Local Rules Near San Diego State University

Radios, phonographs, and other sound devices played in San Diego's public parks, beaches, or adjacent lots and streets are capped at 65 decibels from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. and 55 decibels overnight, measured 10 feet from the source.

San Diego bars sound systems, car stereos, and vehicle radios from disturbing neighbors; playing one audibly beyond 50 feet between 10 p.m. and 8 a.m. is treated as a prima facie violation of the noise code.

Construction work that creates disturbing noise is banned before 7 a.m. and after 7 p.m. on weekdays, on Sundays, and on legal holidays without a permit from the Noise Abatement and Control Administrator; daytime work near homes is capped at 75 decibels.

Aircraft using Montgomery Field Airport must stay under set decibel limits by time of day, with tighter caps at night to protect nearby residential neighborhoods.

Keeping an animal whose frequent or long-continued noise annoys a reasonable neighbor is unlawful under SDMC §59.5.0502(c), and a complaint from two adjacent neighbors, or three nearby residents, is automatic proof of a violation.

Any sound device played loud enough to be heard 50 feet away between 10 p.m. and 8 a.m. is automatically treated as an unlawful disturbing noise under SDMC §59.5.0502(b)(2)(A), giving San Diego a citywide 10-to-8 noise curfew.

SDMC Section 59.5.0502(b) restricts leaf blower use in residential zones: prohibited 7 PM to 8 AM weekdays and 5 PM to 9 AM weekends/holidays. Maximum 65 dBA at 50 feet. California AB 1346 banned sale of new gas-powered leaf blowers effective January 1, 2024.

Airbnb, Vrbo and similar hosting platforms operating in San Diego must verify a host's STRO license before processing bookings, notify hosts of licensing and tax rules, and report listing data to the City Manager monthly.

San Diego's home-share licenses, Tier One (20 days or less) and Tier Two (over 20 days), are only issued for the host's own primary residence, not a separate non-owner-occupied unit.

A San Diego short-term rental license can be revoked if a hearing officer finds a third violation of the property's operating requirements within the prior 12 months.

Home-sharing more than 20 days a year in San Diego requires a Tier Two License, which must still be in the host's primary residence and carries its own two-year renewal cycle.

Tier Two home-share hosts in San Diego must personally occupy their primary residence at least 275 days of the year in which the home is rented out as a home share.

San Diego Municipal Code Chapter 5, Article 10, Division 1 (STRO Ordinance, effective May 1, 2023) sets a 20-day annual threshold that determines licensing tier: Tier 1 allows up to 20 days per calendar year of any STRO use; any rental beyond 20 days requires a Tier 2 (home share), Tier 3 (whole-home outside Mission Beach), or Tier 4 (Mission Beach whole-home) license.

San Diego's Short-Term Residential Occupancy (STRO) ordinance under SDMC Chapter 5, Article 10, Division 1 establishes occupancy limits tied to the license tier. A two-night minimum guest stay is required for Tier 2 (home-sharing), Tier 3 (whole-home), and Tier 4 (Mission Beach whole-home) licenses. Hosts must post exterior signage with TOT certificate number, STRO license number, and contact information. Good Neighbor policies apply to all tiers.

San Diego requires a Short-Term Residential Occupancy (STRO) license under SDMC Sections 30.18-30.20 for any rental under 30 days. Three license tiers exist with caps: whole-home rentals limited to 1% of the city's housing units (30% in Mission Beach). Active TOT certificate and Rental Unit Business Tax required.

STRO hosts must provide guests information about available parking. No dedicated off-street parking requirement for STRs beyond standard residential requirements. Guests must follow citywide 72-hour street parking limits and posted restrictions including permit parking zones.

San Diego requires 10.5% Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) plus a 2% Tourism Marketing District (TMD) assessment on all short-term rental income under SDMC Section 35.0101. Hosts must register for a TOT certificate and remit monthly. Rental Unit Business Tax also applies annually.

San Diego allows backyard recreational fires under San Diego Fire Code Section 511.0307 (adopting 2022 California Fire Code Section 307) when the fire is no more than 3 feet wide and 2 feet tall and at least 25 feet from any structure, or 15 feet for fires in an approved container or portable outdoor fireplace. Fires are banned during Red Flag warnings.

San Diego enforces 2022 California Residential Code Section R314 and California Health and Safety Code Sections 13113.7 and 13114 through the San Diego Building Regulations (SDMC Chapter 14, Article 5). Smoke alarms are required in each sleeping room, outside each sleeping area, and on every story including basements, with hard-wiring and interconnection in new construction.

All consumer fireworks are illegal in the City of San Diego under California Health & Safety Code 12689 and SDMC fire regulations. This includes sparklers, firecrackers, bottle rockets, and roman candles. Only professionally permitted displays are allowed.

San Diego bans bonfires within 50 feet of a structure unless contained in a barbecue pit, and suspends all open burning citywide during a National Weather Service Red-Flag Warning or Fire Weather Watch.

San Diego requires 100 feet of defensible space around all structures in Very High Fire Severity Zones under SDMC 142.0412. Three fuel modification zones apply. Properties must be cleared by June 1 annually. New AB 3074 Zone 0 requirements (0-5 ft ember-resistant zone) effective 2027.

San Diego has extensive Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones (VHFHSZ) due to its canyon-rim topography and Santa Ana wind exposure. SDMC §142.0412 establishes a comprehensive brush management program with Zone 1 (0-35 ft from structures) requiring fire-resistant, maintained plantings and Zone 2 (35-100 ft) requiring 50% vegetation reduction. The Fire-Rescue Department conducts door-to-door brush assessments for properties along canyon rims in VHFHSZs.

