Castro Valley, CA

Alameda County Code §6.60.080 exempts construction activity from Chapter 6.60 only if it occurs between 7 a.m.-7 p.m. on weekdays and 8 a.m.-5 p.m. on Saturday/Sunday. Outside those…

Alameda County Code §6.60.050 limits use of electric or gas leaf blowers, sweepers, vacuums, mowers, trimmers, edgers and hedgers in residential areas to 7 a.m.-7 p.m. weekdays and 8…

Alameda County Code §5.08.060 makes it unlawful for any person owning, keeping, or having custody of a dog or other animal to knowingly permit or suffer that animal, by barking or…

Castro Valley is unincorporated and operates under Alameda County Code Chapter 6.60 (Noise). §6.60.050 makes it a violation to operate any sound-producing device at any hour if the…

Alameda County Code §6.60.050 prohibits repairing, rebuilding, modifying or testing vehicles in residential areas between 7 p.m. and 7 a.m. if it produces sound plainly audible at 50…

Unincorporated Alameda County bars any radio, stereo, TV, or musical instrument that's plainly audible 50 feet away, at any hour: the rule covers Castro Valley and San Lorenzo, not…

Noise reaching a commercial or industrial property in unincorporated Alameda County may run 65 dB(A) by day and 60 dB(A) at night for sustained sound, climbing to 85/80 dB(A) for brief…

California sets statewide airport noise limits under Title 21 CCR, with the state preempting most local aviation noise control because federal FAA authority dominates aircraft…

Alameda County Code §17.52.430 limits residential fences in Castro Valley to 4 feet in the required front yard, 6 feet in side and rear yards, and 2 feet within 30 feet of a street…

Unincorporated Alameda County exempts retaining walls under 4 feet from permitting, but taller walls need a permit, and the county bans tire retaining walls outright.

Under California Civil Code 841 (Good Neighbor Fence Act), adjoining landowners in Alameda County share equal responsibility for reasonable costs of shared boundary fences unless one…

Unincorporated Alameda County lets masonry fences up to 5'9" and other fences up to 7 feet go up without a permit; taller fences need one.

In unincorporated Alameda County, it is unlawful to stop, park, or leave a vehicle standing in front of a public or private driveway, with narrow exceptions for buses, school buses…

Alameda County enforces CVC 22651(k) allowing removal of vehicles parked 72+ hours. Abandoned vehicles on private property and public streets can be reported to the Sheriff for…

Unincorporated Alameda County bars loading, unloading, or handling boxes, crates, containers, or garbage cans between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m. if it disturbs neighbors: covering Castro Valley…

In unincorporated Alameda County, residents can petition the Public Works director for a residential permit parking area once a block meets zoning, occupancy and 67% signature…

In unincorporated Alameda County, a commercial vehicle over 10,000 pounds GVWR can't park in a residential district (or on an adjacent street) for more than two hours in 24, and two or…

Alameda County unincorporated areas generally allow overnight street parking but prohibit storing vehicles in one spot over 72 hours per CVC 22651(k). Oversized vehicles and RVs face…

Alameda County supports residential EV charging installations through streamlined permits per AB 1236. HOAs cannot prohibit EV chargers on owner-controlled parking per Civil Code 4745.

Unincorporated Alameda County regulates RV parking through zoning ordinance. 72-hour street limit applies. Specific requirements vary by PD and zoning district.

California doesn't ban private-property towing, but Vehicle Code Section 22658 controls how it happens. A posted sign at least 17 by 22 inches must warn drivers before a tow company…

Alameda County requires trimming of trees that obstruct public rights-of-way, block street-sign visibility, or interfere with utility lines. Protected heritage and native oak trees may…

Artificial turf is permitted in Alameda County as a water-saving lawn alternative. State AB 1572 restricts potable irrigation of non-functional natural turf starting 2027, boosting…

Unincorporated Alameda County requires replacement of any right-of-way tree that's improperly removed or damaged, and can order payment into a tree mitigation fund when replacement…

