Huntington Beach, CA

Huntington Beach falls within the South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) and is subject to mandatory no-burn day orders during the fall and winter months. On declared no-burn days, all wood-burning in fireplaces, fire pits, chimineas, and outdoor wood-burning devices is prohibited under SCAQMD Rule 445. Open burning of trash, yard waste, and debris is prohibited year-round. Huntington Beach maintains designated beach bonfire fire rings at Bolsa Chica State Beach and Huntington City Beach that are regulated separately by the city and California State Parks, and charcoal and wood fires in those designated rings are permitted on non-no-burn days.

Huntington Beach allows recreational fires in backyards when conducted in approved fire pits or outdoor fireplaces that meet California Fire Code and city setback requirements. Open burning of trash, debris, and yard waste is prohibited at all times under both city regulations and South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) Rule 444. Wood-burning recreational fires must use clean, dry, seasoned wood and must not produce excessive smoke that creates a nuisance to neighbors. The Huntington Beach Fire Department may issue no-burn orders during red flag conditions or SCAQMD curtailment days.

Huntington Beach permits the use of portable and permanently installed fire pits on private residential property subject to California Fire Code requirements and local setback rules. Fire pits must maintain a minimum 15-foot clearance from structures, fences, and combustible materials. Gas-fueled (propane or natural gas) fire pits are generally preferred by the city and are exempt from SCAQMD wood-burning curtailment restrictions. Wood-burning fire pits must comply with SCAQMD Rule 444 and use only clean, dry, seasoned wood. Huntington Beach is also known for its beach fire pits at Bolsa Chica State Beach and Huntington City Beach, which are managed separately by state and city parks departments.

Huntington Beach enforces a 72-hour maximum parking limit on all public streets. Vehicles may not remain parked in the same location for more than 72 consecutive hours without being moved. Street sweeping restrictions are enforced on posted days with citations for violations. The coastal zone — particularly streets near Pacific Coast Highway, Main Street, and the Huntington Beach Pier — has metered parking and time-limited zones that are heavily enforced during summer and weekends. Overnight parking restrictions apply on certain residential streets between 2 AM and 6 AM.

Huntington Beach strictly regulates the parking and storage of recreational vehicles, boats, trailers, and campers in residential areas. RVs, boats, and trailers may not be parked on any public street for more than 72 hours and are prohibited from overnight street parking in many residential zones. On private property, these vehicles must be stored behind the front building line and screened from public view. Living or sleeping in any RV or vehicle on a public street or in a residential zone is prohibited under the city's anti-camping ordinance.

Huntington Beach requires that all vehicles parked on residential property be on a paved or approved hard surface. Parking on front lawns, bare dirt, or landscaped areas is prohibited. Vehicles in driveways may not overhang the public sidewalk. Inoperable, unregistered, or dismantled vehicles may not be stored in open view on driveways or front yard areas. Garage spaces designated as required parking must retain their parking function and may not be converted to living or storage space without proper permits and replacement parking.

Huntington Beach prohibits the parking of commercial vehicles exceeding 10,000 pounds gross vehicle weight on residential streets at any time. Smaller commercial vehicles may park on residential streets but are subject to the standard 72-hour limit. Commercial vehicles of any size may not be stored on residential property in front yard areas. Semi-trucks, tractor-trailers, and heavy construction equipment are prohibited from residential zones entirely. The city enforces designated truck routes that restrict heavy commercial vehicles to major corridors.

Huntington Beach enforces quiet hours from 10 PM to 7 AM daily under HBMC Chapter 8.40. During these hours, it is unlawful to create any noise that disturbs the peace and quiet of neighboring residents. The ordinance targets amplified music, loud gatherings, barking dogs, powered equipment, and any other sound source that is clearly audible beyond the property line during nighttime hours. Daytime noise is regulated by decibel limits and nuisance standards rather than a blanket prohibition.

Huntington Beach regulates outdoor amplified music under its noise control ordinance, prohibiting amplified sound that exceeds residential decibel limits at the property line or that is audible across residential property lines during quiet hours (10 PM to 7 AM). Bars, restaurants, and entertainment venues in the downtown and Pacific City areas must comply with conditional use permit sound conditions. Events on the beach or in public parks with amplified sound require a special event permit from the Community & Library Services Department.

