Redwood City, CA

Redwood City Municipal Code Chapter 42A limits short-term rental occupancy to two guests per bedroom plus two additional guests per stay, capped at ten guests total. STRs are…

Redwood City allows short-term rentals only inside a host's primary residence, defined by physical presence and one per person. Single Room Occupancy Facilities and Group Homes are…

A hosting platform that signs a voluntary collection agreement with Redwood City takes on 'the same duties and liabilities of the operator' for transient occupancy tax, meaning…

A Redwood City short-term rental host whose registration is denied or revoked for fraud, false statements, or any code violation is locked out from reapplying for 24 months under…

Redwood City requires every host to register a short-term rental with the City before advertising or renting it out. Zoning Code Section 31.3 limits registration to primary residences…

Every short-term rental in Redwood City counts as a 'hotel' under the Uniform Transient Occupancy Tax Ordinance, so each guest owes a twelve percent tax on the rent charged. Hosts…

Redwood City bans weddings, corporate events, and other commercial functions at short-term rentals whenever they could cause traffic, parking, noise, or similar problems for the…

Redwood City does not require a short-term rental to add any parking beyond what already exists on the lot. Zoning Code Section 31.3(D)(5) simply requires that existing on-site parking…

California requires hosting platforms to warn hosts to check their lease and insurance before listing (Business and Professions Code 22592), and AB 537 requires short-term lodging…

Redwood City requires the owner to live in either the main house or the junior accessory dwelling unit whenever a JADU is created; standard, larger accessory dwelling units carry no…

Redwood City lets any residential lot with a single-family home add one accessory dwelling unit (ADU) and one junior ADU under Zoning Code Section 37.3. Standard ADUs cap at 850 square…

Redwood City limits sheds, detached garages and other accessory buildings to 16 feet in total height, with a 9-foot wall cap on flat or shed roofs near the side and rear lines. They…

Redwood City lets homeowners convert an existing garage into an accessory dwelling unit with no added setback, and under the Statewide Exemption path, no discretionary review: only a…

Redwood City charges no impact fees on any accessory dwelling unit or junior ADU smaller than 750 square feet. Above that size, impact fees are charged proportionately to the ADU's…

Redwood City bars owners from selling an accessory dwelling unit or junior ADU separately from the main house, and from renting either one for less than 30 days, under Zoning Code…

Redwood City's curb-marking scheme under Sec. 20.109 assigns a specific meaning to each paint color: red bars stopping entirely, yellow and white allow only timed loading between 7…

On fifteen named Redwood City streets, including all of El Camino Real within city limits, no vehicle may sit curbside for more than one hour between 2:00 a.m. and 5:00 a.m. under Code…

Redwood City bans parking, storing, or leaving an RV, trailer, boat, or similar mobile equipment on a residential lawn under its public-nuisance code, and separately bans parking any…

Redwood City's Community Development and Transportation Director issues residential parking permits exempting local vehicles from posted time limits in designated residential permit…

Redwood City Code § 20.230 lets the City Manager designate curbside spaces as Electric-Charging Parking, restrict them to electric vehicles only, and charge drivers for the electricity…

Redwood City bans parking any oversized commercial vehicle in a residential district at any time under Code § 20.101. Elsewhere, oversized trucks get only two hours curbside and none…

Redwood City's City Manager designates loading zones by curb marking or signage under Sec. 20.108, capping any zone at half a block's curb length. Zones are painted yellow and…

Redwood City Code Chapter 39 declares any abandoned, wrecked, dismantled or inoperative vehicle on private or public property a public nuisance. The Chief of Police may abate and…

State law lets Redwood City police tow a vehicle blocking a driveway, obstructing traffic, or parked more than 72 hours in one spot under Vehicle Code § 22651. The officer must post…

Front-yard vehicle, boat and camper-shell parking is banned outside the driveway in the Broadmoor Police Protection District.

