Local Rules Near Downtown Modesto

Modesto's noise ordinance expressly exempts aircraft and railroad operations; aircraft noise around Modesto City-County Airport is governed by federal FAA rules and the Stanislaus County Airport Land Use Compatibility Plan.

Modesto bans loud and raucous use of any radio, amplifier, phonograph, stereo, loudspeaker, bullhorn, megaphone, or other sound-producing device at any time of day or night.

Modesto Code § 4-2.17(c) requires every motorcycle, motor-driven cycle, or off-highway vehicle, including scooters, motorbikes, and mini-bikes, ridden off a public street or highway to carry a properly maintained muffler meeting state Vehicle Code § 38280 standards. Cutouts, bypasses, and similar devices that let exhaust skip the muffler are banned outright.

Modesto bans operation of gas-powered or engine-driven equipment, including backpack leaf blowers, chain saws, and lawn mowers, before 7 AM or after 9 PM on weekdays, and before 9 AM on weekends and state/federal holidays.

Modesto prohibits loud and raucous yelling, shouting, talking, whistling or singing between 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. on any day, and bans any sound that disturbs a reasonable person.

Owning, keeping, or harboring any dog, cat, or other animal or fowl that howls, yelps, whines, or barks in a loud and raucous manner is a public nuisance in Modesto.

Modesto bans loud construction tools and equipment before 7 a.m. or after 9 p.m. on weekdays, and before 9 a.m. or after 9 p.m. on Saturdays, Sundays, and state/federal holidays.

Every operator of a vacation rental or short-term rental in Modesto must register with the Tax Administrator and obtain a Transient Occupancy Registration Permit before renting to transients. The permit must remain in effect at all times the unit is operated and must be posted on the premises.

Modesto's code defines a 'transient' as anyone occupying a unit for 27 consecutive days or less, which triggers permit and TOT obligations, but the Modesto Municipal Code does not impose a city-specific maximum guest count for short-term rentals. State default occupancy standards in the California Building Code and California Health & Safety Code apply.

STR properties in Modesto must provide adequate off-street parking for guests. Guests must follow all city parking regulations including street sweeping schedules and time limits. No commercial vehicles or RVs associated with STR use.

Modesto requires interconnected, hardwired smoke alarms with battery backup in every sleeping area, sleeping room and story of Group R dwellings, under the fire safety article of its Property Maintenance Code.

Only California State Fire Marshal-approved 'Safe and Sane' fireworks may be sold or used in Modesto, and only from noon June 28 through noon July 6 each year. All dangerous (aerial/explosive) fireworks are banned and the city imposes some of the steepest fines in California.

Modesto sits on the Central Valley floor outside CAL FIRE's State Responsibility Area and is not mapped as a Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone, so the wildland-urban-interface 100-foot defensible space rule of Public Resources Code 4291 does not generally apply. The city instead enforces brush, weed, and dead-vegetation clearance through Modesto Municipal Code 9-9.509 (Property Maintenance Code), with a 12-inch lawn-height threshold and Fire Prevention Bureau coordination.

Modesto bans backyard recreational fires outright (wood fire pits, chimineas, bonfires). Portable outdoor fireplaces (gas/propane appliances) are not categorically banned but remain subject to other city codes, and any fire that is allowed must be constantly attended with an extinguisher on hand.

Modesto's Fire Code amendment prohibits liquefied petroleum gas (LP-gas) installations in any residential zone regardless of water capacity. Storage is instead confined to Commercial-Industrial, M-1 and M-2 Industrial zones, and to automotive service stations located on commercially zoned property, with an aggregate 2,000-gallon cap per installation.

Open burning of grass, weeds, agricultural trimmings, or other combustibles is prohibited in Modesto without a permit from the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District, and permitted burning is restricted to agricultural land within city limits.

In a marked Modesto loading zone, curb time is limited to 3 minutes for loading or unloading passengers and 20 minutes for loading or unloading materials, unless a posted sign says otherwise. Zones are identified by yellow curb paint set by the Public Works Director.

Modesto lets residents petition for a Residential Parking Permit Zone under Municipal Code Article 19. A petition signed by at least 67 percent of residents or property owners triggers a City Engineer survey and a Council public hearing; Council then may adopt a resolution establishing the zone, restricted to R-1, R-2, or R-3 areas, under Vehicle Code Section 22507.

Modesto Municipal Code section 3-2.1006 prohibits parking commercial vehicles (generally over 10,000 lbs GVWR) in residential districts, with a $127 citation. Truck routes are separately enforced under section 3-2.1301 at $96. Parking a commercial vehicle in a metered downtown space carries a $71 fine under sec. 3-2.1511.

