Pacifica, CA Garage & Yard Sales: Frequency, Duration & Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- Sales allowed
- 3 per calendar year per individual or group
- Max duration
- 3 consecutive calendar days per sale
- Governing section
- Pacifica Municipal Code § 5-15.02(a)
- Merchandise rule
- Must be owned 6+ months, Section 5-15.02(b)
- Location rule
- Private property only, not sidewalks or streets
- Default penalty
- Infraction under Section 1-2.01
Summary
In the City of Pacifica, a household or group may hold no more than three garage sales per calendar year, and no single sale may run longer than three consecutive calendar days. Pacifica Municipal Code Section 5-15.02(a) caps both how often and how long a sale can run, whether the seller acts alone or as part of a group.
(a)Garage sales shall be limited to three (3) such sales in each calendar year for each individual or group. An individual may participate in selling his own property in not more than three (3) such sales in any calendar year, whether acting alone or as a part of a group. No such sale shall be conducted for a continuous period of more than three (3) calendar days.
Full Breakdown
01 as a yard, patio, or garage sale of merchandise offered to the general public and conducted within a building, distinct from a nonprofit's rummage sale. 02(a) then sets the frequency cap: three such sales per calendar year for each individual or group, and no individual may sell his own property in more than three sales a year whether acting alone or as part of a group, with each sale limited to three consecutive calendar days. Subsection (b) requires the merchandise sold to be used material the seller has owned for at least six months, with a narrower allowance for someone leaving the community.
Subsection (e) confirms the sale is not restricted by zoning district, but it must be conducted on private property occupied by the seller, not on sidewalks, alleys, or streets, and subsection (f) requires the sale to be orderly and not a nuisance or hazard. 03 lets them run rummage sales under a free permit from the Zoning Administrator, also capped at three consecutive days. 05 requires garage sale operators to comply with State sales tax permit requirements. Chapter 15 has no penalty section of its own, so enforcement of the frequency and duration limits runs through the Code's general violation provision.
Violations & Fines
Chapter 15 carries no penalty section of its own, so a sale that exceeds three sales a year, runs longer than three days, or is conducted from a public sidewalk or street violates the general penalty of Section 1-2.01: an infraction, with fines of $100, $200, and $500 for a first, second, and third offense within a year.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many garage sales can I hold per year in Pacifica?
Can I sell brand-new items at a Pacifica garage sale?
Does zoning restrict where I can hold a garage sale?
What if I run my Pacifica garage sale for a whole week?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Pacifica
California rules heatmap·Compare Pacifica to another location·View the California garage & yard sales overview
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