California doesn't ban private-property towing, but Vehicle Code Section 22658 controls how it happens. A posted sign at least 17 by 22 inches must warn drivers before a tow company…

Redwood City Code section 14.38 declares dry grass, stubble, brush and any weeds or nonornamental plants over eight inches tall a public nuisance when they create a fire hazard. The…

Redwood City bans all "safe and sane" fireworks outright under Sec. 12.33 and allows "dangerous fireworks" only with a Fire Chief permit under Sec. 12.32, while making parents and…

Redwood City has adopted the state-recommended Fire Hazard Severity Zones under Redwood City Code Sec. 12.7.1, mapped on the city's official "Redwood City - Fire Hazard Map" dated…

Redwood City's amended Fire Code section 903.4.2 requires every home with a required automatic fire sprinkler system to activate all of its interconnected smoke alarms when the…

California requires permits for most outdoor burning, with statewide CAL FIRE and Air Resources Board rules that uniformly apply alongside local air district restrictions.

California uniformly applies the State Fire Marshal's propane storage standards through the California Fire Code, which all local jurisdictions must enforce as a minimum.

Redwood City requires a grading permit, plus a separate plan-review and permit fee, for any retaining wall that meets the city's "Engineered Grading" threshold: fill over three feet, a…

Redwood City does not require a permit for a fence built within the standard height limits set by Zoning Code § 36.3, but an Architectural Permit is mandatory to build an interior side…

Redwood City caps fence height by yard: three feet for solid fences in the required front yard (five feet if combined solid/open), seven feet in interior side and rear yards, and six…

Redwood City bans electrically charged fences, barbed wire, razor wire and other wire fencing in every residential zoning district, and separately bans chain link, barbed/razor wire…

Fence cost-sharing between neighbors in Redwood City is governed by California Civil Code §841 (Good Neighbor Fence Act). Disputes are civil matters; the city does not mediate fence…

Redwood City requires bee hives to sit at least 25 feet from any neighboring dwelling under Section 21.7, caps hives at two per parcel of 3,000 square feet or less under Section 21.8…

Redwood City bars feeding pigeons and other non-domesticated animals in Courthouse Square if the feeding encourages them to linger, roost, or congregate, under City Code Section…

Dogs entering any Redwood City park must be led by a leash no longer than six feet, except in areas officially designated off-leash. Dogs are also barred from sports fields and from…

Redwood City makes it a nuisance for a cat's owner or keeper to let the animal's waste sit on any property besides its own. The owner must remove and sanitarily dispose of the excreta…

Redwood City allows up to three chickens or rabbits (or a combination of three) as pets in a clean, confined coop or cage without a permit. Keeping horses, cows, goats or sheep…

Redwood City bars feeding, capturing, hunting, or otherwise harming any wild or domestic bird, fowl, fish, reptile, or animal in a City park under Code Section 25.2.02(I), with an…

Animal hospitals and veterinary clinics cannot open by right in Redwood City's general commercial or light industrial districts; both require a discretionary Conditional Use Permit…

Redwood City classifies pet grooming as an "Animal-Related Use" alongside kennels and veterinary clinics. In the Neighborhood Commercial district and every other zoning table that…

Redwood City caps household pets at four dogs and/or cats combined, with no more than two dogs allowed, on any lot under one acre. Lots of an acre or larger may keep up to four dogs…

Keeping exotic animals in Redwood City requires a use permit from the Planning and Building Department per San Mateo County zoning provisions. California state law also bans many…

Redwood City does not ban specific dog breeds. All dogs must be licensed and vaccinated. Dogs deemed dangerous after an incident may face special restrictions including muzzling…

Cats and dogs over six months old in unincorporated San Mateo County must be spayed or neutered unless the owner instead obtains an unaltered-animal license or breeding permit under §…

Selling or offering cats, dogs or wolf hybrids on a public street, sidewalk or park in unincorporated San Mateo County requires a pet-sales business license under § 6.12.040(c), unless…

Amplified music or loudspeakers at Courthouse Square events cannot run more than 10 decibels above ambient sound, measured 100 feet from the property line, for more than five minutes…

In Redwood City, after a noise-abatement notice, it is unlawful to allow a party or gathering of three or more people to generate noise between 8 p.m. and 8 a.m. that exceeds 6 dB…