Multi-dwelling residential projects in a San Diego transit priority area that choose to provide off-street parking must include electric vehicle charging spaces, with the required count set by the state's Title 24 building code.

Only DMV-registered commercial vehicles may use a marked Commercial Loading Zone in San Diego, and loading is capped at three minutes for passengers or 20 minutes for goods, enforced 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.

San Diego lets a homeowner paint their own street number on the curb for free, but no one else may do it without the occupant's permission, and paid solicitors must register with police and pay a $25 permit fee first.

San Diego's City Council may, by resolution, designate residential streets as Residential Permit Parking Areas under SDMC Division 20, exempting permit-holding residents' vehicles from posted time or area parking restrictions that otherwise bind non-residents.

San Diego enforces a 72-hour street parking limit under SDMC 86.0125 and California Vehicle Code 22651(k). The SDPD Abandoned Vehicle Detail responds to complaints, marks the tires, and tows vehicles that remain unmoved or have registration expired over six months (CVC 22651(o)). Inoperable vehicles on private property are handled by Code Enforcement under a separate nuisance ordinance.

San Diego bars trucks and equipment over 24 feet from driving or parking in the Downtown central traffic district on weekdays under SDMC § 85.02, and lets the City Council post truck-and-bus parking bans on any other street.

SDMC Section 86.0139 prohibits oversized, non-motorized, and recreational vehicles from parking on public streets between 2 AM and 6 AM. Vehicles may not park within 50 feet of an intersection. Temporary Overnight RV Permits (TORVP) available at $1.50/day, max 72 permits/year per address.

San Diego bars parking off-street spaces or vehicles in a required front or street side yard except on a legal driveway, per SDMC §142.0510(e).

San Diego imposes a 72-hour continuous parking limit on all public streets under SDMC 86.0122. Many neighborhoods have Residential Parking Permit (RPP) zones restricting non-resident vehicles to 1-2 hours. Vehicles must comply with posted signs, street sweeping schedules, and metered time limits.

SDMC §86.0139 prohibits oversized and recreational vehicles from parking on public streets between 2:00 AM and 6:00 AM. Oversized vehicles are defined as exceeding 27 feet in length AND 7 feet in height. Parking any such vehicle within 50 feet of an intersection is prohibited at any time. Residents may obtain a Temporary Overnight Recreational Vehicle Permit (TORVP) at $1.50 per 24-hour period, with a maximum of 72 permits per address per year.

San Diego allows wood, brick, block, stone, stucco, metal, and prefabricated PVC for fences, but bans plywood outright and requires vinyl fencing to be manufactured specifically as fence material rather than improvised sheeting.

California Civil Code Sections 841-841.4 (Good Neighbor Fence Act of 2013) governs shared boundary fences in San Diego. Adjoining landowners are presumed equally responsible for maintaining boundary fences. A neighbor must give 30 days written notice before fence work.

San Diego generally does not require permits for standard fences up to 6 feet in height. Fences over 6 feet, masonry/concrete walls, and fences in special zones require building permits. Permit fees are based on project valuation per Information Bulletin 501.

San Diego's fence height caps depend on location: 3 feet in visibility triangle areas and along most front and street-side property lines, sliding up to 6 feet as the fence moves back, and up to 9 feet in side and rear yards.

San Diego caps freestanding retaining walls at 12 feet outside required yards, with lower limits and horizontal offsets required closer to the street; any wall 3 feet or taller needs a Building Permit.

San Diego allows veterinary clinics and animal hospitals as a permitted or conditional use depending on zone, requiring a Neighborhood Use Permit in some areas and barring them from agricultural land in Proposition A areas and Coastal Overlay floodplains.

San Diego bans pet shops from selling live dogs, cats, or rabbits unless the animal came from a shelter, humane society, or rescue group, per SDMC §42.0707.

San Diego restricts ownership of certain exotic and dangerous animals. Monkeys, alligators, poisonous reptiles, and other dangerous or invasive species are prohibited or require special permits. California Department of Fish and Wildlife regulations (CA Code of Regulations Title 14, §671) broadly restrict possession of wild animals. A maximum of six dogs and cats combined per household applies in residential areas.

San Diego does not impose breed-specific legislation (BSL). No dog breeds are banned. California state law (Food & Agriculture Code Section 31683) preempts local breed-specific bans. Dogs are regulated based on individual behavior, not breed. Dangerous/vicious dog declarations apply to any breed.

San Diego has no standalone leash ordinance of its own. SDMC § 44.0300 adopts the County of San Diego's Animal Control Ordinance by reference, so the county's leash and at-large restraint standard governs dogs everywhere inside city limits.

San Diego allows 1-2 beehives on residential property per SDMC Chapter 4, Article 4, Division 4. Hives must be outside setbacks or 15 feet from property lines. A 6-foot barrier is required unless hives are 8+ feet above ground. Registration with County Agriculture Department required (no City permit).

San Diego permits up to 5 chickens (hens only, no roosters) on single-family lots under SDMC Section 42.0709. Coop must be in the rear yard, 5 feet from side property lines and 13 feet from rear. Larger livestock (goats, sheep) allowed on lots of 1 acre or more with additional setbacks.

Backyard composting is permitted in San Diego. SB 1383 requires organic waste diversion. The city provides organics collection through its Environmental Services Department.

