Commercial drone operators in San Joaquin County must hold an FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate (14 CFR Part 107). Operations near Stockton Metropolitan Airport, Port of Stockton facilities, and Tracy Municipal require LAANC authorization. County film permits required for commercial aerial filming on county property; agricultural spraying falls under Part 137 and Ag Commissioner rules.
Commercial drone operations in San Joaquin County require an FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate (14 CFR Part 107) β the pilot must pass the Part 107 aeronautical knowledge test at an FAA-approved testing center and complete recurrent training every 24 calendar months. Commercial uses include real estate photography, construction progress monitoring, utility inspection, surveying and mapping, and insurance adjustment. Operations in Stockton Metropolitan Airport (KSCK) Class D airspace require LAANC (Low Altitude Authorization and Notification Capability) authorization β the system provides near-real-time approvals up to published grid altitudes (often 0β400 ft in outer grids, restricted near the runways). Agricultural drone spraying is the fastest-growing commercial use in the county given the ~900,000 acres of cropland (grapes, almonds, walnuts, row crops); these operations require Part 137 Agricultural Aircraft Operator Certificate from the FAA, pest control business/applicator licenses from the San Joaquin County Agricultural Commissioner, and compliance with California DPR pesticide regulations. Night operations, flights over people (Category 1β4), and beyond-visual-line-of-sight require specific waivers (Part 107.29, 107.39, 107.31). Aerial photography/filming on county parks property requires a Film Permit from County Parks plus proof of $1M liability insurance.
Operating commercially without Part 107: FAA civil penalties up to $32,666 per violation. Unauthorized controlled airspace entry: federal criminal exposure. Ag spraying without Ag Commissioner license: up to $5,000 per application (Food & Ag Code Β§12999.5). Film without county permit on county land: permit revocation + $500β$2,500.
Tracy, CA
Tracy Municipal Code Chapter 5.08 (Animals) prohibits keeping any animal or bird that by frequent or long-continued loud noise disturbs the comfort or repose...
Tracy, CA
Tracy Municipal Code Chapter 4.12 restricts the operation of pile drivers, hammers, and heavy construction equipment to the hours before 10 PM. After-hours c...
Tracy, CA
Tracy Municipal Code Article 9 (Β§4.12.710-Β§4.12.800) sets sound-level limits at residential property lines by zone and bans motorized refrigeration units run...
Tracy, CA
Tracy Municipal Code Chapter 3.08 governs street parking. The 72-hour maximum parking rule applies to all vehicles. RVs and large commercial vehicles on city...
Tracy, CA
Tracy restricts commercial vehicles and semi-trucks from parking on residential streets except during active loading and unloading. TMC Chapter 3.08 governs ...
Tracy, CA
Tracy requires all parking areas, including driveways, to be paved with an approved surfacing material under TMC Β§10.08.3530. Parking on unpaved surfaces is ...
Side-by-side rule comparisons with other cities in San Joaquin County.
See how Tracy's commercial drones rules stack up against other locations.
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.