Modesto zoning section 10-3.214 limits a residential lot to two recreational vehicles parked outside a structure, requires they sit at least 3 feet from any habitable building and outside the clear-vision zone, and prohibits any portion of the RV from overhanging the public sidewalk.

Modesto Code of Ordinances § 4-7.1915 makes it an infraction to keep an abandoned, wrecked, dismantled or inoperative vehicle on any private or public property, other than a highway, for more than thirty days. The Police Chief can order removal as a public nuisance after a ten-day notice and hearing process under Article 19.

Modesto's Building Official must run an expedited, streamlined permitting process for electric vehicle charging stations under Article 19, following a published checklist, and cannot condition approval on a homeowners' association's sign-off, per Government Code Section 65850.7.

Modesto has no blanket overnight parking ban. The default rule is the 72-hour storage limit (sec. 3-2.1002). Residential Parking Permit Zones under Article 19 of Title 3 restrict on-street parking to permit holders in designated neighborhoods, and living overnight in a vehicle on private property is barred by section 10-3.211 after 72 consecutive hours.

Modesto's Director of Public Works controls every curb color on city streets. Red bans stopping entirely, yellow and white cap loading time at three or twenty minutes, green limits parking to 24 minutes, and blue is reserved for disabled placards. Painting a curb without city authorization is itself a violation.

Modesto Municipal Code section 3-2.1002 prohibits using public streets to store any vehicle for more than 72 consecutive hours. Vehicles must also be currently registered and operable. Violation carries a $108 fine.

Modesto's zoning code generally allows any fencing material in residential side and rear yards, but front-yard fences on commercial or industrial property must be decorative wrought iron or similar approved material.

Modesto follows the California Building Code permit exemption: fences 7 feet or less in height do not require a building permit. Anything taller needs a permit from the Building Safety Division.

Modesto exempts retaining walls up to four feet tall, measured from the bottom of the footing to the top of the wall, from a building permit. Anything taller, or any wall holding back a surcharge or Class I, II, or IIIA liquids, needs Building Safety Division review regardless of height.

Modesto follows California Civil Code regarding shared boundary fences. Adjoining property owners share equal responsibility for maintaining boundary fences under CA Civil Code §841. The city does not mediate private fence disputes.

Modesto Municipal Code section 10-4.406 caps walls and fences at 8 feet in height citywide. Within the front yard and street-side yard, the maximum drops to 42 inches.

Modesto does not require every dog or cat to be microchipped. But under Municipal Code § 5-4.503, anyone holding a litter permit to breed a dog or cat must have that animal microchipped (or use another identification method Stanislaus County Animal Services accepts) and registered with the county.

Modesto Code Section 5-4.203(a) bars dogs from any public street, alley, park, parkway or City property unless leashed and under complete control, with the leash no longer than 8 feet. Designated dog parks and dogs securely confined inside a car are the only exceptions written into the section.

Modesto does not force every dog or cat to be fixed, but Code Section 5-4.503(a) bars anyone from breeding a dog or cat within the City without an annual litter permit from Stanislaus County Animal Services. Unaltered dogs also carry a higher license fee under Section 5-4.506 to push owners toward spaying or neutering.

Modesto does not require cat owners to license their cats, unlike dogs; licensing is voluntary and unlocks a spay/neuter voucher. Caretakers of barn cats or feral colonies, however, must register with the Stanislaus County Department of Animal Services and meet trap-neuter-vaccinate conditions to avoid being treated as the animal's owner under the stray-animal law.

Modesto splits veterinary zoning by animal type. Large-animal veterinary hospitals are confined to the C-M, M-1 and M-2 industrial-commercial zones, while small-animal veterinary hospitals are permitted across nine commercial, office and industrial zones but barred from every residential district.

Modesto has no municipal ordinance specifically prohibiting the feeding of wild animals. California state law, chiefly Fish and Game Code §251.1, governs wildlife harassment, and feeding can constitute illegal harassment when it threatens animal health or safety.

Standalone pet grooming businesses fall under Modesto's Personal Services zoning category and are barred from the R-1, R-2 and R-3 residential zones, permitted only in mixed-use, office, commercial and industrial districts. Pet stores may offer grooming as an accessory service under Section 10-2.161, but the code excludes exterior runs or other outdoor grooming activity.

Modesto Municipal Code § 10-3.202 allows up to 12 domestic fowl (hens only - no roosters), plus 2 pygmy goats and 2 miniature potbellied pigs (no boars), per dwelling unit in residential zones. Coops, pens, or cages must be at least 40 feet from any neighboring window or door used for human habitation.

