What San Bernardino Regulates: A Complete Ordinance Overview

San Bernardino is a mid-sized city in San Bernardino County, California, with about 222000 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 124 ordinances across 38 categories that affect daily life in San Bernardino.

Parking Rules

Commercial & Oversized Vehicles: San Bernardino bars commercial vehicles, truck tractors, semitrailers and trailers of 10,000 pounds GVWR or more from parking on any street, alley or parkway in a residential district, or on residentially zoned property, under SBMC § 10.16.120. In non-residential districts the same vehicles get only two continuous hours before each additional two-hour block becomes a separate infraction..

Also covered: Overnight Parking (moderate), Curb Color Rules (moderate), Preferential Parking Districts (moderate). See the full parking rules guide for San Bernardino for details.

Home Business

Home Daycare: San Bernardino family child care homes are protected by CA Health and Safety Code 1597.40. Licensed small homes up to 8 children and large homes up to 14 are a residential use by right citywide..

Rental Property Rules

Rent Control: San Bernardino has no local rent stabilization, but AB 1482 (Civil Code 1947.12) caps annual rent increases at 5% plus CPI (max 10%) and imposes just cause eviction..

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

Cannabis Regulations

Home Cultivation: San Bernardino adults 21+ may grow up to 6 cannabis plants indoors at their residence under Prop 64 (H and S Code 11362.2). Outdoor grows are banned citywide, and plants must be secured and out of public view..

Also covered: Buffer Zones (moderate), Dispensary Zoning (moderate). See the full cannabis regulations guide for San Bernardino for details.

Local Taxes & Fees

Business Tax Classification: San Bernardino's City Clerk decides which fee category a business registration certificate falls into, based on gross receipts, employee counts, vehicles used or similar measures, and businesses can formally challenge that classification..

Also covered: Parking Tax (moderate). See the full local taxes & fees guide for San Bernardino for details.

Business Licensing & Operations

Adult Entertainment: San Bernardino requires a city license before anyone operates a public dance hall, night club or any venue offering adult entertainment, with the City Clerk investigating every applicant through Police, Fire and Development Services before approval..

Also covered: Massage Establishments (restrictive), Pawnbrokers (restrictive), Towing Companies (moderate). See the full business licensing & operations guide for San Bernardino for details.

Animal Ordinances

Exotic Pets: No one may keep a dangerous or poisonous animal anywhere in San Bernardino, and any wild, exotic or non-domestic animal already banned by state or federal law is likewise prohibited citywide under Chapter 6.07..

Also covered: Bird Protection (moderate), Mandatory Spay/Neuter (restrictive), Chickens & Livestock (moderate). See the full animal ordinances guide for San Bernardino for details.

Sidewalk & Pedestrian Rules

Encroachment Permits: San Bernardino requires a written encroachment permit before anyone excavates, obstructs, or puts a sidewalk, street, or public right-of-way to private use. The Director of Development Services issues the permit only after a 48-hour-advance application, a plat of the work, and a deposit covering inspection and repair costs..

Also covered: Sidewalk Repair (moderate), Obstruction Rules (moderate). See the full sidewalk & pedestrian rules guide for San Bernardino for details.

Public Conduct

Public Marijuana Use: Chapter 8.97 bans smoking or vaping cannabis in every public place, dining area, service area, recreational area and place of employment in San Bernardino, indoors or out, plus within 50 feet of the doors and windows of those places. Violators face infraction fines up to $500 or misdemeanor prosecution..

Also covered: Public Urination (moderate), Aggressive Panhandling (restrictive), Loud Party Ordinance (restrictive). See the full public conduct guide for San Bernardino for details.

Noise from Specific Sources

HVAC & Mechanical Noise: Electrically operated compressors, fans, and similar HVAC-type devices in San Bernardino can only run during the city's controlled noise hours: 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Also covered: Car Alarm Limits (moderate), Delivery Truck Noise (moderate). See the full noise from specific sources guide for San Bernardino for details.

Homelessness & Encampment Rules

Encampment Sanitation: San Bernardino Municipal Code Chapter 12.98 makes it unlawful to camp or store camp facilities, camp paraphernalia or other personal property on any street, public parking lot, public area or park, aiming to keep public streets and areas clean and accessible to the whole public..

Trash & Recycling

Illegal Dumping: Dumping garbage or waste on any San Bernardino lot, street, alley or waterway is unlawful under Municipal Code Section 8.24.120. Violations are charged as misdemeanors carrying up to six months in jail and a $1,000 fine, or filed as infractions at the City Attorney's discretion..

Also covered: Dumpster Rules (restrictive), Collection Schedule (moderate), Yard Waste Collection (moderate). See the full trash & recycling guide for San Bernardino for details.