San Diego bans irrigating lawns, gardens, and landscaped areas with potable water between 10:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. under the city's water waste ordinance, with narrow exceptions for landscape permits, erosion control, disaster recovery, and drip or hand-held irrigation.

Rainwater harvesting is encouraged in San Diego through rebate programs and stormwater management goals. Rain barrels and cisterns under 5,000 gallons do not require a permit. Systems over 5,000 gallons require a building permit. Collected rainwater may not be used as drinking water per state and local regulations. The County's Waterscape Rebate Program offers enhanced rebates for rain gardens and rain-saving containers.

Artificial turf installation in San Diego generally does not require a building permit for the turf itself, but the associated grading and drainage systems may trigger municipal review under MWELO guidelines. San Diego's stormwater management requirements apply to drainage changes. Notably, artificial turf is NOT eligible for the County's Waterscape Rebate Program. The City encourages water-wise landscaping alternatives including drought-tolerant plants.

San Diego's tree ordinance gives the Park and Recreation Department exclusive jurisdiction over the planting, maintenance, care, and removal of trees in every city street, backed by specific bans on damaging or interfering with them.

SDMC Section 54.0201 declares all weeds, waste, and rubbish on property a public nuisance. Property owners must maintain lots free of weeds over approximately 12 inches. Vacant lots inspected annually by Fire Prevention Services Inc. Non-compliance triggers city abatement at owner's expense.

San Diego requires property owners to trim trees that overhang sidewalks (minimum 8 ft clearance) and streets (minimum 14 ft) per SDMC. Topping trees is prohibited under California state law. City street trees may only be trimmed by the City or authorized contractors.

San Diego encourages native plant landscaping through the County's Native Landscape Program approved in December 2022 and the San Diego County Water Authority's Nifty 50 guide of water-wise native plants. The City's Model Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance (MWELO) promotes drought-tolerant landscaping. Native plants support local biodiversity and are adapted to the region's Mediterranean climate.

Home occupations in San Diego may host only one customer on-site at a time, by appointment only, between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday, with visits spaced at least two hours apart.

San Diego lets residents run a home occupation as a limited use on residential property under Municipal Code § 141.0308's standard conditions, without a separate permit, but exceeding the built-in employee, customer, or vendor limits requires a Neighborhood Use Permit.

San Diego bans all signage advertising a home occupation, and other advertising for the business may not even list the home address: a flat prohibition rather than a size or placement limit.

San Diego treats small and large family child care homes as a limited zoning use under SDMC §141.0606, capping capacity at up to 8 or 14 children depending on license type and requiring state licensing compliance.

All in-ground swimming pools require a building permit in San Diego. Prefabricated above-ground pools under 5,000 gallons and less than 18 inches deep are exempt. Permits include plumbing, electrical, fencing, and barrier inspections. Pools must meet setback requirements from property lines.

SDMC Section 145.0303 requires a fence at least 60 inches high completely surrounding all swimming pools. Maximum 2-inch ground clearance. Gates must be self-closing and self-latching. Chain link mesh no larger than 2.25 inches. Non-pedestrian gates must have lockable hardware.

San Diego waives development impact fees for the first two ADUs on a property and for any ADU under 750 square feet, removing one of the biggest cost barriers to building a backyard unit.

San Diego bars renting an accessory dwelling unit for stays shorter than 31 consecutive days, closing off short-term vacation rental use of ADUs while leaving JADUs free of any minimum-stay limit.

San Diego permits garage conversions to ADUs under state law (Government Code 65852.2) without requiring replacement parking. Conversions must meet Building Code standards for habitable space including egress, ventilation, insulation, and fire separation. Permits required through Development Services.

A detached one-story storage shed or playhouse in San Diego skips the Building Permit if its roof area is 120 square feet or less and it isn't used for a separately regulated use.

San Diego permits ADUs under SDMC Chapter 14, Article 1, Division 3, consistent with California ADU law (Government Code 65852.2). Single-family lots may have one ADU, one JADU, and one converted ADU. No owner-occupancy requirement. Permit timeline typically 3-5 months. SB 1211 (2024) allows up to 8 ADUs.

Movable tiny houses are allowed citywide as an accessory structure with a Process One permit, capped at 430 square feet and limited to one per lot.

Placing, erecting, or installing a boat mooring anywhere in Mission Bay Park requires a permit issued by the Park and Recreation Director. Unpermitted moorings are unlawful under San Diego Municipal Code § 63.25.22 and can be removed at the owner's expense.

New construction and substantial improvements in Special Flood Hazard Areas must elevate the lowest floor at least 2 feet above the base flood elevation, per San Diego Municipal Code § 143.0146(c)(6), enforced by the City Engineer before final inspection approval.

Inside San Diego's designated Ballpark District, private motor coaches may not idle longer than fifteen minutes while parked, standing, or stopped on any public way, except while briefly loading or unloading passengers.

California Public Resources Code §4291 requires 100 feet of defensible space around structures in wildland fire areas. San Diego enforces this in Tierrasanta, Mira Mesa hillsides, Rancho Penasquitos, and other very-high fire hazard zones.

San Diego bans dumping anything but rainwater into storm drains, and violators face misdemeanor charges plus civil penalties up to $10,000 per day.

Development inside a FEMA Special Flood Hazard Area in San Diego must follow strict floodway and flood-fringe standards: floodway structures can't be bolted to a foundation, and any encroachment needs engineering proof flood levels won't rise.

