San Francisco, CA

San Francisco strictly regulates backyard fires due to its dense urban environment. Open burning of any kind is prohibited year-round under both the San Francisco Fire Code and the Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD) Regulation 5. Small recreational fires are permitted only in approved, manufactured portable fire pits or permanently installed outdoor fireplaces that meet strict clearance and safety requirements. The San Francisco Fire Department (SFFD) enforces these rules aggressively, and BAAQMD imposes additional restrictions during Spare the Air days when all wood-burning is prohibited.

San Francisco regulates fire pits and outdoor recreational fires under the locally adopted California Fire Code Section 307 and additional San Francisco Fire Department (SFFD) regulations. Recreational fires in approved portable fire pits are permitted with required clearances and attendance, but open burning on bare ground is prohibited within city limits. Wood-burning fire pits are subject to Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD) no-burn day restrictions. Gas and propane fire pits are exempt from air quality burn restrictions and are the preferred option in San Francisco's dense neighborhoods.

San Francisco is within the Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD) jurisdiction, and all wood-burning activity is subject to BAAQMD Regulation 6, Rule 3. During Winter Spare the Air alerts, burning wood, manufactured logs, pellets, or any solid fuel in fireplaces, wood stoves, fire pits, chimineas, or any wood-burning device is prohibited. Spare the Air season runs from November through February, with alerts issued when particulate matter levels are forecast to be unhealthy. Gas and propane devices are exempt from all burn restrictions.

San Francisco designates nighttime quiet hours from 10 PM to 7 AM under Article 29 of the San Francisco Police Code. During these hours, unnecessary or excessive noise that disturbs the peace and comfort of residents is prohibited. The ordinance applies broadly to residential neighborhoods, mixed-use districts, and areas adjacent to housing. San Francisco's dense urban fabric and prevalence of shared-wall construction make quiet hour enforcement a significant quality-of-life concern across the city.

San Francisco sets numerical decibel standards for fixed mechanical equipment and certain noise sources under the SF Police Code and SF Health Code. Interior noise from fixed sources in residential buildings must not exceed 45 dBA (or 50 dBC for low-frequency noise). Property-line noise from equipment such as HVAC units, generators, and ventilation systems is regulated at 5 dB above ambient levels at the receiving property. General disturbance-of-the-peace provisions apply to noise sources not covered by specific decibel standards.

San Francisco limits construction work that produces noise to the hours of 7 AM to 8 PM on any day, including weekends and holidays, under SF Police Code Section 2908. Construction equipment must be equipped with mufflers and sound-reduction devices. Night and early morning construction requires a special permit from the Department of Building Inspection. The city does not differentiate between weekday and weekend construction hours, applying the same 7 AM to 8 PM window uniformly.

San Francisco regulates outdoor amplified music under the general noise provisions of Police Code Article 29 and through the Entertainment Commission permit system. Amplified sound that disturbs the peace after 10 PM is prohibited in residential areas. Bars, clubs, and entertainment venues must obtain a Place of Entertainment (POE) permit or Limited Live Performance (LLP) permit from the SF Entertainment Commission, which sets conditions on sound levels, hours, and soundproofing. Street performers with amplification are subject to Police Code restrictions on hours and volume.

San Francisco requires all short-term rental hosts to register with the Office of Short-Term Rentals (OSTR) and obtain a Short-Term Residential Rental Certificate before listing a property on any platform. Hosts must be permanent San Francisco residents who occupy the unit as their primary residence. Under Proposition F (2015 amendments), hosts must carry liability insurance of at least $500,000, maintain a current business registration, and collect and remit the city's 14% Transient Occupancy Tax. Only units that are the host's primary residence are eligible for STR use.

San Francisco imposes a strict 90-night annual cap on unhosted short-term rentals, meaning the host is away from the unit during the guest's stay. There is no annual night cap for hosted rentals where the host is present in the unit during the guest's stay. The 90-night unhosted cap is one of the most significant restrictions in San Francisco's STR framework and was a central feature of Proposition F. Hosts must report their rental activity to the Office of Short-Term Rentals quarterly and annually, and platforms are required to cease bookings for hosts who reach the 90-night limit.

San Francisco requires all STR hosts to register with the Office of Short-Term Rentals and display their registration number on every listing. Hosting platforms are prohibited from publishing listings that lack a valid OSTR registration number. The registration process requires proof of primary residency, proof of liability insurance, and a valid San Francisco Business Registration Certificate. Registrations must be renewed annually, and hosts must maintain compliance with all ongoing reporting and operational requirements to keep their certificate active.