Native and drought-tolerant plants are encouraged throughout Alameda County. State MWELO requires climate-appropriate plants for new landscapes, and EBMUD/ACWD offer rebates for…

Rainwater harvesting is legal and encouraged in Alameda County under CA Rainwater Capture Act of 2012 (AB 1750). Rain barrels under 5,000 gallons for landscape irrigation generally…

Existing unincorporated Alameda County landscapes over one acre that use more water than their allowance face mandatory irrigation audits under the county's water-efficient landscape…

The Alameda County Weed Abatement Program run by the Fire Department requires property owners to remove weeds and combustible debris annually, with violations resulting in abatement…

SB 1383 requires every California resident and business to separate food scraps and yard waste from trash, with universal collection or on-site composting.

In unincorporated Alameda County, only small prefabricated above-ground pools under 5,000 gallons and less than 24 inches deep skip the building permit: anything bigger, or in-ground…

Unincorporated Alameda County enforces the California Swimming Pool Safety Act (Health & Safety Code §§115920-115929). Pools deeper than 18 inches require an enclosure at least 60…

Unincorporated Alameda County allows a home occupation only as an accessory use to a dwelling in an R (residential) or A (agricultural) district, and only if it avoids the…

In unincorporated Alameda County, a home occupation can't be a permitted accessory use if it displays any sign beyond the small name plate already allowed in the residential or…

Unincorporated Alameda County disqualifies a home occupation that generates on-street parking or vehicle and pedestrian traffic beyond what is normal for the district: a…

Family daycare homes are protected by California Health & Safety Code 1597.40, which treats small and large family daycare as residential uses and preempts restrictive local zoning.

Government Code section 51035 forbids any California city, county, or city and county from prohibiting a cottage food operation in a residential dwelling. The local agency must pick…

California lets home cooks sell meals from their own kitchen under a microenterprise home kitchen operation (MEHKO) permit, capped at 30 meals a day, 90 a week, and $100,000 in annual…

Unincorporated Alameda County requires an animal fanciers permit to keep poultry, rabbits, or other livestock in residential zones; agricultural-zoned parcels get an exemption up to 75…

Dogs and cats over six months old adopted from Alameda County's own animal shelter must be spayed or neutered before the new owner takes possession, at the owner's cost.

Alameda County does not impose breed-specific bans. California Food and Agricultural Code 31683 preempts local breed discrimination in licensing and ownership, though mandatory…

Alameda County bars dogs from running at large in unincorporated areas, including Castro Valley and San Lorenzo, and caps leash length at six feet under an owner's control.

Unincorporated Alameda County requires a director-issued permit before anyone owns or keeps an exotic animal, a defined list running from big cats and wolves to venomous snakes…

Alameda County prohibits the intentional feeding of deer, coyotes, raccoons, skunks, bears, and other wildlife. Violations are a public nuisance and can trigger fines. Songbird feeders…

Beekeeping is permitted in most Alameda County zones with setback and hive-count limits. Keepers must register with the County Agricultural Commissioner under CA Food and Agricultural…

California has no statute titled "animal hoarding," but Penal Code 597.1 makes keeping any animal without proper care and attention a misdemeanor and lets peace officers and humane…

Unincorporated Alameda County waives park dedication impact fees for accessory dwelling units under 750 sq ft, and never charges them for junior accessory dwelling units, under Chapter…

Unincorporated Alameda County bans converting a garage into living space in residential zones unless seven conditions are met, including one-to-one replacement parking.

ADUs and junior ADUs in unincorporated Alameda County can be built simultaneously with or after the main house, but every application needs county building inspection sign-off, plus…

In unincorporated Alameda County's R districts, a detached shed or accessory building must sit at least six feet from any other building, stay one story, and stay under fifteen feet…

Unincorporated Alameda County has formally adopted the state residential code's tiny house appendix, so a compliant tiny house is a recognized dwelling type here.

