Compton, CA

Compton bars storing or parking a boat, trailer, motor vehicle, tractor, airplane, or their parts in a front yard or unfenced street-side yard setback for more than 72 consecutive…

Compton's Preferential Permit Parking Program lets residents petition the City Council to create permit-only parking zones that block nonresident commuter parking. A district needs a…

Compton bars parking any vehicle, boat, trailer or RV in a required front or street side yard except on the driveway, back-up and turning radius area, under Municipal Code Sec…

Compton's Traffic Authority marks loading zones with a yellow 'LOADING ONLY' curb stencil and passenger zones with white 'PASSENGER LOADING ONLY' lettering under Municipal Code Section…

Compton's Traffic Authority marks curbs red, yellow, white, green, or blue under Municipal Code Section 12-3.6, and each color carries its own stopping, standing, and loading…

Compton bars parking or standing any commercial vehicle rated 10,000 pounds gross vehicle weight or more in a residential zone at any time once warning signs are posted, under…

Compton Municipal Code prohibits parking or leaving vehicles on any street, alley, or public way for more than 72 consecutive hours. Abandoned vehicles may be removed by police or…

Compton enforces general street parking rules with a new preferential parking permit district in Richland Farms (Ordinance 2298). Vehicles are subject to the 72-hour rule and towing…

Compton must approve electric vehicle charging station permits ministerially unless the Building Official finds a specific, adverse health or safety impact, following the…

Los Angeles County regulates non-consent towing only in its unincorporated territory, not in the 88 incorporated cities, and its Title 15 traffic ordinance is about when a vehicle may…

Overnight parking in unincorporated LA County is subject to CA Vehicle Code 22651 (72-hour limit). Overnight vehicle habitation is restricted in many communities. LA County Sheriff…

Compton bars residents from running a radio, TV, stereo, or musical instrument loudly enough to disturb neighbors between 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. Municipal Code Sec. 7-12.6(a) applies…

Anyone using a loudspeaker or sound truck on Compton streets must first register with the Police Chief. Noncommercial use is capped at four hours a day, split between 11:30 a.m.-1:30…

Compton confines noisy building work, pile driving and excavation to 7:00 a.m.-7:00 p.m., Monday through Saturday, under Municipal Code Section 7-12.22, unless the noise stays fully…

Compton bans excessive vehicle stereo noise, altered mufflers and loud motorcycle exhausts under Municipal Code Sections 7-12.20, 7-12.21 and 7-12.27. A car stereo audible from 25 feet…

Compton treats any noise that exceeds the ambient level at a property line, or inside an adjoining apartment, by more than five decibels as automatic evidence of a noise violation…

Compton bars keeping any animal, bird or fowl whose noise disturbs neighbors, through two overlapping Municipal Code sections: 7-12.10 for residential-zone keeping and 7-12.26 for any…

Los Angeles County requires new residential construction, additions, and repairs in unincorporated areas within the 65 dB CNEL noise zone around LAX to meet Title 26 sound-insulation…

California AB-1346 bans the sale of new gas-powered leaf blowers and other small off-road engines under 25 horsepower starting 2024, applying countywide. LA County does not have a…

Compton's waste code carves out a standing exception for composting: § 21-1.7(a) says nothing in Chapter 21 stops an owner or occupant from composting organic waste on their own…

Compton bans removing, pruning, injuring or destroying any street tree except in conformance with Municipal Code § 20-4, and unauthorized removal is a public nuisance and a $100…

Compton limits landscape irrigation to specific calendar days and hours once the City Council declares a water shortage: even-numbered addresses water on even dates, odd addresses on…

Compton requires property owners along its Rosecrans Avenue and Long Beach Boulevard corridors to landscape with low-maintenance, drought-resistant plants and irrigation systems rather…

Compton requires all property owners to keep lots free of weeds and overgrown vegetation under nuisance provisions (Chapter 7). Code enforcement officers identify weed violations…

California Civil Code Section 4735 voids any Compton homeowners association rule that bans or effectively blocks artificial turf. Governing documents, CC&Rs, and architectural or…

Compton does not have a specific tree trimming ordinance or heritage tree program. Property owners may trim trees on their property. California law (Civil Code 3346) addresses damage…