Redwood City confines general construction noise to weekdays, 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., under City Code Sec. 24.32. Noise the code calls excessive, above 110 dB, is boxed into a narrower 9…

In unincorporated San Mateo County it's unlawful to make unreasonably loud, unnecessary, or unusual noise that disturbs a neighborhood's peace and quiet or annoys a person of normal…

Unincorporated San Mateo County has no dedicated gas-powered leaf blower ban or specific leaf-blower ordinance; the recent leaf-blower bans and electric-blower rebate programs are…

In unincorporated San Mateo County, letting a dog or cat habitually bark, meow, or disturb residents is banned as a public nuisance under County Ordinance Code § 6.04.060(c), enforced…

California sets statewide airport noise limits under Title 21 CCR, with the state preempting most local aviation noise control because federal FAA authority dominates aircraft…

Redwood City makes it unlawful for an owner or occupant of property fronting an improved street with cement sidewalks or curbs to allow grass, weeds, dirt, rubbish, or other…

Cutting, moving, or removing a protected tree anywhere in Redwood City requires a permit from the Parks and Recreation Director under Code Sec. 35.3. The Director investigates within…

New landscapes over 500 square feet, and rehabbed landscapes over 2,500 square feet, in Redwood City must meet the state Model Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance's soil and mulch…

Private tree trimming on private property does not require a city permit in Redwood City. Trees near overhead utility lines may require coordination with PG&E. Street trees require…

Single-family organic waste generators in the county's densely populated unincorporated areas may compost yard and food waste on site instead of subscribing to hauler collection, per…

Unincorporated San Mateo County does not ban or specifically permit-regulate artificial turf on private property, and the County's WELO governs water budgets without mandating or…

Unincorporated San Mateo County encourages native and drought-tolerant landscaping rather than mandating it for homeowners. The Countywide Water Pollution Prevention Program promotes…

The 2012 Rainwater Capture Act allows California residents to capture rainwater from rooftops for non-potable outdoor use without a state water-right permit, preempting most local…

Redwood City treats a licensed Small or Large Family Child Care Home as a residential use, not a home occupation, and permits it outright in any zoning district as long as the provider…

Redwood City bans signage that advertises a home-based business, full stop. City Code Section 3.72 lists "Home Based Occupation Signs" among sign types prohibited citywide, and Section…

In Redwood City a home occupation is a business conducted within a dwelling unit by its residents that is incidental to the residential use of the home, and it must meet the zoning…

Government Code section 51035 forbids any California city, county, or city and county from prohibiting a cottage food operation in a residential dwelling. The local agency must pick…

California lets home cooks sell meals from their own kitchen under a microenterprise home kitchen operation (MEHKO) permit, capped at 30 meals a day, 90 a week, and $100,000 in annual…

Pool fences in Redwood City must be greater than 5 feet high (California requires minimum 60 inches), self-latching, self-closing, with no climbable protrusions, vertical ground…

Before Redwood City finalizes a building permit for a new pool or spa, or a remodel of one, at a single-family home, the pool must carry at least two of seven state-mandated…

In Redwood City's R-1 single-family district, structures must be set back a minimum of 15 feet from the front property line, with a first-story interior side setback of at least 6 feet…

Redwood City caps main houses in its R-1 and RH single-family districts at 28 feet and two and a half stories, with separate, lower height ceilings for detached accessory buildings and…

Redwood City caps total lot coverage at 40 percent of lot area in its R-1 and RH single-family districts, and separately limits how much of the required rear yard can be eaten up by…

Redwood City Code Section 42.6 requires landlords who end a tenancy for a no-fault reason to pay relocation assistance equal to one month's rent, or waive the final month's rent…

In Redwood City, once a tenant has continuously and lawfully occupied a rental unit for 12 months, the landlord may not terminate the tenancy without a stated just cause, which must be…

Redwood City's property maintenance article, City Code Section 14.70, exists to protect habitability, appearance and property values by requiring a baseline level of upkeep on every…

Redwood City requires a landlord who rents four or more dwelling units to obtain a business license before operating, under City Code Section 32.105. The license carries an annual…