All fireworks - including 'safe and sane' types - are prohibited in unincorporated Alameda County. Only three cities (Dublin, Newark, Union City) permit safe and sane fireworks during…

Public Resources Code 4291 requires 100 feet of defensible space around all structures in VHFHSZ and SRA areas of Alameda County, enforced by CAL FIRE and the Alameda County Fire…

California Health and Safety Code 13113.7 requires smoke alarms in every bedroom, outside each sleeping area, and on every level of all dwellings in Alameda County. Alarms over 10…

Much of east Alameda County including the Oakland Hills, Castro Valley, and Sunol foothills is designated Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone by CAL FIRE, triggering strict defensible…

California requires permits for most outdoor burning, with statewide CAL FIRE and Air Resources Board rules that uniformly apply alongside local air district restrictions.

California uniformly applies the State Fire Marshal's propane storage standards through the California Fire Code, which all local jurisdictions must enforce as a minimum.

Unincorporated Alameda County imposes a Transient Occupancy Tax on short-term lodging of 30 days or fewer; combined TOT rates in Alameda County cities typically range from about 10 to…

STRs in unincorporated Alameda County must provide on-site parking consistent with the residential zoning standard and should limit guest vehicles to the number of on-site spaces to…

Unincorporated Alameda County does not set an STR-specific occupancy cap but enforces building code, fire code, and nuisance rules that effectively limit total guests based on bedrooms…

California requires hosting platforms to warn hosts to check their lease and insurance before listing (Business and Professions Code 22592), and AB 537 requires short-term lodging…

Unincorporated Alameda County can bar sidewalk food and merchandise carts from vending near a permitted farmers' market, swap meet, or special-event area under regulations adopted for…

Anyone selling food or merchandise from a pushcart, stand, or similar unit on a sidewalk in unincorporated Alameda County must first get and display a sidewalk vendor permit from the…

Mobile food facilities operating in unincorporated Alameda County need a health permit from the county's Department of Environmental Health before serving the public.

New structures in the county's combining FF (flood fringe) zoning district must set their lowest floor at least one foot above the adopted 100-year flood level under § 17.30.090.

Grading operations in unincorporated Alameda County must follow erosion and sediment control standards under § 15.36.600, including limits on rainy-season work and required long-term…

Unincorporated Alameda County bans discharging anything but stormwater into its storm drains, creeks or the bay, with narrow exemptions for irrigation runoff, pool draining and similar…

Development in FEMA-mapped flood hazard areas of unincorporated Alameda County must meet the county's Floodplain Management Regulations, tied to Flood Insurance Rate Maps adopted since…

The California Coastal Act, Public Resources Code sections 30000 through 30900, requires Coastal Development Permits for nearly all work in the coastal zone and gives the Coastal…

Castro Valley limits one-family homes to a sliding floor-area-ratio cap, as low as 0.10 FAR on the largest lots, before extra square footage triggers site development review.

Unincorporated Alameda County adopts the 2025 CALGreen code with county amendments enforced by the Building Inspection Division.

Unincorporated Alameda County requires a building permit for nearly all construction under its 2025 California Building Code; only fourteen narrow categories of minor work are exempt…

Unincorporated Alameda County can bill a reinspection fee whenever an inspector shows up and the job isn't ready or the required corrections weren't made.

Unincorporated Alameda County requires electrical work to conform to the county-adopted 2025 California Electrical Code, incorporating the 2023 NEC.

Unincorporated Alameda County requires plumbing work to conform to the county-adopted 2025 California Plumbing Code.

Alameda County enforces California H&S Code 17920.10 treating deteriorated lead paint in pre-1978 housing as substandard. Oakland, Berkeley, and Alameda have old housing stocks with…

Before transferring property within 2,000 feet of agricultural land in unincorporated Alameda County, discretionary-permit approvals require the deed to carry a right-to-farm…

Alameda County Code shields lawful commercial agricultural operations from private and public nuisance lawsuits triggered only by changed conditions on neighboring land, protecting…

Unincorporated Alameda County caps garage sales at two per property every 12 months, with each sale limited to two consecutive days under the county's real property nuisance ordinance.