Rainwater harvesting is legal and encouraged in Compton and throughout California. Rain barrels and cisterns do not require permits. LADWP offers rebates for rain barrels. Captured…

Convert your garage to living space in Compton and the code locks a condition onto any future addition to that house. Section 30-21.2.d.2(a) bars expanding a residence with a legally…

Compton requires owner-occupancy only when a junior accessory dwelling unit is on the property: Section 30-11.2.d.3 requires the recorded covenant to state that 'either the JADU or…

Compton exempts small accessory dwelling units from development impact fees entirely. Section 30-11.2.e.2.a states that 'ADUs that are less than 750 square feet shall not be subject to…

Compton's ADU ordinance, Section 30-11.2, lets homeowners build one accessory dwelling unit plus one junior ADU by right on any lot zoned for single- or multi-family use, ministerially…

A backyard tool or storage shed in Compton can skip a building permit only if it's a single story, no bigger than 120 square feet, and no taller than 12 feet. Anything larger needs a…

Compton bars accessory dwelling units from being used as short-term rentals. Before the city will issue a Certificate of Occupancy, Section 30-11.2.d requires the property owner to…

Compton limits chickens, poultry and livestock to the Residential Agriculture (R-A) zone only; the low-, medium- and high-density residential zones exclude them entirely. Within R-A…

Compton's zoning code, not a stand-alone animal ordinance, sets the household pet cap: three adult dogs, three adult cats and three other household pets per lot, with litters under…

Dogs are the only animal allowed into a Compton public park or recreation center without a special permit, and only when kept on a leash no longer than six feet under the city's park…

Compton adopts LA County Animal Code (Title 10) by reference per CMC 11-1. California prohibits breed-specific bans but allows breed-specific spay/neuter programs. Dangerous dog…

Exotic pet ownership in Compton is governed by California state law (Title 14, Section 671). Most exotic animals are prohibited statewide. The city enforces state restrictions through…

Feeding coyotes, raccoons, foxes, opossums, or ground squirrels is a misdemeanor in unincorporated Los Angeles County, with only narrow exceptions for trapped or injured animals.

In the Santa Monica Mountains North Area of unincorporated LA County, any vegetation removal or construction near nesting habitat requires a biologist nest survey within 30 days of…

In unincorporated Los Angeles County, every cat over four months old must be individually licensed within 30 days of acquisition or moving in, and keeping an unlicensed cat is…

In unincorporated LA County, licensed pet-grooming facilities must follow detailed equipment, sanitation, and staffing standards set by County Code, not just general business rules.

In unincorporated LA County (and contract cities where Title 10 applies), dogs and cats four months or older must be spayed or neutered unless the owner holds an unaltered-animal…

In unincorporated Los Angeles County, a small-animal veterinary clinic needs a Conditional Use Permit in the C-1, C-2, and C-R commercial zones, while a full animal hospital with…

All dogs and cats four months of age or older in unincorporated LA County must be implanted with a microchip, and owners must register the chip number with the Department.

Anyone maintaining a beehive (apiary) on premises other than their own residence in unincorporated Los Angeles County must post a sign identifying the owner's name, address, and phone…

Feeding wildlife in unincorporated LA County is discouraged and may violate nuisance provisions. CDFW regulations prohibit feeding certain species. The county's large unincorporated…

Compton bans signage for home-based businesses outright: Municipal Code Sec. 30-22.4(b)(10) lists 'signs advertising home occupations' among the sign types prohibited citywide…

Licensed family daycare homes are protected by CA Health & Safety Code 1597.40, which preempts local zoning restrictions. Small family daycare (up to 8 children) requires no local…

Compton allows home occupations only as low-intensity accessory uses to a residential dwelling. Section 30-11.5 caps the business at one room or 25% of the home's gross floor area…

Compton bans on-site sales entirely for home occupations: Section 30-11.5.b.6 prohibits any wholesale or retail business, or business involving on-site sales, from operating out of a…

Cottage food operations in Compton are governed by CA's Homemade Food Act (AB 1616/AB 626). Class A operators sell direct to consumers without a permit from the city. Class B operators…

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…

Compton doesn't require Architectural Review Board sign-off for every fence, but Section 30-44.3(d) mandates it for any fence or gate built along a major or secondary highway. Rear…

