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RCIS Program Fees

This fee schedule is part of the Regional Conservation Investment Strategies Program Guidelines, as referenced in Section 1.3 of the Guidelines.

When to Pay

Regional Conservation Investment Strategies RCIS Program (RCIS Program) fees must be paid prior to CDFW’s formal review of the first draft submission of any Regional Conservation Assessment (RCA), Regional Conservation Investment Strategy (RCIS), or Mitigation Credit Agreement (MCA). Formal review of any draft document will begin on the date that both the draft document and fee have been received. In the case that the draft document and fee are submitted on different days, the review will begin on the latter of the two dates.

How to Pay

RCIS Program fees may be paid by check or wire transfer. If paying by check, the check must be made out to “California Department of Fish and Wildlife” and may either be dropped off or mailed as follows:

  • A check may be mailed via USPS to:
    Department of Fish and Wildlife
    Habitat Conservation Planning Branch
    Attn: Regional Conservation Investment Strategies Program
    P.O. Box 944209
    Sacramento, CA 94244-2090
  • A check may be mailed via non-USPS courier to, or dropped off at:
    Department of Fish and Wildlife
    Habitat Conservation Planning Branch
    Attn: Regional Conservation Investment Strategies Program
    1010 Riverside Parkway
    West Sacramento, CA 95605

If paying by wire transfer, contact the RCIS Program Team at rcis@wildlife.ca.gov for specific instructions.

Program Fees

Regional Conservation Investment Strategy Fees

RCIS Phase 2025 Fee 2026 Fee Notes
RCIS Review and Approval $37,098.25 $38,035.00 This fee includes coordination between CDFW and the applicant during document development (including meetings), as well as CDFW review time.
RCIS Resubmittal Review Up to $37,098.25 Up to $38,035.00 If the submittal is not initially accepted by CDFW, it can be resubmitted after revision and CDFW may impose a fee up to the listed amount. Minor changes or changes mutually agreed upon may not be subject to any resubmittal fees.
RCIS Unsolicited Changes Up to $18,549.00 Up to $19.017.50 This is a one-time fee for unsolicited changes proposed by the proponent during the review period (including review of amendments) to cover the reasonable cost of CDFW’s services in reviewing a change that is determined to require additional CDFW staff time.
RCIS Data Update None None Data Updates are free and CDFW encourages them by waiving a fee. However, CDFW may add a fee for Data Updates in the future, if needed. A Data Update is generally the submission of GIS data or minor changes to numbers or text in the document that require less than 2 hours of CDFW staff time.
RCIS Simple Amendment $12,366.25 $12,678.50 A Simple Amendment would include small or minor changes to the document that are more than a Data Update, but that do not result in substantial changes, as determined by CDFW.
RCIS Complex Amendment $37,098.25 $38,035.00 A Complex Amendment would result in a substantial change to the document, such as changes to the geographic area, focal species, or other conservation elements, as determined by CDFW. If the initial Simple Amendment fee was paid and the amendment was subsequently deemed to be complex by CDFW, the difference would be required.
RCIS Extension $18,549.00 $19,017.50 An RCIS may be extended for up to another 10 years if CDFW receives the extension request, the RCIS Extension Fee, and any necessary updates to the RCIS prior to the end of the initial RCIS term.

