Modoc County, CA Property Maintenance: Garage Sale Rules (2026)

No ordinance requiring a permit, charging a fee, or capping the number of garage or yard sales per year was identified in unincorporated Modoc County's fetched code materials. Because the area is unincorporated (the only city, Alturas, has its own code), the Modoc County Code is the only local rule set, and it does not appear to single out garage sales. Sales are therefore treated as generally permitted, subject to two related limits. First, nuisance and zoning: leftover merchandise, boxes, and accumulated items must not be allowed to pile up, because Chapter 18.110 of the zoning code provides that 'No trash or rubbish shall be allowed to accumulate on any lot or parcel,' and accumulated junk can be abated as a public nuisance under Title 8 (Chapters 8.20 / 8.50). Sale signs should not be left in the public right-of-way or abandoned after the sale and should be removed promptly. Second, state tax law: the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration (CDTFA) treats genuinely occasional, non-recurring sales of an individual's used personal property as not requiring a seller's permit, but a person holding frequent or ongoing sales may be considered a business and need a permit (and zoning compliance). Anyone planning recurring or large-scale sales — which can edge into a retail or home-occupation use — should confirm zoning with the Modoc County Planning Department. Because no garage-sale-specific County rule could be confirmed in a fetched source, residents should verify current requirements with Planning or code enforcement before relying on this.