Compton's Table 30-44.A sets exact fence heights by zone and yard rather than one citywide number. Residential front yards facing a residential street top out at 3 1/2 feet, front…

Compton bans a specific list of fencing materials citywide regardless of zone: corrugated or sheet metal and tin, chicken wire, fiberglass, non-fencing wood products like plywood, used…

Compton requires a building permit for any retaining wall over four feet tall, measured from the bottom of the footing to the top of the wall. Shorter walls are permit-exempt unless…

California's Good Neighbor Fence Act (Civil Code 841) applies in Compton. Adjoining landowners share equal responsibility for boundary fence costs. Disputes are resolved through the…

Compton bans open burning of trash, wood or other materials on any property in the city, treating it outright as a public nuisance under Municipal Code § 24-2.2(m). Anyone who owns…

Compton bans dangerous fireworks outright and confines 'safe and sane' fireworks to a narrow window: sale only June 30 to July 4 from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m., and discharge only from noon to…

Compton is a flat, urban city that is not classified as a Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone (VHFHSZ) or State Responsibility Area (SRA). Standard fire code applies rather than…

Compton is largely an urban, developed city not in a Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone. Standard vegetation maintenance applies under property maintenance codes. CA PRC 4291…

In areas served by LA County Fire, unincorporated county territory and dozens of contract cities, a Fire Department operational permit is required for LP-gas storage unless a single…

Recreational and cooking fires on private property in unincorporated LA County are allowed without a permit only if the fuel area does not exceed 3 feet in diameter and 2 feet in…

STR guests in Compton must comply with all city parking regulations. No additional dedicated parking requirements for STRs are specified in the municipal code. Street parking is…

In unincorporated LA County, hosting platforms must block Short-Term Rental bookings unless the host holds a valid County registration certificate, post that certificate number on…

Only a host's primary residence may be registered; the host must live there at least 275 days per year, must document it with two official records, and ADUs, vacation rentals, and…

A 'Hosted Stay' requires the host to remain on the property throughout the guest's occupancy except during daytime or work hours; an 'Un-Hosted Stay' where the host is absent is also…

Short-term rental guests in unincorporated LA County are limited to two persons per bedroom plus two additional people, with an absolute maximum of 12 guests per booking.

Hosts face fines up to $2,000 per day per violation or twice the nightly rate (whichever is greater) for enumerated violations; platforms face up to $1,000 per day; certificates may be…

Short-term rentals must not cause nuisance activities including excessive noise, and must not be used to host parties, commercial events, or any gathering advertised on social media.

Un-Hosted Stays are capped at 90 nights per calendar year and must be booked for a minimum of 2 consecutive nights; Hosted Stays have no annual night cap but must be at least 1 night.

Hosts must sign a perjury-certified affidavit confirming primary residency, 24/7 local contact, minimum and maximum stay limits, and ineligibility of ADUs and vacation rentals before a…

Short-term rentals of 30 days or less in unincorporated LA County are subject to the county's 12% Transient Occupancy Tax, which applies to any structure, including apartment houses…

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…

Swimming pool fencing in Compton must meet CA Building Code Title 24 Chapter 31 standards. Minimum 60-inch barrier height is required. Self-closing, self-latching gates mandatory. One…

Above-ground pools holding 3,000+ gallons require a building permit in Compton per CA building code. All pool barrier requirements (60-inch fencing, self-closing gates) apply equally…

Compton allows card clubs only with a City Council-issued license, restricted to commercial or industrial zones, backed by a $25 application fee and a $12,500 license fee deposit plus…

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…

Compton taxes short-term lodging at 7.5% of the rent charged, collected by the hotel operator from every transient staying 30 consecutive days or less. Municipal Code § 3-2.3 makes the…

Hotel and janitorial employers in unincorporated LA County must offer available positions in writing to laid-off workers who qualify, prioritized by seniority, giving them at least 10…

Hotel employers in unincorporated LA County must pay room attendants double their regular rate for every hour worked on any day their cleaning workload exceeds 3,500 square feet (for…

Compton requires a written permit from the Street Superintendent before anyone builds, repairs, or places any curb, sidewalk, driveway, pavement, sewer connection, or obstruction in a…

Compton bars placing merchandise, signs or other personal property between a building line and the public sidewalk without written City Council permission, and separately makes it…

In unincorporated LA County, the owner of property abutting a sidewalk or curb must repair or reconstruct it once it is out of repair, needs reconstruction, or endangers pedestrians.

