Drone operators in unincorporated San Bernardino County must follow FAA 14 CFR Part 107 or Recreational Flyer rules. County parks and military R-2508 airspace restrict drone flight.
Drone operation in unincorporated San Bernardino County is primarily governed by federal FAA regulations. Recreational pilots must pass the TRUST (The Recreational UAS Safety Test), operate line-of-sight, below 400 feet, and follow community-based safety guidelines. Commercial operators must be certified under 14 CFR Part 107. San Bernardino County contains significant restricted and special-use airspace: the R-2508 complex over the Mojave Desert (Edwards AFB, Fort Irwin/NTC, China Lake airspace), military operating areas, and airspace around MCLB Barstow β drone flight in these areas is largely prohibited without special authorization. Drone launching and landing is prohibited in San Bernardino County Regional Parks without permit per Parks Department rules. National forests (San Bernardino National Forest covering Big Bear, Lake Arrowhead area) have USFS restrictions, and BLM desert lands have BLM rules. California Civil Code 1708.8 (anti-paparazzi) and Penal Code 402 (privacy) also apply. Do not fly over people, emergency scenes, or active wildfires.
Federal FAA violation: civil penalties up to $27,500 per violation, possible criminal charges. County parks drone use without permit: citation. Interference with firefighting: federal felony under 18 USC 39B.
San Bernardino County, CA
Unincorporated San Bernardino County allows personal cannabis cultivation only indoors. State Proposition 64 (Health & Safety Code Section 11362.1) permits u...
San Bernardino County, CA
San Bernardino County is entirely inland - Mojave Desert, Inland Empire, and the San Bernardino Mountains - with no coastline and no California Coastal Commi...
San Bernardino County, CA
Unincorporated San Bernardino County treats an above-ground residential pool deeper than 18 inches as a swimming pool under the California Swimming Pool Safe...
San Bernardino County, CA
California SB 54, the California Values Act, limits how San Bernardino County Sheriff and other local agencies may cooperate with federal immigration authori...
San Bernardino County, CA
California requires most employers, including warehouse and logistics operators in the Inland Empire portion of San Bernardino County, to provide at least 40...
San Bernardino County, CA
San Bernardino County does not set a local minimum wage, so the California statewide rate of 16.50 dollars per hour applies in 2026 to most employers in unin...
See how San Bernardino County's recreational drones rules stack up against other locations.
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.