A Resident's Guide to Camarillo's Local Ordinances

Camarillo, California may not be the biggest city in the state, but it has its own set of local rules that residents need to follow. With 132 tracked ordinances across 41 categories, there is more here than you might expect.

Rental Property Rules

Rent Control: Camarillo caps rent increases only in mobile home parks, not apartments or houses. Chapter 10.55, adopted May 13, 2026, limits park owners to one annual increase of 2% to 6% tied to CPI, with a formal petition and arbitration process for anything higher..

Also covered: Repairs & Habitability (moderate), Rent Increase Notice (moderate). See the full rental property rules guide for Camarillo for details.

Public Conduct

Public Urination: Camarillo bans urinating or defecating anywhere in public except inside an enclosed bathroom or restroom. Section 10.06.010 defines public place broadly, covering alleys, parking lots, parks, sidewalks, streets, and even private property that is open to the public, so the rule reaches shopping center lots and business parking areas, not just city streets and parks..

Also covered: Jaywalking (limited), Aggressive Panhandling (restrictive), Public Alcohol Use (strict). See the full public conduct guide for Camarillo for details.

Building Safety

Plumbing Permits: Camarillo doesn't run a separate plumbing-permit process: Sec. 16.04.255 folds California Plumbing Code permitting into the same Chapter 1, Division II administrative rules that govern every building permit in the city, including a 180-day application window and misdemeanor penalties under Sec.

Also covered: Electrical Permits (moderate), Door Locking Hardware (moderate), Building Permits (moderate). See the full building safety guide for Camarillo for details.

Fence Regulations

Material Restrictions: Camarillo restricts barbed wire and concertina wire fencing to commercial and industrial zones, and only under a permit from the director of planning and community development, per Municipal Code Section 19.38.040. Residential zones cannot use either material at all, though the city can separately require a six-foot fence around a physically hazardous area under Section 19.38.030..

Also covered: Retaining Walls (moderate), Height Limits (moderate), Neighbor Fence Rules (limited). See the full fence regulations guide for Camarillo for details.

Curfew Laws

Juvenile Curfew: Camarillo bars minors under 18 from remaining in public places between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m., with a first violation charged as an infraction and repeat violations within 90 days charged as misdemeanors..

Also covered: Park Curfew (moderate). See the full curfew laws guide for Camarillo for details.

Homelessness & Encampment Rules

Encampment Sanitation: Camarillo bans camping, sleeping, and storing unattended belongings including tents and camp paraphernalia on any public place, from parks to sidewalks to publicly maintained drainage basins, under Municipal Code Sec. 10.42.030.

Also covered: Sit-Lie Rules (restrictive). See the full homelessness & encampment rules guide for Camarillo for details.

Parking Rules

RV & Boat Parking: Camarillo confines residential RV, boat and trailer parking to an approved storage area, a conforming enclosed structure, or a hard-surfaced side or rear yard under Municipal Code Section 19.44.035. Overnight living use is capped at fourteen days a year, and short driveway loading stops are limited to forty-eight hours..

Also covered: Abandoned Vehicles (moderate), Overnight Parking (moderate), Loading Zones (moderate). See the full parking rules guide for Camarillo for details.

Home Business

Signage Rules: Camarillo bans signage for home-based businesses outright: Sec. 19.65.020(C)(7) forbids any advertising or sign that advertises the residence's business location, and (C)(17) blocks any display that violates the city's sign code, Chapter 17.04.

Also covered: Home Daycare (limited), Zoning & Home Occupation Permits (moderate), Customer Traffic Restrictions (restrictive). See the full home business guide for Camarillo for details.

Environmental Rules

Erosion Control: Camarillo requires the exposed face of every cut and fill slope created under a grading permit to be prepared and maintained against erosion, usually by planting, before the city will sign off on a final grading inspection. Municipal Code Sec.

Also covered: Flood Zones (moderate), Stormwater Management (moderate), Flood Elevation Requirements (moderate). See the full environmental rules guide for Camarillo for details.

Noise from Specific Sources

HVAC & Mechanical Noise: Camarillo prohibits air conditioners, fans, pumps and other mechanical equipment from creating noise that violates the city's noise standards under Municipal Code Sec. 10.34.110(D).

