Local Rules Near University of San Francisco

San Francisco bans the sale and use of gasoline-powered leaf blowers under Health Code Article 29 and aligns with California AB 1346, which phased out small off-road gasoline engines beginning in 2024.

Playing amplified music or sound equipment audible 50 feet away between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m. is a prima facie Police Code violation citywide.

San Francisco caps fixed-source indoor noise in dwelling units at 45 dBA between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m., rising to 55 dBA during daytime hours, to protect sleep.

San Francisco bars construction, demolition, and excavation work between 8:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. when its noise tops the ambient level by 5 dBA, unless a special night work permit is granted.

On San Francisco residential property, machines, devices, or music cannot exceed the ambient sound level by more than five decibels at any point outside the property line.

San Francisco bans keeping a dog that barks continuously for 10 minutes and disturbs others, letting neighbors request a police citation against the owner.

San Francisco Short-Term Rental Hosts must file Transient Occupancy Tax and Tourism Improvement District Assessment returns annually, or have a Qualified Website Company like Airbnb remit the tax monthly on their behalf.

San Francisco hosts must carry at least $500,000 in liability insurance for their short-term rental, or book only through a platform that provides equal or greater coverage, to stay on the Registry.

San Francisco law only lets a Permanent Resident short-term rent the home that is their actual Primary Residence -- investment properties and second homes can never be registered as short-term rentals.

San Francisco holds Hosting Platforms like Airbnb legally responsible for confirming a listing's Registry status, and a platform that books an unregistered unit faces civil penalties and misdemeanor criminal liability under Chapter 41A.

San Francisco's Short-Term Rental law only covers stays booked for under 30 days; a 30-day-or-longer booking is an ordinary tenancy that skips Chapter 41A's registry, permit, and night-cap rules entirely.

A second short-term rental violation by the same owner triggers double the fine of a first offense, plus a one-year registry ban.

San Francisco Administrative Code Chapter 41A does not impose dedicated parking requirements on short-term rentals, and the Planning Code does not require off-street parking specifically for STR use beyond what already applies to the underlying residential unit. STR guests parking on the street are subject to all standard SFMTA rules: posted Residential Permit Parking (RPP) time limits, street-cleaning restrictions, the 72-hour vehicle storage limit, and metered zones. RPP areas allow guests to park beyond posted limits only with a valid one-day visitor permit purchased by the host or guest.

San Francisco STR occupancy is governed by Housing Code maximum-occupancy rules plus Admin Code Chapter 41A. Generally 2 persons per bedroom plus 2 additional, capped by square footage, and STRs cannot exceed the dwelling unit's legal occupancy.

San Francisco caps unhosted short-term rental days indirectly: a Permanent Resident must occupy the unit at least 275 days a year, leaving at most about 90 days available for short-term rental.

San Francisco requires the Permanent Resident of a unit to register it on the Short-Term Residential Rental Registry for a two-year term, pay a $50 fee, and receive an individual registration number from the Planning Department before hosting short-term guests.

San Francisco Housing Code Section 1301 and California Health & Safety Code 13113.7 require working smoke alarms in every bedroom, outside each sleeping area, and on every floor. Hardwired with battery backup is required for new construction; 10-year sealed battery alarms acceptable for existing single-family homes.

San Francisco requires a Fire Department permit before anyone ignites or maintains an open outdoor fire anywhere in the city and county, under the Business and Tax Regulations Code.

San Francisco bans firing or discharging any fireworks anywhere in the city and county, with public displays allowed only by joint written consent of the Fire Marshal and Chief of Police.

San Francisco requires a Fire Department operational permit before anyone uses a torch or other open-flame device inside a designated wildfire risk area, covering hillside and open-space zones prone to wildland fire spread.

San Francisco Fire Code Section 4906 requires defensible space and vegetation management on properties adjacent to wildland-urban interface zones, including Mount Davidson, Twin Peaks, and Glen Canyon Park edges.

San Francisco requires a Fire Department operational permit to store or use LP-gas, with a narrow exception for one 20-pound cylinder kept outside a residential building for cooking.

