(a) Lodging and service Within 10 days after the petition is served on the lead public agency, that agency must lodge the certified final administrative record in electronic form with the court and serve notice on petitioner and real party in interest that the record has been lodged with the court. Within that same time, the agency must serve a copy of the administrative record in electronic form on any petitioner and real party in interest who has not already been provided a copy.
Rule 3.2225.Administrative record
Division 22. Petitions Under the California Environmental Quality Act · Chapter 2. California Environmental Quality Act Proceedings Involving Streamlined CEQA Projects · Article 1. General Provisions · Adopted 2014 · no amendments on record · Last verified July 29, 2026
In one sentenceRule 3.2225 requires the lead agency to lodge the certified administrative record electronically within ten days after being served with the petition, sets rules for obtaining a paper copy, and requires any motion to change the record’s contents to be filed by the time of the initial brief.
Full Text of Rule 3.2225
(b) Paper copy of record
(1) On request of the court, the lead agency shall provide the court with the record in paper format.
(2) On request and payment of the reasonable cost of preparation, or on order of the court for good cause shown, the lead agency shall provide a party with the record in paper format.
(c) Motions regarding the record Unless otherwise ordered by the court:
(1) Any request to augment or otherwise change the contents of the administrative record must be made by motion served and filed no later than the filing of that party’s initial brief.
(2) Any opposition or other response to the motion must be served and filed within 10 days after the motion is filed.
(3) Any motion regarding the record will be heard at the time of the hearing on the merits of the petition unless the court orders otherwise.
Plain-English Summary
The administrative record is the backbone of CEQA judicial review — it is the paper trail the court examines to decide whether the agency complied with the statute. Rule 3.2225 puts the lead agency on the clock to produce it. Within ten days of being served with the petition, the agency must lodge the certified final record electronically with the court, notify the petitioner and real party in interest that it has done so, and serve an electronic copy on anyone who does not already have one.
Paper copies remain available but are not automatic. The court can ask the lead agency for a paper version at any time, and a party can get one too, either by paying the reasonable cost of preparing it or by persuading the court there is good cause to order it produced without charge.
Disputes over what belongs in the record follow their own short fuse. A party who wants to add to or otherwise change the record has to bring a motion no later than the deadline for filing its initial brief, opposition is due within ten days, and the motion is normally heard together with the merits of the petition rather than on a separate track, unless the court decides otherwise.
Frequently Asked Questions
How soon must the lead agency lodge the administrative record in a streamlined CEQA case?
Within ten days after the petition is served on the lead agency, in electronic form, under Rule 3.2225(a).
Can a party get a paper copy of the administrative record?
Yes, either by paying the reasonable cost of preparing it or by obtaining a court order for good cause, under Rule 3.2225(b).
When must a party move to change what is in the administrative record?
No later than the filing of that party’s initial brief, under Rule 3.2225(c), unless the court orders a different schedule.
Is a motion to augment the administrative record heard separately from the merits?
Not usually. Rule 3.2225(c)(3) has the motion heard together with the hearing on the merits of the petition unless the court orders otherwise.
Amendment History
Rule 3.2225 adopted effective July 1, 2014.
Source & verification. Rule text is reproduced verbatim from
the Judicial Council of California. Adopted by the Judicial Council of California.
Last verified July 29, 2026.
· Official source
Also known as: CEQA administrative record lodging deadlinehow to augment CEQA administrative recordpaper copy of CEQA record California court