Code Violation Reporting

How to Report: San Bernardino Municipal Code § 8.24.120(A)(2) directs residents to report illegal dumping and solid waste violations to the City Code Enforcement Department or the Public Works Department, which can issue a notice of violation and, if ignored, clean up the property and bill the owner..

Sign Regulations

Garage Sale Signs: San Bernardino limits yard-sale signs to three unlighted signs of four square feet or less on the sale property itself, plus up to four two-square-foot directional signs on private property with owner consent. All signs are banned in the public right-of-way under Municipal Code § 8.14.040..

Public Health Rules

Rodent Control: San Bernardino's Property Maintenance Code requires every single-family, multi-residential, commercial and industrial property to stay free of termite, insect, vermin and rodent infestation. Owners, renters, managers and anyone in charge of the property share the duty.

Also covered: Syringe Disposal (moderate), Restaurant Grade Cards (moderate), Food Handler Certification (moderate). See the full public health rules guide for San Bernardino for details.

Noise Ordinances

Quiet Hours: San Bernardino's Controlled Hours of Operation rule pushes eleven categories of noisy activity, from leaf blowers to power tools, out of residential zones before 8:00 a.m. or after 8:00 p.m., and out of all other zones before 7:00 a.m.

Also covered: Amplified Music & Outdoor Sound (moderate), Construction Hours (moderate), Vehicle Noise (moderate). See the full noise ordinances guide for San Bernardino for details.

Curfew Laws

Juvenile Curfew: San Bernardino bars minors under 18 from public places and business premises from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m.

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

Food Trucks & Mobile Vendors

Food Truck Permits: Anyone running a motorized mobile food business in San Bernardino, including ice cream trucks, must get a peddling permit from the City Clerk before selling on any street or door to door. Municipal Code Chapter 5.19 covers this motorized activity separately from the non-motorized sidewalk vending permit in Chapter 5.30..

Also covered: Sidewalk & Mobile Vending (moderate), Vending Zones (moderate). See the full food trucks & mobile vendors guide for San Bernardino for details.

Property Maintenance

Property Blight: San Bernardino's Building Official can summarily abate a dangerous or hazardous building or premises under San Bernardino Municipal Code § 15.28.150, without waiting for a hearing, whenever a condition is immediately dangerous under California Building Code § 116. Owners get mailed notice, a ten-day appeal window and a lien for unpaid abatement costs..

Also covered: Vacant Lot Maintenance (moderate), Snow & Sidewalk Clearing (permissive). See the full property maintenance guide for San Bernardino for details.

Landscaping Rules

Weed Ordinances: San Bernardino enforces weed and vegetation fire-hazard abatement by adopting the San Bernardino County Weed Abatement Code by reference under Municipal Code § 8.19.010. City Code Enforcement, standing in for the County Fire Chief/Fire Warden, can cite property owners, with penalties reaching a $1,000 fine or six months in jail for repeat offenses..

Also covered: Tree Removal & Heritage Trees (moderate), Rainwater Harvesting (moderate), Native Plants (permissive). See the full landscaping rules guide for San Bernardino for details.

Privacy & Surveillance

Security Camera Rules: San Bernardino's private surveillance equipment ordinance lets residents run home security cameras but bars pointing them at a neighbor's property. Chapter 9.58 prohibits positioning any private camera or recording device so it intrudes on a neighboring residence's privacy, treating specific triggers, like watching areas not visible from the street, as automatic violations..

Tree Protection

Parkway Planting: San Bernardino Municipal Code Chapter 12.40 puts every parkway, median and public right-of-way tree under the city's street tree master plan. Planting outside that plan is unlawful, cutting or removing a public tree needs a paid Director of Public Services permit, and abutting property owners must water and maintain whatever grows in the parkway fronting their lot..

Special Events & Permits

Parade Permits: No parade or procession may occupy or march along a San Bernardino street without a permit issued by the Chief of Police under SBMC § 10.24.140. Funeral processions and the military and city police/fire forces are exempted; the old standalone parades chapter was repealed in 2015..

Also covered: Park Event Permits (moderate). See the full special events & permits guide for San Bernardino for details.

Fire Regulations

Fireworks: San Bernardino allows only state-classified safe and sane fireworks, sold from licensed stands and only from noon July 1 through midnight July 4, and bans them entirely in mapped no-discharge zones. Dangerous fireworks are prohibited citywide, and storing any fireworks at a residence is illegal year-round..

Also covered: Fire Pits & Backyard Fires (moderate), Smoke Detectors (moderate), Wildfire Zones (restrictive). See the full fire regulations guide for San Bernardino for details.