Compton requires every tobacco retailer, including electronic-cigarette and vape sellers, to hold a Tobacco Retailer's Permit under Municipal Code § 7-23A before offering any tobacco…

Compton caps massage establishment licenses at one per 30,000 residents and requires a Chief of Police-issued business license before any massage business may open. Operators pay a…

Compton requires every pawnbroker to obtain a City Council-approved license before opening under § 9-19.2, fingerprint everyone dealing with the public, and follow the…

Compton requires every secondhand dealer to obtain a City Council-approved license before buying, selling or dealing in used goods, and to furnish fingerprints for the owner and every…

Compton requires a towing service permit and business license before any tow operator can work in the City, plus a City Council public hearing before approval. Permittees must carry…

Compton prohibits major vehicle or boat repair and dismantling in a residential zone whenever the work is visible from the street, sidewalk or a neighboring property, treating it as a…

Body art establishments (tattoo, piercing, and related services) in unincorporated LA County must hold a county business license, a public health facility permit, and a conditional use…

Adult businesses in unincorporated LA County must maintain a license under Chapter 7.92; the Business License Commission must revoke a license for felony convictions, employee…

Compton bans smoking and tobacco or vape use in every public park and recreational area citywide under Municipal Code § 7-28.4, plus dining areas, service areas, multi-unit residence…

Compton's public loitering law, Municipal Code Sec. 7-14.3, only bites after a warning: once a police officer or a posted sign has told someone to move on, willfully lingering on a…

Compton bans loud or unruly parties outright under Municipal Code Section 7-12.28, holding hosts, organizers and even a minor's parents liable, and Section 7-12.29 makes a responsible…

Compton requires pedestrians to cross a roadway in a marked crosswalk where one exists, or otherwise only at right angles to the curb by the shortest route to the opposite curb, under…

Compton makes it unlawful to urinate or defecate on any public street, sidewalk, alley, park, recreation area, public building, or other place open to the public, and on private…

Compton bans drinking alcohol on any public street, sidewalk, park, recreation area, bus station, or other public place unless the City Manager authorizes it, and also on private…

Compton bans riding bicycles, skateboards, and roller-skates in any City-owned parking lot or structure, and singles out the Civic Center Plaza and a stretch of Compton Boulevard for a…

In unincorporated Los Angeles County, Code Section 11.64.030 bans smoking or vaping cannabis in public beaches, elevators, buses, museums, libraries, public meeting rooms, and near…

Los Angeles County bans aggressive solicitation in every County-owned or -operated park, whether the park sits in incorporated or unincorporated territory: covering blocking…

Compton has adopted the 2019 California Plumbing Code in full to govern every plumbing installation, alteration and repair in the city. A permit from the Building and Safety Department…

Compton regulates all electrical wiring, fixtures, and appliance installations under the 2019 California Electrical Code, adopted by reference under Municipal Code § 15-8.1. Based on…

Compton ties fire sprinklers in an accessory dwelling unit directly to whatever the primary house needs. Section 30-11.2.j.2(h) of the zoning code requires an ADU, attached or…

A Compton home caring for up to 14 children under Section 30-11.3.b must meet a specific set of building and site conditions: a 5,000 square foot minimum lot, a solid fence or wall…

Compton enforces the 2019 California Green Building Standards Code (CALGreen) in full for construction citywide, covering water efficiency, material conservation and building…

Compton enforces the 2019 California Building Code and requires a permit for nearly all construction. Municipal Code § 15-4.2 lists the narrow categories of work exempt from a permit…

In unincorporated Los Angeles County, swinging entry doors on dwellings and single-tenant areas must carry a keyed deadbolt meeting Title 26 Chapter 67's forced-entry standards. A…

Hosts operating a Short-Term Rental in unincorporated Los Angeles County must provide and maintain working smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors on the premises under County…

In unincorporated LA County, Title 26 requires written Building Official approval at each construction stage before work continues, foundation, framing, energy efficiency, plus a…