Modesto's zoning ordinance limits a residential dwelling unit to two dogs (5+ months old) and three cats (3+ months old). Larger numbers, exotic animals, or kennels require a conditional use permit. All dogs four months or older must be licensed through Stanislaus Animal Services.

Modesto has no breed-specific dog ban. California Food & Agricultural Code § 31683 prohibits any city or county dangerous-dog program from being breed-specific, although local agencies may adopt breed-specific spay/neuter or breeding requirements. Dangerous-dog and vicious-dog regulation in Modesto is enforced under Cal. Food & Agric. Code §§ 31601-31683 by Stanislaus Animal Services.

Exotic pet ownership in Modesto is primarily governed by California Department of Fish & Wildlife (CDFW) regulations, which are among the most restrictive in the nation. Most wild, venomous, and non-domesticated animals are prohibited without permits.

Removing a street tree in Modesto's right-of-way or planting easement requires a permit from the Public Works Director under § 7-5.05(d). Owners apply through the Solid Waste Division; the Director weighs owner hardship against the tree's condition and the Street Tree Plan, and any granted permit expires after 60 days.

Any landscape plan required under Modesto's Code must draw at least 90 percent of its nonturf plant list from species suited to the Central Valley climate and needing minimal water once established. The remaining 10 percent of nondrought-tolerant plants must be grouped on a separate irrigation valve so they can be watered without soaking the rest of the bed.

Modesto prohibits allowing weeds, overgrown grass, or neglected vegetation visible from public rights-of-way. Lawns exceeding 12 inches in height and weed-infested or decayed plants constitute a codified nuisance under the Property Maintenance Code.

Modesto caps how long garbage or organic waste can sit on a property at two weeks and rubbish at one month, but § 5-5.108 specifically exempts composting grass or trimmings from that nuisance limit, so long as it follows the State of California's Composting Regulations.

Modesto requires property owners to maintain trees so they do not obstruct sidewalks (8 ft clearance), streets (14 ft clearance), or block sight lines at intersections. City-maintained street trees may only be trimmed by city crews or approved contractors.

Modesto enforces water conservation measures year-round, with additional restrictions during drought conditions. Outdoor watering is limited to specific days and times. The city is served by a combination of groundwater and Modesto Irrigation District surface water.

Modesto flatly bans signs identifying a home business, its products, or its services, and separately bars advertising any on-premises sales or services in the phone book, newspapers, circulars, radio, or TV. Off-premises services may still be advertised in those same media.

Modesto treats home-based child care by size. A small family day care home (six or fewer children) and a large family day care home (seven to fourteen) are both permitted outright in the R-1, R-2 and R-3 residential zones, one business per lot. At fifteen or more children in a home, the use becomes conditional, requiring a use permit.

Modesto treats a home business as an accessory use permitted in residential zones only if the operator lives on site full-time, the home keeps its residential look, and the operation stays entirely indoors. A City permit and business license are both required, and a violation is an infraction.

A Modesto home business cannot generate traffic or parking demand beyond what a normal residence would produce, cannot displace required residential parking, and cannot have employees dispatched from or working on the premises. Merchandise deliveries to customers on site are barred except when incidental to an on-site service.

Modesto requires a building permit from the city's Building Safety Division before constructing, installing, or substantially remodeling any swimming pool, spa, or hot tub. Permits include separate electrical, plumbing, and barrier inspections.

Modesto does not impose a city-specific pool barrier ordinance; California Health & Safety Code (Swimming Pool Safety Act) and the California Building Code preempt and set the minimum enclosure standards.

Modesto Municipal Code Article 5 (sections 10-4.501 to 10-4.512) permits ADUs ministerially on lots with a single-family or duplex dwelling, capping detached units at 1,200 sq ft and 16 ft in height (18 ft near major transit), with 4 ft side and rear setbacks. Standards mirror Govt Code section 65852.2.

Modesto MC section 10-4.114 governs detached accessory buildings (sheds, workshops, gazebos, detached garages) on single-family residential lots, limiting them to one story / 16 ft and 4 ft side/rear setbacks. Sheds 120 sq ft or smaller may sit on the property line. Lot-coverage caps scale with lot size from 400 to 1,000 sq ft.

Modesto MC section 10-4.504(c)(3) allows a detached garage (or interior living space) to be converted to an ADU ministerially. Section 10-4.506(c)(1) permits up to a 150 sq ft expansion of the existing footprint solely for ingress/egress. Replacement parking is not required when the converted garage was meeting an existing parking standard.

