Sacramento County, CA Ordinances (2026)

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…

New light fixtures in Sacramento County parking lots must be full cut-off, shielded, and aimed downward and away from neighboring and residential properties so no light spills off the…

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…

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…

Elevators in unincorporated Sacramento County are not regulated by county ordinance: California's Cal/OSHA Elevator Unit, the Division of Occupational Safety and Health, controls…

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…

Sacramento County enforces CA HSC 17920.10 (lead hazard as substandard housing) and federal EPA RRP Rule for renovations in pre-1978 homes.

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…

Family day care homes are a permitted use in every unincorporated Sacramento County zoning district and need no zoning permit at all -- the county code treats licensed in-home child…

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…

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…

Unincorporated Sacramento County does not impose a blanket overnight street-parking ban. Instead, County Code Section 10.24.070 prohibits parking any vehicle on a highway or alley for…

Sacramento County Code Chapter 6.56 declares abandoned, wrecked, dismantled, or inoperative vehicles a public nuisance, authorizing abatement and removal under California Vehicle Code…

Sacramento County has no separate ordinance reserving EV-charging spaces; the controlling law is California Vehicle Code Section 22511. It lets local authorities and lot owners…

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…

Street parking in unincorporated Sacramento County is governed by County Code Title 10, Chapter 10.24. The Director may post signs and curb markings to control parking, no-parking…

In unincorporated Sacramento County, commercial vehicles or equipment with a manufacturer's gross vehicle weight rating of 10,000 pounds or more generally may not be parked in…

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…

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…

Homeowners in unincorporated Sacramento County can swap artificial turf into required front and side-street yard landscaping, but only as a Design Review-approved alternative to…

Outdoor watering rules depend on your water provider. Sacramento Suburban Water District prohibits irrigation from noon to 6 p.m. and within 48 hours of measurable rain. Statewide, the…

In the unincorporated urban area, pruning a protected tree (native oaks, landmark trees, and other regulated trees) generally requires a County tree permit, just like removal. Work on…

Rainwater harvesting is legal in California and not separately restricted by Sacramento County. Under the Rainwater Capture Act of 2012 (AB 1750), residential roof-to-barrel/cistern…

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.

Unincorporated Sacramento County treats weeds, grass, or dead vegetation over 12 inches tall as a public nuisance once it spreads onto the right-of-way or covers more than half of a…

Sacramento County encourages native and drought-tolerant landscaping. The County zoning code's landscape standards emphasize native and water-wise plants, and the Sacramento County…

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 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…

Sacramento County caps backyard hives by lot size, two on parcels under 10,000 sq ft, four up to 20,000, six above, and requires state hive registration plus a water source and flyway…

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 bans no dog breed. Under California Food & Agricultural Code 31683, no local dangerous-dog program may be breed-specific: except a mandatory spay/neuter program…

No Sacramento County ordinance specifically bans feeding wildlife in unincorporated areas; the County routes wildlife issues (skunks, raccoons, rodents) to the Agricultural…

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.

Sacramento County publishes no separate exotic-pet ordinance for unincorporated areas; exotic and wild animals are governed mainly by California law. Under Fish & Game Code 2118 and…

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 bans every commercial cannabis business, including dispensaries, in the unincorporated area. Zoning Code Section 3.2.4.C prohibits commercial cannabis activities in…

Adults 21+ may grow up to 6 plants for personal use under Prop 64 and HSC 11362.2. Sacramento County requires indoor cultivation only; outdoor grows prohibited in unincorporated areas.

California law, not county code, sets the rulebook for HOA CC&R enforcement in Sacramento County: Civil Code Section 5855 requires the board to give a member 10 days' written notice…

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 HOA assessments are governed by Civil Code 5605. Regular increases over 20 percent or special assessments over 5 percent require member approval.

