Citrus Heights, CA

Intentional feeding of wild animals including coyotes, raccoons, deer, wild turkeys, and feral cats is discouraged in Citrus Heights and may constitute a public nuisance. California…

Beekeeping in Citrus Heights is permitted on residential lots subject to Sacramento County apiary siting standards and California Food & Agricultural Code §29040 registration with the…

Citrus Heights cannot ban or restrict specific dog breeds. California Food & Agricultural Code §31683 preempts all local breed-specific legislation statewide. Dangerous dog…

California Fish and Game Code §2116-2126 and Title 14 CCR §671 prohibit possession of a broad list of exotic and wild animals statewide, including ferrets, hedgehogs, monkeys, large…

Unincorporated Sacramento County households can keep up to four dogs over four months old and four cats over six months old before Animal Care Services classifies the property as a…

Sacramento County doesn't microchip pets generally, but an animal formally declared vicious or dangerous must be implanted with a microchip and logged in the county and national…

Sacramento County exempts the domestic cat from the countywide at-large ban: Code § 8.08.050(1) prohibits every other owned animal from roaming loose but carves cats out by name. A…

Sacramento County Code § 9.04.020 bans destroying, injuring, or molesting any bird, bird's nest, or bird's eggs, along with any tree, shrub, plant, or flower, inside the boundaries of…

Unincorporated Sacramento County allows backyard chickens and other egg-laying fowl on lots under 10,000 square feet at one bird per 1,000 square feet of parcel, kept in rear yards…

Sacramento County requires four to five off-street parking spaces per 1,000 square feet of gross floor area for any veterinarian or animal hospital use, per Zoning Code § 5.9.2.C…

Dogs that leave their owner's property must be on a leash no longer than eight feet, with narrow exceptions for law enforcement, training events, and livestock herding.

Dogs and cats over four months old must be spayed or neutered to be legally possessed in the county, unless the owner buys a pricier unaltered license or qualifies for an exemption.

Abandoned vehicles on Citrus Heights public streets are handled under CVC §22651(k) (72-hour rule) and §22669 (wrecked/inoperable). On private property, inoperable vehicles violate…

Commercial vehicles over 10,000 lbs GVWR are prohibited from overnight parking on Citrus Heights residential streets. Oversized vehicles face 2 AM-6 AM restrictions citywide (CVC…

Citrus Heights does not have a citywide overnight street parking ban. Passenger vehicles may park overnight on public streets subject to the 72-hour CVC §22651(k) limit and any posted…

Citrus Heights implements streamlined EV charger permitting under AB 1236 (Gov Code §65850.7). Residential Level 2 charger permits must be processed within 1-3 business days using a…

Citrus Heights enforces California Vehicle Code §22651(k) statewide 72-hour limit on consecutive parking in one location on public streets. Violations result in marking, citation, and…

Vehicle parking on residential lots of 15,000 sq ft or less must sit on impervious paving, not bare dirt or landscaped ground.

Sacramento County's traffic director can establish bus zones, loading zones and taxi stands on county roads, and once one is posted, leaving a vehicle standing there longer than the…

Sacramento County paints its curbs in five colors with fixed legal meanings: red bans stopping entirely, yellow allows only quick loading between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m., and white, green…

Sacramento County's Board of Supervisors can designate any residential area burdened by nonresident parking as a Preferential Residential Permit Parking Area by resolution, exempting…

Boats, campers, trailers, and other RVs at homes in unincorporated Sacramento County must sit on a surfaced parking area: they can't be parked or stored on the required landscaped…

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…

Tiny homes on permanent foundations may qualify as ADUs in Citrus Heights, while tiny homes on wheels are regulated as recreational vehicles and cannot be permanent residences.

Sacramento County waives its Countywide Transportation Mitigation Fee for accessory dwelling units under 750 square feet; larger ADUs pay a prorated share of the primary unit's fee.

