Sonoma County, CA Invasive Plant Rules: Prohibited Species (2026)
Key Facts
- Core rule
- Invasive plants banned in covered landscapes
- Standard used
- California Invasive Plant Inventory rating
- Applies to
- New/rehabbed landscapes needing permit or design review
- Enforced by
- PRMD landscape plan check and inspection
- Exempt
- Historic sites, ecological restoration, botanical gardens
Summary
Sonoma County bans invasive plants rated moderate or higher on the California Invasive Plant Inventory from any new or rehabilitated landscape project that needs a building or grading permit or design review.
All landscape projects subject to the provisions of this chapter shall comply with the following standards. A. Plants. ... 5. Invasive plants are prohibited.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 64 Update 2).
Full Breakdown
Chapter 7D3's water-efficient landscape standards flatly prohibit invasive plants, defined by Sec. 7D3-8 as any species on the California Invasive Plant Inventory, in every landscape plan the Permit and Resource Management Department reviews, from new commercial sites to homeowner additions over 400 square feet. The county names Himalayan blackberry, giant reed (Arundo donax), salt cedar and star thistle as examples elsewhere in the code. The rule cuts both ways: the grading ordinance separately bars invasive species from erosion revegetation and excludes removing them from the permit-triggering definition of 'vegetation removal,' so owners can pull invasive plants without a grading permit.
Violations & Fines
Planting or specifying a California Invasive Plant Inventory species in a covered landscape plan fails the Permit and Resource Management Department's plan check and inspection, blocking final approval and the certificate of completion until it is removed or replaced.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I plant Himalayan blackberry or Arundo donax on my Sonoma County property?
Does the ban apply to my existing yard if I'm not doing new landscaping?
Do I need a permit to remove invasive plants from my land?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Sonoma County
California rules heatmap·Compare Sonoma County to another location·View the California invasive plant rules overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.