In unincorporated San Mateo County, a mobilehome park owner seeking a space-rent increase above the standard CPI cap must file a petition with the County Hearing Officer 60 days…

Unincorporated San Mateo County has NO local rent control. State law AB 1482 (Tenant Protection Act, Civil Code §1946.2 and §1947.12) caps annual rent increases at 5% plus CPI (maximum…

California evictions run through the unlawful detainer process. Under Code of Civil Procedure § 1161, nonpayment requires a 3-day notice to pay rent or quit (excluding weekends and…

California Civil Code § 1954 limits when a landlord may enter a rented home. Except in emergencies, abandonment, or with tenant consent, the landlord must give reasonable written…

California sets no fixed dollar or percentage cap on rent late fees, but a late fee in a residential lease is treated as liquidated damages. Under Civil Code § 1671, such a fee is…

To end a California month-to-month tenancy, a tenant gives 30 days' written notice. A landlord gives 30 days if the tenant has lived there under a year, or 60 days if a year or more…

As of July 1, 2024, California landlords may collect no more than one month's rent as a security deposit, regardless of whether the unit is furnished. The deposit, minus any lawful…

California adverse possession requires five years of continuous, open, hostile possession AND payment of all property taxes during that period under Code of Civil Procedure § 325. A…

Redwood City bans all commercial cannabis activity except specific licensed uses in industrial and select commercial districts. Storefront retail needs a Cannabis Business Permit plus…

Redwood City keeps every commercial cannabis use at least 600 feet from schools, licensed child care facilities, public parks, youth centers and libraries, measured property line to…

Unincorporated San Mateo County allows adults 21+ to cultivate up to 6 cannabis plants per residence for personal, non-medical use under County Code Chapter 5.148 (Personal…

Redwood City makes it unlawful to solicit or peddle within the City without first obtaining an identification permit from the Chief of Police, and that permit is required in addition…

Many San Mateo County cities (Redwood City, San Carlos, others) maintain 'Do Not Knock' registries that residents can join free of charge, and the County Sheriff requires all licensed…

Commercial filming inside any Redwood City park, park building or recreation area requires a Temporary Exclusive Use Permit before a crew can set up. The Parks, Recreation and…

Redwood City bans smoking inside every enclosed public place, from restaurants and retail stores to sports arenas and polling places, under City Code Section 15.6. Outdoors, the ban…

Redwood City bars anyone from smoking, vaping, eating, or otherwise consuming cannabis at a licensed cannabis business, in its parking area, or within 300 feet of the premises on the…

Redwood City treats party, dance or assemblage noise that's more than 6 dB above local ambient between 8:00 p.m. and 8:00 a.m. as excessive under Sec. 24.20. After a written warning…

In Redwood City's business district, pedestrians must cross the roadway only at a marked crosswalk. City Code Sec. 20.49 flatly bars mid-block or diagonal street crossings there…

Redwood City bans possessing an opened alcoholic beverage container in any public place under Code section 33B.3, with narrow carve-outs for permitted encroachment activities and…

Redwood City bans riding a skateboard, bicycle, scooter, or in-line skates anywhere in Courthouse Square under City Code Section 33A.39(M), the only exceptions being wheelchairs…

Redwood City makes it unlawful to urinate or defecate in a public place, or any area of a public place, except into a toilet or urinal. Section 21.17 sets the outright ban, and Section…

In unincorporated San Mateo County, it is a misdemeanor to loiter in, on, or about any building or place open to the public where alcoholic beverages are sold. The Ordinance Code…

Redwood City lets residents post garage sale signs on the sale day without a permit, but City Code Section 3.81 caps each sign at four square feet and three feet in height, and limits…

Redwood City gives noncommercial and political signs extra room around elections. City Code Section 3.151 lets temporary noncommercial signs go up on specified public land from 90 days…

Redwood City caps how much of a storefront window can be covered in signage. City Code Section 3.124(F) limits ground-floor window signs to 25 percent of the window area per facade…

Redwood City requires a Temporary Exclusive Use Permit before anyone brings a portable BBQ into a city park, and even with a permit the grill can only go in an approved site inside a…