San Francisco lets homeowners park at most two operable vehicles in a residential driveway per lot, bans boats, trailers, RVs, mobile homes, and buses from driveways, and forbids overhang into the public right-of-way.

San Francisco yellow curb zones are reserved for loading and unloading passengers or freight, with non-commercial vehicles capped at three minutes.

San Francisco Environment Code Chapter 22 and Building Code require EV-ready infrastructure in new construction. CA Civil Code 4745 protects condo EV-charger rights, and SF Planning Code allows curbside charging with SFMTA permits. Blocking an EV stall while not charging is a citable violation.

San Francisco's Transportation Code sets no dollar tow charge on its face. Division II, Section 305 makes the SFMTA bill the owner, agent or renter under Vehicle Code Section 22850.5, cuts the administrative fee by $50 on a first tow, and creates a Low Income Tow Fee plus a one-time waiver for people certified as experiencing homelessness, while the actual amounts live in the SFMTA Fee and Fine Schedule adopted by board resolution and indexed every July 1.

Only the SFMTA City Traffic Engineer may install color curb markings in San Francisco, including red no-parking zones capped at 20 continuous feet for safety, meter spacing, or driveway access.

San Francisco enforces California Vehicle Code 22651(k) 72-hour parking limit citywide, plus local Residential Permit Parking in designated neighborhoods. No general overnight ban, but street-cleaning, commercial-vehicle, and oversized-vehicle rules apply, and vehicles longer than 22 feet or taller than 7 feet face overnight restrictions.

San Francisco treats abandoned, wrecked, dismantled, or inoperative vehicles on private or public property as a public nuisance the Department of Public Health can abate and remove.

San Francisco bars trucks and other commercial vehicles over 22 feet long or 7 feet tall from parking more than two hours in designated residential and public-use districts.

San Francisco issues Residential Parking Permits letting resident vehicles park past posted time limits inside a designated Residential Parking Permit Area, but the permit does not guarantee a space.

San Francisco makes it a citable infraction to park a vehicle so it blocks a private driveway, with a narrow exception for the driveway's own owner or lessee.

San Francisco caps on-street parking of RVs, trailers, mobilehomes and vehicles over 22 feet long or 7 feet tall at two hours under Transportation Code Section 7.2.54.

San Francisco exempts fences up to 6 feet at rear and side lot lines, and up to 3 feet anywhere else on the lot, from a building permit. Taller fences need a permit under Building Code Section 106A.2.

San Francisco caps fences at 3 feet in the front setback, 6 feet in side and rear yards, and 10 feet only in the rear yard under Planning Code Sec. 136(c).

San Francisco requires a building permit for any retaining wall over 4 feet tall, measured footing to top, or one that holds back a surcharge or liquids.

San Francisco's Building Code bars barbed-wire fencing citywide unless the Building Official and Fire Department grant written permission for narrow hazard-protection uses like guarding a dangerous area atop a tall fence.

San Francisco requires every pit bull in the city to be spayed or neutered, defining the breed by AKC/UKC standards and physical traits.

San Francisco pet shops may only offer dogs and cats sourced from an animal care facility or rescue organization, not commercial breeders.

San Francisco residential properties may keep at most three dogs aged six months or older without a dog kennel permit, and at most four dogs, cats, and similar small animals combined.

San Francisco bans trapping, capturing, killing, or destroying any wild bird citywide under Police Code Section 485, with a narrow public-health exception for nuisance pigeons handled by the Health Director.

San Francisco prohibits keeping wild and exotic animals as pets under SF Health Code Article 1, aligning with California Fish and Game Code Section 2118 restricted species list. Permits are rarely granted outside of education and research.

Keeping horses, cows, goats or other livestock in San Francisco requires a stable permit from the Department of Public Health, with only a narrow family-goat exception.

It is unlawful to feed or offer food to any bird or wild animal on a San Francisco sidewalk, street, or highway under Police Code Section 486, with an added citywide ban on feeding Red Masked Parakeets in parks.