San Francisco imposes strict restrictions on the parking and storage of recreational vehicles, boats, trailers, and other oversized vehicles. On public streets, RVs and boats are subject to the 72-hour parking limit enforced by the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA), and oversized vehicles exceeding 22 feet in length or 7 feet in width face additional prohibitions on many residential streets. On private property, zoning regulations generally prohibit storing RVs and boats in front yard setback areas. Living in an RV on city streets or on residential property is actively enforced against under both transportation and health codes.

San Francisco enforces strict driveway parking regulations due to limited space and high pedestrian traffic. Vehicles may not block the public sidewalk when parked in a driveway. Parking across or in front of driveways — including your own — on the street side is prohibited and subject to citation and towing. Garage entrances must remain accessible, and converting garages to living space without providing replacement parking requires permits. The SFMTA enforces driveway clearance rules aggressively with fines starting at $110.

San Francisco prohibits the overnight parking of commercial vehicles exceeding 6,000 pounds GVW on residential streets between the hours of 12:00 AM and 6:00 AM. Heavy trucks, semi-trailers, construction equipment, and commercial vehicles with prominent signage face additional restrictions in residential zones. Designated truck routes restrict heavy vehicle traffic to specific corridors, and commercial vehicles must use these routes when traveling through the city. The SFMTA and SFPD jointly enforce commercial vehicle parking restrictions.

San Francisco has some of the strictest and most complex street parking regulations in the United States. The SFMTA manages over 441,000 on-street parking spaces with an intricate system of metered parking, Residential Parking Permits (RPP), color-coded curbs, street cleaning restrictions, and time-limited zones. The 72-hour parking limit applies citywide. Most residential neighborhoods require an RPP permit to park beyond posted time limits. Street cleaning violations are among the most commonly issued citations in the city, and enforcement is aggressive year-round.

San Francisco establishes maximum fence and wall heights based on location on the property and the underlying zoning district. Front yard fences in residential districts are generally limited to 3 feet (36 inches) in height to maintain open streetscape character. Side and rear yard fences may be up to 6 feet in height. Fences between 6 and 10 feet may be permitted in rear yards with planning review. Corner lots and lots adjacent to public stairways have additional visibility and setback requirements. The city's dense urban fabric and varied topography create unique fence considerations not found in most California cities.

San Francisco requires building permits for certain fence and wall construction projects, with oversight from both the Department of Building Inspection (DBI) and the Planning Department. Wood and metal fences under 6 feet generally do not require a building permit but must comply with Planning Code setback and height requirements. Masonry walls, retaining walls over 4 feet, and fences exceeding standard height limits require both building permits and Planning Department review. Due to San Francisco's challenging topography, retaining wall permits with engineered plans are frequently required.

Boundary fences between neighboring properties in San Francisco are governed by California Civil Code Section 841, the Good Neighbor Fence Act of 2013. This state law creates a presumption that adjoining property owners share equally in the reasonable costs of constructing, maintaining, and replacing a boundary fence. Before beginning any boundary fence project, the initiating owner must provide written notice to the adjoining neighbor at least 30 days in advance. San Francisco's local fence height and permit requirements still apply regardless of any neighbor agreement.

San Francisco permits residents to keep a limited number of chickens, ducks, and other poultry on residential property without a special permit, making it more permissive than many dense urban cities. However, roosters are prohibited due to noise concerns. Goats, sheep, pigs, and other livestock are generally prohibited in residential zones unless a specific permit is obtained from the Department of Public Health and the property meets minimum lot size and setback requirements. San Francisco Animal Care and Control enforces animal keeping regulations and responds to complaints.

San Francisco requires dogs to be on a leash no longer than 8 feet on all public streets, sidewalks, and in most public areas under Health Code Article 1, Section 41 and San Francisco Police Code provisions. However, the city is renowned for its extensive network of designated off-leash dog play areas (DPAs) within city parks managed by the San Francisco Recreation and Park Department. San Francisco Animal Care and Control (ACC) enforces leash laws citywide. The Golden Gate National Recreation Area (GGNRA), managed by the National Park Service, has its own separate dog management rules that restrict off-leash access to specific trails and beaches within federal parkland. Dogs must be under voice control at all times in designated off-leash areas, and owners must clean up after their animals everywhere in the city.