Only haulers the Board of Supervisors has franchised, permitted, or otherwise authorized may collect trash, recycling, or organic waste within a county collection service zone in…

Unincorporated Alameda County bans leaving trash, recycling, or green-waste carts out for more than 24 hours in any seven-day period, including pickup day, unless the enforcement…

Unincorporated Alameda County requires every single-family, multi-family, and commercial property to subscribe to a county-authorized hauler's solid waste, recycling, and organic waste…

Permanent dumpsters and debris boxes on unincorporated Alameda County property must be screened from view of any public or private street and fitted with covers that close securely.

Unincorporated Alameda County residents must place yard waste, trash, and recycling containers curbside for pickup under county-franchised hauler rules, and only the occupant or…

Dumping refuse, garbage, or rubbish anywhere in unincorporated Alameda County outside an approved container is unlawful under Section 13.08.100, with fines climbing from $100 to $500…

State law (SB 1383) drives Alameda County's organics mandate: unincorporated single-family and commercial generators, including multi-family buildings, must comply with the county's…

Unincorporated Alameda County property owners must use curbside collection service from an authorized hauler; self-hauling trash or recyclables is unlawful unless the county…

Alameda County's business license tax sorts businesses operating in the unincorporated area into distinct classes, retail, grocer, contractor, and more, each taxed at its own…

Alameda County health inspectors can order food facility workers to attend a food safety class after repeated violations or if staff lack basic food-safety knowledge.

Alameda County's Department of Environmental Health scores unincorporated-area food facilities and posts a green, yellow, or red placard after each inspection.

Chapter 6.54 makes pharmaceutical manufacturers fund a take-back program for used needles, syringes, and lancets across all of Alameda County, incorporated cities included, so…

Pest control in Alameda County is regulated by CA DPR and county Environmental Health. Landlords must provide pest-free housing under Civil Code 1941.1 and SB 655.

Unincorporated Alameda County bans skateboarding on roadways at unsafe speeds, on divided highways, near intersections, after dark, and anywhere in a business district's streets…

Alameda County's Social Host Ordinance fines anyone who knowingly hosts a loud or unruly gathering on unincorporated-area property where alcohol reaches a person under 21, $750 for a…

Unincorporated Alameda County bans drinking alcohol on any public street, sidewalk or alley, and on business parking lots within 500 feet of a public way without the owner's…

Unincorporated Alameda County bans smoking within 20 feet of building entrances, exits, and outdoor dining areas, extending its enclosed-space smoking ban into nearby outdoor space.

Minors under 18 may not loiter in unincorporated Alameda County's public streets or places between 10 p.m. and sunrise without an adult.

Using a concrete sidewalk along an unincorporated Alameda County roadway with mules, horses, or vehicles, other than to enter or leave the adjacent property, is a misdemeanor.

Building, planting, or placing anything within a public road right-of-way in unincorporated Alameda County requires an encroachment permit from the county public works agency before…

Under CA Streets and Highways Code 5610, adjacent property owners are responsible for maintaining sidewalks fronting their property in Alameda County unincorporated areas.

Planting, maintaining, or removing a tree in the county right-of-way strip between the property line and the paved street is the adjacent owner's job in unincorporated Alameda County.

California provides statewide protections for native oak woodlands and heritage trees through CEQA review, Public Resources Code, and Forest Practice Rules that apply uniformly.

Alameda County's water-efficient landscape ordinance gives areas irrigated with recycled water a looser water budget, an ET adjustment factor up to 1.0, versus the standard 0.7, to…

Alameda County bans motor-vehicle repair, servicing, painting or dismantling as a home occupation in unincorporated R and A district homes: the county's rule for its own unincorporated…

Junk dealers and secondhand dealers, including cash-for-gold shops, operating in unincorporated Alameda County must hold a sheriff-issued license before doing business; operating…

Anyone acting as a tobacco retailer in unincorporated Alameda County must first obtain a county tobacco retailer license for each sales location; retailing without one is a nuisance…

Unincorporated Alameda County requires a sheriff-issued permit and CMTC certification before anyone may run a massage establishment, off-premises massage service, or work as a…

Body art and tattoo shops in Alameda County need an annual environmental health permit, and every practitioner must register separately.

