Pasadena, CA

Pasadena bars powered construction equipment near residential districts outside 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. weekdays and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays under Municipal Code Section 9.36.070, with…

Pasadena prohibits keeping any animal or fowl that, by sound, cry or behavior, causes annoyance or discomfort to a reasonable person in a residential neighborhood, under Municipal Code…

Pasadena requires anyone using a loudspeaker or sound amplifying equipment on a street, sidewalk, park or public property to file a registration statement with the director of finance…

Pasadena caps interior noise in multifamily units at 60 dBA from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. and 50 dBA from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. under Municipal Code Section 9.36.060. Citywide, Section 9.36.050…

Pasadena bans gas-powered leaf blowers. Electric blowers limited to 65 dBA at 50 ft. Operating hours: Mon-Fri 8 AM-6 PM, Sat 9 AM-5 PM, no Sundays. Max 15 min/hour on parcels under 1/2…

Pasadena bars operating a radio, TV, phonograph or musical instrument in any residential zone between 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. if it disturbs neighbors' peace, under Municipal Code…

Los Angeles County requires new residential construction, additions, and repairs in unincorporated areas within the 65 dB CNEL noise zone around LAX to meet Title 26 sound-insulation…

Sound vehicles (trucks or other vehicles equipped with loudspeakers or sound-amplifying devices for advertising) in unincorporated LA County cannot operate on public highways between…

Pasadena bans homeowners and tenants from keeping a beehive, nest or swarm that could endanger public health or safety, under the insect control measures in Section 8.28.110. The ban…

Pasadena requires every dog off its owner's property to be confined by a leash no longer than six feet under Municipal Code Section 6.12.010, unless it's inside a car or within the…

Pasadena requires every dog and cat over six months old to be spayed or neutered under Municipal Code Section 6.09.010, unless the owner holds a veterinarian's infirmity waiver, an…

Pasadena caps backyard flocks at 10 birds or rabbits total, bans roosters outright, and requires registering chickens with the poundmaster under Municipal Code Section 6.20.032…

Pasadena doesn't license or leash cats the way it does dogs, but Municipal Code Section 6.24.020 keeps cat breeding and cat kennels away from neighbors: no breeding cat within 300 feet…

Pasadena's 1964 pigeon feeding ordinance, Municipal Code Chapter 6.28, declares it a nuisance to feed pigeons on any public street or in the civic center, or to feed a pigeon that…

Pasadena bans displaying animals for sale, adoption, barter, or exchange on any public sidewalk under Municipal Code Section 6.40.035, but exempts government agencies, nonprofit…

Pasadena's Zoning Code does not list stand-alone pet grooming as its own permitted use. Section 17.50.050(B) allows grooming only as an incidental use to a licensed animal hospital…

Pasadena regulates veterinary clinics as "Animal Hospitals" under Zoning Code Section 17.50.050, which requires every facility to be fully enclosed, soundproofed, and air conditioned…

Pasadena does not have breed-specific legislation. California state law (Food and Agricultural Code § 31683) preempts local breed-specific bans. Dogs are regulated based on individual…

California has some of the strictest exotic animal laws in the nation. Ferrets, hedgehogs, sugar gliders, and most wild animals are prohibited as pets. Pasadena follows state law…

Feeding coyotes, raccoons, foxes, opossums, or ground squirrels is a misdemeanor in unincorporated Los Angeles County, with only narrow exceptions for trapped or injured animals.

In unincorporated LA County (and contract cities), keeping animals in unsanitary conditions or in a way that becomes a hazard or nuisance violates County Code § 10.40.010: a…

In the Santa Monica Mountains North Area of unincorporated LA County, any vegetation removal or construction near nesting habitat requires a biologist nest survey within 30 days of…

All dogs and cats four months of age or older in unincorporated LA County must be implanted with a microchip, and owners must register the chip number with the Department.

Pasadena lets residents compost organic waste on site instead of using the city's organics cart, but caps informal or community composting at 100 cubic yards and 750 square feet under…

Pasadena treats grass over 10 inches tall as 'overgrown vegetation' and a public nuisance under its property maintenance code, while a separate 1934 weed abatement ordinance lets the…

Rainwater harvesting is legal and encouraged in California. No permit required for rain barrels. Pasadena's LID requirements encourage on-site water retention. Pasadena Water & Power…

Removing a protected tree on private property in Pasadena requires a city permit under Municipal Code Section 8.52.070(B). The city manager must deny the permit unless one of six…

Pasadena Water and Power enforces water conservation measures year-round. Outdoor watering is limited to specific days and times. The city offers rebates for turf removal and…

Pasadena has a strong urban forestry program. Property owners must maintain trees to provide clearance over sidewalks (8 feet) and streets (14 feet). City-owned street trees are…

Artificial turf is permitted in Pasadena as a drought-tolerant landscaping option. CA Gov Code 65595 prohibits cities from banning drought-tolerant landscaping. Pasadena Water & Power…

Pasadena's Landscape Standards direct commercial, industrial, hillside and multi-family projects to favor drought-tolerant and native plant species, cap ornamental turf at 20% of…