San Diego Municipal Code Chapter 14, Article 2, Division 1 governs grading permits. Any cut or fill more than 200 cubic yards, slopes steeper than 5 feet, or work in environmentally sensitive lands triggers a permit. Manufactured slopes must be revegetated and hydroseeded per the Landscape Standards (Sections 4.3 and 4.4), and a Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan with BMPs is required for any disturbed area.

San Diego allows cannabis production facilities, cultivation, processing, and wholesale sites, only with a Conditional Use Permit in zones marked "C" in the Chapter 13 Base Zone tables, and caps the citywide total at 40 permitted facilities under SDMC §141.1004.

SDMC §141.0614 requires 1,000 feet between any Marijuana Outlet and a school, public park, library, child-care center, playground, residential care facility, church, or another marijuana outlet, measured property line to property line citywide.

San Diego prohibits outdoor growing of personal cannabis. Adults 21+ may cultivate up to six plants indoors per household under California Proposition 64 (HSC §11362.2). Medical cannabis patients may cultivate up to 6 mature and 12 immature plants at home. All home cultivation must be indoors, in a locked area not visible from public spaces. Local regulations are implemented through SDMC Chapter 4, Article 2, Division 15.

Adults 21 and older in San Diego may cultivate up to six living cannabis plants per private residence under California Proposition 64, codified at Health and Safety Code §11362.1, with plants kept indoors or in a locked secured area not visible from public view.

For small rooftop solar, San Diego's Building Official can evaluate only health-and-safety compliance and must approve the permit unless the system busts the height limit or causes a documented, unmitigable safety impact.

Rooftop solar installations in San Diego need a construction permit before work starts, an Electrical Permit alone, or a Combination Building/Electrical Permit if the array requires structural changes, reviewed administratively under Process One rather than a public hearing.

California's Solar Rights Act (Civil Code §714) prohibits HOAs and local governments from unreasonably restricting solar energy system installations. HOAs may impose reasonable restrictions that do not increase system cost by more than $1,000 or decrease efficiency by more than 10%. San Diego's municipal code supports solar access through SDMC §142.0905 exemptions. AB 2188 (2014) requires streamlined local permitting for small residential rooftop systems.

Temporary window signs in San Diego may cover no more than 30 percent of the window area, with letters capped at 6 inches and logos capped at 16 inches, and must be mounted on the interior only.

San Diego bans remotely or electronically changeable sign copy citywide. SDMC §142.1210(a)(2) requires changeable copy to be changed manually or mechanically in the field, with only narrow exceptions for permitted public-service message boards, an approved automatic-changing-copy sign, and state-regulated gas price signs.

Freeway-oriented signs in San Diego must sit within 660 feet of the freeway right-of-way and within 1500 feet of the exit serving the premises, and their copy is limited to lodging, food, and auto-fuel businesses.

Inflatable displays used as temporary signs on San Diego commercial and industrial premises are capped at three per property, must sit at least 100 feet from any residential zone, and can stay up no more than 10 consecutive business days or 20 days a year.

San Diego limits homeowners in single-dwelling zones to one yard-sale sign per property, capped at 9 square feet and 6 feet tall, and the sign may only be displayed during the actual hours of the sale.

San Diego treats political signs as temporary signs under SDMC §142.1245. Residential properties may post non-illuminated temporary signs up to 6 square feet per sign, with aggregate caps. No placement is allowed in the public right-of-way. After Reed v Gilbert, the city applies content-neutral standards to all temporary signs, removing prior election-only timing rules.

A vacant lot with code or nuisance violations counts as an 'abandoned property' under SDMC §54.0307, letting the Code Enforcement Director order removal of weeds over 12 inches tall, litter, debris and unpermitted storage through a formal Abatement Notice and Order.

San Diego addresses property blight through its public nuisance and vacant structure provisions under SDMC Chapter 5, Article 4. The City may issue Administrative Enforcement Orders for continuous abatement of vacant structures that become unsecured. Property owners must remove litter, waste, rubbish, debris, excessive vegetation, and improperly stored vehicles. Trespassing prohibition signs may be required. Code Enforcement responds to property-related complaints.

San Diego does not receive measurable snowfall at city elevation and has no snow or ice removal ordinance. Sidewalk maintenance is the responsibility of adjacent property owners for general upkeep and repair. The City's Public Works department handles public right-of-way maintenance. In the rare event of unusual weather, general property maintenance standards apply.

San Diego exempts security lighting for walkways, equipment yards, and parking lots from its 11 p.m. curfew, but only if adequate public-safety lighting is maintained and output is reduced after 11 p.m. where practicable.

San Diego caps most outdoor lighting at 4000 Kelvin color temperature and requires it off between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m., with a stricter 2500 Kelvin/4,050-lumen cap near the Palomar and Mount Laguna observatories.

San Diego adopts the Uniform Housing Code and State Housing Law as its Housing Code, governing habitability, maintenance, and occupancy standards for every Residential Occupancy in the city, from apartments and condos to single-family rentals and boarding houses.

San Diego's Tenants' Right to Know Ordinance (SDMC §98) and California's Ellis Act require landlords ending a tenancy through no-fault grounds to pay relocation assistance equal to two months of rent, plus extra for protected households.

The San Diego Housing Commission administers Housing Choice Vouchers (Section 8) for the city. California Government Code §12955(p) bars landlords from refusing voucher holders, treating refusal as illegal source-of-income discrimination.

San Diego has not enacted a comprehensive Tenant Anti-Harassment Ordinance like Los Angeles. Tenants rely on California Civil Code §1940.2, §1942.5, and general unfair-business statutes when landlords retaliate or harass.