Modesto's Fire Code amendment to the LP-gas permit rule exempts residential barbecue propane containers from a permit only if they hold no more than 5 gallons of water capacity and are used and stored outside of buildings. Larger residential tanks fall under the City's general LP-gas permit and installation rules instead.

Any construction, grading, filling, or other development inside a special flood hazard area in Modesto requires a building permit before work begins. The Floodplain Administrator, who is the Chief Building Official, reviews every application against FEMA's Flood Insurance Study and Rate Maps and can deny a project that would raise the base flood level.

Modesto requires a Grading and Erosion Control Permit before moving 350 cubic yards or more of soil or clearing more than half an acre of land. The Public Works Department reviews plans prepared by a civil engineer and can suspend or revoke permits for noncompliance under Modesto Code of Ordinances § 5-10.301.

New and substantially improved homes in a Modesto special flood hazard area must have the lowest floor elevated to or above the base flood elevation shown on the FEMA rate maps. The code sets that BFE line as the floor, with no added freeboard margin, and requires a registered engineer or surveyor to certify the finished elevation.

Modesto's Storm Water Management and Discharge Controls Ordinance bans any non-storm-water discharge into the City's municipal storm drain system unless an NPDES permit or listed exception applies, and specifically prohibits roof drains emptying onto sidewalks and pool or spa water entering storm drains. Violators face civil penalties up to $25,000 per day and misdemeanor prosecution.

Modesto bars every commercial cannabis use, from cultivation to dispensary, from locating within 600 feet of a school, licensed child care center or youth center; within 200 feet of a park or library; or within 100 feet of a residential structure, each measured from the nearest property lines. Cannabis is also banned outright inside the Downtown Cannabis Prohibition Overlay regardless of the parcel's zoning.

Modesto limits cannabis dispensaries and other commercial cannabis uses to a Commercial Cannabis Permit in the C-2, C-3, and other listed zones, and bans them entirely within 600 feet of a school, 100 feet of a home, or 200 feet of a park or library. The entire downtown core is a no-cannabis overlay regardless of zoning.

Modesto runs an administrative, nondiscretionary review for small residential rooftop solar systems up to 10 kilowatts AC, reviewing complete applications within three business days and scheduling a single consolidated inspection within five business days, per the Solar Rights Act and Government Code Section 65850.5.

Modesto lets a household hold a garage sale with no sign permit, but caps the signage under section 10-6.107(a): only two unlighted signs, three square feet each and five feet tall, displayed only while the sale is actually happening. Signs must sit on private property with the owner's consent and can never be attached to a street tree, utility pole, or placed in the public right-of-way.

Modesto caps digital freeway billboards along Highway 99 at seven citywide, and each one needs a conditional use permit approved by the City Council on the Planning Commission's recommendation. Section 10-6.108(f)(2) fixes where a digital billboard can sit: within 660 feet of the freeway, at least 300 feet from any residential parcel, at most 60 feet tall, capped at 700 square feet per face, and 2,500 feet from the next digital freeway billboard.

Modesto limits temporary window signage to half the glass: under the commercial and industrial sign table in section 10-6.107(b), a window sign can cover no more than 50 percent of the window it is displayed in, with no limit on the number of signs and no maximum height beyond the window itself. The residential table separately caps window signs on nonconforming uses at the same 50 percent and requires them to face a public street.

Modesto exempts political signs from the sign permit and fee requirement, but the zone tables in section 10-6.107 still cap them: on a residential parcel with a home, unlimited unlighted signs up to 16 square feet each and 60 square feet combined at 6 feet tall; on a residential parcel with no home, up to 32 square feet each and 100 square feet combined at 10 feet. Every political sign must go up no more than 120 days before the election and come down within 10 days after.

Digital freeway billboards in Modesto are allowed only as relocations or conversions of existing billboards along State Highway 99, per Section 10-6.108(f)(3) of the Municipal Code. The City Council must approve a conditional use permit for each one, and citywide, no more than seven digital freeway billboards may operate at once, spaced at least 2,500 feet apart.

Modesto's Property Maintenance Code, MMC § 9-9.509, declares blighted or deteriorating conditions public nuisances. The Code Enforcement Unit issues administrative citations and civil penalties against owners of properties with visible junk, debris, broken structures, or neglected landscaping.

Modesto, located in California's Central Valley at roughly 50 feet elevation, experiences no meaningful snowfall. The city has no local snow-removal ordinance. California Streets and Highways Code §5610 requires adjacent property owners to maintain sidewalks in safe condition generally.

Modesto limits electronic message boards, video display signs, and digital freeway billboards along Highway 99 to a brightness of three-tenths of a foot candle above ambient light, measured with a Lux meter under Municipal Code Section 10-6.108(f)(1)(ii)(j). Every covered sign must run automatic dimming technology and revert to a black screen immediately if it malfunctions or exceeds the cap.