Pasadena limits when a home-based business can receive customers. Zoning Code Section 17.50.110(J) bars any home occupation from accepting walk-in clients, restricting visits to prior…

Pasadena requires Zoning Administrator approval before anyone opens a large family day-care home for 9 to 14 children in a residential zone. Municipal Code Section 17.50.080.A sets a…

Running a business from a Pasadena home requires a nontransferable Home Occupation Permit under Zoning Code Section 17.50.110, which caps the use at 500 square feet, limits staff to…

Pasadena bans any on-site sign advertising a home occupation business, even though the underlying activity itself is permitted with a Home Occupation Permit. Municipal Code Section…

Government Code section 51035 forbids any California city, county, or city and county from prohibiting a cottage food operation in a residential dwelling. The local agency must pick…

California lets home cooks sell meals from their own kitchen under a microenterprise home kitchen operation (MEHKO) permit, capped at 30 meals a day, 90 a week, and $100,000 in annual…

Pasadena requires the property owner to live on-site when a Junior Accessory Dwelling Unit shares a bathroom or kitchen sanitation facility with the main house. Section 17.50.275.E.3…

Accessory dwelling units and Junior ADUs built or legalized in Pasadena on or after January 1, 2017 cannot be rented short-term. Section 17.50.275.C.1 requires every rental term to run…

Pasadena lets homeowners convert an attached garage into a Junior Accessory Dwelling Unit or full ADU without meeting standard setbacks, as long as the converted space keeps its…

Pasadena allows one detached ADU, one attached or detached conversion ADU, and one Junior ADU per single-family lot in every zoning district that permits residential use. Section…

Pasadena exempts accessory dwelling units of 900 square feet or less from both its traffic reduction and transportation improvement fee and its residential impact (park) fee. Larger…

Backyard sheds, garages and other accessory structures in Pasadena residential zones answer to Section 17.50.250, which caps height at nine feet within two feet of a property line…

Pasadena bans burning weeds or rubbish to clear a property, public or private, under Section 8.48.120 of the weed abatement ordinance. The only alternative to hand or machine clearing…

Pasadena requires a construction-documents filing whenever a single LP-gas container exceeds 20 gallons of water capacity or the combined capacity of multiple containers on one…

Pasadena makes it unlawful to possess, sell, use or discharge any fireworks, including Class C 'safe and sane' fireworks, without both a fire chief permit and a state pyrotechnic…

Pasadena has significant wildland-urban interface areas in its northern hillside neighborhoods near the Angeles National Forest. The 2025 Eaton Fire underscored wildfire risk…

Pasadena's Fire Prevention Code, amending 2024 International Fire Code Section 307.4.3, bars portable outdoor fireplaces from operating within 15 feet of a structure or combustible…

Pasadena enforces 100 ft defensible space per CA PRC 4291 in fire hazard zones. Zone 1 (0-30 ft) and Zone 2 (30-100 ft) requirements apply. Annual brush clearance inspections are…

Pasadena's director of transportation may designate loading zones and passenger loading zones outside businesses, schools and assembly halls, but no more than half of a block's total…

Pasadena paints curbs red, yellow, white, green and blue to signal parking rules, each with its own meaning under Section 10.40.120, from an absolute red no-stopping zone to a blue…

Pasadena bars parking any vehicle on a residential front yard or setback, paved or not, including lawns, unless the vehicle sits on an improved driveway that leads to covered parking…

Pasadena Municipal Code Section 10.40.190 bars parking or leaving standing any commercial vehicle or trailer of 10,000 pounds gross vehicle weight or more on a residential street, with…

Pasadena's Preferential Parking Ordinance lets residents of a city council-designated district obtain a permit exempting their vehicle from posted district parking hours or time limits…

Pasadena bars parking or storing oversized vehicles, RVs, trailers and boats anywhere except covered parking or a paved rear-yard area. If the rear yard is inaccessible, driveway…

Pasadena requires EV-ready infrastructure in new construction per California Green Building Standards (CALGreen). Pasadena Water & Power offers EV charging programs and incentives. The…

Pasadena has extensive metered and permit parking. Vehicles may not remain parked in one spot on a public street for more than 72 hours. Residential permit parking zones restrict…

Pasadena bars any vehicle from sitting on a city street or alley between 2:00 a.m. and 6:00 a.m., and commercial vehicles face a longer 10:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. window, under Section…

Pasadena prohibits overnight parking on city streets between 2 AM and 6 AM under PMC Chapter 10.44. Abandoned vehicles are removed pursuant to California Vehicle Code Sections…

Los Angeles County regulates non-consent towing only in its unincorporated territory, not in the 88 incorporated cities, and its Title 15 traffic ordinance is about when a vehicle may…

Pasadena requires a building permit from the Permit Center for any block wall over 48 inches of exposed height, per Municipal Code Section 14.03.060.B.1.b; shorter walls may instead…

Retaining walls built to support cuts or fills on Pasadena hillside lots cannot exceed a cumulative height of 8 feet, and freeboard is capped at 6 inches and counted toward that limit…