Redwood City collects a 12% transient occupancy tax on every hotel stay, and the code's definition of 'hotel' expressly includes short-term rentals booked under Zoning Code Section…

Every occupied property in Redwood City must keep enough watertight garbage, recycling and organic-waste containers to hold everything generated between pickups. City Code Section…

Every single-family home in Redwood City must subscribe to the city's three-container organic waste collection service and sort food scraps, yard trimmings, and food-soiled paper into…

Commercial businesses and multi-family properties in Redwood City must subscribe to the City's three-container collection service, supply labeled recycling and organics containers for…

Redwood City Code section 14.5 makes it unlawful to dump, place or bury refuse or condemned waste matter in any lot, land, street, alley, waterway or anywhere else in the City. There's…

Redwood City requires refuse service at every occupied property under Sec. 14.2, with pickup no less than once a week under Sec. 14.24. Sec. 14.25 fixes the collection window…

Redwood City requires refuse service at every occupied premises under City Code Section 14.2, with the charge set under Section 14.31. A property owner who wants out of all or part of…

New commercial and mixed-use development in San Mateo County's CMU-1 (Commercial Mixed Use-1) zoning district, the unincorporated North Fair Oaks area, must build at least one refuse…

Redwood City channels downtown design review through its Architectural Advisory Committee. Under City Code Section 2.110, the six-member Committee must review any request to deviate…

Redwood City implements California's State Density Bonus Law locally at Zoning Code § 32.19, granting bonus units, incentives, concessions, waivers and parking reductions to…

Redwood City requires a residential rooftop solar permit under Sec. 9.215, with online submittal, a standardized checklist, and fees capped by state fee statutes; the streamlined…

Redwood City issues residential rooftop solar permits the same day for over-the-counter applications, or within one to three business days for electronic ones, under Sec. 9.216, with…

California Civil Code §714 (Solar Rights Act) strongly limits HOA authority to restrict solar panels. HOAs in unincorporated San Mateo County (Emerald Hills, West Menlo Park…

Redwood City requires a discretionary permit before any company can operate shared scooters or bikes, on top of a business license. The City sets fees per ride and per application, can…

Section 7.80.010 lets San Mateo County's Director of Public Works, once the Board of Supervisors authorizes it, designate bicycle lanes on unincorporated county roads and post signs…

A low-speed vehicle in California may not be driven on any roadway with a speed limit above 35 miles per hour. Vehicle Code section 21260 permits it to cross a faster road only where…

The Park and Recreation Commission can designate any Redwood City tree, regardless of size, a protected "heritage tree" under Code Sec. 35.2 if it is healthy, visible from a public…

Redwood City's tree ordinance does not list protected species; instead Code Sec. 35.1 protects any woody plant with a single trunk of 38 inches or more in circumference, measured 6 to…

Redwood City requires new buildings, substantial commercial remodels, and sidewalk replacement or repair jobs to plant street trees along the property's street frontage. City Code Sec…

A parade, march, or other gathering that closes a Redwood City block or intersection is regulated as a "special event" temporary street closure under Chapter 33A. Organizers need a…

Redwood City requires a Temporary Use Permit before any carnival, circus, concert, fair, festival, food event or similar large-crowd entertainment activity, on private or public…

Redwood City lets restaurants add sidewalk or patio dining as an accessory outdoor use under Zoning Code Section 31.15, but only for restaurants that are already tenants, capped at the…

Redwood City requires a Temporary Exclusive Use Permit under Code Section 25.2.03 for park activities like groups of 25 or more, jumper structures, portable BBQs, overnight camping…

Closing a Redwood City street for a neighborhood block party requires a Chief of Police permit under Code Sec. 33A.2. Residents must apply at least 10 days ahead, get majority consent…

Redwood City's business license tax has two parts: a flat $90 annual registration fee and an incremental per-employee rate that varies by business category, from $10 per retail…

Redwood City bans camping on public property under Chapter 49 (the Hopeful Horizons ordinance) whenever a shelter bed is available, and sets a strict notice-and-storage protocol before…