Modesto has no citywide dark-sky or outdoor-lighting code; the only shielded-lighting and night-sky standard in the Municipal Code sits inside the commercial cannabis chapter. Section 10-3.707(e) requires every licensed cannabis cultivation, dispensary, manufacturing or delivery site to keep its lighting fully shielded and downward-casting, barring light from spilling onto neighboring properties or being visible from those properties between sunset and sunrise.

Modesto requires all residential rental property owners to register with the city and self-certify unit habitability. An annual audit inspects up to 10% of units, with a $100 per-unit fee. Noncompliant owners face fines and a public registry listing.

Modesto's Property Maintenance Code sets numeric light and ventilation floors for every habitable room in rental housing: at least 8 percent glazed window area, 45 percent of that openable, and mechanical exhaust for bathrooms vented outdoors, not recirculated.

Modesto's Mobile Home Rent Stabilization Program caps annual space-rent increases in the City's roughly nine mobile home parks at the Consumer Price Index, with a hard ceiling of 6 percent, under Modesto Code of Ordinances Sections 4-19.06 and 4-19.07. Apartments and single-family rentals are not covered; only mobile home park spaces are rent-stabilized.

Before Modesto mobile home park space rent can rise, Modesto Code of Ordinances Section 4-19.07(e) requires the Mobile Home Rent Stabilization Administrator to calculate and publicly post that year's allowable CPI-based increase by April 30, and requires each park owner to repost that notice inside the park within three days of receiving it.

Modesto requires every premises to keep enough approved garbage, recycling, and organics containers on hand, and it is unlawful to put anything but recyclables in the blue container. Standard containers, including recycling carts, cannot exceed 100 pounds when full for collection.

Modesto Code § 5-5.154 requires any business generating more than four cubic yards of solid waste a week, or any multifamily residential dwelling of five or more units, to arrange for recycling service under state law AB 341, either through source separation or an equivalent diversion program.

Modesto Code § 5-5.121 tells residents exactly where garbage, recycling, and organic-waste carts must sit for pickup: within four feet of where the collection truck parks, clear of obstructions on all sides, and screened from public view except in the twenty-four hours immediately before and after service day.

Modesto's Public Works Department picks up large green waste once a month from January through November under Modesto Code of Ordinances § 4-7.1103, switching to leaves-only pickup every December. Residents must stack limbs at the curb or alley within strict size and distance limits, and small green waste goes in the green organic recycling container instead.

Modesto collects the black trash and green organics carts weekly and the blue recycling cart every other week (odd/even addresses) on the same day. Look up your day online or call 209-577-5494; four holidays delay service one day.

Modesto requires commercial premises and multi-family buildings built, enlarged, or structurally altered after January 1, 2023 to have a dedicated Solid Waste Enclosure or Solid Waste Room under Section 5-5.113 of the Municipal Code. The enclosure must fit garbage, recycling, and organics containers, stay secured against tampering, and remain reachable by the hauler's collection vehicle.

Dumping garbage, recycling, organic waste, green waste, hazardous waste, or bulky items on public or private property without the owner's consent is an abatable nuisance under Modesto Code § 5-5.106, with fines starting at $1,000.00 and climbing to $2,000.00 for repeat violations.

Modesto runs a Residential Bulky Item Collection Program through the Public Works Director, letting residential customers schedule pickup of large items twice a year by appointment. Strict size, weight, and placement rules under § 5-5.156 govern what qualifies and how it must be set out.

Anyone selling food or merchandise from a pushcart, stand, or non-motorized cart on a Modesto sidewalk needs an annual sidewalk vending permit from the City's neighborhood preservation unit under Modesto Code § 4-1.1203. The permit is nontransferable, expires each December 31, and requires a business license, seller's permit, and county health approval before a cart can legally operate.

Modesto restricts mobile food trucks and trailers to private property in the C-1, C-2, C-3, C-M, M-1, and M-2 zones under Code § 10-3.212(i); they cannot operate from the sidewalk under the separate vending ordinance. Each truck needs a mobile food facility permit under § 10-3.210, a City business license, and a Stanislaus County health permit before selling to the public.

Modesto requires every mobile food facility to hold a City permit and a business license before vending, restricts operation to private property zoned commercial or industrial, and requires a Stanislaus County health permit. The permit can be suspended or revoked for noncompliance.

Modesto requires door-to-door solicitors and peddlers to obtain a city permit under MMC Title 6, Chapter 2. Solicitors who call on residences displaying a posted 'No Soliciting' sign commit a violation. Permits require identification and may require background checks.

