CEQA glossary
Negative declaration (ND)
What a CEQA negative declaration means, how it differs from an exemption or MND, and which agency records to confirm.
A negative declaration is a lead agency’s written statement briefly explaining why a proposed project will not have a significant effect on the environment and therefore does not require an environmental impact report.
Why it matters
A negative declaration is an environmental document for a project that is not exempt from CEQA. It records the lead agency’s conclusion about significant environmental effects and is supported by the project record, commonly including an initial study.
When the term appears in a search result or project file, distinguish a proposed negative declaration from the adopted document. Preserve the lead agency, project description, initial study, public-review dates, adopted negative declaration, and later notice or decision.
What it does not establish
A negative declaration is not a CEQA exemption and is not interchangeable with a mitigated negative declaration. Its title alone does not establish that the document was adopted, that it covers the same project now under review, or that no later environmental document exists. Check the agency record and dates.
Primary sources
- Public Resources Code § 21064 supplies the statutory definition.
- 14 CCR § 15371 supplies the CEQA Guidelines definition and points to the required contents in section 15071.
Related terms
Published 2026-09-10 · Last materially reviewed 2026-09-10