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

The County's published code-enforcement materials and Ordinance Code do not set out a dedicated garage-sale or yard-sale permit scheme for the unincorporated area, unlike many cities that cap the number of sales per year. An occasional household garage sale is generally treated as an incidental, temporary residential activity rather than a regulated business. However, several general rules still apply. Repeated or continuous outdoor selling can cross into an unpermitted commercial use under the County Zoning Ordinance, and impermissible outdoor storage or display tied to such activity may be cited as blight under Division B38 (for example, accumulations visible from the street). Temporary signage advertising a sale is also constrained: signs placed in the County road right-of-way are subject to County sign and encroachment rules and can be removed. Because no specific garage-sale ordinance is published, the practical guidance is that genuinely occasional, short-duration sales on your own residential property are permissible, while frequent, large-scale, or quasi-retail sales risk zoning and blight enforcement. Residents with a specific situation should confirm with the County Department of Planning and Development, which handles code enforcement in the unincorporated area at (408) 299-5700.