Modesto requires door-to-door solicitors and peddlers to obtain a Solicitation Temporary Permit from the Modesto Police Department before canvassing. The permit costs $10. Soliciting at homes with posted 'No Soliciting' signs is prohibited.

The Parks, Recreation and Neighborhoods Director sets operating hours for every Modesto park, trail, green space, and recreation facility, and staying in one outside those posted hours is a misdemeanor. Narrow exceptions cover posted extended-hours facilities, Department-sponsored or permitted events, people leaving right after such an event, and on-duty peace officers or City employees.

Modesto Code § 4-7.202 makes it unlawful for a minor under sixteen to linger or remain in any public place between 10:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m., and for a minor under eighteen to do so between 11:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m., unless one of the ordinance's specific exemptions applies.

Modesto's Table 4.1-1 sets minimum yard setbacks for the R-1, R-2 and R-3 residential zones: 15 feet in front, 5 feet on an interior side for a one-story wing, and 10 feet in the rear. Second- and third-story additions push the side and rear numbers up sharply, especially next to an R-1 lot.

Modesto caps main dwellings at 2 stories or 30 feet, whichever is less, in the R-1 and R-2 zones, and at 3 stories or 42 feet in R-3. A conditional use permit can push a church, government, or utility building higher, and roof equipment gets a separate allowance.

Modesto caps residential lot coverage at 50 to 60 percent for interior lots and 55 to 65 percent for corner lots, scaling up from the R-1 to the R-3 zone, under Table 4.1-1 of Section 10-4.102 of the Municipal Code. Buildings and required parking spaces both count toward the cap, and accessory dwelling units under 800 square feet are exempt from it.

Modesto's Street Tree Plan under § 7-5.02 sets the varieties and locations planted in the public right-of-way, and § 7-5.04 assigns planting duties: subdividers must supply about one tree per lot (two or three on corners), the City maintains right-of-way trees, and abutting owners must water them.

Modesto allows garage sales in residential zones, but caps each sale at three consecutive days and limits any one property to two garage sales per calendar year. Running a longer or more frequent sale is a code violation enforced as an infraction.

Modesto Code of Ordinances § 7-3.106(b) requires anyone who wants to film, tape, photograph or record staged activity at the Modesto City-County Airport to get an Airport Manager permit at least 24 hours in advance. News crews covering unstaged events are exempt under § 7-3.106(c).

Modesto's Building Official runs a fixed sequence of inspections, footing and foundation, concrete slab, frame and masonry, energy efficiency, and final, before work can be covered or occupied. Owners must keep work visible for each inspection or pay a reinspection fee when work is called before it is ready.

Modesto requires every elevator, escalator and dumbwaiter to be maintained under national ASME A17.1 standards, with a current inspection certificate posted for public view and at least one elevator kept running whenever a building with passenger elevators is occupied.

Modesto adopts the 2022 California Electrical Code by reference under Code of Ordinances § 9-3.101, and § 9-3.501 requires a permit before any electrical installation, alteration, or repair regulated by that Code. The Building Safety Division, under the Community and Economic Development Department, reviews applications and inspects the work.

Modesto adopts the 2022 California Plumbing Code by reference under Code of Ordinances § 9-2.101, and § 9-2.501 requires a permit before any plumbing or drainage installation, alteration, or repair regulated by that Code. The Building Safety Division reviews applications and inspects the work under the Building Official's authority.

A child day care center run out of a commercial building, not a home, is a conditional use in Modesto's residential and professional-office zones but a permitted use outright in the mixed-use, commercial and industrial zones. Parking for commercial child day care is set at one space per five children.

Modesto's Fire Code amendment requires an automatic fire sprinkler system in any new building or structure where the fire area exceeds 5,000 square feet, regardless of use or occupancy. Condominiums and apartment buildings up to four stories can meet this with an NFPA 13R system and full attic protection instead of full NFPA 13 coverage. The rule took effect January 8, 2026 under Ordinance No. 3802-C.S.

Modesto enforces the 2022 California Green Building Standards Code (CALGreen), Title 24 Part 11, for both residential and nonresidential construction. The Building Safety Division administers energy efficiency, water efficiency, and material conservation requirements on every covered permit citywide.

Modesto requires a permit from the Chief of Police to hold any parade, march, procession, or similar event on a public street, alley, park, or other public grounds. Funerals, supervised students, and government agencies are exempt.

Modesto Code of Ordinances § 4-8.01 requires a Police Chief-issued permit for any parade, march or procession on a public street, alley or park. Organizers must apply 15 to 60 days ahead, and the Chief can deny, reroute or reschedule a parade using six specific public-safety criteria set out in § 4-8.04.