In Chapman Woods, unincorporated LA County caps new houses at 40% of lot area (max 3,500 sq ft) on lots under 13,000 sq ft, dropping to 20% (max 8,000 sq ft) on lots over 40,000 sq ft…

Compton still requires student filmmakers to get a City filming permit, but Section 9-27.6(c) waives the security deposit and application fee for productions made to satisfy a course…

Any Compton filming permit that would impair traffic flow must use the City's law enforcement agency and follow Caltrans-standard traffic control devices under Section 9-27.5(d)(4)…

Compton requires a City permit before anyone uses public or private property for commercial filming, television or still photography. The City Permit Coordinator reviews applications…

Unlike almost every other noise source in unincorporated Los Angeles County, motion picture production and related activities are entirely exempt from Chapter 12.08's noise chapter: no…

Compton bars anyone under 18 from public places between 10:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m. under Municipal Code Sec. 7-2.2. Officers must ask a minor's age and reason for being out before…

Compton parks and recreation centers close to the public at 8:00 p.m. and reopen at 6:00 a.m.; loitering, wandering or remaining inside during those overnight hours is prohibited…

A vehicle used to illegally dump waste in Compton can be seized and impounded for up to 30 days once the driver has a prior conviction for the same Penal Code Sec. 374.3(h) offense…

Compton requires every home and business to subscribe to the city's three-container organics program under §§ 21-3.3 and 21-3.4, sorting food scraps and yard trimmings into a green…

Compton requires every multifamily, commercial and manufacturing property to keep its trash bins and roll-off boxes inside a walled enclosure, not sitting out in the open. Municipal…

Compton limits when trash carts and bins can sit at the curb: not before noon the day before pickup, and gone again by 6:00 a.m. the next morning. Municipal Code § 21-1.4(b) also caps…

Furniture, appliances and other large items in Compton go out only through the authorized hauler's on-call bulky waste service under § 21-1.6(a). Setting bulky items at the curb before…

Yard trimmings in Compton have size limits before they can go out for collection: § 21-1.4(b)(7) requires green waste to be cut to no more than four feet long and four inches thick, or…

Compton lets residents and businesses sell or donate their own source-separated recyclables or organic waste to buyers other than the city's authorized collector, but § 21-1.7(c)…

Compton requires every property to arrange for weekly solid waste pickup through the city's authorized collector under Municipal Code § 21-1.5(a). Owners and occupants cannot skip…

Compton's authorized trash collector cannot run routes on Sundays or holidays, and even on weekdays pickup is confined to a fixed daily window. Municipal Code § 21-1.5(c) sets…

Every home and business in Compton must subscribe to the City's three-container organic waste collection service under Municipal Code § 21-3.3 and § 21-3.4, sorting food scraps and…

Compton businesses and multifamily properties generating four cubic yards or more of solid waste a week must divert recyclables from the trash under Municipal Code § 21-1.8(b), either…

Compton requires a City-issued permit before anyone may close a street for a celebration, block party, street dance, local street fair or similar special event under § 20-6.2…

No one may hold a parade or motorcade on a Compton public street, sidewalk or alley without a permit from the Chief of Police or City Council under Municipal Code Section 7-15.1, and…

Throwing a block party in Compton means closing a public street, and that requires a street closure permit under Municipal Code § 20-6.2 before anyone blocks vehicular or pedestrian…

Any group of 20 or more people wanting to picnic in a Compton public park needs a special permit first, and the Department of Parks and Recreation issues that and other park-use…

Restaurants in unincorporated Los Angeles County must get an annual outdoor dining permit from the Public Works Commissioner before placing tables on a sidewalk, on-street parking…

Compton requires a Business License Division-issued sidewalk vending permit before anyone may sell food or merchandise from a pushcart, stand or other non-motorized device on a public…

Compton bans stationary sidewalk vending inside every residential zone and layers fixed buffer distances around schools, churches, farmers' markets, City Hall, parks and other vendors…

Compton requires every mobile food vendor to hold a City business license and a vendor's or operator's permit before selling from a vending vehicle or ice cream truck, plus a Los…

Compton confines electronic reader boards and LED billboard faces to the Billboard Overlay (B-O) Zone. Off-site displays there need a Zoning Permit, a Sign Permit, a Building Permit…