Unincorporated Sacramento County bars ADUs from short-term rental use unless the unit was legally permitted before January 1, 2020, and bans short-term rentals in JADUs outright, with…

Converting a garage into an ADU in unincorporated Sacramento County does not require replacing the lost covered parking, and the converted unit may keep the garage's original setbacks…

Sacramento County requires the property owner to live in either the main house or the junior accessory dwelling unit, unless the owner is a government agency, land trust, or housing…

Unincorporated Sacramento County allows one ADU, attached or detached, plus one JADU on single-family and halfplex lots, with multifamily parcels permitted up to two new detached units…

A small backyard shed built to house pets or livestock skips a Sacramento County building permit if it stays within strict size caps: 6 feet tall and 6 feet wide for pet shelters, or…

Artificial turf is allowed in Citrus Heights yards, and California Civil Code 4735 and AB 1572 further protect homeowners who choose synthetic grass for water conservation.

Citrus Heights Water District and San Juan Water District enforce permanent conservation rules, with watering limited to assigned days and no runoff allowed.

Private tree trimming in Citrus Heights generally does not require a permit, but street trees and heritage trees require city approval before pruning.

Rainwater harvesting is legal statewide under the California Rainwater Capture Act, and Citrus Heights allows rain barrels and cisterns without a permit under 5000 gallons.

Noxious weeds and overgrown vegetation on private lots in Citrus Heights are subject to nuisance abatement and county agricultural commissioner noxious weed rules.

Citrus Heights encourages native and low-water landscaping, with MWELO governing new projects over 500 square feet of landscape area.

In the county's designated urban area, no one may remove, kill, or grade within the dripline of a native oak six inches or wider without a tree permit from Public Works.

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

Above-ground pools over 18 inches deep in Citrus Heights require a building permit and must meet the same barrier and safety requirements as in-ground pools under California Health &…

All swimming pools in Citrus Heights must have a barrier at least 60 inches (5 feet) high with self-closing, self-latching gates. California Health & Safety Code §115920-115929…

California requires working smoke alarms in every sleeping area and carbon monoxide detectors in all dwellings with fuel-burning appliances or attached garages.

Citrus Heights is mostly flat suburban and not designated as a Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone, though localized creek corridors carry moderate wildfire risk.

Property owners in or near mapped fire hazard zones must maintain defensible space under California Public Resources Code Section 4291. The standard is 100 feet of clearance around…

All fireworks are banned in unincorporated Sacramento County except licensed 'safe and sane' fireworks, which residents may legally buy and set off only from noon June 28 through 10…

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.

Citrus Heights limits short-term rental occupancy based on the number of bedrooms, typically two guests per bedroom plus two additional guests, with maximum caps to prevent…

Short-term rentals must provide adequate off-street parking for all guest vehicles. Citrus Heights typically requires one off-street space per bedroom or per permitted occupancy level…

County short-term rental permits in the unincorporated area require occupants and guests to avoid unreasonable noise, disorderly conduct, and violations of local noise or refuse rules.

A Sacramento County STR license can be denied if the applicant had a license revoked or suspended in the past 12 months, and the civil penalty for violating the STR chapter doubles for…

Unincorporated Sacramento County only issues a Short-Term Rental Permit if the dwelling stays a permanent residence for the homeowner or long-term renter, not a pure investment rental.

Any Sacramento County host who rents a unit for 29 days or less must hold a Short-Term Rental Business License from the Director of Finance before advertising or operating: issued only…

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…

California Civil Code §841, the Good Neighbor Fence Act of 2013, governs boundary fences in Citrus Heights. Adjoining landowners are presumed equally responsible for reasonable costs…

Front-yard fences in unincorporated Sacramento County top out at three to seven feet depending on style, while side-street and interior-yard fences are capped at seven feet under the…

Retaining walls combined with fences on side-street or interior lot lines in unincorporated Sacramento County are capped at four feet for the wall, and a Minor Use Permit is required…

Sacramento County zoning code sets which materials are allowed for fences facing the front yard, street side yard, or an alley, and bans plywood, particle board, tarps, and scrap…

A fence over seven feet tall on an interior property line in unincorporated Sacramento County needs an approved building permit, set back three feet from the line, or a Special…

Citrus Heights permits small and large family daycare homes as a matter of right in residential zones under California Health & Safety Code §1597.40-1597.46, which preempts local…

Home occupations in unincorporated Sacramento County may show no visible evidence of the business from outside the residence, limited to at most one sign, and only where the property's…

Home occupations in unincorporated Sacramento County operate under conditions attached to the business license, and part-time operations are capped at 32 hours a week between 7 a.m…

Home occupations in unincorporated Sacramento County are limited to minimal customer visits and may not generate traffic, parking demand, or deliveries greater than normal residential…

