Fairfield, CA Homelessness & Encampment Rules: Encampment Sanitation (2026)
Key Facts
- Camping ban scope
- All public property citywide
- Private property
- Banned without owner's written consent
- Max penalty
- $1,000 fine, 6 months jail
- Overnight family exception
- 1 consecutive night, owner consent
- Critical infrastructure buffer
- 30 feet, separate law
- Governing code
- Fairfield City Code §§ 12.800-12.805
Summary
Fairfield bans camping and storing personal property on any public property citywide, and on private property without the owner's written consent, calling unsanitary, unpermitted camping a threat to public health and safety. Violations are misdemeanors carrying up to a $1,000 fine and six months in county jail.
Camping on private property without the consent of the owner, without proper sanitary measures, and for other than a minimal duration affects private property rights as well as public health and safety. The purpose of this article is to maintain streets, parks, and other public and private areas within the City in a clean and accessible condition and to adequately protect the health, safety, and welfare of the community... It shall be unlawful for any person to camp in the following areas, except as otherwise provided: (a) Any public property. (b) Any private property. ... Violations of this Article shall be a misdemeanor, punishable by a fine not exceeding $1,000 or by imprisonment in the county jail not to exceed six months, or by both such fine and imprisonment.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4962673; v0 updated 2026-02-17).
Full Breakdown
805, finds that camping on private property without consent, without proper sanitary measures, and beyond a minimal duration harms both private property rights and public health and safety, and that the article exists to keep streets, parks, and other areas clean and accessible. 8. 803 separately bans storing personal property, including tents and camp paraphernalia, on public property or on private property without the owner's consent. 804, punishable by a fine up to $1,000, imprisonment in county jail up to six months, or both, as amended by Ord.
No. 2025-03. 1305 (Ord. No. 2023-09), separately bans camping and storing debris, hazardous waste, or camp paraphernalia within 30 feet of critical infrastructure, in a designated wildfire risk area, or on rights-of-way that must stay clear for first responders, and authorizes the City to abate or remove an encampment's personal property, debris, garbage, or waste under Chapter 27's abatement procedures, with obstruction of that abatement itself a misdemeanor.
Violations & Fines
Camping or storing personal property on public property anywhere in the city, or on private property without the owner's consent, is a misdemeanor under § 12.804, punishable by up to a $1,000 fine and six months in county jail. Within 30 feet of critical infrastructure or in a designated wildfire risk area, § 12.1304 additionally authorizes the City to abate and remove the encampment and its waste.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is camping allowed anywhere in public in Fairfield?
What is the penalty for illegal camping in Fairfield?
Can Fairfield remove an encampment's belongings near infrastructure?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Fairfield
California rules heatmap·Compare Fairfield to another location·View the California homelessness & encampment rules overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.
Encampment Sanitation in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Solano County handle encampment sanitation.