Moving to Redwood City, CA?

Redwood City regulates noise under City Code Chapter 24. General quiet hours are 10 PM–7 AM Sunday through Thursday and 11 PM–7 AM Friday through Saturday. Outdoor events with amplified sound require a noise permit.

Redwood City prohibits construction noise in residential areas outside of 7 AM–8 PM weekdays. Construction on weekends and holidays is prohibited if it exceeds local ambient noise levels. The 110 dB limit applies at 25 feet.

Redwood City prohibits dogs from creating excessive noise that disturbs neighbors under Chapter 5 (Animals and Fowl) and the general noise ordinance. Animal control is provided by Peninsula Humane Society & SPCA.

Redwood City Municipal Code Chapter 42A limits short-term rental occupancy to two guests per bedroom plus two additional guests per stay, capped at ten guests total. STRs are restricted to the host's primary residence; second homes and investment properties are not permitted. Hosted stays (host on-site) have no annual day cap, while un-hosted stays are limited to 120 nights per calendar year. ADUs are prohibited from STR use unless they were registered with the City before January 1, 2020. Hosts must also designate a local contact who will respond to complaints whenever the host is away.

Redwood City requires short-term rental hosts to carry a minimum of $1 million in liability insurance covering STR operations as part of registration under Municipal Code Chapter 42A. This is in addition to the program's $250 annual permit fee, $50 business license, indemnification of the City, and the 12% Transient Occupancy Tax. Major hosting platforms supply broadly similar protection (Airbnb's AirCover up to $1 million, Vrbo's Liability Insurance up to $1 million), but platform coverage applies only to bookings made through that platform and does not satisfy the City's requirement for hosts who take direct bookings or use multiple platforms.

STR guests in Redwood City must comply with all city parking rules. RVs may be parked on private property if registered as operable. Commercial vehicles over 6 feet high or 20 feet long are banned from residential streets.

Redwood City charges 12% TOT on all STR stays under 30 days. TOT revenue is dedicated to the City's Affordable Housing Fund. Hosts must collect and remit TOT unless their platform collects it on their behalf.

STR guests must comply with all Redwood City noise ordinances. A 24/7 complaint hotline exists for STR issues with a 1-hour response time commitment. Hosts are responsible for guest conduct.

Redwood City requires STR operators to obtain a permit and business license. STRs must be the host's primary residence. Unhosted stays are capped at 120 days/year. ADUs cannot be used as STRs unless registered before January 1, 2020.

Outdoor fire pits using wood or solid fuel are subject to BAAQMD Spare the Air restrictions and are banned on alert days. Redwood City's fire risk and BAAQMD jurisdiction effectively prohibit most recreational wood burning.

All fireworks are illegal in Redwood City, including 'Safe and Sane' fireworks banned since 2014. In 2019 the city adopted a Social Host Ordinance to enhance enforcement. Report violations to police at (650) 780-7118.

Open burning is banned in Redwood City under BAAQMD Regulation 5. Wood-burning devices cannot be used during Spare the Air Alerts. New construction cannot include wood-burning devices.

Redwood City permits RVs, boats, and trailers on private residential property if they are registered as operable. Street parking of oversized vehicles is subject to the 72-hour rule and height/length restrictions.

Commercial vehicles over 6 feet high or 20 feet long are prohibited from parking on public streets or private property in residential areas of Redwood City. Business vehicle parking must not indicate a commercial use at the residence.

Redwood City has residential permit parking zones with 2-hour limits Monday–Friday 7 AM–6 PM. Three permits per household are issued. Street sweeping restrictions apply on posted days. CVC 72-hour rule applies citywide.

Redwood City requires all vehicles to be parked in legal paved parking spaces on residential property. Blocking sidewalks is prohibited. Garage conversions that eliminate parking may require replacement spaces.

Max fence height in Redwood City: 3 ft (solid) or 5 ft (open-top) in the front-yard 15-ft setback, 7 ft on side and rear yards, and 5 ft+ for pool barriers. Permits aren't required under 7 ft. Corner-lot visibility triangle applies.

