statutorily or categorically exempt from CEQA are also not subject to the environmental document filing fee and do not require a no effect determination (NED) (Cal. Code Regs., tit. 14, §§ 15260-15333; Fish & Game Code §711.4, subd. (d)(1)). CDFW is solely responsible for determining whether a project will qualify for a NED and if the environmental document filing fee will be waived.

Payment

The project proponent is responsible for payment of the environmental document filing fee (Fish & G. Code, §711.4). Environmental document filing fees are due at the time a notice of determination is filed with the county clerk’s office (local lead agency) or with the State Clearinghouse (state lead agency).

Fees for Certified Regulatory Program notices are due to CDFW directly and before the respective notice of decision is filed with the California Natural Resource Agency.

For more information on environmental document fling fees and no effect determinations, please refer to California Code of Regulations, title 14, section 753.5