Pasadena caps fence and wall height by location on the lot: six feet in interior side and rear setbacks, four feet in the front setback, and just 30 inches within the driveway…

Pasadena bans barbed wire, concertina wire and razor wire on residential fences and walls outright, under Zoning Code Section 17.40.180.B.2.i, and separately restricts spiked fence…

Pasadena does not require neighbor consent for fence installation. Under California Civil Code, boundary fences are a shared responsibility. The good neighbor rule suggests the…

Pasadena outlaws 'vacation rentals,' meaning any dwelling that isn't the operator's primary residence rented out for pay, under Section 17.50.296(D). Only a host's actual primary…

Un-hosted short-term rentals in Pasadena, where the host is off-site for the whole stay, are capped at 90 days per calendar year under Section 17.50.296(F)(4). Hosted stays, where the…

Pasadena requires every short-term rental to avoid noise, vibration, glare, or odors that interfere with neighbors' enjoyment of their homes, and ties that duty directly to the…

Any Pasadena host must obtain a short-term rental permit from the planning and community development department before renting a primary residence to a paying guest for 30 days or…

Pasadena's short-term rental ordinance splits stays into two categories based on whether the host is on-site: a 'hosted stay' requires the host to remain on the property throughout the…

Pasadena caps every short-term rental at two guests per bedroom plus two more, regardless of the unit's size. Municipal Code Section 17.50.296.F.5 sets the hard ceiling, and hosts who…

Pasadena tracks violations against short-term rental properties, not just hosts. Rack up three violations at the same address and the city can automatically suspend the permit, with…

STR operators in Pasadena must provide parking information to guests. Guest vehicles must comply with city parking rules including permit zones and overnight restrictions.

Pasadena hosts must collect a 7% transient occupancy tax from every short-term rental guest and remit it to the tax administrator, on top of complying with the permit process in…

In unincorporated LA County, hosting platforms must block Short-Term Rental bookings unless the host holds a valid County registration certificate, post that certificate number on…

California requires hosting platforms to warn hosts to check their lease and insurance before listing (Business and Professions Code 22592), and AB 537 requires short-term lodging…

Swimming pool construction in Pasadena requires a building permit and may require a zoning permit for compliance with setback and coverage standards. Applications must demonstrate…

Hot tubs and spas in Pasadena require a building permit and must meet electrical and plumbing codes. Hard covers may satisfy barrier requirements. The CA Pool Safety Act applies to…

Pasadena sorts every business into a tax class under Municipal Code Chapter 5.16, and the rate depends on which one applies. General retailers, wholesalers, manufacturers and utilities…

Pasadena requires a director-issued permit before any restaurant sets up outdoor dining in the public right-of-way, and the director must make eight separate findings before granting…

Pasadena's parklet rules cap extension into the street at 7 feet from parallel-parking curbs or 15 feet for diagonal parking, and restrict parklets to streets with a 25 mph or lower…

Commercial filming, professional photography, and videotaping anywhere in Pasadena require a Filming Permit under Zoning Code Section 17.61.090. Short-term shoots are cleared…

Pasadena treats a block party as a permitted use of the street under its excavation and street-use ordinance. Organizers file a written application with the city engineer and pay a…

Holding a parade, march or procession on a Pasadena street requires a permit from the city manager before the event. Municipal Code Section 3.20.010 also reaches street musicians…

Reserving a Pasadena park facility for a private event requires a permit and prepaid fees before use begins. Anyone wanting a football field, baseball diamond, tennis court, swimming…

Unincorporated LA County requires a Special Events Permit for street fairs, carnivals, and festivals; a Short-Term Special Events Permit caps sponsor-run fairs at six weekends or seven…

Pasadena requires a separate permit from the building official before any electrical work regulated by the adopted California Electrical Code proceeds, under Section 14.03.060 of the…

Pasadena's Childhood Lead Hazard Reduction Ordinance lets the city health officer order lead abatement whenever a child under 6 tests at or above 15 micrograms of lead per deciliter of…

Pasadena requires a separate plumbing permit for plumbing work regulated by the city's Building Code, issued by the Building Official in the Planning and Community Development…

Pasadena requires a separate building permit from the Building Official before erecting, altering, repairing, moving, or demolishing any structure or building service equipment…

Every permitted job in Pasadena must stay accessible for inspection by the Building Official until approved, and work cannot proceed past an inspected stage without sign-off, under…

Pasadena enforces the 2025 California Green Building Standards Code citywide as part of the full 2025 California Building Standards Code package adopted under Municipal Code Section…

Pasadena requires an approved automatic fire sprinkler system in all new construction of buildings and structures under Municipal Code Section 14.04.025, amending California Building…

Child day-care centers in Pasadena must provide at least 75 square feet of outdoor play space per child, keep that play area 25 feet from neighboring homes, and enclose it behind a…

Pasadena limits new house size to 35 percent above the median home size within a 500-foot radius under its Single-Family Compatibility Permit program. Municipal Code Section 17.22.040…

Any host operating a short-term rental in Pasadena must install carbon monoxide detectors before the city will approve a permit, and keep them maintained for as long as the rental…