San Francisco does not ban or restrict any specific dog breed. California state law (Food and Agricultural Code Section 31683) expressly prohibits cities and counties from enacting breed-specific legislation that targets dogs based solely on breed. This preemption applies to all California municipalities, including San Francisco. All dogs in San Francisco are regulated equally under the city's behavior-based dangerous and vicious animal ordinances administered by San Francisco Animal Care and Control (ACC). San Francisco does require mandatory spay/neuter for pit bull-type dogs under Health Code Section 44, which is permissible under a narrow exception in California Health and Safety Code Section 122331 that allows breed-specific mandatory spay/neuter ordinances.

San Francisco requires property owners to maintain their properties free of conditions that constitute a public nuisance, including excessively overgrown vegetation. The Health Code Article 11 (Nuisance Abatement) and Department of Public Health regulations authorize the Director of Health to declare overgrown, unmaintained lots a public nuisance and order abatement. While San Francisco does not specify a precise citywide numeric grass height maximum, overgrown vegetation that harbors vermin, creates fire hazard conditions, or substantially detracts from neighborhood appearance may be cited. The San Francisco Department of Building Inspection (DBI) and the Department of Public Health (DPH) jointly address property maintenance complaints. Given San Francisco's dense urban character and relatively small lot sizes, most complaints involve unmaintained vacant lots or neglected rear yards rather than typical suburban lawn-height concerns.

San Francisco enforces strict tree protection through the Urban Forestry Ordinance (Public Works Code Article 16), which regulates the planting, maintenance, and removal of all street trees and significant trees on private property. The city maintains approximately 125,000 street trees, and as of 2017, the Department of Public Works (now San Francisco Public Works) assumed responsibility for the maintenance of all street trees citywide through the StreetTreeSF program. Property owners may not remove, significantly prune, or damage any street tree without written authorization from the Bureau of Urban Forestry. Landmark trees — designated by the Board of Supervisors for their historical, cultural, or ecological significance — receive the highest level of protection. Removal of protected trees on private property also requires a permit. Unauthorized tree removal carries substantial fines.

San Francisco requires property owners to maintain their lots free of excessive weeds, overgrown vegetation, and combustible materials that create public health or fire hazards. Health Code Article 11 authorizes the Department of Public Health to declare overgrown lots a public nuisance and order abatement. The San Francisco Fire Department enforces Fire Code Section 304.1, which requires the removal of combustible vegetation and debris that creates a fire hazard, particularly on vacant lots and hillside properties. While San Francisco's dense urban development and mild maritime climate reduce the wildfire risk compared to other California cities, the steep hillside neighborhoods (such as Twin Peaks, Diamond Heights, and parts of the Sunset) and vacant lots in developing areas remain priority enforcement targets for weed and vegetation management.

San Francisco permits home-based businesses (home occupations) as accessory uses in all residential zoning districts under Planning Code Section 204.1 and related provisions. A home occupation must be clearly subordinate and incidental to the residential use of the dwelling, conducted entirely within the residence, and must not change the residential character or external appearance of the property. All businesses operating in San Francisco — including home-based businesses — must register for a San Francisco Business Registration Certificate through the Office of the Treasurer and Tax Collector. Certain professional services, freelance work, and online businesses operating from home are common and generally well-tolerated, reflecting the city's strong entrepreneurial culture. However, activities that generate customer traffic, noise, odors, or other impacts perceptible to neighbors are subject to enforcement.

San Francisco prohibits exterior business signage for home occupations in residential zoning districts. Under Planning Code Section 204.1, a home occupation must not alter the residential character or external appearance of the property in any way, which precludes the display of business signs, nameplates, logos, or any other commercial identification visible from the exterior. Planning Code Article 6 (Signs and Awnings) further restricts signage in residential districts to specific permitted categories — primarily real estate signs, construction signs, and certain governmental signs — and does not authorize commercial business signs in residential zones. The signage prohibition is absolute for home occupations: no exterior signs of any type, size, or material are permitted.

San Francisco limits customer and client traffic to home-based businesses under the Planning Code's accessory use standard (Section 204.1). A home occupation must not generate vehicle or pedestrian traffic exceeding what is customary for the residential neighborhood. Retail sales to walk-in customers are prohibited, and client visits must be kept to a level that does not produce noticeable traffic or parking impacts. San Francisco's dense urban environment, reliance on public transit, and limited residential parking make traffic impacts more visible and impactful than in suburban settings. The Planning Code does not specify an exact numeric daily visitor limit, but enforcement interprets the standard as permitting occasional individual client visits — generally no more than a few clients per day — while prohibiting group activities, classes, or events that generate concentrated traffic.