Compton limits freeway-facing billboards to sites within 660 feet of the freeway right-of-way inside the Billboard Overlay Zone, spaces them 600 feet apart, and caps how many can stand…

Compton exempts interior window signs from sign permitting only if they cover no more than 25% of the window area and sit at least 42 inches above the interior floor, per Municipal…

Compton exempts holiday lights, banners, flags and balloons in residential zones from sign permitting under Municipal Code Sec. 30-22.4(a)(5), as long as they come down once the…

Compton confines garage and yard sales, and everything displayed for them, to private property. Section 30-11.4.e bars putting items on public parkways, rights-of-way, or residential…

Compton lets political signs go up without a permit but only if they follow Municipal Code Section 7-17.4: no earlier than 75 days before the election, never within 500 feet of a…

Deliveries to Compton's commercial zones can't create noise audible more than 50 feet away between 11:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. under Municipal Code Section 7-12.25, protecting nearby P-1…

When noise from a licensed dance hall or entertainment establishment disturbs nearby residents, the Business License Commission may order soundproofing; a licensee who fails to comply…

Residential air conditioning and refrigeration equipment in unincorporated Los Angeles County may not exceed fixed decibel limits measured at the neighbor's property line, patio or…

Unincorporated Los Angeles County requires any sounding motor-vehicle burglar alarm to shut off within 15 minutes of activation, treating a longer-running alarm itself as a noise-code…

Compton controls every tree planted in the parkway strip, the ground between the curb and sidewalk. Municipal Code § 20-4.7 requires written approval from the Director of Public Works…

Compton requires Architectural Review Board sign-off before removing landscaping the City previously approved, and mature or specimen trees on a development site are supposed to…

In unincorporated Los Angeles County land inside a mapped Significant Ecological Area, removing, pruning past 25% of foliage, or encroaching on a tree from the County's SEA Protected…

Compton bans any illicit discharge into its municipal storm drain system and requires large parking lots and commercial facilities to control runoff pollutants. The Public Works…

Any construction or land-disturbing development within Compton's FEMA-mapped AR Zone, an area that lost its accredited flood protection and is being restored to withstand a 100-year…

Compton requires new construction in mapped flood hazard areas to elevate the lowest floor above the flood depth shown on the federal flood map, or at least two feet above the highest…

Compton will not issue a grading permit or allow construction that disturbs five or more acres of soil unless the applicant has already obtained a State NPDES General Construction…

Compton is an inland city approximately 12 miles from the coast. California Coastal Commission regulations do not apply. No coastal development permits are required for projects within…

In unincorporated Los Angeles County, marinas, docks, piers, and boat launches need a Conditional Use Permit in the Open Space (O-S) zone and are barred outright in the A-1, A-2, R-R…

Los Angeles County's defensible space rules require specific vegetation management within 100 feet of structures on or adjacent to brushland. Dead vegetation must be removed…

Compton's Low-Density Residential Zone (R-L) requires a 20-foot front yard, a 3-foot interior side yard, a 5-foot street side yard, and a 20-foot rear yard under Municipal Code Sec…

Compton's zoning code sets a hard cap on how much of a lot a building can occupy. Section 30-12.4 limits building lot coverage to 40% of the parcel in the Limited Commercial (C-L)…

Compton caps buildings and structures in every standard residential zone, Residential Agriculture (R-A), Low- (R-L), Medium- (R-M) and High-Density (R-H), at 35 feet, per Section…

Compton requires every outdoor parking lot to be lit so glare and direct illumination never spill into an adjacent residential zone, under Municipal Code Sec. 30-21.5(k). The same rule…

Compton bars billboard illumination that interferes with traffic signals, flashes or moves, or throws glare at drivers, and ties the brightness cutoff to the California Vehicle Code's…

The Santa Monica Mountains North Area CSD requires all outdoor lighting to be fully shielded and directed downward, turned off from 10 pm to sunrise, with prohibited lighting types…

Compton treats any overgrown vegetation likely to harbor rats, vermin or other pests as a public nuisance, whether the growth is cultivated or wild. Municipal Code § 24-2.2(c) lets the…

Compton bans mixing needles, sharps, and other medical or hazardous waste into regular trash, recycling, organics, or green waste bins collected by the city's authorized hauler…