In unincorporated Los Angeles County, swinging entry doors on dwellings and single-tenant areas must carry a keyed deadbolt meeting Title 26 Chapter 67's forced-entry standards. A…

Operating a massage establishment in Pasadena requires a permit from the license collector under Municipal Code Chapter 5.48, on top of a regular business license. Applicants must be…

A sexually oriented business in Pasadena, an adult bookstore, cabaret, motion picture theater, semi-nude model studio or sexual device shop, needs a city permit for the business and…

Every tobacco retailer in Pasadena, including vape and e-cigarette sellers, needs a separate tobacco retailer's license for each location under Municipal Code Chapter 5.74. The license…

Pasadena pawnbrokers need a $50 annual license certificate under Municipal Code Chapter 5.56, and must report every pledged or purchased item to the police twice a week and hold each…

Secondhand goods and jewelry dealers in Pasadena pay $10 a year for a license certificate under Municipal Code Chapter 5.56, separate from the higher pawnbroker fee, and must report…

Pasadena requires any company that performs police-ordered towing or impound work for the Pasadena Police Department or Department of Transportation to hold a city council-granted…

Pasadena treats tattoo parlors and piercing studios as a 'Personal Services, Restricted' land use, which means a Conditional Use Permit and a 500-foot buffer from any other restricted…

In unincorporated Los Angeles County, running an auto repair business from a house is flatly illegal. County Code Table 22.140.290-A names automotive repair, painting, body/fender…

Pasadena charges every hotel guest a 7% transient occupancy tax on rent, collected by the operator and remitted to the city's tax administrator. The tax applies to any stay of 30…

Hotel and janitorial employers in unincorporated LA County must offer available positions in writing to laid-off workers who qualify, prioritized by seniority, giving them at least 10…

Hotel employers in unincorporated LA County must pay room attendants double their regular rate for every hour worked on any day their cleaning workload exceeds 3,500 square feet (for…

Pasadena parks close to loitering between 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. citywide, and three Arroyo Seco parks close from dusk to dawn instead. Municipal Code Section 3.24.110.A.23 bars…

Pasadena bars minors from public streets, parks, and other public places between 10:00 p.m. and sunrise under a nighttime curfew, and during school hours, 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on…

Pasadena bills the person responsible for a party, gathering or event when police respond a second time within 12 hours under Municipal Code Section 9.43.020. After more than two…

Pasadena bans smoking in a list of specific outdoor public places, including shopping mall common areas, the unenclosed patios of bars and restaurants, service waiting lines, outdoor…

Pasadena bans drinking any alcoholic beverage on a public street, alley, sidewalk or right-of-way, and on private property open to public view without the owner's consent, under…

Pasadena makes it a misdemeanor to urinate or defecate on any street, sidewalk, alley, plaza, park, public building or publicly maintained facility, or anywhere else open to the public…

Pasadena's municipal code bars pedestrians from crossing anywhere except a marked crosswalk inside the city's business districts, and everywhere else requires crossing at right angles…

Pasadena Municipal Code Chapter 10.61 lets the police chief regulate or ban skateboards, roller skates, scooters and electric personal assistive mobility devices on any roadway…

Los Angeles County bans loitering on any County-operated beach, including Venice, Zuma, and Dockweiler, between midnight and 6 a.m., regardless of whether the beach sits in…

In unincorporated Los Angeles County, Code Section 11.64.030 bans smoking or vaping cannabis in public beaches, elevators, buses, museums, libraries, public meeting rooms, and near…

Los Angeles County bans aggressive solicitation in every County-owned or -operated park, whether the park sits in incorporated or unincorporated territory: covering blocking…

Anyone soliciting contributions for a charitable purpose in Pasadena, including door-to-door canvassing, needs a permit from the city manager under Municipal Code Chapter 5.34…

Pasadena residents may post 'No Soliciting' signs to deter unwanted door-to-door solicitation. Solicitors who ignore posted signs may be subject to citation. Business license…

Pasadena's drone ordinance bars flying, launching, or landing a drone over any special event or active filming permit location while the event or permit is underway, unless the…

Pasadena's drone ordinance, Chapter 9.45 of the Municipal Code, bars flying a drone recklessly over public streets and sidewalks and bans drone takeoff, operation, or landing over…

Pasadena's Stormwater Management and Discharge Control Ordinance bars any discharge into the municipal storm drain system other than rainwater. The Department of Public Works and…

Pasadena's Floodplain Management Regulations apply to every area the floodplain administrator identifies as flood-prone within city limits, and Section 14.27.060 bars any construction…

Pasadena requires new construction and substantial improvements on flood-prone sites to be anchored against flotation, collapse and lateral movement from hydrodynamic and hydrostatic…

Pasadena's local Flammable Vegetation ordinance bans combustible weeds, trees and brush within 100 feet of any building, caps grass and light weeds at 18 inches within 30 feet of a…

Pasadena requires an erosion and off-site sedimentation control design plan before the building official will issue a grading permit. The plan must show how drainage is directed off…

Pasadena is an inland city approximately 15 miles from the coast. California Coastal Commission regulations do not apply. No coastal development permits are required.

