Riverside County, CA Animal Ordinances: Dog Leash Laws (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- County Code § 6.08.140
- First-offense fine
- Up to $100
- Repeat-offense fine
- Up to $500
- Applies in
- Unincorporated Riverside County only
- Exemption
- Hunting dogs while actively hunting
Summary
Riverside County bans letting a dog run at large in the unincorporated area. Section 6.08.140 makes it unlawful to permit any dog, licensed or not, off-property without a leashed handler or on-property without adequate confinement.
It shall be unlawful for the owner or person in charge of any dog, whether licensed or unlicensed, to permit such dog to run at large.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 84 Update 1).
Full Breakdown
County Code Section 6.08.140 makes it unlawful for a dog's owner or keeper to permit the dog to run at large, whether licensed or unlicensed. Section 6.08.010(E) defines "at large" as off the owner's property without a leash sized to the dog and held by someone capable of controlling it, or on the property without a fence, kennel, voice command, or other restraint keeping the dog confined. Animal Services may capture and impound a loose dog under Section 6.08.100. Hunting dogs under a handler's control in areas designated for firearm use are exempt from the leash requirement only while actively hunting or training.
Violations & Fines
First violation draws a fine up to $100, a second within one year up to $200, and $500 for each additional violation that year: each day the dog is left running at large counts as a separate offense under Section 6.08.200.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does my dog have to be on a leash in unincorporated Riverside County?
Does a fenced backyard satisfy the leash law?
Are hunting dogs exempt from the leash requirement?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Riverside County
California rules heatmap·Compare Riverside County to another location·View the California animal ordinances overview
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