Unincorporated Alameda County caps R-1 single-family homes at two stories and 25 feet, though wide, deep lots can earn extra height up to a 30-foot ceiling.

R-4 four-family lots in unincorporated Alameda County cannot be more than 40 percent covered by structures, and must set aside 600 square feet of usable open space per unit.

Unincorporated Alameda County requires 20-foot front and rear yards in R-1 single-family districts, with side yards scaling from five feet up to a 10-foot maximum based on lot width.

In unincorporated Alameda County, signs viewed through a window count toward the property's total sign area only if they cover more than 25% of that window's area.

Alameda County allows political signs on private property with First Amendment protections. Signs in public right-of-way are prohibited. No permit required for residential political…

Alameda County enforces habitability violations through a complaint-driven inspection and abatement process, with a right of entry into any building believed substandard and a hearing…

Unincorporated Alameda County mobilehome park owners cannot charge a rent increase until they give the notices state law requires and disclose where residents can review the Mobilehome…

Alameda County unincorporated areas fall under California AB 1482 statewide rent cap limiting annual increases to 5 percent plus CPI, maximum 10 percent.

Alameda County unincorporated areas are covered by AB 1482 just cause eviction rules requiring landlords to cite a specific lawful reason for terminating tenancies over 12 months.

California evictions run through the unlawful detainer process. Under Code of Civil Procedure § 1161, nonpayment requires a 3-day notice to pay rent or quit (excluding weekends and…

California Civil Code § 1954 limits when a landlord may enter a rented home. Except in emergencies, abandonment, or with tenant consent, the landlord must give reasonable written…

California sets no fixed dollar or percentage cap on rent late fees, but a late fee in a residential lease is treated as liquidated damages. Under Civil Code § 1671, such a fee is…

To end a California month-to-month tenancy, a tenant gives 30 days' written notice. A landlord gives 30 days if the tenant has lived there under a year, or 60 days if a year or more…

As of July 1, 2024, California landlords may collect no more than one month's rent as a security deposit, regardless of whether the unit is furnished. The deposit, minus any lawful…

California adverse possession requires five years of continuous, open, hostile possession AND payment of all property taxes during that period under Code of Civil Procedure § 325. A…

Alameda County HOAs enforce CC&Rs under Civil Code 5850-5865. Before imposing fines, associations must provide written notice, an opportunity to be heard, and a published schedule of…

Alameda County HOAs must offer Internal Dispute Resolution (IDR) under Civil Code 5900-5920 and Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) before filing most lawsuits. Both processes are…

Alameda County HOAs follow Civil Code 5600-5740 for assessments. Regular assessments cannot increase more than 20 percent annually, and special assessments over 5 percent of budget…

Alameda County HOAs conduct architectural review under Civil Code 4765. Associations must provide fair, reasonable procedures with written decisions within a defined timeframe and a…

HOAs in Alameda County operate under California Davis-Stirling (Civil Code 4000+). Board meetings require 4-day notice, open session participation, and minutes available within 30 days.

California voids any HOA governing-document clause that effectively bans or unreasonably restricts a clothesline or drying rack in an owner's exclusive-use backyard. Civil Code Section…

Civil Code section 4735 voids any HOA rule that bans low-water plants, turf replacement, or artificial turf, and bars fines for cutting back watering during a declared drought…

Civil Code § 4745 voids any HOA covenant or governing-document rule that prohibits or unreasonably restricts installing an EV charging station in an owner's unit or designated parking…

Civil Code § 4705 bars every California homeowners association from limiting a member's display of the United States flag on their own lot or within their exclusive-use common area…

California law caps homeowners association fines at $100 per violation or the amount listed in the association's published penalty schedule, whichever is less. Civil Code section 5850…

A California homeowners association cannot foreclose on a member’s home over unpaid dues until the delinquent assessments alone reach $1,800, or until the assessments secured by the…

Civil Code § 4741 bars every California homeowners association from adopting or enforcing a rule that prohibits, or unreasonably restricts, renting out a separate interest, and sets a…

Unincorporated Alameda County bars loading and unloading of crates, containers, or trash cans between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m. if it disturbs a neighbor's residential property.