In unincorporated Los Angeles County, marinas, docks, piers, and boat launches need a Conditional Use Permit in the Open Space (O-S) zone and are barred outright in the A-1, A-2, R-R…

Pasadena requires every household and business to keep food scraps and other organic waste out of the trash can. Municipal Code Section 8.66.040(b) makes single-family generators place…

Every solid waste franchise operating in Pasadena must offer recycling to all its customers and collect recyclables at least weekly under Municipal Code Section 8.61.170. Franchisees…

Pasadena defines yard waste narrowly and requires it to go in its own city-issued cart. Municipal Code Section 8.60.020(FF) covers grass clippings, leaves and branches no wider than 3…

Pasadena bans leaving any bulky item, solid waste, abandoned vehicle or discarded material of any kind in a public right-of-way, including the planting strip between curb and sidewalk…

Every roll-off box, debris box or dumpster placed in Pasadena must belong to a franchised hauler and meet the city's bin standards. Municipal Code Section 8.61.098 lets the public…

The City of Pasadena is the exclusive trash hauler for single-family homes and buildings with four or fewer units under Municipal Code Section 8.60.025(A). The director of public works…

Pasadena residents may not put regulation trash carts at the curb before 7 a.m. the day before pickup and must pull them back out of street view by 7 a.m. the next morning, under…

Pasadena automatically enrolls every single-family household in a mandatory three-cart system under Municipal Code Chapter 8.66, adopted to meet the state's SB 1383 organic-waste…

Pasadena provides curbside trash, recycling, and green waste collection through the Public Works Department. SB 1383 requires organic waste diversion. Collection schedules vary by…

Pasadena residents get bulky item pickups through a director-run notice program, not on-demand curbside placement. Under Municipal Code Section 8.60.100, the public works director sets…

Pasadena requires parkway, median and traffic-island trees to match the city's master street tree plan. Municipal Code Section 8.52.085(G) makes it unlawful to plant any species other…

Pasadena's tree ordinance lists thirteen native species, including coast live oak and California sycamore, that are automatically protected once their trunk exceeds 8 inches in…

Pasadena protects landmark trees citywide under Municipal Code Chapter 8.52. Any person or city agency may nominate a tree to the historic preservation commission for landmark…

Pasadena property owners must repair sidewalk sections that abut or front their land once the city engineer posts and mails a repair notice. Owners get 10 days to start the work; if…

Pasadena bars anyone from using a public sidewalk, street or alley to display goods, leave boxes or equipment, or set up a sales stand without a city permit or license agreement…

Before digging, building, or placing anything in a Pasadena street or sidewalk right-of-way, you need a written application and a permit from the city engineer under Municipal Code…

Every retail food establishment in Pasadena, from restaurants to bakeries and markets, must post the health department's inspection summary report where patrons can see it. Chapter…

Pasadena property owners must keep buildings and lots ratproofed and free of rodent harborage under the rat and insect control ordinance, Chapter 8.28. Dumping rubbish that could feed…

In unincorporated LA County, rental properties with two or more units must have landlords treat every adjacent unit for bed bugs once an infestation is confirmed, under the county's…

Under California Health and Safety Code §113948, every food handler in LA County must obtain an ANSI-accredited food handler card within 30 days of hire. Cards are valid for three…

Pasadena requires owners of vacant or unimproved lots to clear weeds and rubbish once the city posts and mails a 'Notice to Clean Premises.' Miss the 10-day deadline or lose an appeal…

Pasadena's Slumlord Ordinance lets the city declare a building with life-threatening code violations, unsanitary conditions or fire hazards a public nuisance and order it repaired…

Most unincorporated LA County areas do not receive snow. Mountain communities (e.g., Wrightwood, Mt. Baldy area) may experience snowfall but there is no county snow removal ordinance…

Pasadena marks curb space citywide as passenger loading zones with a white-painted "PASSENGER LOADING ONLY" line under Municipal Code Section 10.40.110, and Section 10.40.120.A.3 caps…

Pasadena authorizes official bike lanes on its roadways under Municipal Code Section 10.16.120 and separately caps sidewalk bicycle speed at 10 mph, or 5 mph near pedestrians, under…

A low-speed vehicle in California may not be driven on any roadway with a speed limit above 35 miles per hour. Vehicle Code section 21260 permits it to cross a faster road only where…

Pasadena requires every sidewalk food or merchandise vendor to hold a permit from the director of public works before setting up. Applications need proof of a health permit, business…

Small mobile food carts and trucks operating in Pasadena fall under California's Compact Mobile Food Operation law, which Pasadena's code incorporates by reference into its health…

Pasadena bars sidewalk vending near concession-holding parks, certified farmers' markets, licensed swap meets and any permitted special event. The Rose Parade route gets its own…

Pasadena bans sitting or standing on a street, alley, sidewalk or crosswalk in a way that hinders passage, and separately bans blocking someone's path to beg for money or approaching…

Overnight camping or parking anywhere on public Arroyo Seco land is banned without a city permit. Municipal Code Section 3.32.060.E covers the Lower Arroyo, Brookside Park area, the…

