Merced County, CA Garage & Yard Sales: Frequency, Duration & Permits (2026)

290, which applies in zones where temporary events are allowed under Article 2 of the Zoning Code. Subsection A specifically addresses Garage and Yard Sales, allowing residential garage or yard sales conducted for selling used household merchandise, but capping the frequency at not to exceed once every three months. That three-month cooldown is meant to keep a driveway sale from becoming a recurring unlicensed retail operation on residential property. The broader Temporary Events standards in subsection B, which govern other short-term uses like art shows, carnivals, and outdoor festivals, do not apply their nine-consecutive-day or four-weekend duration limit to garage sales, since garage sales are called out separately in subsection A with their own, narrower rule.

Because garage sales fall under the Temporary Events chapter rather than a stand-alone permit process, the county does not require a Temporary Use Permit for a simple household sale; the once-every-three-months limit is the operative constraint, and the Planning and Community Development Department can act on complaints that a property is running sales more frequently, which would push the use outside the residential exemption and into requiring a home occupation or commercial permit review. 38, both of which the Director can apply if a garage sale draws enough traffic to affect the street.