Brentwood, CA Garage & Yard Sales: Garage Sale Permits (2026)

A true garage, yard, or estate sale of the household's own used personal property is considered a casual private sale in Brentwood and does not require a business license or permit under Municipal Code Chapter 5. No advance notice to the city is required, and there is no application fee for a standard residential garage sale. Sales must be conducted on the resident's own property (not on sidewalks or public right-of-way), must not block pedestrian access, and must not create nuisance conditions such as overflow parking that obstructs traffic or trash/debris left on the street. Sales tax does not apply to occasional casual sales under the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration (CDTFA) rules, as long as the seller is not engaged in the business of selling. However, a person who holds frequent sales (see frequency entry), sells new merchandise, or sells goods purchased for resale (flea-market-style reselling from the home) is conducting a business and must obtain a Brentwood business license and register with the CDTFA for a seller's permit. Estate sales conducted by a professional estate-sale company on behalf of the resident still require that the company hold a Brentwood business license. Signs advertising the sale must follow the yard-sign rules: private property only, temporary, removed after the sale ends. Firearms, ammunition, prescription drugs, and recalled products cannot be sold at garage sales.