Also covered: Generator Noise (permissive). See the full noise from specific sources guide for Camarillo for details.

Sidewalk & Pedestrian Rules

Sidewalk Repair: Camarillo doesn't impose a standing duty to fix existing sidewalks; instead, Sec. 16.20.010 makes the abutting property owner responsible for building or bringing driveways, sidewalks, curbs and gutters into conformance whenever they build new or make an addition or alteration worth more than half the structure's replacement value..

Also covered: Obstruction Rules (moderate), Encroachment Permits (moderate). See the full sidewalk & pedestrian rules guide for Camarillo for details.

Animal Ordinances

Exotic Pets: Exotic animals are regulated by CA Fish & Game Code and CDFW. Ferrets and hedgehogs are illegal to own statewide (CA Code of Regulations §671).

Also covered: Dog Leash Laws (moderate), Pet Limits (moderate), Beekeeping (moderate). See the full animal ordinances guide for Camarillo for details.

Landscaping Rules

Tree Trimming: A privately owned tree or shrub that overhangs or blocks a Camarillo street, sidewalk or sight line is a public nuisance under Municipal Code Section 13.12.060(G). The director of public works decides whether it endangers public safety, then notifies the owner and sets a deadline to trim or remove it.

Also covered: Tree Removal & Heritage Trees (moderate), Water Restrictions (moderate), Native Plants (moderate). See the full landscaping rules guide for Camarillo for details.

Trash & Recycling

Illegal Dumping: Camarillo bans dumping, spilling, discarding or abandoning solid waste anywhere in the city outside an authorized container or permitted disposal facility, under Sec. 9.04.120.

Also covered: Mandatory Organics Recycling (restrictive), Yard Waste Collection (limited), Recycling Requirements (moderate). See the full trash & recycling guide for Camarillo for details.

Property Maintenance

Property Blight: Camarillo declares a lot a public nuisance if any building on it is structurally unsafe, dangerous, or so deteriorated that it drags down neighboring property values, giving the city authority under Section 9.12.020 to pursue abatement and, for genuinely unsafe structures, condemnation..

Also covered: Vacant Lot Maintenance (moderate). See the full property maintenance guide for Camarillo for details.

Food Trucks & Mobile Vendors

Vending Zones: Camarillo requires a city vending license and cart permit before any sidewalk food cart operates, and Sec. 5.42.090 bans carts from crosswalks, fire hydrants, bus zones, driveways and outdoor dining areas.

Also covered: Food Truck Permits (moderate), Sidewalk & Mobile Vending (moderate). See the full food trucks & mobile vendors guide for Camarillo for details.

Business Licensing & Operations

Pawnbrokers: Camarillo requires anyone running a pawnbroking business to hold a city permit under Municipal Code Section 5.24.020 before opening, submit fingerprints for a state and local background check, and accept automatic denial for past theft, burglary or receiving-stolen-property convictions barred under Section 5.24.040..

Also covered: Tobacco Retail License (restrictive), Secondhand Dealers (restrictive), Adult Entertainment (restrictive). See the full business licensing & operations guide for Camarillo for details.

Hotels & Lodging

Transient Occupancy Tax: Camarillo taxes every hotel and motel stay at nine percent of the rent charged, collected by the operator at the time rent is paid. The city's finance director serves as tax administrator, and the tax becomes a debt owed by the guest that only ends when the operator or city is paid in full..

Right to Farm

Agricultural Zoning Protection: Camarillo protects working farmland through its A-E Agricultural Exclusive zone, which requires a ten-acre minimum parcel and fifty-foot setbacks on every side to keep houses and other development from crowding active agricultural operations. The zone is built around preserving farming, not phasing it out..

Building Setbacks & Zoning

Lot Coverage Limits: Camarillo caps building coverage at forty percent of the lot in RPD-4 or smaller residential planned developments, rising to fifty percent for denser RPD projects, under Municipal Code Section 19.16.100. Recreation buildings do not count against the cap, and the limit is enforced through the residential planned development permit review..

Also covered: Setback Rules (moderate), Structure Height Limits (moderate). See the full building setbacks & zoning guide for Camarillo for details.