San Francisco requires dogs to be restrained by a leash of no more than 8 feet whenever they are off their owner's property, city-wide and county-wide.

San Francisco requires a Public Works permit before anyone plants or removes a street tree, with a hearing available if a neighbor objects.

San Francisco bans irrigation runoff and caps water use for new and rehabbed landscapes citywide under the Water Efficient Irrigation Ordinance.

San Francisco bans overgrown weeds, rank growth and dead vegetation on any lot, improved or not, as a form of property blight enforced by Public Works.

San Francisco actively promotes rainwater harvesting through the SFPUC Non-Potable Water Program. Residential rain barrels are unregulated and encouraged with rebates. Larger cisterns and greywater systems require permits under the Plumbing Code and Non-Potable Water Ordinance.

California Civil Code 4735 preempts HOA bans on artificial turf, and San Francisco allows artificial turf in residential front and rear yards subject to Planning Code landscaping requirements. Permeability, heat-island, and microplastic concerns mean the city discourages synthetic turf in new construction.

San Francisco allows home-based businesses citywide as an accessory use to a dwelling, capped at one-third of the unit's floor area and two non-resident employees.

San Francisco's Planning Code lists Child Care Facility as a principally permitted use in every RH (house) zoning district, so a licensed home daycare needs no conditional use permit.

Swimming pools at private single-family homes in San Francisco must comply with the California Swimming Pool Safety Act (Health and Safety Code Sec. 115920-115929). When a building permit is issued for a new or remodeled pool or spa, the property owner must install at least two of seven approved drowning prevention safety features. Compliance is verified at final inspection by the Department of Building Inspection. The California Building Code (CBC Sec. 3109) further governs pool barrier construction standards.

San Francisco DBI requires a building permit and multiple inspections for any pool or spa installation, remodel, or significant repair under Building Code Chapter 1 and Plumbing Code Chapter 15. Plan review, structural design, and H&S Code 115920 barrier compliance are mandatory.

San Francisco lets homeowners convert an existing garage into a legal accessory dwelling unit under the Planning Code's Local ADU Program, subject to density and tenant-protection conditions.

San Francisco's Local ADU Program lets homeowners citywide build one accessory dwelling unit on lots with four or fewer units, with no cap on lots that already have more, garages included.

San Francisco charges no impact fees on ADUs and JADUs under 750 square feet, or on any ADU proposed on a lot with three or fewer existing units, per Planning Code § 207.2(j).

San Francisco ADUs and JADUs built under Planning Code § 207.2 may be rented under the Rent Ordinance, but the lot generally cannot be subdivided to sell the unit separately.

A one-story detached shed or similar accessory structure up to 120 square feet does not need a building permit in San Francisco, though the structure can still be regulated under Section 710A.

San Francisco sorts development by impervious surface: Small Development Projects at 2,500 to 5,000 square feet must build Post-Construction Stormwater Controls, and Large Development Projects at 5,000 square feet or more cannot receive any building or site permit until the General Manager approves a Stormwater Control Plan.

San Francisco limits commercial vehicles, private buses and for-hire vehicles to five minutes of idling while parked on any public right-of-way under Transportation Code Section 7.2.86.

San Francisco requires new construction and substantial improvements in FEMA-mapped flood-prone areas to meet the elevation standards of San Francisco Building Code Section 1612, enforced under Administrative Code Section 2A.283.

San Francisco governs grading through Building Code Appendix J, adopted from the CBC with local amendments. Its Section J109.5 requires any paved area totaling more than 200 square feet to drain storm and casual water directly to a public sewer or storm drain, and it flatly bars sending that runoff onto a neighbor's property or the public sidewalk.

Development along San Francisco's Bay and Ocean shorelines is subject to oversight by the San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission (BCDC) for Bay-side projects and the California Coastal Commission for Ocean Beach areas. The city's General Plan includes policies for coastal zone protection.

San Francisco requires a permit before building in any FEMA-mapped floodplain, with construction standards enforced by the Department of Building Inspection.

