Property Maintenance in San Jose, CA (2026)
5 verified property maintenance rules for San Jose, California, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Trash Bin Storage
San Jose requires that trash, recycling, and organics carts be stored out of public view when not set out for collection. Under SJMC Chapter 9.10 and the City's solid waste collection regulations, carts may be placed at the curb no earlier than 5:00 PM the day before collection and must be retrieved by midnight on collection day. Carts must be stored behind the front building line, in a garage, or screened from public view.
San Jose Trash Bin Storage & Placement
Some RestrictionsProperty Blight
San Jose's Code Enforcement Division actively enforces property maintenance standards under SJMC Title 17 (Building Code), the Housing Code (Chapter 17.20), and the Public Nuisance provisions. Property blight includes peeling paint, broken windows, accumulation of junk and debris, inoperable vehicles, overgrown vegetation, graffiti, and structural deterioration. The City operates a Neighborhood Blight Initiative targeting visible deterioration in residential neighborhoods.
San Jose Property Blight & Nuisance Ordinance
Heavy RestrictionsCalifornia Vehicle Code § 22660
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a city, county, or city and county may adopt an ordinance establishing procedures for the abatement and removal, as public nuisances, of abandoned, wrecked, dismantled, or inoperative vehicles or parts thereof from private or public property, and for the recovery, pursuant to Section 25845 or 38773.5 of the Government Code, or assumption by the local ...
Vacant Lot Maintenance
San Jose requires owners of vacant lots and unimproved properties to maintain them free of weeds, rubbish, debris, and hazards under SJMC Chapter 9.10 and the City's nuisance abatement provisions. Vegetation on vacant lots must be maintained below 18 inches in height. The City conducts seasonal weed abatement programs and can perform abatement at the owner's expense if violations are not corrected within the compliance period.
San Jose Vacant Lot Maintenance Requirements
Heavy RestrictionsSnow & Sidewalk Clearing
San Jose has a Mediterranean climate with no measurable snowfall. The City does not have a snow removal or sidewalk clearing ordinance. Property owners are responsible for general sidewalk maintenance including keeping sidewalks clear of debris, vegetation overgrowth, and obstructions under SJMC Title 13 (Streets, Sidewalks and Public Places). Sidewalk repairs for damage caused by street trees may be addressed through the City's sidewalk repair program.
San Jose Snow & Sidewalk Clearing Rules
Few RestrictionsCalifornia Streets and Highways Code § 5610
The owners of lots or portions of lots fronting on any portion of a public street or place when that street or place is improved or if and when the area between the property line of the adjacent property and the street line is maintained as a park or parking strip, shall maintain any sidewalk in such condition that the sidewalk will not endanger persons or property and maintain it in a conditio...
Garage Sale Rules
San Jose does not require permits for garage or yard sales held on residential property. Sales are limited to personal household items and may not include commercially purchased merchandise for resale. The City encourages residents to use the San Jose Reuse and Recycling Center for items that cannot be sold. Neighborhood-wide garage sales are also permitted without special permits.
San Jose Garage Sale Property Maintenance
Few RestrictionsLooking for Santa Clara County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement San Jose city rules.
Property Maintenance in Santa Clara County →