Santa Clara County Smoke-Free Air Ordinance NS-300.821, codified in Title D, is among California's strongest county-level smoke-free rules. It bans tobacco, vaping, and cannabis smoking in unincorporated multi-unit housing, outdoor dining, public events, parks, and within thirty feet of doorways and air intakes.
Santa Clara County's Smoke-Free Air Ordinance NS-300.821, adopted in 2010 and expanded since, is one of the strongest county-level smoke-free frameworks in California. Title D prohibits smoking in unincorporated common areas of multi-unit housing, outdoor dining patios, public events, county parks, service areas like ATM lines and bus stops, and within thirty feet of doorways, operable windows, and air intakes of public buildings. Definitions reach combustible tobacco, electronic cigarettes, hookah, and cannabis products. The Public Health Department's Tobacco-Free Communities program, the County Sheriff, and Parks rangers enforce. Cities including Palo Alto, Mountain View, and Cupertino layer additional smoke-free housing rules on top.
Violations are infractions with administrative fines starting around $100 and rising to $500 for repeat offenses under NS-300.821. Owners and businesses that fail to post signage or stop on-premises smoking face additional Public Health citations and license consequences.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
Palo Alto, CA
Palo Alto Airport (PAO) enforces a voluntary curfew and noise abatement procedures, with FAA preemption limiting local authority over flight operations.
Palo Alto, CA
Palo Alto prohibits amplified music audible beyond the property line during quiet hours and requires a special event permit for outdoor amplification in publ...
Palo Alto, CA
Palo Alto enforces strict decibel limits by zone under PAMC 9.10.040: 60 dBA day / 50 dBA night in residential, scaling up to 70 dBA in manufacturing zones.
Palo Alto, CA
Palo Alto permits construction Monday-Friday 8am to 6pm and Saturday 9am to 6pm, with no work allowed on Sundays or holidays under PAMC 9.10.060.
Palo Alto, CA
Palo Alto requires encroachment permits for new driveways, regulates curb cut dimensions, and prohibits blocking sidewalks or adjacent driveways under traffi...
Palo Alto, CA
Palo Alto restricts RV, trailer, and boat storage on public streets and requires screening for large recreational vehicles on residential property under zoni...
Side-by-side rule comparisons with other cities in Santa Clara County.
See how Palo Alto's outdoor smoking restrictions rules stack up against other locations.
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.