Environmental Rules

Erosion Control: Builders in San Bernardino disturbing an acre or more must get a state construction storm water permit and file a local Storm Water Quality Management Plan before any grading or building permit issues, under Municipal Code § 8.80.501 and § 8.80.502..

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

Rental Inspections

Inspection Programs: San Bernardino requires every single-family rental property in the city to undergo a periodic inspection by the Director of Community Development and Housing to confirm compliance with applicable housing and building laws. Owners who maintain a violation-free property for three years can qualify for a self-certification program that waives the site visit and fee..

Also covered: Tenant Complaint Process (moderate). See the full rental inspections guide for San Bernardino for details.

Building Safety

Fire Sprinkler Requirements: San Bernardino does not impose a blanket sprinkler mandate on home additions. Under § 15.04.250, the acting Fire Authority decides case by case whether a residential addition needs automatic fire sprinklers, based on water availability and existing hydrant fire flow at the project site..

Also covered: Green Building Code (moderate), Plumbing Permits (moderate), Electrical Permits (moderate). See the full building safety guide for San Bernardino for details.

Fence Regulations

Material Restrictions: In San Bernardino's foothill fire zones A, B and C and any state-designated very high fire hazard severity zone, § 15.10.080(B)(1) bans combustible fencing outright: fencing must be approved noncombustible or ignition-resistant material. The rule rides on top of the adopted California Building Code Chapter 7A wildfire standards..

Also covered: Fence Permit Requirements (moderate), Neighbor Fence Rules (permissive). See the full fence regulations guide for San Bernardino for details.

Swimming Pools & Spas

Pool Permits: Above-ground pools in San Bernardino over 18 inches deep follow the same permit and barrier rules as in-ground pools. Pool walls of 60 inches can serve as the barrier when steps or ladders are locked or gated..

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

Solar Energy

HOA Restrictions: California Civil Code 714 limits HOA authority over rooftop solar in San Bernardino. HOAs cannot unreasonably restrict solar, impose costs over 1,000 dollars, or reduce system efficiency below designed output..

Invasive Plant Rules

Prohibited Species: San Bernardino requires property owners to destroy and remove castor bean (Ricinus communis) plants once the health officer finds one growing as a nuisance or health menace. Knowingly ignoring the written removal order is an infraction under Municipal Code Chapter 8.84..

Data Centers & Crypto Mining

Data Center Noise Limits: The City of San Bernardino sets its own noise standard in Development Code Chapter 19.20: mechanical equipment must not be discernible beyond the parcel boundary, and exterior noise in residential areas cannot exceed 65 dBA, with interior noise capped at 45 dBA..

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

Historic Preservation

Historic-Cultural Monuments: San Bernardino bars demolition of any building or structure 50 years or older without a valid demolition permit under its Historic Building Demolition Ordinance. Resources flagged in the city's historic survey must undergo an evaluation report and review by the Arts and Historical Preservation Commission before demolition can proceed..

Garage & Yard Sales

Frequency, Duration & Permits: San Bernardino caps yard sales at 12 per calendar year per seller or location, each lasting no more than three consecutive days during daylight hours, and restricts them to the third weekend of each month under Municipal Code § 8.14.020. Estate sales and non-profit sales are exempt from the date restriction..

HOA Rules

Architectural Review: San Bernardino HOA architectural review follows CA Civil Code 4765. Reviews must be fair, decisions delivered in writing, and denials carry an appeal right.

Also covered: CC&R Enforcement (permissive). See the full hoa rules guide for San Bernardino for details.

Hotels & Lodging

Transient Occupancy Tax: San Bernardino charges a 10% transient lodging tax on hotel room rentals for any stay of 30 consecutive days or less. Operators collect it at payment and remit it monthly to the Department of Finance and Management Services..

Water Use Rules

Turf Replacement Rebates: San Bernardino lets single-family owners retire water-hungry turf for drought-tolerant landscaping under the Water Wise Landscape Program, Municipal Code Chapter 17.06. Participation requires a Development Services permit, a signed agreement, and completion by the following May 31..

Soliciting & Door-to-Door

Solicitor Permits: San Bernardino requires a solicitor to obtain a peddling or soliciting permit from the City Clerk before going door to door or through the streets taking orders for future delivery or asking for charitable donations. Municipal Code Chapter 5.19 sets the application, background-check and appeal process..

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

What to Do With This Information

If you are moving to San Bernardino, buying a home, or starting a project, use this as a starting point. Each category links to detailed pages with the full text, penalties, and FAQs. Verify anything time-sensitive with San Bernardino's city hall or code enforcement office.