California Civil Code §1950.5, amended by AB-12 effective July 2024, caps residential security deposits at one month's rent statewide. San Diego follows state law without adding a local cap or registration requirement.

California Government Code §12955, amended by SB-329 in 2019, prohibits housing discrimination based on lawful source of income, including Section 8 vouchers. The San Diego Human Relations Commission supports complaints alongside state DFEH enforcement.

San Diego's Tenants' Right to Know Ordinance (SDMC §98) and California AB-1482 limit no-fault evictions to enumerated reasons such as owner move-in, substantial remodel, withdrawal from market, and government orders, each requiring relocation pay.

SDMC §98.0704 prohibits landlords from terminating tenancy without just cause, effective immediately upon commencement of tenancy. At-fault causes include nonpayment of rent, lease violations, nuisance, property damage, refusal to renew lease, and criminal activity. No-fault causes include owner move-in, family member move-in, withdrawal from rental market, and substantial remodel. Wrongful eviction penalties include 3x actual economic damages. Landlords must register termination notices with the San Diego Housing Commission within 3 business days.

San Diego requires landlords to file termination notices with the San Diego Housing Commission's Tenant Termination Notice Registry within 3 business days of serving notice to the tenant for both at-fault and no-fault terminations per SDMC §98.0705. Landlords must provide written notice in 12-point font informing tenants of their rights under California Civil Code §1947.12 and local protections. The Housing Commission maintains the registry for tracking and enforcement.

San Diego's Residential Tenant Protections Ordinance (SDMC §§98.0701-98.0709), adopted May 16, 2023, provides tenant protections that exceed California's AB 1482 Tenant Protection Act. Under state law, annual rent increases are capped at 5% plus local CPI-U, not exceeding 10% total. San Diego's ordinance provides protections from the start of tenancy (AB 1482 requires 12 months). Enhanced relocation assistance of 3 months' rent applies for senior and disabled tenants.

Spilling, depositing, or abandoning solid waste, hazardous waste, or recyclable material on any highway or public or private property is prohibited, and violators owe the full cost of cleanup on top of any other penalty.

New development in San Diego must locate exterior trash and recycling storage areas away from the street and behind a solid enclosure, per the municipal code's refuse storage regulations.

San Diego requires weekly separate-container collection of food material and food-soiled paper at residential and commercial facilities served by a franchise hauler, under the city's Recycling Ordinance.

City forces must collect residential solid waste from single-family and small multi-family homes at least once a week under San Diego's Solid Waste Management Services ordinance.

San Diego's Recycling Ordinance requires weekly separate-container collection of yard trimmings and wood waste at residential and commercial facilities served by a franchise hauler, diverting green waste from the landfill.

San Diego provides weekly residential solid waste collection per SDMC §66.0127 and the Waste Management Regulations. The City collects trash weekly and recyclables biweekly. The new organic waste program under SB 1383 compliance requires food scraps and yard waste in the green bin. Containers must be placed at the curb by 6:00 AM on collection day and retrieved by 6:00 PM. The City transitioned all single-family homes to city-provided trash service.

San Diego property owners and occupants must keep enough covered, leakproof trash and recycling containers on site and keep the area around them free of waste.

San Diego requires recyclable materials to be placed in approved blue recycling containers per SDMC Chapter 6, Article 6, Division 7. The City collects recyclables biweekly. SB 1383 compliance requires organic waste separation in green bins. The City has updated collection operations and amended franchise agreements to meet state recycling mandates. Contamination of recycling bins with non-recyclable materials may result in service warnings.

Flying a drone carelessly, violating FAA flight restrictions, or interfering with police, fire, or emergency operations is a citywide misdemeanor under Municipal Code Division 54 - but the ordinance explicitly won't restrict flights that already comply with federal rules.

Sidewalk vending in San Diego requires a Sidewalk Vending Permit per SDMC §36.0110(b). Permits are issued to individuals only; each vendor needs a separate permit. Vending is permitted between 8:00 AM and sunset in parks, plazas, and beach areas where no designated closing time exists. Vending without a valid permit is a municipal code violation. Vendors must comply with all requirements in SDMC Chapter 3, Article 6, Division 1.

San Diego food trucks need a Mobile Food Facility permit from San Diego County Department of Environmental Health & Quality ($488–$889/year depending on truck type), a city Business Tax Certificate, and must comply with SDMC §141.0614 mobile food truck regulations. Vending requires written property-owner consent on private lots and is restricted on public streets.

San Diego Ordinance O-21459 (effective June 22, 2022) establishes sidewalk vending regulations under SDMC Chapter 3, Article 6, Division 1. Vendors must obtain a Business Tax Certificate, Sidewalk Vending Permit ($38/year), and City-issued Photo ID. Vending is prohibited in residential neighborhoods and on sidewalks less than 6 feet wide.

San Diego Municipal Code §33.0501 requires commercial solicitors and peddlers to obtain a city-issued permit and a numbered identification badge from the Police Department. Religious, political, and charitable canvassing is exempt. Solicitors must visibly display the badge at all times and observe "No Soliciting" signs.

Under SDMC Chapter 3, Article 3, Division 14, it is unlawful for a solicitor to contact or attempt to contact any person at a residential or commercial property when a sign is posted with letters at least 1/2 inch high stating 'No Solicitors,' 'No Soliciting,' 'Solicitation Prohibited,' or similar language. It is also unlawful for a solicitor to remain on any property after being asked to leave by any person legally occupying the property.

