San Jose, CA Garage & Yard Sales: Frequency, Duration & Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- Max sales per year
- 2 per calendar year
- Max duration
- 4 consecutive days per sale
- Allowed hours
- 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.
- Permit needed
- None if within limits
- Governing section
- SJMC § 20.30.110(D)-(E)
Summary
San Jose lets residents hold no more than two garage sales per calendar year, each capped at four consecutive days and running only between 9:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m., under the zoning code's incidental-use provision for one- and two-family and multiple dwellings.
D.The following non-commercial activities:1.A garage sale consisting of the occupants' personal property;2.Sale of goods hand-produced by the occupants;3.Sales parties held for the purpose of selling goods to invited Guests. Such parties shall be held inside a permanent structure or in the rear yard of the dwelling unit.E.To qualify as a non-commercial activity:1.No more than two (2) such sales are allowed in any calendar year;2.No such sale can be conducted for more than four (4) consecutive days;3.Such sales shall only be conducted between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m. (Ords. 26248, 26455, 29523, 30353.)
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 5 Update 3).
Full Breakdown
San Jose zoning treats a garage sale of the occupants' personal property as a non-commercial incidental use of a residential dwelling, exempt from a Development Permit under Municipal Code § 20.30.110. To qualify, a household may hold no more than two sales per calendar year, each limited to four consecutive days, and sales may run only between 9:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m. The same limits apply to sales of hand-produced goods and invited-guest sales parties. Exceed the frequency, duration, or hours and the activity is no longer the exempted non-commercial use, it becomes an unpermitted use Code Enforcement can cite.
Violations & Fines
Exceeding two sales a year, running a sale past four consecutive days, or selling outside 9:00 a.m.-9:00 p.m. turns the exemption into an unpermitted commercial use subject to code enforcement.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Sources & Official References
Other rules in San Jose
California rules heatmap·Compare San Jose to another location·View the California garage & yard sales overview
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