Huntington Beach restricts construction activity to the hours of 7 AM to 8 PM Monday through Saturday. Construction is prohibited on Sundays and federal holidays. All construction equipment must be properly muffled and maintained to minimize noise output. The city may grant extended-hour construction permits for public works projects or emergency repairs, but private residential and commercial construction must comply with the standard schedule.

Huntington Beach establishes numerical decibel standards for exterior noise measured at the property line. Residential zones have an exterior limit of 55 dBA during the daytime (7 AM to 10 PM) and 50 dBA during the nighttime (10 PM to 7 AM). Commercial and mixed-use zones allow 65 dBA daytime and 60 dBA nighttime. Noise containing an identifiable tone, impulse, or music component may be evaluated more strictly. The city uses both objective measurement and subjective disturbance standards for enforcement.

Huntington Beach regulates the keeping of chickens and livestock through its Zoning and Subdivision Ordinance (HBZSO) and Municipal Code Title 7. As a coastal Orange County city of approximately 199,000 residents with a mix of urban, suburban, and equestrian-zoned neighborhoods, Huntington Beach permits hens in most residential zones subject to quantity limits, setback requirements, and enclosure standards. Roosters are prohibited on all standard residential lots. Larger livestock such as horses and goats are permitted only in designated equestrian overlay or agricultural zones, primarily in the inland portions of the city. All animal keeping must comply with nuisance, sanitation, and animal care standards enforced by the city's Code Enforcement Division and Orange County Animal Care.

Huntington Beach does not impose breed-specific restrictions on dog ownership. California Food and Agricultural Code Section 31683 expressly preempts all cities and counties from enacting breed-specific bans or restrictions, meaning no municipality in California — including Huntington Beach — may prohibit or restrict ownership of dogs based solely on breed. All dog owners in Huntington Beach must comply with general licensing, vaccination, leash, and nuisance requirements regardless of breed. Dogs deemed dangerous or vicious are regulated individually based on documented behavior, not breed classification.

Huntington Beach requires that all dogs be kept on a leash no longer than 6 feet when on any public street, sidewalk, park, or public area. Dogs are prohibited from Huntington City Beach and Bolsa Chica State Beach at all times, with the exception of the designated Huntington Dog Beach — a popular off-leash beach area between Seapoint Street and 21st Street on Pacific Coast Highway. At Huntington Dog Beach, dogs may be off-leash on the sand and in the surf but must be under voice control at all times. All dogs over four months of age must be licensed and vaccinated for rabies through the City of Huntington Beach.

Huntington Beach requires all short-term rental (STR) operators to obtain a Short-Term Rental Permit from the Community Development Department before listing or renting their property for stays of 30 days or fewer. The permit process includes a zoning compliance review, a safety inspection, proof of insurance, designation of a local contact person available 24/7, and payment of permit fees and Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) registration. Operating without a valid STR permit is subject to escalating fines and cease-and-desist orders.

Huntington Beach requires all STR operators to register their property with both the Community Development Department (for the STR permit) and the Finance Department (for TOT collection). Every listing on any platform must display the valid STR permit number. The City maintains a public registry of permitted STR properties and conducts proactive monitoring of online listing platforms to identify unregistered operators. Operators must also maintain a guest log and make it available to the City upon request.

Huntington Beach imposes occupancy limits on short-term rentals based on the number of bedrooms in the permitted unit. The maximum overnight occupancy is generally two persons per bedroom plus two additional persons, with an absolute maximum cap. Daytime gathering limits are also enforced to prevent party houses. While the city does not impose a traditional annual night cap limiting the number of rental nights per year, the comprehensive permitting and enforcement framework functions as an effective operational constraint on STR activity.

Huntington Beach establishes maximum fence and wall heights based on location on the property and zoning district. In residential zones, front yard fences are limited to 42 inches (3.5 feet). Side and rear yard fences may be up to 6 feet in height. Within the Coastal Zone overlay, additional design review may be required for fences that could obstruct public views of the ocean. Corner lots require sight-distance triangles at intersections. Barbed wire, razor wire, and electrified fencing are prohibited on residential properties.

