Moving to Fontana, CA? Here Are the Local Rules You Should Know

Fontana is a mid-sized city in San Bernardino County, California, with about 215000 residents. Like most cities its size, it has a set of local rules that may differ significantly from neighboring municipalities. Here is an overview of 107 ordinances across 34 categories that affect daily life in Fontana.

Sidewalk & Pedestrian Rules

Encroachment Permits: Fontana bars anyone from grading, paving, or building curbs, gutters, driveways, sidewalks, sewers, drains, manholes, or catch basins in any city street, alley, or dedicated right-of-way without a public works permit. Sec.

Also covered: Obstruction Rules (limited). See the full sidewalk & pedestrian rules guide for Fontana for details.

Rental Property Rules

Just Cause Eviction: Fontana follows California AB 1482 (Civil Code 1946.2) just-cause eviction protections. No separate local ordinance adds to state rules.

Also covered: Rental Registration (moderate), Repairs & Habitability (moderate), Rent Control (moderate). See the full rental property rules guide for Fontana for details.

Garage & Yard Sales

Frequency, Duration & Permits: Fontana limits yard and garage sales to four city council-designated weekends per calendar year, running Friday through Sunday from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Sign Regulations

Political Signs: Political signs are allowed on private property in Fontana with size and setback limits. City code cannot restrict content.

Also covered: Garage Sale Signs (moderate). See the full sign regulations guide for Fontana for details.

Business Licensing & Operations

Towing Companies: Fontana does not license individual tow operators to work police rotation calls; it grants non-exclusive franchises under Chapter 29, Article VII. A franchisee must hold at least 250 vehicles on an enclosed, fenced lot and cannot charge more than 115 percent of the CHP's Ontario-area towing rates..

Also covered: Pawnbrokers (restrictive), Secondhand Dealers (restrictive), Massage Establishments (moderate). See the full business licensing & operations guide for Fontana for details.

Public Conduct

Loud Party Ordinance: Fontana declares a loud or unruly gathering that substantially disturbs the peace, through noise, fights, vandalism, or crowds spilling into the street, a public nuisance. Hosts and property owners face escalating civil fines and joint liability if police respond to the same address again within 90 days..

Also covered: Aggressive Panhandling (moderate), Loitering Rules (moderate), Public Alcohol Use (moderate). See the full public conduct guide for Fontana for details.

Gambling & Gaming

Card Room Licensing: Fontana requires every public pool or billiard hall to hold a city council permit, and the permit application must state the operator will not allow any gambling or card games of any type on the premises, effectively closing off card rooms operating out of licensed pool halls..

Building Safety

Electrical Permits: Fontana requires all electrical work to meet the 2025 California Electrical Code, based on the 2023 National Electrical Code, adopted under Sec. 5-111.

Also covered: Building Permits (moderate), Plumbing Permits (moderate). See the full building safety guide for Fontana for details.

Parking Rules

Commercial & Oversized Vehicles: Fontana bars commercial vehicles over 10,000 pounds GVW, and any trailer used for commercial purposes, from stopping, standing or parking on any public street under Municipal Code Sec. 17-147.

Also covered: EV Charging (limited), Loading Zones (moderate), Overnight Parking (moderate). See the full parking rules guide for Fontana for details.

Solar Energy

Panel Permits: Fontana issues residential solar permits through SolarAPP+ expedited online tool under AB 2188 and AB 1414. Title 24 Part 6 requires solar on most new homes.

Also covered: Expedited Solar Permitting (limited), HOA Restrictions (moderate). See the full solar energy guide for Fontana for details.

Environmental Rules

Stormwater Management: Fontana bans discharging anything but stormwater into its municipal storm drain system. Sec.

Also covered: Erosion Control (moderate), Vehicle Idling Restrictions (moderate), Flood Elevation Requirements (moderate). See the full environmental rules guide for Fontana for details.

Hotels & Lodging

Transient Occupancy Tax: Fontana charges an 8 percent transient occupancy tax on rent paid by anyone occupying a hotel room, or comparable short-term lodging, for 30 consecutive days or less, under Sec. 10-222.

Homelessness & Encampment Rules

Encampment Sanitation: Camping on Fontana public property, streets, sidewalks, or parks is banned as a public nuisance, and camping that creates unsanitary conditions loses even the narrow exceptions the ordinance allows. Personal property left unattended more than an hour is deemed abandoned and can be impounded and held 60 days..

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

Fence Regulations

Material Restrictions: Fontana outlaws electric fences citywide: it's unlawful to construct or maintain one anywhere in the city, residential or otherwise. Sec.

Also covered: Fence Permit Requirements (limited), Retaining Walls (limited), Neighbor Fence Rules (permissive). See the full fence regulations guide for Fontana for details.

Food Trucks & Mobile Vendors

Vending Zones: Fontana bans stationary sidewalk vending in every residential zone city-wide, from R-E through R-PC and any specific-plan zone that allows housing. In non-residential and mixed-use zones, stationary vendors may operate from 8 a.m.

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

Curfew Laws

Park Curfew: Fontana parks close to the public between 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m.

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

Special Events & Permits

Parade Permits: Fontana requires a permit for any public meeting, assembly, rally, demonstration or parade of 50 or more people under Municipal Code Sec. 17-5.

Also covered: Park Event Permits (restrictive). See the full special events & permits guide for Fontana for details.

Public Health Rules

Rodent Control: Fontana requires wet refuse to be stored in a way that prevents vector breeding under Municipal Code Sec. 24-13, since insects and rodents can transmit disease from unsanitary solid waste.

Also covered: Restaurant Grade Cards (moderate). See the full public health rules guide for Fontana for details.