San Diego bans nighttime access to ten named parks -- Children's Park, Pantoja Park, and others -- from midnight to 6 a.m., plus separate curfews for the Spruce Street Bridge and several neighborhood parks with seasonal hours.

San Diego bars minors under 18 from public places and business premises between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. Parents or guardians who knowingly allow it, or fail to control it, face the same violation.

Residential structure height in San Diego is capped by an angled building envelope plane keyed to lot width and zone, not a single flat number citywide, per SDMC §131.0444.

San Diego sets front, side, and rear yard setbacks separately for each RS residential subzone in Table 131-04D under Municipal Code Section 131.0443, so the minimum distance from a lot line depends on which specific zone applies to the property.

Lot coverage in San Diego's residential zones is capped at 50 percent on steep-hillside RS lots and by a sliding 50/60 percent to 21 percent scale in the RM-5-12 zone, per SDMC §131.0445.

San Diego's Park and Recreation Director sets a citywide street tree planting map under §62.0614, zoning streets for specific tree and shrub species and fixing the spacing and exact planting spot for each parkway tree.

San Diego Municipal Code § 63.07 makes it unlawful to cut, injure, or destroy any Torrey Pine tree (Pinus Torreyana) growing on city-owned Pueblo Lots 1332, 1337, 1338, or any other public lots or lands within city limits.

San Diego caps garage, yard, and estate sales at three per property each year, with each sale limited to two consecutive calendar days, as an accessory use to a permitted dwelling.

California's Davis-Stirling Common Interest Development Act (Civil Code Sections 4900-4955) requires HOA board meetings to be open to all members with at least 4 days advance notice. Emergency meetings require 2 days notice. Boards may enter executive session only for specific topics including litigation, personnel, and disciplinary hearings.

California's Davis-Stirling Act governs HOA architectural review. Under Civil Code Section 4765, associations cannot prohibit solar energy systems or electric vehicle charging stations. Architectural review decisions must be made in good faith and not be arbitrary. CC&Rs set specific standards for each community.

California Civil Code Sections 5600-5740 govern HOA assessments. Regular assessments cannot increase more than 20% annually without member approval. Special assessments exceeding 5% of the budgeted gross expenses require member vote. The association may record a lien for delinquent assessments after required notices.

California Civil Code requires HOAs to offer Internal Dispute Resolution (IDR) under Section 5900 and Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) including mediation or arbitration under Section 5925 before litigation. Either party may request IDR, and the association must participate in ADR before filing or defending a civil action.

California's Davis-Stirling Act governs CC&R enforcement procedures. The association must provide written notice of a violation and an opportunity for a hearing before imposing fines or penalties. Fines may not exceed amounts specified in the governing documents. Certain CC&R provisions are void under state law.

San Diego has an active Unreinforced Masonry (URM) Building ordinance requiring retrofit or demolition of pre-1939 URM buildings. In 2001, 884 URM buildings were identified. The Development Services Department has worked with owners to bring nearly all into compliance, with only 14 buildings remaining as of recent enforcement.

San Diego offers free film permits through the Special Events and Filming Department. All filming on City public property requires registration through the Filming Authorization Application System. Requests must be submitted at least 3 full business days before production, with longer lead times for complex shoots.

Film productions requiring street, sidewalk, or right-of-way closures in San Diego must submit permit applications at least 1 week in advance. Street closure requests are reviewed on a case-by-case basis by the Transportation Department. Productions must provide a traffic control plan and may incur costs for city traffic control personnel.

San Diego requires a Plumbing/Mechanical Permit before any plumbing, heating, ventilating, air conditioning, or refrigeration system is installed, altered, or replaced under SDMC §129.0402, with limited exemptions for minor repairs.

San Diego only requires fire sprinklers in an ADU or JADU when the primary house on the same lot is already sprinklered, so building a new backyard unit does not automatically trigger a sprinkler mandate.

San Diego requires staged inspections for all permitted construction, and no work may be covered or occupied until the Building Official has approved each successive stage.

San Diego adopts the 2025 California Green Building Standards Code by reference for all new construction citywide, covering energy and water efficiency, material conservation, and environmental quality, with City-owned buildings also required to comply.

San Diego requires a separate Electrical Permit before any wiring, device, appliance, or equipment is installed, altered, or replaced, with permits issued only to licensed contractors or qualifying owners under SDMC §129.0305.

San Diego bars child care centers within 1,000 feet of businesses handling large quantities of hazardous, flammable, or compressed gas materials, and requires 4-6 foot fencing plus noise-attenuation measures under SDMC §141.0606(c).

San Diego's Lead Hazard Prevention and Control Ordinance requires owners of rental properties built before 1979 to perform lead hazard evaluations when units become vacant. All renovation work on pre-1978 structures must use lead-safe work practices. The ordinance is enforced by the Environmental Services Department.

California's Elevator Safety Orders (Cal/OSHA Title 8, Sections 3000-3141) and the Conveyance Safety Act (Labor Code Section 7300) govern elevator maintenance in San Diego. All elevators must be permitted by the Division of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH) and inspected annually.

Most renovations in San Diego require building permits from the Development Services Department. Permit fees are based on project valuation. Cosmetic work like painting, flooring, and cabinet replacement is generally exempt. Applications can be submitted online at sdpermits.com.

San Diego requires a Citywide Special Event Permit for block parties that close public streets. Applications must be submitted at least 60 days in advance through the Special Events and Filming Department. Events on residential streets require coordination with Transportation and Storm Water and neighborhood notification.

