Provo, UT Garage & Yard Sales: Frequency, Duration & Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- Annual day cap
- 5 days per calendar year
- Who may hold it
- Bona fide residents of the premises only
- Goods allowed
- Personal belongings of residents only
- Permit needed if exempt
- None, if within limits
- Governing chapter
- Provo City Code Ch. 14.35
Summary
Provo lets residents run a garage sale without a temporary use permit, but only for up to five days total per calendar year. Go over that and the exemption disappears, meaning Community Development can require a temporary use permit under Chapter 14.35 instead.
A temporary use permit shall not be required for a garage sale; provided, that the garage sale shall not operate for more than a total of five (5) days in any calendar year, and shall be conducted by bona fide residents of the premises. Goods for sale shall consist of personal belongings of the residents. Goods offered for sale shall not be placed over a public sidewalk or in a public right-of-way.
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance 2026-17, passed June 9, 2026).
Full Breakdown
35. The exemption comes with three conditions written directly into the ordinance: the sale cannot run more than a total of five days in any calendar year, it must be conducted by bona fide residents of the premises being sold from (not a business or outside vendor using the address), and the goods offered must consist of the residents' personal belongings rather than merchandise brought in for resale. 020(2). 040). Residents planning a longer sale, an estate sale spanning multiple weekends, or a sale advertised as a recurring business should count their cumulative sale days for the year before assuming the permit-free exemption still applies.
Violations & Fines
A garage sale that exceeds five cumulative days in a calendar year, isn't run by a resident of the property, or sells goods beyond personal belongings loses its exemption under 14.35.020(2) and is treated as an unpermitted temporary use. Community Development / Code Enforcement can require the operator to obtain a temporary use permit through the Planning Commission or cease the sale.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit for a garage sale in Provo?
Can I hold two separate garage sales in the same year?
Where can I put items for sale during a Provo garage sale?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Provo
Compare Provo to another location·View the Utah garage & yard sales overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.
Frequency, Duration & Permits in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Utah County handle frequency, duration & permits.