Sacramento County has no local dispute-resolution ordinance for HOAs; state law fills the gap. Civil Code Sections 5900-5920 require every California association to run a fair, prompt…

HOA architectural review in California is governed by Civil Code 4765. Boards must provide fair, reasonable, and timely review with written decisions.

HOAs in Sacramento County operate under the Davis-Stirling Act (Civil Code 4000-6150). Board meetings, notices, and elections must follow statutory rules.

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…

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…

Subscription to garbage, recycling, and organics collection is mandatory for improved parcels in unincorporated Sacramento County. Garbage and organics are collected weekly and…

Unincorporated Sacramento County provides every-other-week curbside recycling, included in mandatory service. Accepted items include clean paper, cardboard, metal cans, glass…

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…

Unincorporated Sacramento County residents and businesses may only set carts and bins out within a 24-hour window before and after collection day, and must keep them clear of vehicles…

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…

Sacramento County requires a Floodplain Management Permit before any new construction, substantial improvement, or land alteration in a mapped special or local flood hazard area, with…

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.

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 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…

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 requires a Special Business License before anyone operates a lunch wagon, ice cream truck, or other food vehicle on unincorporated streets, and each employee who…

Sacramento County limits temporary food and merchandise concessions, including vehicles, to specified commercial and industrial zoning districts under a Temporary Use Permit, separate…

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

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…

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 honors posted No Soliciting and No Trespassing signs. Solicitors who ignore signs can be cited for trespass under Penal Code 602 in addition to county peddler…

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…

Smoke alarm requirements in unincorporated Sacramento County follow California law. Under Health and Safety Code Section 13113.7, dwellings must have smoke alarms in each bedroom…

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…

Sacramento County limits short-term rental occupancy in unincorporated areas to no more than two adults per bedroom, and only one rental party may occupy the unit at a time. The…

Sacramento County's short-term rental ordinance for unincorporated areas requires operators to identify pre-approved, authorized on-site parking spaces in the permit application and to…

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…

Sacramento County's Zoning Code does not assign cost between neighbors. Shared boundary fences are governed by California's Good Neighbor Fence Law (Civil Code Section 841), which…

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…

Outdoor pools in unincorporated Sacramento County must be enclosed by a barrier at least 60 inches high (measured from the side facing away from the pool), with a maximum 2-inch gap at…

Above-ground pools holding water over 18 inches deep are regulated like other pools in unincorporated Sacramento County. Where the pool wall or a top-mounted fence serves as the…

Sacramento County requires every rental dwelling unit in the unincorporated area to be registered with the Director each year: the owner must pay the annual Rental Housing Code…

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…

Unincorporated Sacramento County has NO local rent cap. Statewide AB 1482 (Tenant Protection Act of 2019) applies: annual rent increases capped at 5 percent plus CPI, or 10 percent…

Unincorporated Sacramento County follows California AB 1482 (Civil Code 1946.2) just cause eviction rules. No additional county-level tenant protection ordinance beyond state law.

In unincorporated Sacramento County, Zoning Code Section 5.10.1.C allows political, religious, and civic campaign signs in any zone for up to 90 days, provided they are removed within…

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…

In unincorporated Sacramento County, accumulating junk, garbage, rubbish, inoperable vehicles, or storing materials that create visual blight outside a fully enclosed structure is a…

Unimproved land that becomes a repeat dumping ground for litter, junk or discarded vehicles is a declared nuisance in Sacramento County, and the County can order the owner to fence and…

Snow is extremely rare in the Sacramento Valley. No county sidewalk snow removal ordinance exists. Owners must keep sidewalks free of debris and hazards under Streets and Highways Code…

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.

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…

Rooftop or ground-mounted solar for a home in unincorporated Sacramento County needs only a standard planning application packet with safety certification and utility consent…

California Civil Code 714 (Solar Rights Act) prohibits HOAs and CC&Rs from banning or unreasonably restricting solar panel installation. Restrictions that increase cost by more than…

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…