Parades, marches, and other assemblies of 75+ people on San Diego streets need a Special Event Permit from the City Manager before they can happen, with no small-event exception.

Selling goods, food, or beverages at a San Diego street fair or festival requires authorization from that event's Special Event Permit holder, not a separate city vending permit. Only vendors displaying the required proof may operate inside the Special Event Venue.

Anyone holding a Special Event in a San Diego park must first get a City Manager reservation of space, filed at least 120 days before the event, before a Special Event Permit can be issued.

San Diego Municipal Code Section 141.0621 establishes sidewalk cafe regulations. Restaurants must obtain a permit and execute a recorded encroachment maintenance and removal agreement with the City. A minimum accessible path must be maintained on the sidewalk at all times.

San Diego's Expressive Activity ordinance bars blocking a sidewalk to less than 48 inches of usable width, or blocking emergency ingress and egress, when using tables, easels, or other equipment on public property.

San Diego requires a Public Right-of-Way Permit before building or maintaining privately owned structures, facilities, or improvements within a public street, alley, or service easement, per Municipal Code § 129.0702, unless the work is exempt under § 129.0703.

San Diego treats bass you can feel as its own violation. Under SDMC § 59.5.0502(b)(2)(B), a sound amplifier that makes a person aware of vibration 50 feet from the source is a prima facie noise violation, at any hour of day or night.

San Diego bars and nightclubs holding a 2 a.m.-6 a.m. after-hours entertainment permit must observe every noise-abatement law in Chapter V, per SDMC §33.0810, letting the Police Chief attach noise conditions or pull the permit for violations.

San Diego caps how long a burglar alarm, including a car alarm, can blare. SDMC § 59.5.0503 bans any audible alarm that can't shut off on its own within 20 minutes, and lets police disconnect one themselves while it's sounding.

San Diego's Building & Land Use Enforcement Division prioritizes cases by severity. Priority 1 cases (imminent health/safety hazards) are investigated within 24 hours. Priority 2 cases (significant violations) within 5 business days. Priority 3 cases (routine violations) within 30 business days.

Common code violations in San Diego include unpermitted construction, illegal short-term rentals, brush management non-compliance, zoning violations, grading without permits, illegal signs, and property maintenance issues. The city's open data portal publishes code enforcement violation data.

San Diego's Land Development Code bars planting invasive plant species in any landscaping required for new development and requires existing invasive plants to be fully removed when they threaten to spread.

San Diego does not ban facial recognition technology outright. The TRUST Ordinance requires SDPD and every city department to get City Council approval of a public Surveillance Use Policy before acquiring or using it.

Automatic license plate readers count as surveillance technology under San Diego's TRUST Ordinance, so SDPD needs City Council approval of a public Surveillance Use Policy covering data retention and sharing before deploying or expanding an ALPR program.

California is a two-party (all-party) consent state. Recording private conversations without the consent of ALL parties is a criminal offense under California Penal Code §632. First violation: up to $2,500 fine and/or one year in jail. This applies to phone calls, in-person conversations, and security camera audio in San Diego.

California bans open carry of handguns under Penal Code section 26350 and openly carried unloaded long guns in incorporated areas under section 26400. San Diego is fully incorporated, so open carry is illegal everywhere in the city.

Penal Code section 25400 prohibits carrying a concealed firearm without a CCW. San Diego residents apply through the San Diego County Sheriff under shall-issue rules following Bruen, but SB-2 sensitive-place limits apply citywide.

California Penal Code sections 25400 and 25610 require firearms transported by vehicle in San Diego to be unloaded, with handguns inside a locked container or trunk. Long guns must be unloaded but may ride in the cabin if encased.

San Diego bans the sale or distribution of flavored tobacco products citywide, including flavored e-cigarette liquid, under SDMC §42.1603: with narrow exemptions for sisha, premium cigars, and loose-leaf tobacco.

Federal Tobacco 21 (Public Law 116-94) and California Business and Professions Code section 22963 bar San Diego retailers from selling cigarettes, cigars, vapes, or any tobacco product to anyone under 21. Photo ID is mandatory at every transaction.

California AB-1884 (Public Resources Code section 42270) bars full-service restaurants from automatically providing single-use plastic straws. San Diego aligns through SDMC section 66.0701 plastics rules and County Public Health enforcement, requiring straws on request only.

San Diego's Minimum Wage Ordinance (SDMC §39.0103 et seq.) sets a citywide minimum wage that exceeds California's state floor. The 2024 rate of $17.25 per hour adjusts each January based on regional CPI.

San Diego has not adopted a Fair Workweek predictive-scheduling ordinance. California AB-1228 created a statewide Fast Food Council setting wages and standards for fast-food chains, but no general predictive-scheduling mandate applies to other industries.

San Diego's Earned Sick Leave and Minimum Wage Ordinance (SDMC §39.0105) requires employers to provide at least 40 hours of paid sick leave per year, equal to California SB-616's floor with stricter accrual and use rules.

California Civil Code §3482.5 shields established agricultural operations from nuisance suits after three years of consistent activity. San Diego applies the state rule; the city has no separate right-to-farm ordinance for urban farms.

San Diego designates AG and AR base zones under Municipal Code Section 131.0301 specifically to accommodate agriculture and protect traditional farming uses from being crowded out by residential conflicts.

California Labor Code §2814 (added by AB-1236, 2011) bars cities including San Diego from requiring private employers to use E-Verify. The federal program remains voluntary except for federal contractors.