Police Code Article 16 and Planning Code Section 202.2 require cannabis retailers to maintain at least 600 feet from K-12 schools, mirroring California Business and Professions Code Section 26054 minimums, plus additional SF-specific separation rules.

Under California Proposition 64 and San Francisco Police Code Article 16, adults 21+ may cultivate up to 6 cannabis plants per residence for personal use. Plants must be grown indoors or in a secure, enclosed area not visible from a public place.

San Francisco writes its cannabis location rules into Planning Code Sec. 202.2(a)(5). A new Cannabis Retail use must first hold an Office of Cannabis permit, and its parcel cannot sit within a 600-foot radius of a parcel containing an existing school or of a parcel that already holds a valid City cannabis retailer permit.

Small residential solar systems of 4 kilowatts or less are issued over the counter in San Francisco once the application is complete, and expedited installations get just one inspection scheduled within three business days.

California Civil Code §714 (the Solar Rights Act) prohibits HOAs and CC&Rs from effectively banning solar energy systems. Any restriction that increases cost by more than $1,000 or decreases efficiency by more than 10% is void and unenforceable in San Francisco and statewide.

San Francisco requires an electrical permit before installing or altering any solar energy system, with fees set by the Building Code's Table 1A-E electrical permit schedule, plus other permits for related work.

San Francisco bans general advertising signs and any sign over 200 square feet that is primarily aimed at freeway travelers, under Planning Code Sec. 608.5.

San Francisco caps window signs in Commercial, Industrial, and PDR Districts at one-third of the business's ground floor window and clear door area under Planning Code Section 607(d).

San Francisco's Planning Code bans digital billboards outright: General Advertising Signs are prohibited in every Commercial, Industrial, and PDR district, and Video Signs -- LED, projected, or animated displays -- are banned even where a sign is otherwise allowed.

Political signs in San Francisco are regulated under Planning Code Article 6. Temporary political signs related to elections are generally permitted on private property without a permit, consistent with First Amendment protections. Signs on public property or rights-of-way are prohibited.

In the Market Street Special Sign District, temporary holiday decorations are exempt from standard sign height, placement, and material rules.

San Francisco does not experience snowfall and has no snow removal ordinance. However, property owners are responsible for maintaining adjacent sidewalks in a clean and safe condition under Public Works Code Article 1, including removal of debris and hazards.

San Francisco treats any blighted vacant lot as a public nuisance. Public Works Code Section 735 makes it unlawful to maintain one, and the Director of Public Works can force a cleanup through the abatement machinery of Administrative Code Chapter 80.

San Francisco actively enforces property maintenance standards through the Housing Code, Building Code, and Health Code. Blighted properties with peeling paint, broken windows, overgrown vegetation, graffiti, or accumulated debris face code enforcement action from DBI and DPH.

San Francisco requires shielded, minimal outdoor lighting with no uplighting on buildings near Urban Bird Refuges under the Planning Code's bird-safe building standards, aimed at cutting light spill that disorients migrating birds.

San Francisco's Police Code Section 3304 bars landlords from refusing rental applicants because their income comes from Section 8, VASH, or other government subsidies. Refusing vouchers is treated as discrimination by the SF Human Rights Commission.

San Francisco's Rent Ordinance lists a narrow set of no-fault eviction reasons including owner move-in, Ellis Act withdrawal, capital improvements, and substantial rehabilitation. Each category triggers relocation payments and strict noticing rules under Chapter 37.

Units exempt from SF Chapter 37 rent control may still fall under California's AB 1482 statewide cap. Landlords must provide a written notice citing the 5% plus CPI cap or claim a statutory exemption such as single-family-home with corporate-ownership disclosure.

San Francisco landlords must hand tenants a written breakdown of every rent increase, itemizing the annual increase, cost passthroughs, and other components, on or before the date of the legal notice.

San Francisco's Housing Code declares a rental building substandard when a listed defect, from missing hot water to structural hazards, endangers occupants or the public, and automatically makes it a nuisance.

Landlords pursuing no-fault evictions must pay statutory relocation assistance per tenant, with elderly, disabled, and minor occupants receiving enhanced amounts. The Rent Board updates dollar figures annually for inflation under Administrative Code Section 37.9C.

