The department may establish a fee schedule and charge a fee for the issuance of permits pursuant to the provisions of this chapter, except that no such fee shall be charged by the department to any public corporation. The fee schedule established by the department shall not produce a total estimated revenue in excess of the estimated total cost to the department for administering the provisions of this chapter, excluding the cost of issuing permits exempted by statute or regulation from the payment of fees. Funds collected pursuant to this section shall be deposited in the State Highway Account in the State Transportation Fund.
Ca. Sts. and High. Code § 671.1