California SB-54 (the Values Act) limits state and local cooperation with federal civil immigration enforcement. San Diego Police Department policy mirrors the statute, barring routine status inquiries and most ICE detainers without a judicial warrant.

San Diego bans camping or maintaining an encampment on any public property -- streets, sidewalks, parks, beaches, open space, or waterways -- without City Manager authorization, with added no-camping zones near schools and shelters.

San Diego has no separate bike-lane ordinance: the ban on driving in a marked bicycle lane comes from California Vehicle Code § 21209, which lets a vehicle enter only to park, to reach a driveway, or to turn within 200 feet of an intersection.

San Diego bars kids under 12 from operating Class 1 and Class 2 electric bicycles anywhere in the city under SDMC § 84.19, with helmet and no-extra-passenger rules for all e-bike riders under § 84.21.

San Diego requires shared e-scooter and e-bike providers to geofence speed and no-parking zones citywide under SDMC § 83.0308: 8-mph caps in Balboa Park and a full ban on riding, locking, or ending trips on sidewalks.

The City of San Diego has no data-center ordinance and no "data center" use category. Data centers locate in the industrial base zones - IP, IL, and IH - permitted by right as an industrial use, or by Conditional Use Permit if classed as a communications switching station.

The City of San Diego caps one-hour average sound at the property line: 75 dB(A) any time on industrial or agricultural land, and just 50 dB(A) day, 45 dB(A) evening, and 40 dB(A) overnight at single-family homes. Municipal Code Sec. 59.5.0401 sets the table; data-center cooling and generators must comply.

San Diego prohibits commercial, industrial, and institutional properties from using potable water to irrigate non-functional (purely ornamental) turf, following state timelines, unless the turf is watered with recycled water or qualifies as functional turf.

San Diego's water waste ordinance requires customers to repair or stop any water leak as soon as it's discovered, or within 72 hours of the City's notification, or face water waste penalties under Municipal Code § 67.3803(c).

Downtown development in the Centre City Planned District is evaluated against the City's Downtown Design Guidelines alongside the mandatory standards of SDMC Article 6, Division 3, which control if the two conflict.

California Government Code §65915 and SDMC §142.1305 grant up to 50 percent additional density, parking reductions, and waivers when developers reserve units for very-low, low, or moderate-income households or seniors.

California Health and Safety Code §113948 requires every food employee in San Diego to obtain an ANSI-accredited Food Handler Card within thirty days of hire and renew it every three years. San Diego County DEHQ verifies cards during routine inspections.

San Diego requires every business building to rat-proof basements, floors, doors, windows, and vents using approved materials, with the Health Officer able to order the same for other buildings when rat infestation is found.

San Diego taxes hotel guests 10.5% of room rent: a 6% base transient occupancy tax plus four stacked additional levies of 1%, 1%, 1%, and 1.5% added between 1985 and 1994.

Designating a San Diego property as a historical resource (the city's cultural-monument equivalent) runs through the Historical Resources Board via a public hearing, research report, and a six-member affirmative vote, with a limited appeal window to the City Council.

San Diego tattoo shops must sterilize needles and instruments before every customer, use metal or stainless-steel operating tables, and can't tattoo anyone under 21 without written parental consent kept on file two years.

San Diego permits adult entertainment businesses only as a limited use in designated zones, and bars them from locating within 1,000 feet of another adult business, a residential zone line, or a church, school, park, or social service institution.

Pawnbrokers in San Diego must hold a police permit before opening, keep detailed loan records open to police inspection, and cannot operate between 9:30 p.m. and 8:30 a.m.

San Diego bans operating a massage establishment or sole practitioner massage establishment without a police-issued permit, under SDMC § 33.3503.

San Diego requires every tobacco and e-cigarette retailer to hold a police permit from the Chief of Police before selling, with a separate permit issued for each fixed sales location under SDMC section 33.4503.

San Diego bans smoking, vaping, and ingesting cannabis or cannabis products in any public place or place open to the public under SDMC §42.1303. Violators are guilty of an infraction.

San Diego bars skateboards, coasters, and roller skates from open roadways and from sidewalks or plazas in business districts under SDMC § 84.12, plus a nighttime riding ban for Mission Beach and the Ocean Front Walk boardwalk.

San Diego bans drinking alcohol on public streets, sidewalks, parking lots, alleys, plazas and piers citywide, with extra beach and time-window bans layered on top under SDMC § 56.54.

San Diego bans aggressive solicitation citywide under SDMC Division 40: coercing, threatening, hounding, harassing, or intimidating someone to ask for money or goods on any street, sidewalk, or public or private place open to the public is unlawful.

San Diego makes it a misdemeanor to loiter near critical-infrastructure sites, airports, tank farms, reservoirs, power plants, gas plants and similar facilities, once the owner has posted a no-trespassing sign under the municipal code.

San Diego has no jaywalking ordinance of its own: pedestrians are bound by California Vehicle Code § 21955, which bars crossing mid-block between signal-controlled intersections, though officers can't stop you without a real collision risk.

San Diego prohibits urinating or defecating on streets, sidewalks, parks, beaches, or any place open to public view under SDMC § 56.55, with an exception for use of an actual restroom.

San Diego bans smoking and vaping in every public park, public beach, boardwalk, seawall, and City-owned pier, with fines up to $100 per infraction.

San Diego taxes most businesses under a default class of $125 a year plus $5 per employee, with separate classifications carved out for rental housing, refuse collectors, trailer parks, and swap meets.