San Francisco's Rent Stabilization and Arbitration Ordinance (Administrative Code Chapter 37) applies to most rental units built before June 13, 1979. Annual rent increases are limited to a percentage set by the Rent Board, which was 1.4% for March 2025 through February 2026.

Section 37.10B of the Rent Ordinance prohibits 16 categories of landlord harassment including utility shutoffs, threats, false eviction notices, and abusing buyout offers. Tenants may sue for treble damages and statutory penalties up to $1,000 per offense.

San Francisco has required just cause for evictions since August 24, 1980. Administrative Code Section 37.9(a) says a landlord shall not endeavor to recover possession of a covered rental unit unless one of its listed grounds exists, so even attempting an eviction without a qualifying reason violates the Rent Ordinance. The San Francisco Rent Board administers the rule citywide, on top of whatever state law provides.

All landlords with units subject to the Rent Ordinance must register with the San Francisco Rent Board and pay an annual fee per unit. The fee funds the Rent Board's operations including dispute resolution, counseling, and enforcement.

San Francisco can fine illegal dumpers up to $1,000 per day for each violation by administrative citation, on top of separate civil penalties of at least twice the City's cleanup costs.

San Francisco property owners must subscribe to and pay for adequate refuse collection service; failure to do so is enforceable with fines.

San Francisco debris boxes in the public right-of-way must sit parallel to the curb, no more than 8 feet out, and off the sidewalk without DPW permission.

San Francisco's Mandatory Recycling and Composting Ordinance (Environment Code Chapter 19) requires all residents and businesses to separate waste into three streams: recyclables, compostables, and trash. Recology provides exclusive collection service citywide.

San Francisco's Mandatory Recycling and Composting Ordinance (Environment Code Chapter 19, enacted 2009) was the first in the U.S. to require all residents and businesses to recycle and compost. Compliance is mandatory for every person and business in the city.

Under San Francisco Public Works Code § 170, trash, recycling, and compost bins may be placed at the curb no earlier than 6:00 p.m. the day before scheduled collection, and residents must return them to private property within 24 hours. Bins left out at other times are an infraction.

San Francisco requires every mobile food facility to hold a Public Works Department permit, with a $125 filing fee plus a $200 notification fee and $383 inspection fee per vending location.

San Francisco designates specific vending zones for mobile food facilities through DPW permits. Food trucks must operate in permitted locations and comply with spacing requirements from restaurants and other vendors. The city has streamlined permitting to support street food culture.

San Francisco requires a Street Vendor Permit from the Department of Public Works for selling merchandise or prepackaged food from temporary structures on sidewalks. Annual permit fee is $484 plus an $11 Board of Appeals surcharge. Vendors must maintain a 6-foot pedestrian path.

San Francisco regulates door-to-door solicitation under the Police Code. Commercial solicitors must comply with registration and identification requirements. The city respects First Amendment protections for political, religious, and nonprofit canvassing.

San Francisco residents may post no-solicitation or no-knock signs to deter unwanted door-to-door visits. Solicitors who ignore posted signs may face citations under the Police Code. First Amendment-protected activities (political, religious canvassing) may not be restricted by municipal ordinance.

San Francisco parks are open 5:00 a.m. to midnight daily; staying in a park outside those posted hours without Department permission is a citable violation under Park Code Section 3.21.

San Francisco bars minors under 14 from public streets, parks, and places between midnight and 5 a.m. unless an exception applies.

San Francisco caps dwelling height at 35 feet in RH-1 districts and 40 feet in RH-2 districts, with slope-based adjustments up or down.

San Francisco caps lot coverage at 80% on residential levels in Commercial (C) Districts, with a 100% allowance for lobbies and setback circulation areas.

San Francisco requires a rear yard equal to 30% of lot depth (RH, RM-1, RM-2, RTO-1, RTO-M) or 25% of lot depth in most other zoning districts, never less than 15 feet.

New buildings and major additions in San Francisco must plant street trees at set spacing and size standards along the public right-of-way.