Pasadena's Central District Specific Plan, Municipal Code Chapter 17.30, sets mandatory downtown design standards for new construction across Old Pasadena, the Playhouse District…

Pasadena implements the state Density Bonus Law locally: developers who dedicate 5% of units to very-low-income households, 10% to low-income, 10% to moderate-income for-sale, or build…

Pasadena's Housing Code defines a 'substandard building' as any dwelling, guest room or premises with conditions that endanger the life, health, safety or welfare of occupants. Section…

Pasadena's Fair and Equitable Housing Charter Amendment (Article XVIII, Measure H 2022) requires just cause for eviction. 11 enumerated reasons: 7 at-fault and 4 no-fault. Termination…

Pasadena voters approved Measure H in 2022 establishing rent stabilization. The max allowable increase is 3.0% (Oct 2024-Sept 2025) and 2.25% (Oct 2025-Sept 2026). No banking of unused…

Pasadena's Rent Stabilization Department requires all rental property owners to register units and pay the Rental Housing Fee. Multi-family buildings built before 1995 are covered…

California Civil Code §1950.5, amended by AB-12 effective July 2024, caps residential security deposits at one month's rent statewide. Los Angeles County does not add a local cap…

Landlords of rent-stabilized units in unincorporated LA County must give tenants at least 30 days' written notice before any annual rent increase, and register the unit with the…

California Government Code §12955 bans housing discrimination based on a tenant's lawful source of income, including Section 8 vouchers and other rental subsidies. LA County Title 8.42…

California evictions run through the unlawful detainer process. Under Code of Civil Procedure § 1161, nonpayment requires a 3-day notice to pay rent or quit (excluding weekends and…

California Civil Code § 1954 limits when a landlord may enter a rented home. Except in emergencies, abandonment, or with tenant consent, the landlord must give reasonable written…

California sets no fixed dollar or percentage cap on rent late fees, but a late fee in a residential lease is treated as liquidated damages. Under Civil Code § 1671, such a fee is…

To end a California month-to-month tenancy, a tenant gives 30 days' written notice. A landlord gives 30 days if the tenant has lived there under a year, or 60 days if a year or more…

California adverse possession requires five years of continuous, open, hostile possession AND payment of all property taxes during that period under Code of Civil Procedure § 325. A…

Pasadena caps roofed building coverage on RS and RM-12 lots at 35 percent, or up to 40 percent if everything above 35 percent is single-story. Lots of 7,200 square feet or less carry…

Pasadena caps main structures in its RS districts at 28 feet on lots under 75 feet wide and 32 feet on wider lots, plus separate top-plate limits for each story. Municipal Code Section…

Pasadena's RS and RM-12 development standards set side setbacks at 10 percent of lot width (5 to 10 feet), corner-side setbacks at 10 percent of lot width (10 to 25 feet), and rear…

When Pasadena's enforcement officer receives a report that a building is substandard, Section 14.12.100 requires an examination and, if the conditions are confirmed, a written notice…

Pasadena requires every multifamily residential property of three or more units, plus boarding and rooming houses, to hold a quadrennial certificate of inspection before any unit can…

Pasadena allows commercial cannabis retail but tightly rations it: Municipal Code Section 17.50.066(D) caps the city at six licensed retailers total, no more than three per council…

Pasadena's cannabis ordinance keeps retailers and cultivation sites hundreds of feet from homes, schools, and each other. Municipal Code Section 17.50.066(D)(5) sets a 600-foot buffer…

Under CA Prop 64, adults 21+ may grow up to 6 plants indoors for personal use. Pasadena's commercial cannabis ordinance (PMC 5.78) regulates commercial activity but cannot override the…

Adults 21 and older in unincorporated LA County may cultivate up to six living cannabis plants per private residence under California Proposition 64, with plants kept indoors or in a…

Pasadena bans electrical billboard, sign, and decorative lighting outright under Section 13.08.010, then carves out a narrow exception: Section 13.08.020 lets a billboard be lit only…

Pasadena requires all exterior lighting on private property to be shielded, energy-efficient and directed downward and away from adjoining properties, per Municipal Code Section…

Pasadena caps how much artificial light can spill onto neighboring residential land: Municipal Code Section 17.40.080.A bars any private lighting from producing more than one…

Pasadena's Zoning Code bans electronic message signs and off-site outdoor advertising billboards in every zoning district. Municipal Code Section 17.48.130 lists them among prohibited…

Pasadena limits how much of a storefront window can be covered by signage. Municipal Code Section 17.48.120(B) caps combined permanent and temporary window signs at 25 percent of any…

Pasadena allows one yard or garage sale sign per street frontage, capped at 3 square feet and 4 feet tall, displayed for only two days within any 30-day period, and placed solely on…

Political signs on private property in Pasadena are protected under CA Elections Code 18310. The city regulates temporary noncommercial signs under PMC Chapter 17.48 but cannot…

In unincorporated LA County, outdoor advertising signs can't have a message face within 660 feet of a freeway or scenic highway's right-of-way if aimed at passing drivers, per County…