Redwood City's locally amended Fire Code requires an automatic fire sprinkler system in every new single-family home (Group R-3) built in the city, installed to the 2025 California…

Redwood City enforces the 2025 California Plumbing Code by reference under Sec. 9.40, plus six local amendments in Sections 9.77 through 9.82 that ban metallic water, drainage, vent…

Redwood City enforces the 2025 California Electrical Code by reference under Sec. 9.40, with one local amendment, Sec. 9.83, that bars metallic conduit underground anywhere the city's…

Redwood City's floor-area-ratio ordinance forces a public Planning Commission hearing for any single-family home whose gross floor area tops 3,000 square feet and whose floor area…

A stand-alone Child Care Center needs a Use Permit in every Redwood City residential district, but can open by right in a commercial zone with up to 60 children, and by right in any…

Anyone seeking a Redwood City building permit for new construction, additions, or alterations must meet the California Green Building Standards Code (CALGreen, 24 CCR Part 11) plus the…

In unincorporated San Mateo County, the Planning Director can exempt interior remodels, repairs and minor exterior work from the discretionary site development permit, though a…

Redwood City doesn't write its own rodent-control rules: Code section 13.1 adopts San Mateo County's Environmental Health Code Chapter 4.80, Rodent and Insect Control, by reference as…

Redwood City requires staff who handle edible food recovery for Tier One and Tier Two commercial edible food generators, and anyone who self-hauls that food, to hold an ANSI-accredited…

San Mateo County Environmental Health posts a compliance placard at every inspected food facility under Ordinance Code § 4.56.070, and it is unlawful to operate without the placard…

Redwood City Code Section 44.16 bars building any wharf, pier, landing, bulkhead or other permanent structure in the City harbor without written permission from the Board of Port…

Redwood City Code Chapter 41 applies to every area of special flood hazard mapped on the FEMA flood insurance rate maps. No structure or land in those zones may be built, extended or…

Redwood City Code Section 41.18 requires new or substantially improved residential structures in any special flood hazard zone to have their lowest floor, including any basement…

Redwood City bans discharging anything but stormwater into its municipal storm drains under Municipal Code Chapter 27A. The Director of Community Development and City Manager's…

In Redwood City's R-1/RH districts, at least 40 percent of each lot and 60 percent of the required front yard must remain pervious (landscaped, open, or permeable paving) to manage…

San Mateo County administers its own certified Local Coastal Program (LCP) and issues Coastal Development Permits (CDPs) for projects in the Coastal Zone, which covers roughly 240 sq…

Redwood City limits garage sales to two per calendar year at the same address, each lasting no more than three consecutive days and held only on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays or…

Redwood City Code Chapter 40 lets the City Council designate a building, site or district a historic landmark if it meets criteria set in Section 40.6, such as reflecting the city's…

Redwood City's sign code exempts holiday and cultural yard displays entirely. City Code Section 3.60 excludes "Cultural Decorations", noncommercial displays on residential property…

Redwood City Code section 13.402 bars restaurants and other food facilities from handing out disposable utensils, straws or packaged condiments unless a customer specifically asks for…

California prohibits grocery stores and large retailers from providing single-use plastic carryout bags under Public Resources Code 42280-42288, enacted by SB 270 (2014) and ratified…

California restricts expanded polystyrene food containers statewide through SB 54 (2022) packaging requirements under Public Resources Code 42040-42081. The law mandates that…

California Public Resources Code 42270-42273, enacted by AB 1884 (2018), prohibits full-service restaurants from providing single-use plastic straws unless requested by the customer…

Redwood City requires an encroachment permit before anyone builds, places, or maintains almost anything in the public right-of-way, from a fence, sign, or planter to a parklet or…

Redwood City puts sidewalk upkeep on the property owner, not the City. Section 29.38 makes the owner or occupant of property fronting a public street responsible for maintaining the…

In unincorporated San Mateo County, blocking a sidewalk or public right-of-way with an obstruction or excavation is declared a nuisance under Ordinance Code Chapter 1.12. The County…