In unincorporated LA County, rental properties with two or more units must have landlords treat every adjacent unit for bed bugs once an infestation is confirmed, under the county's…

Under California Health and Safety Code §113948, every food handler in LA County must obtain an ANSI-accredited food handler card within 30 days of hire. Cards are valid for three…

LA County Health Officer assigns letter grades A, B, or C to food facilities based on a 100-point inspection score, and may immediately close any facility that scores below 70 percent…

Along Compton's designated Long Beach Boulevard and Rosecrans Avenue corridors, owners of vacant or abandoned lots must plant and maintain the interior with wild shrub flowering plants…

Compton's Building and Safety Department can declare any structurally unsafe, fire-hazardous, or long-abandoned building a public nuisance and order the owner to repair, vacate, or…

Most unincorporated LA County areas do not receive snow. Mountain communities (e.g., Wrightwood, Mt. Baldy area) may experience snowfall but there is no county snow removal ordinance…

Compton bans the sale of flavored tobacco products and menthol cigarettes citywide under Municipal Code § 7-23A.8, effective 90 days after adoption of Ordinance No. 2320 in 2020. The…

Federal Tobacco 21 (Public Law 116-94) and California Business and Professions Code section 22963 bar LA County retailers from selling cigarettes, cigars, vapes, or any tobacco product…

Compton does not have its own just cause eviction ordinance. State law AB 1482 (CA Civil Code 1946.2) provides just cause eviction protections for tenants in occupancy 12+ months…

Compton's dangerous and substandard building ordinance lets the city order a landlord to repair, vacate or demolish a residence that is unsanitary, unfit for human habitation, or lacks…

Compton does not have a mandatory rental registration program. Landlords must comply with state disclosure requirements. A city business license is required for rental property…

Compton does not have its own rent control ordinance. State law AB 1482 (Tenant Protection Act) caps annual rent increases at 5% plus local CPI or 10%, whichever is lower, for covered…

California Civil Code §1950.5, amended by AB-12 effective July 2024, caps residential security deposits at one month's rent statewide. Los Angeles County does not add a local cap…

Landlords of rent-stabilized units in unincorporated LA County must give tenants at least 30 days' written notice before any annual rent increase, and register the unit with the…

California Government Code §12955 bans housing discrimination based on a tenant's lawful source of income, including Section 8 vouchers and other rental subsidies. LA County Title 8.42…

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 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…

Compton grants density bonuses of up to 35% above otherwise-allowable zoning density for residential or mixed-use projects of five or more units under Municipal Code § 30-47…

California Solar Rights Act (Civil Code 714) prohibits HOAs from effectively banning solar installations. Any restriction that increases cost by more than $1,000 or decreases…

Unincorporated LA County offers an expedited permit process for small residential rooftop solar systems, with plan check review completed within 1 to 3 business days of a complete…

Residential rooftop solar installations in unincorporated LA County require a building, electrical, or plumbing permit; a combined solar energy permit covering all three disciplines…

Compton prohibits every form of commercial cannabis activity, including dispensaries, in all zones and specific plan areas. No zoning district permits a marijuana retailer, and the…

Under Prop 64, adults 21+ may grow up to 6 cannabis plants per household for personal use in Compton. Plants must be in a locked space not visible from a public place. Commercial…

Adults 21 and older in unincorporated LA County may cultivate up to six living cannabis plants per private residence under California Proposition 64, with plants kept indoors or in a…

Compton requires anyone going door-to-door to solicit sales to get a permit from the License Collector and post a $1,000 corporate surety bond first. The License Collector must find…

Door-to-door solicitors in unincorporated LA County may not approach any residence without a prearranged appointment between 8:00 p.m. and 8:00 a.m. (8:30 p.m. to 8:00 a.m. during…

Compton caps residential garage and yard sales at 12 days a calendar year, one per lot, and only on the first Saturday of the month. Section 30-11.4.a-b requires a Planning Department…

Compton controls data-center noise two ways. Zoning performance standard Section 30-24.6 caps any discrete noise source at 76 dB CNEL at any property line and 55 dB CNEL at a…

Compton has no data-center ordinance and no "data center" use category. Data centers site in the city's industrial zones - Limited Manufacturing (M-L) and Heavy Manufacturing (M-H)…