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…

Citrus Heights permits leaf blowers Monday through Saturday 7 AM to 7 PM and on Sunday 9 AM to 6 PM under the general noise ordinance. California AB 1346 banned the sale of new…

Sacramento County caps exterior noise in residential-zoned Noise Area 1 (RE-1 through AR-5, R-1-A through RM-2) at 55 dBA from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. and 50 dBA from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. under…

Sacramento County's 10 p.m.-to-7 a.m. quiet hours for shared-wall housing are numeric, not vague: Code § 6.68.080 caps noise heard inside a neighboring apartment, condo, townhouse…

On-road vehicle noise in unincorporated Sacramento County is governed mainly by California Vehicle Code muffler and exhaust laws (Sections 27150-27151), while the County Code addresses…

Taking off or landing at Sacramento Executive Airport is a misdemeanor under Code § 11.28.030 if the aircraft's take-off noise exceeds 84.0 EPNdB as listed in FAA advisory circulars…

In any Sacramento County park facility, running sound amplification equipment louder than the noise levels set in Chapter 6.68 requires a permit from the Regional Parks Director…

Owners can't let any animal make loud or disturbing noise without provocation, including chronic howling or barking, under the county's general animal control ordinance.

Unincorporated Sacramento County bars construction, demolition, paving and grading noise from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. on weekdays, and further restricts weekend evening and Sunday work.

Republic Services is the exclusive residential solid waste, recycling, and organics hauler for Citrus Heights under a franchise agreement. Weekly curbside service includes trash…

Citrus Heights residents and businesses must separate recyclables and organic waste from trash under California SB 1383 and AB 1826/AB 341. Republic Services provides blue recycling…

Citrus Heights does not have a generally-applicable municipal code requirement to screen residential trash and recycling carts from the public right-of-way on non-collection days. A…

Every commercial generator in unincorporated Sacramento County must subscribe to source-separated organic material collection or self-haul it under state SB 1383 rules, unless the DWMR…

Every improved parcel in unincorporated Sacramento County must subscribe to solid waste, recycling, and organic material collection through the county's franchised hauler, with narrow…

Businesses and multi-family properties in unincorporated Sacramento County must subscribe to on-call bulky-item removal service frequent enough to keep furniture and large debris from…

Dumping solid waste, organic material, or recyclables on public or private property in unincorporated Sacramento County without consent is a misdemeanor punishable by up to six months…

Every new multifamily project in unincorporated Sacramento County must build its trash, recycling and organics containers into a walled masonry enclosure, not just wheel out bins for…

Unincorporated Sacramento County folds yard waste into mandatory organic material collection: County Code Section 6.20.410(A) requires every residential generator to subscribe to…

Political signs on private residential property are protected political speech under the First Amendment. Citrus Heights cannot ban political signs but may regulate content-neutral…

Garage sale signs in unincorporated Sacramento County are capped at 12 square feet total and must stay inside the seller's own property line.

Digital billboards in unincorporated Sacramento County need a Conditional Use Permit from the Board of Supervisors and must sit at least 2,500 feet from any other digital sign and 500…

Sacramento County exempts painted window signs, posters, and place cards from sign permitting, but each storefront window's glazing cannot be covered by more than 50 percent under the…

Billboards within 1,000 feet of a county-designated Freeway are allowed only in commercial, mixed-use, or industrial zones, and only after Sacramento County's Board of Supervisors…

HOA architectural review in Citrus Heights operates under California Civil Code §4765, which requires a fair, reasonable, and expeditious review process with written decisions. Several…

HOA assessments in Citrus Heights are regulated by California Civil Code §5600-5740 under Davis-Stirling. Boards can increase regular assessments up to 20% annually without member…

Davis-Stirling requires HOAs in Citrus Heights to offer Internal Dispute Resolution (IDR) under Civil Code §5900-5920 and Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) before most lawsuits can…

HOA enforcement of CC&Rs in Citrus Heights must follow Davis-Stirling due process requirements under Civil Code §5850-5865, including written notice, opportunity for hearing, and…

HOA board governance in Citrus Heights is regulated by the California Davis-Stirling Common Interest Development Act (Civil Code §4000+). Boards must hold open meetings, provide…

For new residential subdivisions of more than ten units per acre, Sacramento County's Hearing Authority can require the developer to form a homeowners association to handle shared…