In Redwood City, weeds, dirt, rubbish, and rank growths on any private property, street, alley, or right-of-way are a public nuisance, and every owner, lessee, or occupant must destroy…

Redwood City bars any owner or occupant from letting refuse of any kind collect and remain on a lot or premises, with a carve-out for active construction sites. The Health Officer can…

Snow sidewalk clearing is not a regular concern in unincorporated San Mateo County's Mediterranean coastal climate, and the County has no dedicated snow-clearance ordinance. On the…

In Redwood City it is unlawful to practice massage therapy for compensation, as a sole proprietor, employee, or in any other capacity, unless the individual is a state-certified…

Redwood City requires anyone wrecking, salvaging or dealing in secondhand automobile parts to get a permit and license from the City Council. The Council holds a noticed public hearing…

Redwood City requires a Sexually Oriented Business Regulatory Permit from the Zoning Administrator before any adult business opens, plus a separate performer permit for anyone…

Redwood City does not run its own tobacco retailer permit system: City Code Section 15.20 adopts San Mateo County Code Chapter 4.98 by reference, making the County's permit rules the…

Anyone running a pawnbroker, secondhand dealer, junk dealer, or junk collector business in unincorporated San Mateo County must hold an annual License Board license under County Code…

Unincorporated San Mateo County bans tow operators from soliciting business at crash scenes and keeps tow trucks 500 feet away.

Tattoo and piercing shops in unincorporated San Mateo County need an annual LEA permit, and every practitioner must hold a current registration.

Redwood City makes it unlawful for a minor to remain in any public place during curfew hours: 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. Sunday through Thursday and 12:01 a.m. to 6 a.m. Friday and Saturday in…

Redwood City closes every park, recreation area, and its parking lots to the public between sunset and sunrise under City Code Section 25.2.01(B). No one may remain or loiter inside a…

Redwood City's own Municipal Code, not just state law, declares it unlawful for anyone in the city to play or engage in any card, dice, or other game for money or anything redeemable…

California Penal Code § 326.5 lets only tax-exempt nonprofits, mobilehome park associations, senior groups, and school-affiliated charities run bingo, and only under a local city or…

California law exempts private home card games from gambling regulation entirely. Penal Code § 337j(e)(2)(D) excludes any card game played in a private home or residence from the…

California has no legal sports betting, in stores or online. Penal Code section 337a criminalizes bookmaking, pool-selling, and placing or accepting any bet on the result of a sporting…

Residents who join Redwood City's Recycled Water Fill Station Program pay a one-time fee for an Access Card plus a per-gallon Consumption Charge, both set by City Council resolution…

New development in Redwood City's Mixed-Use Corridor zoning sub-districts must light sidewalks, walkways, plazas and courtyards with fixtures that are low mounted and downward casting…

Development in unincorporated North Fair Oaks' CMU-1 commercial district must use dark-sky-compliant lighting confined to the property, and flood lights are banned absent a safety…

To operate in Redwood City, food truck vending needs a Temporary Use Permit under Zoning Code Section 31.19, reviewed administratively by the Zoning Administrator with no public…

Unincorporated San Mateo County does not designate specific food truck vending zones but restricts operations through general zoning and parking rules. Food trucks may not vend from…

Unincorporated San Mateo County bans anyone from erecting, placing or maintaining a stand, vehicle, or any object on the public right-of-way of a county highway for peddling, under…

Under Ordinance Code Section 4.98.160(c), no tobacco retailer in San Mateo County's permit program may sell or offer for sale any Flavored Tobacco Product or Tobacco Product Flavor…

California prohibits sale of tobacco and vapor products to anyone under 21 statewide under Business and Professions Code 22958, enacted by SBX2-7 in 2016. The Tobacco 21 standard…

County departments and staff are barred from using county resources to assist federal immigration enforcement absent a judicial warrant, under a countywide non-cooperation ordinance.

