CEQA & environmental
Categorical exemption
Classes of projects the CEQA Guidelines declare exempt from review (§§ 15301–15333) — unless a § 15300.2 exception, such as unusual circumstances, applies.
Definition
Categorical exemptions are classes of projects the CEQA Guidelines (§§ 15301–15333) have determined do not normally have significant environmental effects — existing facilities (Class 1), small new structures (Class 3), urban infill (Class 32), and thirty others. Unlike statutory exemptions, they are defeated by the Guidelines § 15300.2 exceptions: sensitive locations, cumulative impacts, a reasonable possibility of significant effects due to unusual circumstances, scenic highways, listed hazardous-waste sites, and harm to historical resources.
Why it matters in an underwrite
An applicable class is the fastest CEQA path — no circulated document, and a 35-day challenge window once a notice of exemption is filed. The standard attack is the unusual-circumstances exception, so the exemption is only as strong as the record behind it: technical memos on traffic, noise, air, and habitat still get written to support the findings even though no EIR is prepared. Where the 2025 statutory exemptions fit, they avoid the exceptions fight entirely.
Sources & related guides
See also
See the term in the law itself
Read the controlling text in the Code Library, or ask the AI how it applies to your project.
Last reviewed 2026-07-29. General information, not legal advice.