Water Use Rules

Recycled Water Rules: Fontana's landscape water conservation ordinance requires irrigation systems be built to accommodate recycled water use now and in the future. Sec.

Also covered: Turf Replacement Rebates (moderate). See the full water use rules guide for Fontana for details.

Noise Ordinances

Leaf Blower Rules: Fontana has no local ban on gas-powered leaf blowers, but operation is limited by Chapter 18 nuisance rules and by South Coast AQMD air-quality advisories. California AB 1346 phased out sales of new gas small off-road engines starting in 2024, though using existing equipment remains legal..

Also covered: Barking Dogs (moderate), Vehicle Noise (moderate), Construction Hours (moderate). See the full noise ordinances guide for Fontana for details.

Cannabis Regulations

Home Cultivation: Fontana allows adults 21 and older to grow up to 6 cannabis plants indoors per residence under Proposition 64. Outdoor cultivation is prohibited and indoor grows must meet city safety rules..

Also covered: Dispensary Zoning (restrictive), Buffer Zones (restrictive). See the full cannabis regulations guide for Fontana for details.

Fire Regulations

Outdoor Burning: Fontana bans burning weeds, brush, tree trimmings or other yard debris outdoors except in an approved incinerator or under a written open-burning permit from the Fontana Fire Protection District. Permitted burning is confined to 6 a.m.-11 a.m., a competent attendant must stay with the fire, and burning stops the moment wind exceeds ten miles per hour..

Also covered: Fire Pits & Backyard Fires (moderate), Brush Clearance (moderate), Smoke Detectors (moderate). See the full fire regulations guide for Fontana for details.

Tree Protection

Heritage & Protected Trees: Fontana designates heritage, significant and specimen trees under Article III of Municipal Code Chapter 28. A tree qualifies as heritage if it carries local historical significance, marks a key period of the city's growth such as a windrow or European Olive tree, is a federally or state protected species, or is flagged by the city manager for its size, condition or aesthetic value..

Landscaping Rules

Tree Removal & Heritage Trees: Removing a heritage, significant or specimen tree in Fontana requires a removal permit from the community development department before work starts. Sec.

Also covered: Weed Ordinances (moderate), Artificial Turf (permissive), Native Plants (permissive). See the full landscaping rules guide for Fontana for details.

Animal Ordinances

Mandatory Spay/Neuter: Fontana requires every Pit Bull, American Pit Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier or identifiable mix to be spayed or neutered unless the owner holds AKC or UKC breeding registration, the dog works for law enforcement, qualifies as a certified service animal, or a veterinarian certifies surgery risks serious harm. A pit bull declared vicious loses every exemption and must be altered within 30 days..

Also covered: Chickens & Livestock (moderate), Dog Leash Laws (moderate), Breed Restrictions (moderate). See the full animal ordinances guide for Fontana for details.

Trash & Recycling

Illegal Dumping: Fontana makes it unlawful to dump, deposit, place or bury refuse on any lot, land, public place or waterway, and any vehicle used to do the dumping is declared a nuisance subject to seizure and forfeiture, under Sec. 24-112.

Also covered: Dumpster Rules (moderate), Collection Schedule (moderate), Recycling Requirements (moderate). See the full trash & recycling guide for Fontana for details.

HOA Rules

CC&R Enforcement: Fontana HOAs enforce CC&Rs through written notice, hearings, and fines under Davis-Stirling. Civil Code 5850+ limits fines and requires due process; some CC&R restrictions are preempted by state law..

Also covered: Dispute Resolution (permissive), Architectural Review (permissive). See the full hoa rules guide for Fontana for details.

Outdoor Lighting

Light Trespass & Shielding: Fontana treats light trespass as a zoning violation under FMC Title 17 and a nuisance under Civil Code 3479. Property-line levels facing residential parcels are capped; neighbors can pursue civil remedies..

Soliciting & Door-to-Door

Solicitor Permits: Fontana requires anyone going door-to-door taking orders for goods to obtain a solicitor's license from the license collector before starting business. Fees scale with gross receipts, applicants undergo a background investigation, and licenses run on an annual term.

Also covered: No-Knock Registry (limited). See the full soliciting & door-to-door guide for Fontana for details.

Property Maintenance

Property Blight: Fontana declares dangerous, substandard and dilapidated buildings a public nuisance under Municipal Code Sec. 18-2, alongside junk, overgrown vegetation and other blight conditions.

Also covered: Snow & Sidewalk Clearing (moderate). See the full property maintenance guide for Fontana for details.

Home Business

Home Daycare: Fontana follows California law treating small and large family daycare homes as residential uses. State statutes preempt most local restrictions, but fire clearance and home occupation filings still apply..

Swimming Pools & Spas

Pool Permits: Fontana requires building, plumbing, and electrical permits for all in-ground and above-ground pools and spas over 24 inches deep. Permits ensure code-compliant construction and safety..

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

Short-Term Rentals

Short-Term Rental Parking Rules: STR guests in Fontana must park on-site within the driveway or garage where possible. Overflow street parking must comply with posted restrictions and cannot block neighbors..

Also covered: Occupancy Limits (moderate). See the full short-term rentals guide for Fontana for details.

Data Centers & Crypto Mining

Data Center Zoning & Siting: Fontana has no data-center use category. A data center locates in the M-1 Light Industrial or M-2 Heavy Industrial zone, classified by Planning into the nearest Table 30-530 use - a manufacturing, business-park, or warehousing use - by-right or by Conditional Use Permit depending on that classification..

Also covered: Data Center Noise Limits (moderate). See the full data centers & crypto mining guide for Fontana for details.

What to Do With This Information

This overview covers the big picture, but the details matter. Each ordinance page for Fontana includes the full text, violation penalties, and frequently asked questions. Use those pages when you need specifics.