In unincorporated Los Angeles County, holiday decorations are exempt from the sign ordinance's ban on attention-getting devices like banners and balloons, but only if displayed in…

Pasadena treats an unfixed leak as illegal water waste. Under Municipal Code Section 13.10.032.G, once you knew or should have known about a break, leak, or malfunction in your…

New multifamily landscaping in Pasadena can't be mostly lawn. Municipal Code Section 17.44.070.C.3, the 'City of Gardens' standard for RM-district projects, caps turf at 20 percent of…

Pasadena runs a separate purple-pipe system for recycled and other non-potable water, and Chapter 13.11 makes using it mandatory for landscape and agricultural irrigation on qualifying…

Pasadena's Fire Code bans operating a portable outdoor fireplace or similar open-flame appliance within 15 feet of any structure or combustible material, unless the exception for one…

Pasadena caps garage, yard, and charity sales in residential zones at two per property every 12 months, with each sale running no more than three consecutive days. Every sale needs a…

Filming anywhere in Pasadena requires a Filming Permit issued through the Film Liaison. Short-term shoots get an administrative permit capped by days per quarter; anything longer needs…

Bull horns, gunfire, PA systems and sirens on a Pasadena film set can't violate the city's Noise Ordinance, and any request to use them goes through the Police and Fire Departments…

In unincorporated LA County, verified student film productions skip the Fire Code permit fee for filming and still-photography permits on the initial issuance.

Filming that uses the public road right-of-way in unincorporated Los Angeles County, including lane or street closures, needs a Public Works highway permit; the county charges a $468…

Pasadena's top historic-preservation tier is the historic monument. Properties already on the National Register at the state or federal level qualify automatically; everything else…

Properties within LA County's Historic District overlays must comply with special development standards, and in the Historic Highlands Historic District (Altadena, established July…

Pasadena's Expedited Permitting Procedures for Small Residential Rooftop Solar Systems ordinance requires the building official to run a ministerial, checklist-based review for…

California's Solar Rights Act (Civil Code 714) prohibits HOAs from banning solar energy systems. HOAs may impose reasonable restrictions that do not significantly increase cost or…

Residential rooftop solar installations in unincorporated LA County require a building, electrical, or plumbing permit; a combined solar energy permit covering all three disciplines…

Pasadena sets no fixed decibel ceiling. Its noise ordinance, Municipal Code Chapter 9.36, makes it unlawful for any machinery, fan, or air-conditioning device to raise noise at a…

Pasadena's zoning code has no data-center use category. A proposal is classified case-by-case into the closest existing use - Research and Development, Industry, or Communications…

Los Angeles County prohibits tobacco retailers from selling any flavored tobacco product, including menthol, mint, fruit, chocolate, vanilla, and candy flavors, as well as electronic…

Federal Tobacco 21 (Public Law 116-94) and California Business and Professions Code section 22963 bar LA County retailers from selling cigarettes, cigars, vapes, or any tobacco product…

Unincorporated LA County zones farmland A-1 Light Agricultural or A-2 Heavy Agricultural under Title 22 Chapter 22.16, permitting crops, livestock, and low-density homes through…

California Civil Code §3482.5 protects established agricultural operations from nuisance suits after three years of consistent activity. LA County applies the state rule, particularly…

California Penal Code section 25400 prohibits carrying a concealed firearm without a CCW. The LA County Sheriff issues permits to county residents under shall-issue rules following…

California Penal Code section 26350 bans open carry of unloaded handguns in incorporated areas, and section 26400 bans openly carried unloaded long guns. Most LA County cities are…

California Penal Code sections 25400 and 25610 require firearms transported by vehicle in LA County to be unloaded, with handguns inside a locked container or trunk. Long guns must be…

California preempts most local firearm regulation under Government Code 53071 and Penal Code 25605, reserving licensing, registration, and manufacture authority to the state. However…

California AB-1276 prohibits restaurants and food vendors from automatically providing single-use foodware accessories. Utensils, straws, condiments, and stirrers must only be supplied…

California prohibits grocery stores and large retailers from providing single-use plastic carryout bags under Public Resources Code 42280-42288, enacted by SB 270 (2014) and ratified…

California restricts expanded polystyrene food containers statewide through SB 54 (2022) packaging requirements under Public Resources Code 42040-42081. The law mandates that…

California Public Resources Code 42270-42273, enacted by AB 1884 (2018), prohibits full-service restaurants from providing single-use plastic straws unless requested by the customer…

California AB-1236 (Labor Code §2814) prohibits LA County and any city or county from requiring private employers to use E-Verify. Federal mandates apply only to federal contractors…

LA County has no general predictive-scheduling ordinance for unincorporated areas. California AB-1228 governs fast-food workers via the statewide Fast Food Council, and statewide…

California sets a statewide minimum wage floor under Labor Code 1182.12, $16.90 per hour for all employers as of January 2026. Local governments are not preempted and may set higher…

California's Healthy Workplaces, Healthy Families Act under Labor Code 245-249 mandates paid sick leave for nearly all employees statewide. SB 616 (2023) raised the minimum to 40 hours…