Unincorporated Alameda County caps residential air conditioning and refrigeration equipment noise at 55 dB(A) for units installed before July 1980, and 50 dB(A) for newer units.

Unincorporated Alameda County bans stereo, TV and instrument sound plainly audible at 50 feet at any hour, and defines audible bass alone as enough to prove a violation.

Unincorporated Alameda County requires any motor-vehicle burglar alarm to shut off within 15 minutes of activation: covering Castro Valley and other unincorporated communities, not…

Bars and nightclubs in unincorporated Alameda County must keep exterior noise at or under the county's decibel table, day and night.

Unincorporated Alameda County imposes a 10% Hotel and Lodging Tax on hotel, motel, and short-term rental stays under 30 consecutive days, collected by the operator and remitted to the…

Tenants in unincorporated Alameda County can request county-arranged mediation within 45 days of giving a landlord written notice of untenantable conditions, before other remedies.

Unincorporated Alameda County runs a checklist-based, administrative-only review for small residential rooftop solar systems, with just one consolidated inspection.

Alameda County offers 3-business-day solar permitting under AB 2188 and SB 379. Systems must comply with Title 24 and the 2022 Solar Mandate for new homes.

Alameda County HOAs cannot prohibit solar under CA Civil Code 714 (Solar Rights Act). Only reasonable restrictions are allowed that do not significantly reduce efficiency or raise cost.

Unincorporated Alameda County grants a density bonus up to 35% above base zoning density to housing developments that set aside units for very low, low, or moderate income households…

Any conditional use in unincorporated Sunol's downtown SD district must be found consistent with the area's historic, architectural, and visual character before Alameda County's…

Alameda County lists historically significant properties as landmarks, structures of merit, or historic-district contributors on its own Alameda County Register, covering…

Cannabis retailers, cultivators and combined operations may locate only in the county's A (Agricultural) zoning district, and only with a conditional use permit.

Health and Safety Code section 11362.2 grants every adult 21 or older the statewide right to cultivate up to six cannabis plants indoors, and bars local governments from completely…

Anyone peddling goods on foot, by stand, or by vehicle in unincorporated Alameda County must hold a business license, with a fee schedule set by what's being sold and how it's peddled.

Any parade or procession of more than ten vehicles or twenty people on an unincorporated Alameda County roadway needs a sheriff-issued permit filed 20 to 30 days in advance.

Unincorporated Alameda County bars driving or parking a vehicle in a marked bicycle lane except to turn, enter a driveway, load passengers, or park where parking adjacent to the lane…

A low-speed vehicle in California may not be driven on any roadway with a speed limit above 35 miles per hour. Vehicle Code section 21260 permits it to cross a faster road only where…

Alameda County bans the sale or possession-for-sale of any flavored tobacco product by tobacco retailers in the unincorporated county, covering menthol, fruit, candy, and other…

California prohibits sale of tobacco and vapor products to anyone under 21 statewide under Business and Professions Code 22958, enacted by SBX2-7 in 2016. The Tobacco 21 standard…

Alameda County treats light trespass onto neighbors as nuisance under Title 17 and Civil Code 3479. Residential fixtures cannot exceed 0.5 foot-candles at adjacent property lines.

Alameda County Nuisance Abatement Ordinance targets property blight including junk accumulation, overgrown weeds, graffiti, and derelict structures in unincorporated areas.

Alameda County, located in the San Francisco Bay Area, has no snow sidewalk clearing ordinance because measurable snowfall is extremely rare in unincorporated lowlands.