An organization that wants to hold a special event or meeting at Mancini Bowl in Graceada Park must submit a written request to the Community Services and Neighborhood Connections Director, who approves or denies it based on availability and compatibility with park purposes. A denial can be appealed to the City Council, and Council approval leads to a formal Department-issued permit.

Modesto Code of Ordinances § 4-15.103 bars any restaurant from putting tables and chairs on a public sidewalk, court, plaza, alley or street without a revocable outdoor dining encroachment permit issued through the City Engineer. Permits require a $1,000,000 liability policy, a five-foot clear pedestrian path, and annual renewal fees set by City Council resolution.

Modesto Code of Ordinances § 4-15.108(d)(1) lists heaters among the fixtures a permitted sidewalk cafe may place in its outdoor dining area, alongside tables, chairs, landscape planters, umbrellas and menu boards. Heaters need no separate permit, but must stay inside the approved dining footprint and meet the fire and life-safety compliance duty in Section 4-15.108(g)(4).

Modesto Code of Ordinances § 4-5.01 makes it a misdemeanor to block any public street or alley with anything large or bulky that obstructs free passage. Companion sections in Chapter 5 add specific bans on sidewalk merchandise displays and street-spanning banners, plus lighting duties for temporary obstructions, while carving out narrow exceptions for construction materials and deliveries.

Modesto Code of Ordinances § 7-1.302 makes it unlawful for any property owner fronting a street with an installed sidewalk to let that sidewalk fall out of repair, become defective, or become dangerous to users. Owners must also give the Public Works Director written notice of any dangerous sidewalk condition under § 7-1.304, or they become liable for resulting injuries.

Licensed Smoke Shops in Modesto may not sell flavored tobacco products, defined by reference to California Health and Safety Code Section 104559.5, under Code Section 4-24.105(k)(4). Every Smoke Shop must also post the exact phrase "Sale of Flavored Tobacco is Prohibited" on an interior wall or fixture, not on the windows, under Section 4-24.105(d)(3).

Modesto has enacted no local predictive or fair-workweek scheduling ordinance. California has no statewide predictive scheduling law. Only San Francisco, Emeryville, and Los Angeles have city-level scheduling mandates in California.

Modesto Code of Ordinances § 4-7.1502.1 bars sitting, lying down or substantially blocking pedestrian passage on business-district sidewalks and streets between 7 a.m. and midnight, once a police officer has given notice of the violation. The ordinance carves out medical emergencies, wheelchairs, permitted sidewalk vendors, permitted events and free-speech activity.

Modesto Code of Ordinances § 4-12.703 makes it unlawful and a public nuisance to camp, occupy camp facilities, or use camp paraphernalia on any public property, or on private property without the owner's consent. Even with consent, overnight camping on residential land by friends or family is capped at five consecutive nights. Violations are misdemeanors the City Attorney can also pursue civilly.

Modesto marks dedicated curb space for taxicabs and transportation network company (TNC) vehicles awaiting hire, painted yellow on white and signed 'Taxicab' or 'App Ride/TNC Zone.' Drivers may not park there longer than needed to pick up or drop off passengers, and the City can also open commercial loading zones to TNC pickups during non-commercial hours.

Modesto governs its downtown with a form-based code under Article 5 of the zoning chapter, splitting the area into six named zones such as Central Downtown and Main Street Downtown under Section 10-7.505. Development must use one of nine defined Building Types, from Row House to Commercial Block, per Section 10-7.512, and follow the City's Design Guidelines for Commercial and Industrial Development under Section 10-7.515.

Modesto grants developers a density bonus above the maximum allowed by zoning when a project sets aside affordable units. Setting aside 10% of units for lower-income households alone earns a 20% bonus, rising on a sliding scale as high as 50% under Code of Ordinances § 10-8.801.

Modesto Code Section 5-1.313 makes it unlawful for anyone to handle, prepare or store food or drink, or sanitize utensils, in an eating and drinking establishment for more than 30 working days without a food handler's card issued by the City Health Officer. Operators who let uncertified staff keep working past that window are equally liable.

Modesto requires every property and structure to stay free of rodent harborage and infestation, assigning extermination duty to owners before renting a unit and to occupants for ongoing pest-free upkeep.

Modesto's Uniform Transient Occupancy Tax under § 8-2.603 charges every hotel guest staying 27 consecutive days or less nine percent of the rent, phased in from seven percent in 1985 to nine percent by July 1987. Operators collect it when rent is paid and remit it to the Finance Director as Tax Administrator.