Tree Protection

Heritage & Protected Trees: Camarillo designates certain street and public-area trees as historic, specimen or memorial by resolution of the planning commission or city council. Under Municipal Code Section 13.12.060(B), the director of public works otherwise handles maintenance and removal of city trees, but a historic or specimen tree cannot be removed without prior approval of the planning commission, and a memorial tree cannot be removed without prior approval of the city council..

Also covered: Parkway Planting (moderate). See the full tree protection guide for Camarillo for details.

Garage & Yard Sales

Frequency, Duration & Permits: Camarillo caps garage and yard sales at two per business tax year for any resident selling only their own personal property. Go over that limit and the city treats the activity as a business requiring a business tax certificate and payment of the business tax..

Outdoor Lighting

Dark Sky Rules: Camarillo bans unshielded pack lighting, area-wide flood lighting, searchlights and laser lights citywide under Municipal Code Section 19.47.050. Nearly every outdoor lighting system also needs an approved, engineer-certified lighting plan on file before a building permit issues, per Section 19.47.060..

Also covered: Light Trespass & Shielding (moderate). See the full outdoor lighting guide for Camarillo for details.

Sign Regulations

Digital Billboards: Camarillo bans billboards outright: Municipal Code Section 17.04.130 prohibits every off-site sign and outdoor advertising structure citywide, along with flashing, moving, rotating, or animated signs. That combination rules out digital or electronic billboards entirely, since a changeable, motion-based display advertising something off-site is banned twice over..

Also covered: Holiday Displays (permissive), Window Signs (moderate), Political Signs (moderate). See the full sign regulations guide for Camarillo for details.

Zoning Overlays & Bonuses

Downtown Design Guide: Any new building, exterior remodel or floor-area addition in Camarillo's Old Town (COT) zone needs a discretionary planned development permit reviewed by the planning commission, or director-level approval for facade work and additions under 20 percent of floor area. Buildings top out at two stories, 35 feet and 65 percent lot coverage..

Also covered: Density Bonus Law (moderate). See the full zoning overlays & bonuses guide for Camarillo for details.

Accessory Structures

ADU Rules: Camarillo allows one attached or internal ADU plus a JADU, or one detached ADU, on any single-family lot under Municipal Code Chapter 19.56. Size caps run 800 to 1,200 square feet depending on bedroom count and lot size, with four-foot side and rear setbacks for compliant detached units..

Also covered: ADU Impact Fees (permissive), Shed & Carport Rules (moderate), ADU Rental Restrictions (moderate). See the full accessory structures guide for Camarillo for details.

Solar Energy

Panel Permits: Small residential rooftop solar systems in Camarillo go through a streamlined permit process under Municipal Code Chapter 16.54, built around a standard checklist that mirrors the state's Solar Permitting Guidebook. Systems must meet state fire, structural, and electrical codes, and applicants can submit everything, including signatures, electronically..

Also covered: Expedited Solar Permitting (limited). See the full solar energy guide for Camarillo for details.

Filming & Production

Location Permits: Every film production in Camarillo needs a film permit under Municipal Code Section 19.63.022, applied for through the director of planning and community development on the state form required by Government Code Section 14999.32. The director must issue or refuse the permit within two working days, or four if the shoot will block street traffic for more than three minutes..

Also covered: Street Closures (restrictive). See the full filming & production guide for Camarillo for details.

Cannabis Regulations

Dispensary Zoning: Camarillo bans every commercial cannabis facility in every zone in the city under Municipal Code Section 19.55.030. The lone exception is a delivery-only medicinal retailer holding a state Type 9 license, conditionally permitted only in the M-2 General Manufacturing zone, with deliveries running 7 a.m.

Also covered: Home Cultivation (moderate). See the full cannabis regulations guide for Camarillo for details.

Swimming Pools & Spas

Pool Permits: Above-ground pools deeper than 18 inches in Camarillo are regulated as swimming pools under the California Pool Safety Act (HSC 115920-115929) and CRC Appendix AX. A 60-inch barrier with self-closing/self-latching gates plus at least two of seven safety features are required.

Also covered: Fencing & Safety Requirements (moderate). See the full swimming pools & spas guide for Camarillo for details.