Fences in Redwood City that comply with height limits typically do not require a building permit. However, fences over 7 feet, retaining walls, or fences with footings may require a permit from the Building Division.

Fence cost-sharing between neighbors in Redwood City is governed by California Civil Code §841 (Good Neighbor Fence Act). Disputes are civil matters; the city does not mediate fence disagreements.

Redwood City does not have a specific beekeeping ordinance. Beekeeping may be subject to nuisance provisions if bees disturb neighbors. Consult the Planning Division and comply with state hive registration before installing hives.

Redwood City requires all dogs to be leashed on public property at all times. Voice control is not a substitute for a leash in San Mateo County. Off-leash areas exist at designated dog parks.

Keeping exotic animals in Redwood City requires a use permit from the Planning and Building Department per San Mateo County zoning provisions. California state law also bans many exotic species outright.

Redwood City does not ban specific dog breeds. All dogs must be licensed and vaccinated. Dogs deemed dangerous after an incident may face special restrictions including muzzling, confinement requirements, and liability insurance.

Redwood City is served by Cal Water (California Water Service). Outdoor watering restrictions apply under state drought regulations. Year-round water waste prohibitions include no runoff and no irrigation within 48 hours of measurable rain.

Redwood City requires property owners to maintain their lots free of overgrown weeds and high grass that create fire hazards or nuisances. Code Enforcement responds to complaints about unmaintained properties.

Private tree trimming on private property does not require a city permit in Redwood City. Trees near overhead utility lines may require coordination with PG&E. Street trees require city approval before any work.

Private tree removal on private property generally does not require a Redwood City permit. Street tree removal requires city approval. Large or heritage trees may require review under the city's Urban Forest Management Program.

Home-based businesses in Redwood City require a Home Occupation Permit under the Zoning Code. The business must be incidental to the residential use, with no exterior evidence of commercial activity or non-resident employees.

Customer visits to home-based businesses in Redwood City are restricted. Business traffic must not exceed what is incidental to a residential use. Retail sales at the residence are prohibited.

No exterior business signage is allowed for home-based businesses in Redwood City residential zones. Any commercial identification visible from the street would violate Home Occupation Permit conditions.

Pool fences in Redwood City must be greater than 5 feet high (California requires minimum 60 inches), self-latching, self-closing, with no climbable protrusions, vertical ground clearance under 2 inches, and no gaps over 4 inches.

New pools in Redwood City require a building permit. Pools must meet California Swimming Pool Safety Act requirements. Anti-entrapment drain covers (Virginia Graeme Baker Act) are required on all pools.

Above-ground pools over 18 inches deep in Redwood City require a building permit and must meet California pool safety fencing requirements. Temporary inflatable pools under 18 inches are generally exempt from permit requirements.

Garage conversions to ADUs are fully permitted in Redwood City per California ADU law. No replacement parking is required. Building permit is required. Conversion ADUs generally have no parking requirements.

Redwood City Zoning Code Articles 5 (R-1 / RH), 6 (R-2), and 36 (Exterior Site Improvements) treat a carport as an accessory building. In R-1 and R-2 districts, a carport entrance or garage door must sit at least 20 feet behind the front property line, and the carport itself must meet the main building's interior side-yard setback and at least a 6-foot rear-yard setback under Section 36.5. Total accessory-building height is capped at 14 feet (with a 9-foot wall height adjacent to side and rear lines), and a building permit is required for any permanent posts and roof. Hillside parking may be located as close as 5 feet to the street property line at the Director's discretion.

Redwood City allows ADUs in all residential zones. One-bedroom ADUs up to 850 sq ft; two+ bedrooms up to 1,000 sq ft. Detached height limit is 24 ft. 4-ft rear/side setbacks. ADUs cannot be STRs (except pre-2020 registrations).

Small accessory structures (sheds) in Redwood City must comply with zoning setbacks and height limits. Sheds under 120 sq ft generally do not require a building permit but must still comply with zoning requirements.

Parts of Redwood City near the Bay and Redwood Creek are in FEMA flood zones. New construction in Special Flood Hazard Areas requires elevation to Base Flood Elevation plus freeboard. Flood insurance required for federally-backed loans.