Modesto designates Landmark Preservation Sites by City Council resolution after Commission review, then requires written Commission approval before any building permit for alteration, relocation or demolition of a designated site can issue.

Modesto treats non-consensual vehicle towing as a public utility. Nobody may run a non-consensual tow business in the city without a franchise agreement approved by the City Council and signed by the City Manager, under Modesto Code of Ordinances Chapter 10 of Title 3.

Every adult-oriented business in Modesto needs a Police Chief-issued regulatory permit before opening, and new locations must sit at least 500 feet from another adult business and 300 feet from any religious facility, school, park, or residential zone. Operating without a permit is unlawful under Modesto Code of Ordinances § 5-9.103.

Modesto requires anyone buying, selling, or trading secondhand jewelry and precious metals to get a Police Chief license, report every transaction daily, and hold each item untouched for 30 days. The license can be forfeited for a stolen-property conviction or for dealing with minors or intoxicated sellers under Modesto Code of Ordinances § 6-5.01.

Modesto requires every person performing massage for compensation to hold a current California Massage Therapy Council (CAMTC) certificate under Code Section 5-2.201, and every massage business to hold a City Business License under Section 5-2.203. Massage may only be performed between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m., per Section 5-2.106(B).

Modesto's home occupation rules flatly exclude on-site vehicle repair from the businesses a resident may run out of a dwelling. Separately, the City requires every auto repair shop to operate from a Planning Department-approved location, not as a mobile or door-to-door service.

Modesto taxes every pawnshop or pawnbroker operator $16 a quarter under a specific line item in the business license chapter, on top of the general license-application, posting, and non-transfer rules every licensed business must follow. The Finance Director can revoke the license after six months of unpaid taxes or unfiled reports.

Modesto requires every Smoke Shop, including vape and e-cigarette retailers meeting the definition, to hold a Smoke Shop Permit from the Chief of Police under Code Section 4-24.103, on top of a City business license. Citywide permits are capped at one per 25,000 residents, with no more than two shops per Council District.

Modesto classifies tattoo and piercing shops as "body art studios" within the Personal Services land use category. They are permitted by right in the MU-P, MU-H, P-O, C-1, C-2, C-3, C-M, M-1 and M-2 zones under Table 3.1-1, but barred outright from the R-1, R-2 and R-3 residential zones. A City business license is also required before opening.

Modesto Code of Ordinances § 4-18.06 makes it a misdemeanor for anyone in control of a premises to knowingly host, permit or allow a gathering where a minor drinks alcohol without taking reasonable steps to stop it. Police can order the party disbanded as a public nuisance, and the City bills hosts for its response costs.

In any Modesto business district, as defined by California Vehicle Code Section 235, pedestrians must cross a roadway at a marked crosswalk rather than mid-block. Outside a marked crosswalk elsewhere in the city, pedestrians must still cross at right angles to the curb by the shortest route to the opposite side.

Modesto bans skateboarding, roller skating and similar coasting devices on any roadway, City-owned parking lot or structure, the Transportation Center, the Amtrak station, business-district sidewalks, and any Modesto City, Sylvan Unified or Empire Union school property. The City Council can still approve organized skating events by resolution.

Modesto Code § 4-2.09 makes it unlawful to drink or carry an open container of beer, wine, or any other intoxicating beverage on a public street, sidewalk, alley, playground, or walkway. The only exceptions are inside the boundaries of a City Manager-approved community event or on the property of a business licensed to serve alcohol under the state's Alcoholic Beverage Control Act.

Modesto Code of Ordinances § 4-7.1504 makes it unlawful to loiter, between 6 p.m. and 6 a.m., on any property within 300 feet of a street posted as a no-cruising zone. Fines escalate from $75 to $250 for repeat convictions within a year, and refusing to leave after a citation is a misdemeanor.

Modesto's Smoking Pollution Control Ordinance bars smoking in every enclosed public place citywide and, outdoors, within 100 feet of any hospital entrance or exit and on all publicly owned parks and trails. The Health Officer enforces the rule, and "smoking" is defined to include marijuana as well as tobacco and vapor devices.

Modesto Code § 4-2.33 makes it unlawful to aggressively beg, intimidate, harass, or hound anyone on a street, sidewalk, or public place, whether publicly or privately owned, for money or anything of value. The ordinance defines harassment as closely following, touching, or directing profane language at someone after they have already declined to give.

The Modesto Finance Director decides which license-tax class a business falls into, and a business that thinks it was misclassified can apply for reclassification within three months of paying the tax. Any licensee still unhappy with the Director's ruling can appeal to the City Council under Modesto Code of Ordinances § 6-1.110.