Alameda County has no dedicated data-center ordinance. A data center is regulated only through general industrial zoning, the M-1, M-2, and M-P districts, plus Site Development Review…

Alameda County does not have a specific bamboo ban, but running bamboo that spreads onto neighboring properties can be addressed as a nuisance under county ordinances and California…

California is a two-party (all-party) consent state. Recording any confidential communication without all parties' consent is a crime under Penal Code 632. This applies to phone calls…

California sets a statewide minimum wage floor under Labor Code 1182.12, $16.90 per hour for all employers as of January 2026. Local governments are not preempted and may set higher…

California's Healthy Workplaces, Healthy Families Act under Labor Code 245-249 mandates paid sick leave for nearly all employees statewide. SB 616 (2023) raised the minimum to 40 hours…

California regulates concealed carry weapons licenses statewide under Penal Code 26150 through 26225. Senate Bill 2 (2023) imposes uniform sensitive-place restrictions and applicant…

California preempts most local firearm regulation under Government Code 53071 and Penal Code 25605, reserving licensing, registration, and manufacture authority to the state. However…

California broadly prohibits open carry of firearms statewide under Penal Code 25850 (loaded firearms in public) and Penal Code 26350 (open carry of unloaded handguns). The prohibition…

California prohibits carrying loaded firearms in vehicles statewide under Penal Code 25400 and 25850. Unloaded handguns transported in private vehicles must be in a locked container or…

California's Gambling Control Act bars any city or county from issuing a gambling license to a cardroom unless a local ordinance authorizes it first: one adopted by voters after…

California Penal Code § 326.5 lets only tax-exempt nonprofits, mobilehome park associations, senior groups, and school-affiliated charities run bingo, and only under a local city or…

California law exempts private home card games from gambling regulation entirely. Penal Code § 337j(e)(2)(D) excludes any card game played in a private home or residence from the…

California has no legal sports betting, in stores or online. Penal Code section 337a criminalizes bookmaking, pool-selling, and placing or accepting any bet on the result of a sporting…

Sobriety checkpoints are lawful in California and stopping at one is a statutory obligation, not a courtesy. Vehicle Code § 2814.2(a) requires a driver to stop and submit to a sobriety…

California is one of the few states that answers this by statute rather than by case law alone. Penal Code § 148(g) says that photographing or making an audio or video recording of a…

California has no general stop-and-identify statute. The old Penal Code § 647(e), which required a person lawfully detained to give "credible and reliable" identification, was held…

California has no statute that requires you to consent to a search of your car, and none that requires an officer to warn you that you may refuse. What the Legislature and the voters…

California prohibits grocery stores and large retailers from providing single-use plastic carryout bags under Public Resources Code 42280-42288, enacted by SB 270 (2014) and ratified…

California restricts expanded polystyrene food containers statewide through SB 54 (2022) packaging requirements under Public Resources Code 42040-42081. The law mandates that…

California Public Resources Code 42270-42273, enacted by AB 1884 (2018), prohibits full-service restaurants from providing single-use plastic straws unless requested by the customer…

California works from a closed list: Vehicle Code section 24003 says no vehicle may carry any lamp or illuminating device not required or permitted by the code, so an accessory light…

California measures dash cam placement in square inches. Vehicle Code section 26708(b)(13) lets a video event recorder occupy a seven-inch square in the lower corner of the windshield…

Lane splitting is lawful in California. Vehicle Code section 21658.1, added by AB 51 in 2016, defines it as driving a motorcycle with two wheels in contact with the ground between rows…

California does not let you put a cover over your license plate. Vehicle Code section 5201(c) allows exactly two things: a full car cover on a lawfully parked vehicle, and a license…

No section of the California Vehicle Code makes it an offense for a private motorist to own, carry or use a radar detector. The prohibition in Vehicle Code section 28150 reaches only…

California permits metal studded tires only between November 1 and April 30, and only where the studs are tungsten carbide or another suitable material and the metal touching the road…

California never publishes a "legal VLT" for front side windows because it does not permit aftermarket darkening there at all. Vehicle Code section 26708(d) allows only clear…