In Huntington Beach, wood and chain-link fences up to 6 feet in height generally do not require a building permit but must still comply with zoning setback and height regulations. Masonry, concrete block, and brick walls exceeding 3.5 feet in height require a building permit with structural engineering plans. Any fence or wall exceeding 6 feet requires a building permit. Properties within the Coastal Zone overlay may require additional Coastal Development Permits or design review regardless of fence height or materials.

Boundary fences between neighboring properties in Huntington Beach are governed by California Civil Code Section 841, the Good Neighbor Fence Act. Adjoining property owners are presumed to share equally in the reasonable costs of constructing, maintaining, and replacing a shared boundary fence. A property owner planning fence work must provide the neighbor with at least 30 days' written notice before starting. Huntington Beach's local zoning standards — including height limits, the Coastal Zone overlay, and prohibited materials — still apply regardless of any private neighbor agreement.

Huntington Beach regulates tree trimming and removal through Municipal Code Chapter 12.56 and the city's Public Works Department urban forestry program. Property owners are responsible for maintaining trees on their private property in a safe, healthy condition and for trimming branches that overhang public sidewalks or obstruct traffic sight lines. Street trees located in the public right-of-way are managed by the city, and residents may not trim, remove, or significantly alter any street tree without prior written authorization from the Huntington Beach Public Works Department. Removal of mature trees on private property may require review under the city's landscape and environmental standards depending on the tree species and size.

Huntington Beach requires property owners to maintain lawns and landscaped areas in a neat, well-kept condition as part of the city's property maintenance standards. Municipal Code Title 17 and the city's nuisance abatement provisions prohibit allowing grass, weeds, and other vegetation to grow to excessive heights that create unsightly conditions or harbor pests. Grass and vegetation on residential properties must generally be kept below 12 inches in height. The city's Code Enforcement Division responds to complaints and conducts proactive inspections, particularly during the dry summer months when overgrown vegetation creates fire hazard concerns in the coastal and hillside areas of the city.

Huntington Beach requires property owners to control weeds and overgrown vegetation on their properties under Municipal Code Title 17 property maintenance provisions and the city's seasonal weed abatement program. Weeds, dry brush, dead vegetation, and combustible plant material that accumulate on any property — whether developed or vacant — constitute a nuisance and potential fire hazard. The Huntington Beach Fire Department works with the Code Enforcement Division to administer an annual weed abatement program, sending notices to owners of properties identified as having excessive weed growth and requiring clearance before the summer fire season.

Huntington Beach permits home occupations in residential zones under the standards established in the Huntington Beach Zoning and Subdivision Ordinance (HBZSO) Chapter 230. Home-based businesses must be clearly incidental and secondary to the residential use of the dwelling, conducted entirely within the enclosed living area of the residence, and must not change the residential character of the property or neighborhood. A Huntington Beach business license is required for all home occupations. The business may not employ non-resident workers at the home location, must not generate customer or delivery traffic beyond what is normal for a residential street, and must comply with restrictions on signage, storage, and outdoor activity.

Huntington Beach strictly prohibits all exterior signage for home-based businesses. Under the Huntington Beach Zoning and Subdivision Ordinance (HBZSO) Chapter 230, a home occupation must not alter the exterior appearance of the residence or produce any visible evidence of commercial activity from the street, sidewalk, or neighboring properties. No signs of any type — including window signs, door placards, banners, flags, A-frame signs, vehicle-mounted signs parked for advertising purposes, or illuminated signs — may be displayed on the property or in the yard to advertise a home occupation. The prohibition reflects the city's priority of preserving the visual character of its residential neighborhoods, particularly in the high-value coastal areas.

Huntington Beach imposes strict limits on customer and client traffic generated by home-based businesses. Under the HBZSO Chapter 230 home occupation standards, a home business must not generate pedestrian or vehicle traffic, parking demand, or delivery frequency that exceeds what is customary for a residential neighborhood. The practical effect is that businesses relying on regular customer visits, client appointments at the home, or frequent commercial deliveries are not viable as home occupations in Huntington Beach. The city does not provide a conditional use permit pathway to expand customer traffic allowances — businesses requiring walk-in customers or regular client visits must operate from commercially zoned premises.