San Francisco lets owners, commissions, or agency directors nominate a tree for landmark status, which the Board of Supervisors grants by ordinance.

California HOA board meetings are governed by the Davis-Stirling Open Meeting Act (Civil Code 4900-4955). All board meetings must be open to members with at least 4 days advance notice for regular meetings and 2 days for executive sessions. Agendas must be posted and no action may be taken on items not listed.

California HOAs may require architectural review for exterior modifications under CC&R provisions. The Davis-Stirling Act requires written standards, consistent application, and a 60-day response deadline. Solar energy systems and electric vehicle charging stations cannot be unreasonably restricted under Civil Code 714 and 4745.

California HOAs must follow strict assessment rules under the Davis-Stirling Act. Regular assessments require annual budget approval. Special assessments exceeding 5% of the budget need membership approval. The HOA must provide a 30-day notice before recording an assessment lien.

California requires HOAs to offer internal dispute resolution (IDR) and alternative dispute resolution (ADR) before litigation under the Davis-Stirling Act. Either party may request IDR under Civil Code 5900-5920, and ADR is mandatory before filing certain lawsuits (Civil Code 5925-5965).

California HOA CC&R enforcement is governed by the Davis-Stirling Act. AB 130 (2025) caps fines at $100 per violation. Boards must provide notice, a hearing opportunity, and follow documented procedures. Selective enforcement is prohibited, and certain restrictions on solar, EV charging, and flags are void under state law.

Commercial still photography in San Francisco counts as "film production" under the Film Commission ordinance, requiring a use contract and a $200-a-day city use fee.

Film productions closing San Francisco streets apply through the Film Commission and ISCOTT under the Transportation Code, with a special exception letting filming crews apply on shorter notice than other events.

San Francisco's Health Department declares any inspected dwelling unit with lead hazards a nuisance and can order the owner to remediate within 14 to 30 days.

San Francisco permitted construction must stay accessible and exposed until the Building Official approves it at each required stage, foundation through final inspection, and no work may advance past an uninspected checkpoint.

San Francisco requires apartment and condo entry doors to have a combination deadlatch and deadbolt lock meeting specific throw dimensions under the Building Code's Chapter 10A security requirements.

San Francisco follows the state rule requiring automatic fire sprinklers in new one- and two-family homes and townhouses, but its local amendment exempts additions to existing homes that never had sprinklers installed.

San Francisco requires a building permit for reroofing work once it involves roof sheathing or covers more than 25 percent of the roof in any 12-month period, per Building Code Section 106A.2.

San Francisco requires a Department of Building Inspection permit before any electrical installation, alteration, or repair, issued only to licensed contractors or homeowners under the Homeowner's Permit exception.

San Francisco requires a permit and payment of Central Permit Bureau fees before most plumbing work can begin, under the local amendments to the Plumbing Code.

San Francisco requires at least one passenger elevator to stay in working order and accessible to the Fire Department at all times.

Placing café tables and chairs or display merchandise on any part of San Francisco's public right-of-way requires an annual registration acknowledgement from Public Works first, renewed each year and never transferable to a new owner.

Anyone sponsoring a parade on a San Francisco street must get a Police Department permit before the event, with applications filed weeks in advance.

San Francisco regulates curbside parklets as three defined categories under the Shared Spaces Program, each requiring a Shared Space Permit from the Core City Agencies.

Street fair organizers must file with the Director of Transportation at least 90 days before the event, with late filings barred inside 60 days absent extraordinary cause.

Small residential closures under three blocks with no intersection closures can get a streamlined Director-of-Transportation permit instead of a full ISCOTT hearing.

Picnics, concerts, demonstrations and other gatherings above set headcounts in San Francisco parks require a Recreation and Park Department permit.

It is unlawful in San Francisco to obstruct or place obstructions on any public sidewalk or right-of-way without Public Works Department permission, and violations are treated as a public nuisance.

San Francisco requires Board of Supervisors approval for a major street encroachment permit before anyone can occupy the public right-of-way, and there is no appeal of that decision.