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…

California Civil Code §714 (Solar Rights Act) prohibits HOAs in Citrus Heights from banning solar panels. Restrictions that increase cost by $1,000+ or reduce efficiency by 10%+ are…

Citrus Heights provides expedited solar permits under AB 2188 and SB 379. Residential rooftop systems up to 10 kW AC receive same-day or 1-3 business day approval using the…

Citrus Heights bans all commercial cannabis businesses, including retail dispensaries, cultivation, manufacturing, testing, and distribution within the city. State-licensed cannabis…

Citrus Heights allows indoor personal cannabis cultivation of up to 6 plants per residence by adults 21+ as required by California Proposition 64. Outdoor cultivation is prohibited…

Vacant lots in Citrus Heights must be kept free of weeds, trash, debris, and fire hazards. Weed abatement programs under California Government Code §39560 allow the city to clear…

Citrus Heights Municipal Code declares blighted, junk-laden, or substandard properties public nuisances subject to abatement. Common violations include inoperable vehicles, overgrown…

Snow is effectively nonexistent in Citrus Heights, which sits at about 160 ft elevation near Sacramento. No snow-clearing ordinance exists. Property owners are responsible for…

Citrus Heights does not require a general rental registration program for long-term residential rentals. Landlords must comply with state habitability requirements (Civil Code §1941.1)…

Citrus Heights has no local rent control ordinance. California AB 1482 (Tenant Protection Act of 2019) applies statewide: annual rent increases capped at 5% + CPI (max 10%) for covered…

Citrus Heights has no local just-cause eviction ordinance. Tenants are protected by California's statewide AB 1482 Tenant Protection Act, which requires just cause for evictions after…

When county inspectors find a rental dangerously substandard, the Housing Code lets the Director order it vacated and boarded up, with re-entry a crime until repairs are permitted and…

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…

California requires written notice before raising a month-to-month tenant's rent. Under Civ. Code § 827, increases of 10% or less in 12 months need 30 days' notice; increases above 10%…

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…

Elevators in Citrus Heights are regulated by the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA) Elevator Unit under Labor Code §7300-7324. Annual inspections and a…

Citrus Heights enforces lead-based paint standards under California Health & Safety Code §17920.10 and federal EPA Renovation, Repair, and Painting (RRP) Rule. Contractors disturbing…

When county building work isn't ready, corrections aren't made, or plans aren't on site, inspectors can charge a reinspection fee under § 16.02.080's added Section 110.7 before…

Reroofing a house or building in unincorporated Sacramento County requires a building permit from the Building Permits and Inspection Division. The county's construction permit fee…

Sacramento County requires all plumbing work in the unincorporated area to comply with the 2025 California Plumbing Code, adopted by county ordinance, before the Building Permits and…

Unincorporated Sacramento County enforces the 2025 California Green Building Standards Code as its own Green Code. County Code § 16.34.020 adopts Title 24, Part 11 of the California…

New manufactured homes placed in unincorporated Sacramento County must carry a fire sprinkler system. County Code § 17.04.050, amending Section 903.2.8.1.1 of the adopted 2025…

Child day care center capacity in unincorporated Sacramento County sets the permit tier: facilities for eight or fewer children need no permit, nine to fourteen require a Minor Use…

Sacramento County requires electrical construction, alteration and repair work in the unincorporated area to conform to the 2025 California Electrical Code, adopted by county ordinance…

Citrus Heights recognizes 'No Soliciting' and 'No Trespassing' signs posted at residences. Solicitors who ignore a posted sign or continue after being asked to leave can be cited for…

Commercial door-to-door solicitors must obtain a Sacramento County Peddler permit through the Sheriff. Hours typically limited 9 AM to sunset or 8 PM. Religious and political…

Under SB 946 (Safe Sidewalk Vending Act), Citrus Heights cannot criminalize sidewalk food vending. Cities may adopt time, place, and manner regulations that are directly related to…

Food trucks (Mobile Food Facilities) in Citrus Heights require a Sacramento County Environmental Management Department health permit plus a city business license. SB 946 (Safe Sidewalk…

Street and sidewalk vendors in unincorporated Sacramento County need an active Sidewalk Vendor Business License from the Department of Finance before operating.