When noise from a licensed dance hall or entertainment establishment disturbs nearby residents, the Business License Commission may order soundproofing; a licensee who fails to comply…

Residential air conditioning and refrigeration equipment in unincorporated Los Angeles County may not exceed fixed decibel limits measured at the neighbor's property line, patio or…

Unincorporated Los Angeles County requires any sounding motor-vehicle burglar alarm to shut off within 15 minutes of activation, treating a longer-running alarm itself as a noise-code…

HOAs in LA County are governed by the Davis-Stirling Common Interest Development Act (Civil Code §4000–6150). Board meetings require advance notice, open sessions, and recorded…

HOAs in LA County may require architectural approval for exterior modifications under their CC&Rs, but California law limits restrictions on solar panels, drought-tolerant landscaping…

The Davis-Stirling Act regulates HOA assessments in LA County. Regular assessments may increase up to 20% annually without member vote. Special assessments exceeding 5% of budget…

The Davis-Stirling Act requires HOAs to offer internal dispute resolution (IDR) and alternative dispute resolution (ADR) before litigation. Members may request IDR meetings with the…

HOAs in LA County enforce CC&Rs through the Davis-Stirling Act. Fines require notice and hearing. CC&R amendments typically need 67% member approval. Enforcement must be uniform and…

California voids any HOA governing-document clause that effectively bans or unreasonably restricts a clothesline or drying rack in an owner's exclusive-use backyard. Civil Code Section…

Civil Code section 4735 voids any HOA rule that bans low-water plants, turf replacement, or artificial turf, and bars fines for cutting back watering during a declared drought…

Civil Code § 4745 voids any HOA covenant or governing-document rule that prohibits or unreasonably restricts installing an EV charging station in an owner's unit or designated parking…

Civil Code § 4705 bars every California homeowners association from limiting a member's display of the United States flag on their own lot or within their exclusive-use common area…

California law caps homeowners association fines at $100 per violation or the amount listed in the association's published penalty schedule, whichever is less. Civil Code section 5850…

A California homeowners association cannot foreclose on a member’s home over unpaid dues until the delinquent assessments alone reach $1,800, or until the assessments secured by the…

Civil Code § 4741 bars every California homeowners association from adopting or enforcing a rule that prohibits, or unreasonably restricts, renting out a separate interest, and sets a…

The LA County Agricultural Commissioner maintains a list of noxious weeds and invasive plant species. California's noxious weed list (Food & Agriculture Code §5004) applies countywide…

In unincorporated Los Angeles County, violating any Title 22 zoning provision, permit, or approval is a misdemeanor by default under County Code § 22.242.030, with each day of the…

Security cameras on private residential property are legal in unincorporated LA County. California is a two-party consent state for audio recording (Penal Code §632), so cameras…

California is a two-party (all-party) consent state for recording confidential communications. Under Penal Code §632, recording private conversations without consent from all parties…

California's Gambling Control Act bars any city or county from issuing a gambling license to a cardroom unless a local ordinance authorizes it first: one adopted by voters after…

California Penal Code § 326.5 lets only tax-exempt nonprofits, mobilehome park associations, senior groups, and school-affiliated charities run bingo, and only under a local city or…

California law exempts private home card games from gambling regulation entirely. Penal Code § 337j(e)(2)(D) excludes any card game played in a private home or residence from the…

California has no legal sports betting, in stores or online. Penal Code section 337a criminalizes bookmaking, pool-selling, and placing or accepting any bet on the result of a sporting…

Sobriety checkpoints are lawful in California and stopping at one is a statutory obligation, not a courtesy. Vehicle Code § 2814.2(a) requires a driver to stop and submit to a sobriety…

California is one of the few states that answers this by statute rather than by case law alone. Penal Code § 148(g) says that photographing or making an audio or video recording of a…

California has no general stop-and-identify statute. The old Penal Code § 647(e), which required a person lawfully detained to give "credible and reliable" identification, was held…

California has no statute that requires you to consent to a search of your car, and none that requires an officer to warn you that you may refuse. What the Legislature and the voters…

California works from a closed list: Vehicle Code section 24003 says no vehicle may carry any lamp or illuminating device not required or permitted by the code, so an accessory light…

California measures dash cam placement in square inches. Vehicle Code section 26708(b)(13) lets a video event recorder occupy a seven-inch square in the lower corner of the windshield…

Lane splitting is lawful in California. Vehicle Code section 21658.1, added by AB 51 in 2016, defines it as driving a motorcycle with two wheels in contact with the ground between rows…

California does not let you put a cover over your license plate. Vehicle Code section 5201(c) allows exactly two things: a full car cover on a lawfully parked vehicle, and a license…

No section of the California Vehicle Code makes it an offense for a private motorist to own, carry or use a radar detector. The prohibition in Vehicle Code section 28150 reaches only…

California permits metal studded tires only between November 1 and April 30, and only where the studs are tungsten carbide or another suitable material and the metal touching the road…

California never publishes a "legal VLT" for front side windows because it does not permit aftermarket darkening there at all. Vehicle Code section 26708(d) allows only clear…