San Francisco property owners must keep the sidewalk fronting their lot in good repair, and are liable for injuries caused by neglect.

San Francisco caps indoor noise from HVAC units and other fixed mechanical equipment at 45 dBA at night and 55 dBA by day inside neighboring dwellings.

San Francisco requires the Department of Building Inspection to inspect every apartment house and hotel for health and safety at least once every five years, funded by an annual license fee billed on the property tax roll.

San Francisco Housing Code Sec. 303(a) lets the Dept. of Building Inspection enter and inspect a unit whenever it receives an occupant complaint.

San Francisco law names automatic license plate readers as regulated Surveillance Technology, so SFPD cannot acquire, borrow, or expand ALPR use until it publishes a Surveillance Impact Report, obtains a COIT recommendation, and wins Board of Supervisors approval of a Surveillance Technology Policy by ordinance.

San Francisco bars every City Department, including the Police Department, from obtaining, retaining, accessing, or using Face Recognition Technology on City-issued software or devices, and from using any information that such technology produces.

SFPD may enter agreements with homeowners and businesses to receive footage from private security cameras, but citywide use of surveillance tech needs Board approval.

California is a two-party (all-party) consent state. Recording private conversations without all parties' consent is a criminal offense under CA Penal Code §632. Video in public is legal. SF has additional surveillance oversight laws.

San Francisco bans the sale of all flavored tobacco products, including menthol cigarettes and flavored vapes, at every retail establishment citywide.

San Francisco's Formula Retail Employee Rights Ordinances (Police Code Art. 33G/33H, Ord. 270-14) require chain retailers and food-service formula businesses to post schedules 14 days in advance and pay predictability premiums for changes.

San Francisco's local minimum wage is approximately $19.18 per hour for 2026, indexed to CPI under Administrative Code Chapter 12R. It applies to anyone working at least two hours per week within city limits.

San Francisco layers three local paid-leave mandates: Paid Sick Leave (Admin Code Ch. 12W), Paid Parental Leave (Ch. 12T), and Health Care Security Ordinance (Ch. 14). All exceed California state minimums and apply to most employers.

San Francisco Administrative Code Chapter 12H declares the city a City and County of Refuge and bars city staff from using city funds to assist federal immigration enforcement.

Tents and similar structures are banned from public sidewalks citywide, but the City must offer housing or shelter and give 24 hours' notice before removal.

Sitting or lying on a public sidewalk citywide between 7 a.m. and 11 p.m. is illegal, with limited exceptions for medical emergencies, wheelchairs and permitted activities.

Shared electric scooters in San Francisco operate only under SFMTA's Powered Scooter Share Permit Program. Riders must be 18 or older, use bike lanes where available, and avoid sidewalks; companies are capped citywide.

A data center in San Francisco may not push fixed-equipment noise more than 8 dBA above the ambient at the property plane on commercial or industrial land, under Police Code Section 2909. Inside a nearby home, fixed sources are capped at 45 dBA overnight and 55 dBA daytime.

San Francisco is one of few cities with a dedicated data-center land-use rule. The Planning Code treats a data center as an "Internet Service Exchange": allowed as an accessory use up to 25,000 sq ft, while larger facilities need Conditional Use Authorization, air-quality compliance, and annual energy reporting.

San Francisco's Park Code orders the Recreation and Park Department to convert park irrigation to recycled water in designated Recycled Water Use Areas, with a 2013 completion target.

San Francisco requires owners of commercial buildings to locate and repair all water leaks under the Commercial Water Conservation Ordinance's fixture-compliance rules.

San Francisco requires upper-level setbacks and streetwall articulation on new buildings in C-3 downtown zoning districts to preserve street-level scale.

San Francisco offers density and height bonuses to projects that include affordable housing through the local HOME-SF program (Planning Code 206.3) and the California State Density Bonus Law, with stacked incentives possible.

California Civil Code Section 1954.603 plus SF Health Code habitability rules require landlords to disclose known bed bug infestations, prohibit retaliation, and respond to tenant reports with licensed professional treatment.