Light trespass onto neighboring properties in Citrus Heights is actionable under CHMC nuisance provisions and Civil Code §3479. Light shining directly into residential windows or…

Digital billboards in unincorporated Sacramento County cannot exceed 0.3 foot-candles of illuminance above ambient light, or 7,500 nits of luminance by day and 300 nits at night, and…

Citrus Heights has no data-center ordinance and no "data center" use category. A data center fits the MP (Industrial/Office Park) zone as light manufacturing, R&D, or indoor…

Citrus Heights caps stationary mechanical equipment - including cooling towers and compressors - at 60 dBA at a residential property line under Municipal Code Sec. 34-91. Its general…

Portions of Citrus Heights lie within FEMA flood zones along Arcade Creek, Cripple Creek, and their tributaries. Construction in Special Flood Hazard Areas (Zone AE, A) requires…

Private boat docks on Delta waterways are allowed by right only if they meet strict size and siting limits; docks that don't meet those standards need a Conditional Use Permit.

New and substantially improved homes in Sacramento County flood zones must raise the lowest floor 1.5 feet above base flood elevation, with stricter rules in mapped AE, AH, and local…

Sacramento County requires a Grading and Erosion Control Permit before moving 350 cubic yards or more of soil, or clearing and grubbing an acre or more, anywhere in the unincorporated…

In unincorporated Sacramento County it is unlawful to release anything but rain into the County storm drain system or directly into creeks and rivers. The County Code bans…

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…

Vape shops and e-cigarette retailers in unincorporated Sacramento County are regulated as tobacco retailers: Chapter 4.07 defines 'tobacco product' by cross-reference to state law…

Tattoo, piercing and other body art businesses in unincorporated Sacramento County must register and pay annual regulatory fees to the Environmental Management Department under County…

Sexually oriented businesses in unincorporated Sacramento County must locate in an M-1 or M-2 industrial zone and stay at least 1,000 feet from any other sexually oriented business…

Every massage establishment in unincorporated Sacramento County needs a Massage Establishment Special Business License, and any new location opened after January 1, 2025 must sit at…

Unincorporated Sacramento County bans running an auto-repair business from a home, and even personal vehicle repair is capped: no vehicles left inoperable outside an enclosed garage…

Sacramento County requires every pawnbroker in the unincorporated area to hold a special business license issued by the Sheriff under County Code Chapter 4.30 before lending money on…

Sacramento County parks close on hours the Director posts for each facility; entering after closing without a permit is barred under § 9.36.067, and the American River and Dry Creek…

Minors may not be in any public place or business open to the public in unincorporated Sacramento County between 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. under County Code § 9.28.010, with exceptions…

In Sacramento County regional parks, Class 3 electric bicycles are treated as motorized vehicles: riders need a Director's permit to use roads or trails not designated for motor use…

Bicyclists on Sacramento County roads have the same rights and duties as motor vehicle drivers, and may ride on a sidewalk only where the county has posted it as part of the designated…

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…

Sacramento County's traffic director can close any roadway stretch between intersections to pedestrian crossing by posting official traffic control devices, and once posted, crossing…

Sacramento County bans aggressive or intrusive solicitation in public and prohibits all panhandling near ATMs, banks, medians, gas pumps, and transit stops in the unincorporated area.

Anyone who knowingly hosts a loud or unruly gathering where a minor drinks alcohol is personally liable for the full law enforcement response cost, on top of an infraction citation.

Sacramento County lets property owners ban skateboards, roller skates, in-line skates, and roller skis on private or public property countywide simply by posting prohibition signs at…

Sacramento County Code § 9.78.010 makes it unlawful to urinate or defecate in a public place other than a restroom, in view of others, or on another person's property without consent…

Sacramento County Code § 9.36.057 bans smoking on nature trails, in nature areas, and in any posted park facility, and prohibits it across nearly the entire American River Parkway…

Sacramento County prohibits loitering that breaches the peace, disturbs others, blocks pedestrian or vehicle traffic, or continues on private property after being told to leave.

Sacramento County bans drinking alcohol and carrying an open container in any county-owned public place, including parks, streets, sidewalks and posted regional park land.

Sacramento County charges a 12% transient occupancy tax on hotel, motel, and short-term rental stays of 30 consecutive days or less in the unincorporated area.

