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

Imperial County allows garage and yard sales as an accessory residential activity under the Title 9 zoning chapters. The conditions appear in identical form across the residential zones, including §90502.14 (R-1 Low Density Residential) and §90503.14 (R-2). Garage or yard sales are permitted without special use permits provided they meet all of the following: the sale lasts no longer than two consecutive days; sales are held no more than two times a year; the sale is contained within the property; and no goods purchased for re-sale are evident (which separates a true garage sale from an unpermitted retail business). Directional signs are regulated: they must be removed immediately after the sale ends, may not exceed nine square feet, may be placed in the public right-of-way only if they do not interfere with traffic, require the property owner's (not a tenant's) permission on private property, and may not be posted on utility poles or highway/directional signs. Any directional or other sign not removed within 24 hours after the sale ends is subject to a $50.00 fine. Violation of any of the garage-sale conditions is a misdemeanor and may be cited as such (§90502.14, subsection K). Because the desert unincorporated area is largely residential and agricultural, these rules are the county's main control on yard-sale frequency and signage.