Compton's mandatory water conservation ordinance singles out reclaimed water for special treatment: car washing, filling decorative fountains and irrigating during off-schedule days…

In unincorporated Los Angeles County, County Code § 11.38.640 makes leak repair a legal duty, not a suggestion: anyone who owns or rents premises with accessible indoor plumbing or…

Compton makes it unlawful to camp, sleep, or store personal property on any public street, sidewalk, park, or right-of-way under Municipal Code § 7-20. Enforcement escalates from a…

Compton sets a separate business license tax for each type of business under Municipal Code § 9-2.1's Schedule of License Fees, rather than one flat citywide rate. Fees run annual…

Section 8.53.105.B commits the County Housing Program Chief to a routine habitability inspection of every covered rental property in unincorporated Los Angeles County once every four…

Tenants in unincorporated Los Angeles County rental properties with two or more units can file a habitability complaint with the County Housing Program Chief, who must schedule the…

Unincorporated LA County zones farmland A-1 Light Agricultural or A-2 Heavy Agricultural under Title 22 Chapter 22.16, permitting crops, livestock, and low-density homes through…

California Civil Code §3482.5 protects established agricultural operations from nuisance suits after three years of consistent activity. LA County applies the state rule, particularly…

On county highways in unincorporated Los Angeles County, drivers must not drive in a marked bicycle lane except to cross at a driveway or to park where parking is legal or the vehicle…

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…

In unincorporated LA County, altering the exterior or character-defining features of a designated Landmark or historic district property requires a Certificate of Appropriateness from…

Properties within LA County's Historic District overlays must comply with special development standards, and in the Historic Highlands Historic District (Altadena, established July…

On County-run Los Angeles County beaches like Dockweiler and Marina del Rey, open fires and barbecues are banned except in specific County-installed fire pits, RV Park barbecues, and…

California Penal Code section 25400 prohibits carrying a concealed firearm without a CCW. The LA County Sheriff issues permits to county residents under shall-issue rules following…

California Penal Code section 26350 bans open carry of unloaded handguns in incorporated areas, and section 26400 bans openly carried unloaded long guns. Most LA County cities are…

California Penal Code sections 25400 and 25610 require firearms transported by vehicle in LA County to be unloaded, with handguns inside a locked container or trunk. Long guns must be…

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 AB-1276 prohibits restaurants and food vendors from automatically providing single-use foodware accessories. Utensils, straws, condiments, and stirrers must only be supplied…

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 AB-1236 (Labor Code §2814) prohibits LA County and any city or county from requiring private employers to use E-Verify. Federal mandates apply only to federal contractors…

LA County has no general predictive-scheduling ordinance for unincorporated areas. California AB-1228 governs fast-food workers via the statewide Fast Food Council, and statewide…

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…

HOAs in LA County are governed by the Davis-Stirling Common Interest Development Act (Civil Code §4000–6150). Board meetings require advance notice, open sessions, and recorded…

HOAs in LA County may require architectural approval for exterior modifications under their CC&Rs, but California law limits restrictions on solar panels, drought-tolerant landscaping…

The Davis-Stirling Act regulates HOA assessments in LA County. Regular assessments may increase up to 20% annually without member vote. Special assessments exceeding 5% of budget…

The Davis-Stirling Act requires HOAs to offer internal dispute resolution (IDR) and alternative dispute resolution (ADR) before litigation. Members may request IDR meetings with the…

HOAs in LA County enforce CC&Rs through the Davis-Stirling Act. Fines require notice and hearing. CC&R amendments typically need 67% member approval. Enforcement must be uniform and…

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…

The LA County Agricultural Commissioner maintains a list of noxious weeds and invasive plant species. California's noxious weed list (Food & Agriculture Code §5004) applies countywide…

In unincorporated Los Angeles County, violating any Title 22 zoning provision, permit, or approval is a misdemeanor by default under County Code § 22.242.030, with each day of the…

Security cameras on private residential property are legal in unincorporated LA County. California is a two-party consent state for audio recording (Penal Code §632), so cameras…

California is a two-party (all-party) consent state for recording confidential communications. Under Penal Code §632, recording private conversations without consent from all parties…

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 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…