Madera, CA Garage & Yard Sales: Frequency, Duration & Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- Frequency
- first Saturday and/or Sunday of each month only
- Duration
- no more than 2 consecutive days
- Hours
- 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., including setup/takedown
- Goods sold
- must be used/secondhand, not bought to resell
- Nonprofits
- 2 sales per 12 months on non-residential property, permit required
- 1st/2nd violation
- infraction
- 3rd+ violation
- misdemeanor
Summary
Madera limits residential garage and yard sales to the first Saturday and/or Sunday of each month, no more than two consecutive days, between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m., under Municipal Code § 10-3.405(K).
(3) Time limits of sales. Sales events conducted at any residential dwelling unit, apartment complex, or residentially zoned property may only be held on the first Saturday and/or Sunday of each month. No event may be held for more than two consecutive days. The time limit for conducting the sale shall be between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m., including the time for set-up and takedown. The driveway, yard area, or other space used for the purposes of the sale shall be restored to its normal residential character at the conclusion of the sale. ... (7) Violation - penalty. Violations of any provisions of this subsection shall subject the violator to suit for civil remedy, criminal penalty, administrative enforcement, or any combination thereof. The criminal penalty for a first or second offense shall be punishable as an infraction. The criminal penalty for a third offense or more shall be punishable as a misdemeanor.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2024 S-50: Current through Ordinance 1010 C.S., passed 6-5-24).
Full Breakdown
405(K) regulates garage and yard sales in Madera's residential zones with the stated purpose of keeping these events truly non-commercial: preventing them from competing with licensed businesses, from being run on commercially zoned property under the guise of a residential sale, and from evading business permit fees and sales tax. , a window that includes setup and takedown time. The driveway, yard, or other space used has to be restored to its normal residential look once the sale ends. Everything offered for sale must belong personally to the person or people holding the sale and must be used or secondhand; buying goods specifically to resell at the event is prohibited outright.
Display of merchandise is confined to the seller's own property, except under a special-events or encroachment permit; it cannot spill onto sidewalks, parkways, streets, alleys, or a neighbor's residential lot. Nonprofit organizations get a separate allowance: they may hold no more than two garage or yard sales per 12-month period on non-residential property, but only after obtaining a permit from the Neighborhood Revitalization Department.
Violations & Fines
Section 10-3.405(K)(7) makes clear that violating any part of the garage sale rules exposes the violator to civil remedy, criminal penalty, or administrative enforcement, or a combination of all three. A first or second offense is punishable as an infraction; a third offense or any offense after that is punishable as a misdemeanor.
Frequently Asked Questions
How often can I hold a garage sale in Madera?
What hours can a Madera garage sale run?
Can I sell new merchandise I bought to resell at my garage sale?
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Sources & Official References
Other rules in Madera
California rules heatmap·Compare Madera to another location·View the California garage & yard sales overview
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