Santa Barbara County, CA Landscaping Rules: Weed Ordinances (2026)
Key Facts
- Mowing standard
- Remove weeds or mow to under 4 inches (Standard #6 §3.4.1)
- Roadside clearance
- Flammable vegetation to 4 in. max, 10 ft each side of road (§8.4)
- Legal basis
- County Code Ch. 15 (Fire Code §4911); PRC §4291
- Ground-cover exemption
- Green grass, ivy, succulents that don't transmit fire
- Abatement notice
- Not less than 10 days to comply after order
Summary
In unincorporated Santa Barbara County there is no general lawn-mowing height rule, but the County Fire Department's hazard-reduction standard requires all parcels to remove weeds or mow them to a height of less than four inches. Cultivated green ground cover that does not readily transmit fire is exempt.
Using surface measurements, clearance from all structures shall not be less than 100 feet or to your property line, whichever is closer. Within the 100-foot perimeter, all brush, flammable vegetation, or combustible growth shall be modified... Discing and rototilling are acceptable methods for removing small types of vegetation.
Full Breakdown
Santa Barbara County does not publish a county-wide cosmetic lawn-height limit for occupied residential yards. Instead, grass and weed height is regulated for fire safety. 4 requires flammable vegetation to be trimmed to a maximum height of four inches, or removed entirely, for at least ten feet on each side of the road. These requirements implement Chapter 15 of the County Code (Fire Prevention, Ordinance No. 5170 adopting the 2022 California Fire Code) and California Public Resources Code Section 4291. The Chapter 15 amendment (Fire Code Section 4911) authorizes the fire chief to declare a parcel a fire hazard and order combustible vegetation cut or removed.
Cultivated ground cover such as green grass, ivy or succulents that does not form a means of readily transmitting fire is expressly exempt. So the four-inch standard is a wildfire-fuel rule, not a tidiness rule, and applies countywide in the unincorporated Fire District.
Violations & Fines
Failure to abate after a fire-hazard order (served with not less than ten days to comply) is an infraction under County Code Chapter 15, Article VI. The Fire Department may enter, abate the hazard by cutting, burning or removing material, and add the cost to the parcel's property-tax bill. Weed-abatement inspection fees and fines apply per the Fire Department fee schedule.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a fixed lawn height limit in unincorporated Santa Barbara County?
Does a green, irrigated lawn violate the four-inch rule?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Santa Barbara County
How Santa Barbara County compares: Cities with the Strictest Weed and Property Maintenance Rules·California rules heatmap·Compare Santa Barbara County to another location·View the California landscaping rules overview
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