Unincorporated San Mateo County's Agricultural Awareness ordinance declares normal farm impacts on neighboring property acceptable and routes disputes to a grievance committee instead…

The California Right to Farm Act under Civil Code 3482.5 protects established agricultural operations from nuisance lawsuits brought by neighbors who moved in after farming began. The…

California sets a statewide minimum wage floor under Labor Code 1182.12, $16.90 per hour for all employers as of January 2026. Local governments are not preempted and may set higher…

California's Healthy Workplaces, Healthy Families Act under Labor Code 245-249 mandates paid sick leave for nearly all employees statewide. SB 616 (2023) raised the minimum to 40 hours…

California regulates concealed carry weapons licenses statewide under Penal Code 26150 through 26225. Senate Bill 2 (2023) imposes uniform sensitive-place restrictions and applicant…

California preempts most local firearm regulation under Government Code 53071 and Penal Code 25605, reserving licensing, registration, and manufacture authority to the state. However…

California broadly prohibits open carry of firearms statewide under Penal Code 25850 (loaded firearms in public) and Penal Code 26350 (open carry of unloaded handguns). The prohibition…

California prohibits carrying loaded firearms in vehicles statewide under Penal Code 25400 and 25850. Unloaded handguns transported in private vehicles must be in a locked container or…

California HOAs may levy regular and special assessments, charge late fees and interest, record liens, and ultimately foreclose on delinquent owners under the Davis-Stirling Act. State…

California's Davis-Stirling Act gives every HOA member the right to inspect and copy association records under Civil Code § 5205. Boards must produce current-year records within 10…

California overrides HOA governing documents on several owner protections. The Davis-Stirling Act and related Civil Code sections bar HOAs from prohibiting solar systems, U.S. flag…

California voids any HOA governing-document clause that effectively bans or unreasonably restricts a clothesline or drying rack in an owner's exclusive-use backyard. Civil Code Section…

Civil Code section 4735 voids any HOA rule that bans low-water plants, turf replacement, or artificial turf, and bars fines for cutting back watering during a declared drought…

Civil Code § 4745 voids any HOA covenant or governing-document rule that prohibits or unreasonably restricts installing an EV charging station in an owner's unit or designated parking…

Civil Code § 4705 bars every California homeowners association from limiting a member's display of the United States flag on their own lot or within their exclusive-use common area…

California law caps homeowners association fines at $100 per violation or the amount listed in the association's published penalty schedule, whichever is less. Civil Code section 5850…

A California homeowners association cannot foreclose on a member’s home over unpaid dues until the delinquent assessments alone reach $1,800, or until the assessments secured by the…

Civil Code § 4741 bars every California homeowners association from adopting or enforcing a rule that prohibits, or unreasonably restricts, renting out a separate interest, and sets a…

Sobriety checkpoints are lawful in California and stopping at one is a statutory obligation, not a courtesy. Vehicle Code § 2814.2(a) requires a driver to stop and submit to a sobriety…

California is one of the few states that answers this by statute rather than by case law alone. Penal Code § 148(g) says that photographing or making an audio or video recording of a…

California has no general stop-and-identify statute. The old Penal Code § 647(e), which required a person lawfully detained to give "credible and reliable" identification, was held…

California has no statute that requires you to consent to a search of your car, and none that requires an officer to warn you that you may refuse. What the Legislature and the voters…

California works from a closed list: Vehicle Code section 24003 says no vehicle may carry any lamp or illuminating device not required or permitted by the code, so an accessory light…

California measures dash cam placement in square inches. Vehicle Code section 26708(b)(13) lets a video event recorder occupy a seven-inch square in the lower corner of the windshield…

Lane splitting is lawful in California. Vehicle Code section 21658.1, added by AB 51 in 2016, defines it as driving a motorcycle with two wheels in contact with the ground between rows…

California does not let you put a cover over your license plate. Vehicle Code section 5201(c) allows exactly two things: a full car cover on a lawfully parked vehicle, and a license…

No section of the California Vehicle Code makes it an offense for a private motorist to own, carry or use a radar detector. The prohibition in Vehicle Code section 28150 reaches only…

California permits metal studded tires only between November 1 and April 30, and only where the studs are tungsten carbide or another suitable material and the metal touching the road…

California never publishes a "legal VLT" for front side windows because it does not permit aftermarket darkening there at all. Vehicle Code section 26708(d) allows only clear…