Unincorporated Sacramento County caps garage sales at three per calendar year per parcel, with each sale limited to two consecutive days. The sale operator must live at the address…

Sacramento County posts a color-coded inspection placard at every food facility after each routine inspection, and removing, hiding, or defacing it is a violation punishable under the…

Sacramento County declares any rodent or fly breeding place on unincorporated land a public nuisance, and the Environmental Management Department can order abatement within seven days…

Landlords can't show, rent, or lease a vacant unit the county has flagged for a bed bug infestation without a pest-control clearance report, and must give every new tenant the…

The Sacramento Commission of History and Science can designate sites and landmarks of historic and scientific importance across the county, but that designation is advisory recognition…

Sacramento County caps how much of a residential lot's required rear yard a detached accessory structure, like a shed, garage or workshop, can cover. Zoning Code Table 5.10.A limits…

Single-family and duplex homes in unincorporated Sacramento County must sit at least 20 feet back from the street, 5 feet from interior side lines, and 12.5 feet from a side street…

Single-family, duplex and halfplex homes in unincorporated Sacramento County are capped at 30 feet for one or two stories and 40 feet for three stories under Zoning Code Table 5.7.C. A…

Sacramento County Code § 4.50.150(a) lets the Treasurer-Tax Collector condition every motion picture production's Special Business License on the time, place and manner of filming…

Filming a motion picture or TV production anywhere in unincorporated Sacramento County, on public or private property, requires a Special Business License under County Code § 4.50.130…

The county's Tree Preservation Ordinance bars removing, killing, or grading within the dripline of native oak trees six inches or larger in the designated urban area without a Public…

Sacramento County defines a heritage tree as a California oak with a trunk 60 inches or more in girth, and requires that its presence be weighed before granting a zoning variance or…

New subdivisions must dedicate a five-foot planting easement along every county street, and a Public Works Director permit is required before planting, trimming, or removing any tree…

Selling any flavored tobacco product, including menthol, fruit, or candy-flavored vapes, is a license violation for retailers in unincorporated Sacramento County, punishable by a…

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…

Sacramento County's zoning code caps single-family and duplex homes at one kitchen per dwelling, but an outdoor kitchen doesn't count against that limit. Table 5.7.C of the Development…

Sacramento County Code § 6.68.120 caps noise from stationary air conditioners, fans, pumps, compressors and cooling towers installed after July 1, 1976 at 60 dBA measured a foot inside…

Any outdoor gathering of more than 500 people for a dance, concert, carnival or similar musical event in unincorporated Sacramento County needs a Special Business License from the…

Sacramento County regional parks require a permit from the Director for reserved group activities: the application must list the sponsor, activity, dates, facility, and expected…

Sacramento County requires a permit from the Director of Transportation before any parade, procession, or assemblage may use a public highway in the unincorporated area.

Outdoor dining areas in Sacramento County's mixed-use zoning districts must sit next to the building, be at least eight feet wide, and keep the required pedestrian clear path open…

Sacramento County outlaws camping and encampments on public property throughout the unincorporated area under the Unlawful Camping Ordinance, Chapter 9.120. Camping on private land is…

Sacramento County bans basketball hoops, signs, hedges, fences, structures and other obstructions on sidewalks, pedestrian pathways and street rights-of-way in the unincorporated area…

Sacramento County requires an encroachment permit from the Road Commissioner before anyone digs, builds, or places an obstruction in a county road right-of-way.

Sacramento County shields established commercial farms from nuisance lawsuits once they've operated three years without complaint, under its 1990 Right-to-Farm Ordinance.

The California Land Conservation Act of 1965 (Williamson Act), Government Code 51200-51297.4, allows landowners to enter contracts with counties restricting land to agricultural use…

Rental units hit with two violation notices in 12 months become a "problem property" under Sacramento County's Housing Code, triggering mandatory twice-yearly county inspections plus…

A tenant or anyone else can trigger a county rental inspection just by filing a complaint about code violations, letting inspectors skip straight to the unit without waiting on the…

Sacramento County grants density bonuses of up to 5-20%+ above base zoning for housing developments that set aside affordable units, under its Affordable Housing Incentive Program.

Sacramento County requires backflow protection on recycled water distribution systems: an air-gap separation where public water supplements the recycled system, or a reduced-pressure…

Sacramento County bans flying model airplanes, model helicopters, and drones in county park facilities except in fields, courts, or areas specifically set aside for that use, or with…

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…