Mitigation Credit Agreement Fees

MCA Phase 2025 Fee 2026 Fee Notes
MCA Concept (optional) $6,284.00 $6,442.75 An MCA Concept is a brief, concept-level proposal that is optional but recommended when an MCA sponsor is scoping for an MCA or contemplating a specific MCA idea, or for those new to the MCA process.
Framework
(optional)		 $17,954.50 $18,407.75 A Framework is an optional submittal that allows the sponsor to submit portions of the full MCA package to CDFW for approval. A Framework must include the Framework Checklist. The checklist includes the minimum components outlined for a Framework and any number of other MCA components noted on the checklist.
Framework Amendment $15,037.00 $15,416.75 A fFamework amendment means any change, or to addition to, a previously approved Framework.
MCA Application Review and approval with a Framework (cost per site in initial review) $17,954.50 $18,47.75 This fee is applied for each MCA site that is submitted in conjunction with an approved or submitted MCA Framework.
MCA Application Review and Approval for one site $31,420.25 $32,213.75 This fee includes coordination between CDFW and the applicant during MCA development, as well as CDFW review time.
Each additional site included in the MCA Application $17,955.00 $18,407.75 This fee is applied when an MCA includes more than one site at the time of MCA submittal. For each additional site, beyond the first, this fee accounts for the biological and land title suitability review.
MCA Establishment (due upon MCA approval per site) $29,923.75 $30,679.25 This initial implementation fee is to cover CDFW site visits, finalizing the lands package review and endowment funding, communication, compliance, and meetings.
MCA 1st credit release (per site) $23,939.25 $24,543.75 This fee covers CDFW’s review of annual reports and reviewing performance standards, site visits, reviewing and approving credit transactions, communication, compliance, and meetings.
MCA 2nd credit release (per site) $17,954.50 $18,407.75 This fee covers CDFW’s on-going review of annual reports and performance standards, site visits, reviewing and approving credit transactions, communication, compliance, and meetings.
MCA Additional credit releases (per site) $5,984.75 $6,135.75 If applicable, each additional credit release would require the listed fee. This fee covers CDFW’s review of annual reports and performance standards, review of credit transactions, resolution of changes and issues, and ongoing administration through MCA closure.
MCA Simple Amendment $2,394.00 $2,454.50 A simple amendment is any amendment that relates to the organization or administration of an MCA including, but not limited to, changes in MCA name, property ownership, address, MCA sponsor, or endowment holder. A minor amendment would not modify the scope or nature of the MCA or any MCA action.
MCA Complex Amendment to an MCA with or without a framework Up to $29,923.75 per amendment. $11,969.75 for a management plan change only and $17,954.50 for each additional other one Up to $30,679.25 per amendment.  A minimum of $12,271.50 for changes to an MCA's management plan. A minimum of $18,407.75 for adding an additional site to an existing MCA (with no other changes). A complex amendment means any amendment that relates to the operation, management, or another material element of the MCA. This includes adding additional sites to an approved MCA, adding conservation actions and habitat enhancement actions; altering existing credits or the creation of additional credits; transferring the conservation easement; altering the credit-release schedule for the approved site; and adjusting the service area of a credit type. If the initial Simple Amendment fee was paid and the amendment was subsequently deemed to be complex by CDFW, the difference would be required.
MCA Unsolicited Changes Up to $11,969.75 - This is a one-time fee for unsolicited changes proposed by the applicant (that have not been solicited by CDFW) during the application or amendment review period to cover the reasonable cost of CDFW’s services in reviewing a change that it determines will require additional CDFW staff time. Examples might include adding additional species credits or incorporating other agency credits.

Regional Conservation Assessment Fees

RCA Phase 2025 Fee 2026 Fee Notes
RCA Review and Approval $28,637.25 $29,360.25 This fee includes coordination between CDFW and the applicant during document development (including meetings), as well as CDFW review time.
RCA Data Update None None Data Updates are free and CDFW encourages them by waiving a fee. However, CDFW may add a fee for Data Updates in the future, if needed. A Data Update is generally the submission of GIS data or minor changes to numbers or text in the document that require less than 2 hours of CDFW staff time.
RCA Simple Amendment $9,502.50 $9,742.50 A Simple Amendment would include small or minor changes to the document that are more than a Data Update, but that do not result in substantial changes, as determined by CDFW.
RCA Complex Amendment $28,637.25 $29,360.25 A Complex Amendment would result in a substantial change to the document, such as the addition of an ecoregion, as determined by CDFW. If the initial Simple Amendment fee was paid and the amendment was subsequently deemed to be complex by CDFW, the difference would be required.
RCA Resubmittal Review Up to $28,637.25 Up to $29,360.25 If the submittal is not initially accepted by CDFW, it can be resubmitted after revision and CDFW may impose a fee up to the listed amount. Minor changes or changes mutually agreed upon as attributable to early program implementation may not be subject to any resubmittal fees.
RCA Unsolicited Changes Up to $14,319.00 Up to $14,680.50 This is a one-time fee for unsolicited changes proposed by the proponent during the review period (including review of amendments) to cover the reasonable cost of CDFW’s services in reviewing a change that it determines will require additional CDFW staff time.

Fee Adjustments

Fees will be adjusted annually using the Implicit Price Deflator (IPD) for State and Local Government Purchases of Goods and Services, as published by the United States Department of Commerce. The rate of change for the annual fee adjustment is determined by comparing the March 31 quarter end IPD index of the current year to the March 31 quarter end IPD index of the prior year. Each current fee is multiplied by the relative amount of change in the IPD index. The product is added to the fee for the current year and then rounded to the nearest $0.25 increment. The resulting amounts are the adjusted fees for the new calendar year, beginning January 1.

Fees may be further adjusted based on an evaluation of the actual time required by CDFW staff to review and approve RCIS Program documents.

When a fee includes “Up to” language, CDFW will consider the expected workload resulting from the change or resubmittal requested and will calculate a fee that compensates for the expected workload. These calculations will be conducted on a case-by-case basis, as necessary.

Habitat Conservation Planning Branch
P.O. Box 944209, Sacramento, CA 94244-2090
HCPB@wildlife.ca.gov