Compton, CA Garage & Yard Sales: Frequency, Duration & Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- Section
- § 30-11.4.a-b, f
- Annual cap
- 12 days per calendar year
- Allowed day
- First Saturday of each month only
- Permit required
- Yes, from the Planning Department
- First-offense fine
- $50 infraction
Summary
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 permit first, applied for by the Monday before the sale.
Garage and yard sales shall be permitted for a maximum of 12 days per calendar year on the first Saturday of each month. Garage and yard sales held on any other day shall be in violation of the Compton Municipal Code. Only one sale shall be permitted per lot, irrespective of the number of residential units. All applications must be submitted by the Monday prior to the Saturday sales date.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4952997; v15 updated 2026-07-14; through 07-14-2026).
Full Breakdown
4 governs garage and yard sales as an accessory use to a permitted dwelling in a residential zone. Before holding a sale, the resident must obtain a garage sale permit from the Planning Department. The code then fixes both the calendar and the pace: sales are permitted for a maximum of 12 days per calendar year, and only on the first Saturday of each month, meaning a household cannot bunch its allotment into consecutive weekends. Holding a sale on any day other than the designated first Saturday is a violation of the Municipal Code in its own right.
Only one sale is permitted per lot regardless of how many residential units sit on it, closing off a workaround where separate units on the same parcel each claim their own sale days. Applications must be submitted by the Monday prior to the Saturday sale date, giving the Planning Department a short review window before the weekend. d, with new or nonresidential merchandise barred outright. Together the permit, day-of-month restriction, and 12-day annual cap are the tools the City uses to keep garage sales occasional rather than an ongoing informal retail operation inside a residential zone.
Violations & Fines
Violating Section 30-11.4 is an infraction carrying a $50 fine for a first violation, $75 for a second, and $100 for each additional violation within one year. The City Attorney may charge a continuing violation, defined as two or more citations for the same or different Municipal Code sections, as a misdemeanor instead of an infraction.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Sources & Official References
Other rules in Compton
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