CEQA Document Filing Fees Increase for 2020

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife announced an increase in filing fees for all California Environmental Quality Act Notices of Determination filed on or after Jan. 1, 2020. Learn more about these fees at the CDFW website. The new fees are below.

DFW Fee Schedule

CEQA Document	Fees Effective Jan. 1, 2019	Fees Effective Jan. 1, 2020
Negative Declaration	$2,354.75	$2,406.75
Mitigated Negative Declaration	$2,354.75	$2,406.75
Environmental Impact Report	$3,271.00	$3,343.25
Environmental Document pursuant to a Certified Regulatory Program*	$1,112.00	$1,136.50
Notice of Exemption for a Statutory or Categorical Exempt Action	No DFW Fee	No DFW Fee
County Clerk Processing Fee**	$50.00	$50.00

 
*Including, but not limited to, timber harvesting plans and other state agency regulatory programs. (Public Resources Code, § 21080.5; State CEQA Guidelines, § 15251)

**Additional county fees may apply. Please check with the county clerk’s office for the current amount of the county’s processing fee. This fee is due for all filings, including a Notice of Exemption.

As was the case in 2019, no DFW fee will be assessed for the filing of Notices of Exemption in 2020. Please note, however, that a local clerk’s processing fee may be charged for the filing of any NOD or NOE, depending on local county policy.

The DFW fee may be charged only once per project. In the event that a project requires the filing of multiple NODs by lead or responsible agencies, the DFW fee is required at the time the lead agency files the first NOD. If a copy of the DFW fee receipt for the filing of the first NOD can be shown, subsequent NODs for the same project will not need to pay any additional DFW fees.

Should you have any questions regarding these changes, please contact one of the authors of this Legal Alert listed at the right in the Environmental Law & Natural Resources practice group, or your BB&K attorney.

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