San Francisco restaurants must post a color-coded Pass, Conditional Pass, or Closed placard from every routine health inspection where patrons can see it.

San Francisco Health Code Sec. 92 requires every building and premises citywide to be kept clean, sanitary, and free from rodents by the owner or occupant.

California Senate Bill 602 requires all SF food employees to obtain a state-approved Food Handler Card within 30 days of hire, and at least one Certified Food Protection Manager must be on staff per facility under Health and Safety Code 113947.

San Francisco taxes hotel room rent at a combined 14 percent: an 8 percent base transient occupancy tax plus a 6 percent surcharge.

Administrative Code Chapter 12P (the Minimum Compensation Ordinance) requires city contractors and tenants on city property, including airport and convention hotels, to pay covered employees a living wage indexed annually well above the state minimum.

San Francisco designates historic landmarks by Board of Supervisors ordinance under Planning Code Article 10, triggering permanent design and demolition controls.

A Tobacco Paraphernalia Establishment cannot open in San Francisco without Conditional Use authorization, and Planning Code Section 303(m) makes the Planning Commission first find that the district's concentration of such stores feeds no drug, crime, or safety problems.

San Francisco requires anyone buying or selling covered secondhand goods to get a Chief of Police permit before operating, on top of a Tax Collector license.

San Francisco requires anyone operating a pawnbroking business to first obtain a permit from the Chief of Police, and pawnshops may only transact business during fixed hours set by ordinance.

San Francisco requires a Massage Business permit from the Department of Public Health before any massage establishment, sole-practitioner establishment, or outcall service can operate.

San Francisco bans any new adult bookstore, adult theater, or encounter studio within 1,000 feet of another adult business citywide.

Every tattoo, piercing, branding, or permanent-cosmetics shop in San Francisco must hold a Department of Public Health permit before opening.

San Francisco licenses the towing business through the Police Department. Police Code Sec. 3050 bars anyone from conducting business as a tow car firm in the City and County of San Francisco without a permit from the Chief of Police, and Sec. 3057 requires every tow from private property to be reported to the SFMTA Tow Desk within 30 minutes.

San Francisco prohibits smoking in every unenclosed City park, square, garden, playing field, recreational pier, and farmers' market, with fines that climb from $100 to $500 for repeat offenses.

Drinking any alcoholic beverage, in any quantity, on a San Francisco street, avenue, sidewalk, stairway, alley, or thoroughfare is an infraction under Police Code Section 21, fined at not less than $25 nor more than $100, unless one of the section's own exceptions applies.

San Francisco bans depositing human urine or feces on any public or private property citywide, punishable by a $50 to $500 fine per infraction.

San Francisco's Police Code loitering ban is aimed at one fixture: staying within 10 feet of an automatic public toilet for more than two minutes without lawful business violates Sections 124.1 and 124.2, and an officer must warn you before any citation issues.

San Francisco's citywide smoking ordinance defines "smoking" to include any lighted "weed or plant," covering marijuana, and bans it in the same buildings, entrances, transit stops and public areas where tobacco smoking is prohibited.

San Francisco bans soliciting money in an aggressive manner citywide, plus soliciting within 20 feet of ATMs and check-cashing businesses, on transit, and in parking lots.

Anyone riding a skateboard at a skateboard facility owned or operated by the City and County of San Francisco must wear a helmet, elbow pads, and knee pads under Park Code Section 4.17, and the Recreation and Park Department must post signs at each facility saying so.

San Francisco's Vacancy Tax, in Business and Tax Regulations Code Article 29, reaches ground-floor commercial space in Named Neighborhood Commercial Districts that stays vacant more than 182 days in a tax year. The annual bill runs from $250 to $1,000 per linear foot of storefront frontage, and it climbs the longer the space stands empty.

San Francisco imposes a 25 percent tax on the rent paid to occupy space in any parking station citywide, combining a 15 percent base tax and a 10 percent surcharge.

San Francisco sorts every business into one of seven gross receipts tax categories by NAICS code, and the category sets your tax rate.