Bakersfield, CA Garage & Yard Sales: Frequency, Duration & Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- Max duration
- 2 consecutive days
- Max frequency
- Twice per calendar year
- Sign duration cap
- 3 consecutive days (§17.60.060)
- Signs allowed
- 2 per residence (1 on-site, 1 off-site)
- Sign size/height
- 3 sq ft, 6 ft tall max
Summary
Bakersfield's zoning code caps a garage or yard sale at two consecutive days and no more than twice a year per residence; go over either limit and it no longer qualifies as the exempt 'garage or yard sale' use under §17.04.305.
“Garage or yard sale” is a sale of personal goods which is undertaken by the occupant of a residence where the garage sale occurs, which is no longer than two consecutive days in duration, nor which occurs more frequently than twice a year.
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance 5221, passed July 15, 2026).
Full Breakdown
' Because this definition sits in the zoning title, exceeding either number takes the activity outside the residentially permitted, no-permit 'garage or yard sale' use and into unpermitted activity on a residential lot. 060(B)(1)(d)(v) allows a 'Garage, Yard and Estate Sales' sign only where 'no property shall be allowed signage for more than 2 sales per calendar year,' and caps 'the maximum duration of the use of these signs' at '3 consecutive days,' one day higher than the sale itself is allowed to run. Each residence may post up to two such signs, one on-site and one off-site, each capped at 3 square feet and 6 feet tall, and the off-site sign cannot be affixed to a utility pole, street sign or fence.
Violations & Fines
A garage sale that runs longer than two consecutive days, or a residence that hosts more than two sales in a calendar year, falls outside the zoning definition of an exempt garage sale and is treated as an unpermitted use, enforced by code enforcement under §17.72.010 with power to seek abatement or an injunction through the city attorney. Oversized or over-frequent signage is enforced the same way under §17.60. Citywide, violations are punishable as an infraction starting at $50 or a misdemeanor up to $1,000 and six months in jail, each day counting as a separate offense (§1.40.010).
Frequently Asked Questions
How many garage sales can I hold per year in Bakersfield?
How many days in a row can my garage sale run?
Can I put up a garage sale sign for more than one weekend?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Bakersfield
California rules heatmap·Compare Bakersfield to another location·View the California garage & yard sales overview
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