Fire Regulations

Outdoor Burning: Camarillo bans burning solid waste, hazardous waste, or medical waste anywhere in the city under Municipal Code Section 9.04.110. There is no permit path around it: the prohibition is absolute, and the city's solid waste officer and code enforcement officers cite violators under the general Title 1 penalty scheme..

Also covered: Wildfire Zones (moderate), Brush Clearance (moderate). See the full fire regulations guide for Camarillo for details.

Local Taxes & Fees

Business Tax Classification: Camarillo sorts every business into a tax group or flat rate under Municipal Code Section 5.04.240, and the finance director resolves any business that fits more than one category. Businesses without a specific listed rate pay an annual tax set by a sliding gross-receipts schedule running from $25 to $1,250 plus a per-thousand-dollar rate..

Outdoor Cooking

BBQ & Propane Rules: Bringing your own grill, barbeque or other cooking device to Constitution Park, Dizdar Park, the exterior of the Library, or 'F'-Canyon is banned under Camarillo Municipal Code Sec. 10.44.020(L), unless you're using a cooking device the city itself has installed for public use.

Soliciting & Door-to-Door

Solicitor Permits: Anyone going door-to-door in Camarillo to sell goods, take orders or canvass for a commercial purpose needs a solicitation permit from the city under Municipal Code Section 5.32.020, issued only after a background check and limited to the hours of 8 a.m. to 9 p.m..

Noise Ordinances

Amplified Music & Outdoor Sound: Playing amplified music or using a loudspeaker on any Camarillo street, sidewalk, park or other public property requires a permit from the city's director under Municipal Code Sec. 10.34.110(A).

Also covered: Barking Dogs (moderate), Leaf Blower Rules (moderate), Construction Hours (moderate). See the full noise ordinances guide for Camarillo for details.

Water Use Rules

Recycled Water Rules: Once Camarillo declares a Stage 2, 3 or 4 water supply condition, Municipal Code Section 14.12.040 requires or favors recycled water over potable water for construction, agricultural irrigation and select landscape uses. At Stage 4, potable irrigation is banned outright and only recycled water may keep designated vegetation, fire-protection landscaping and park turf alive..

Historic Preservation

Historic-Cultural Monuments: Camarillo designates historic buildings as citywide landmarks under Municipal Code Chapter 16.42. The planning commission, sitting as the landmark committee, evaluates nominations against three historic criteria, and once a building is proposed for designation, no construction, alteration, or demolition permit affecting it may be issued until the city council rules..

Data Centers & Crypto Mining

Data Center Noise Limits: Camarillo's noise ordinance, Chapter 10.34, caps sound at the receptor property line using the ambient level plus an increment. Base exterior limits are 65 dBA day and 55 dBA night on industrial land, and 55/45 dBA at homes, with a hard 45 dBA residential cap overnight..

Also covered: Data Center Zoning & Siting (permissive). See the full data centers & crypto mining guide for Camarillo for details.

Drone Rules

Recreational Drones: Camarillo bans flying drones and other remote-controlled devices on its named city properties, including Constitution Park, Dizdar Park, the Library Property exterior and F-Canyon, with no permit exception listed for personal recreational flights..

Gambling & Gaming

Card Room Licensing: Camarillo bans operating or maintaining any property for card, dice, or billiard gambling within the city, and bans playing or betting on those games for money or anything of value, under Municipal Code Sections 10.38.010 and 10.38.020. The city permits no local card rooms; only nonprofit charitable fundraising events with controlled games are exempted under Section 10.38.030..

Special Events & Permits

Parade Permits: Camarillo requires a city council-issued permit before anyone holds, or even joins, a parade, procession, or other public-street assemblage or demonstration, under Municipal Code Section 11.60.010. Applicants file a written request with the city manager, and parades are separately listed as a permitted special event under Section 19.63.020, subject to the review process in Section 19.63.030..

Also covered: Street Fair Rules (restrictive), Park Event Permits (restrictive). See the full special events & permits guide for Camarillo for details.

What to Do With This Information

Whether you are renting, buying, or renovating in Camarillo, knowing the local rules upfront saves headaches later. Dig into the individual ordinance pages linked above for the complete picture, including fines and exemptions.