Davis, CA Privacy & Surveillance: License Plate Readers (2026)
Key Facts
- Approval required
- City council public hearing before deployment
- Advance filing
- Impact report and policy 30 days pre-hearing
- Testing exception
- 60 days without council approval
- Immigration data-sharing
- Barred absent written consent or court order
- Annual oversight
- Written surveillance report each fiscal year
- Enforcement
- Injunction, writ of mandate, or misdemeanor
Summary
Davis requires city council approval at a public hearing before any city department, including police, can acquire or newly deploy automatic license plate readers under the Surveillance Technology Ordinance. A separate city ordinance also bars using city resources to send ALPR data, including license plate numbers, to immigration authorities without a court order.
No city department, agency, commission, officer, agent, representative, or employee may use city resources, including, but not limited to, equipment, tools, facilities, property, personnel, time, labor, or funds to: ... Communicate with immigration authorities regarding an individual's identity, including ... an individual's name, social security number, tax identification number, driver's license number, license plate number ... except as authorized in writing by the individual or their legal counsel, or pursuant to court order or judicial warrant as defined in California Government Code § 7284.4(i). ... Surveillance technology means any software, electronic device, system utilizing an electronic device, or similar ... Examples of surveillance technology, includes, but is not limited to, the following: cell site simulators (Stingrays); automatic license plate readers; gunshot detectors (ShotSpotter); facial recognition software ... A city department shall obtain city council approval following a public hearing conducted at a regular city council meeting prior to ... Acquiring new surveillance technology.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4915048; v22 updated 2026-05-19).
Full Breakdown
Article 26.07, the Surveillance Technology Ordinance, names "automatic license plate readers" as an example of covered "surveillance technology," alongside cell site simulators, ShotSpotter gunshot detectors and facial recognition software (Section 26.07.020). Before the police department or any city department can acquire ALPR cameras, use existing ones for a new purpose or location, or sign a data-sharing agreement with an outside vendor or agency, Section 26.07.030 requires city council approval at a public hearing, preceded by a surveillance impact report and a written Surveillance Use Policy covering data retention and third-party sharing, filed at least thirty days ahead.
A department may run a sixty-day test without council approval under Section 26.07.040, or use ALPR temporarily in an exigent circumstance under Section 26.07.050, but must return borrowed equipment within seven days. An annual surveillance report goes to the council each fiscal year (Section 26.07.060). Separately, Article 10.06, "Interaction with Immigration Authorities" (Ord. 2686, adopted April 7, 2026), bars any city department from using city resources to communicate a person's license plate number or other identifying information to immigration authorities except with the person's written authorization or a court order or judicial warrant as defined in California Government Code Section 7284.4(i) (Section 10.06.020(e)); city contractors must follow the same rule (Section 10.06.030).
Violations & Fines
Any violation of the Surveillance Technology Ordinance is treated as an injury: a resident can sue in state court for an injunction, declaratory relief, or a writ of mandate under Section 26.07.070 after giving the city thirty days' written notice to cure. A court awards costs and reasonable attorney's fees to the prevailing party, and a willful, malicious violation is separately a misdemeanor.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Davis police need approval before using license plate readers?
Can Davis share ALPR data with immigration authorities like ICE?
Can a department test a new camera system without council approval?
What can a resident do if Davis violates the surveillance ordinance?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Davis
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