Lancaster, CA Sidewalk & Pedestrian Rules: Encroachment Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing rule
- LA County Highway Permit Ordinance No. 3597, adopted by reference
- Permit authority
- City engineer and street superintendent
- Records on file
- 3 copies kept with city clerk
- Max fine
- $1,000 per violation
- Max jail term
- 6 months in county jail
- Continuing violation
- Each day counts as a separate offense
- Min driveway width
- 12 feet
Summary
Lancaster requires a highway permit before anyone opens, occupies, or builds in a city street, sidewalk, or highway. The city adopted the Los Angeles County Highway Permit Ordinance No. 3597 by reference, substituting city officials for county ones, so permits run through the city engineer and street superintendent.
Except as hereinafter provided, that certain highway permit ordinance known and designated as the Los Angeles County Highway Permit Ordinance No. 3597, as amended from time to time, shall by this reference be and become the highway permit ordinance of the city, providing regulations for the use of city streets and highways.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 10 - 2025).
Full Breakdown
010 adopts "that certain highway permit ordinance known and designated as the Los Angeles County Highway Permit Ordinance No. " Three copies of the county ordinance are kept on file with the city clerk for public inspection. 020 rewrites the county ordinance's terminology for city use: the "board of supervisors" becomes the Lancaster city council, "commissioner" becomes the city's street superintendent, "county" becomes the City of Lancaster, and "engineer" or "county engineer" becomes the city engineer. That substitution means anyone applying for a permit to encroach on, excavate, or place private improvements within a Lancaster street or sidewalk right-of-way applies to the city engineer's office under the county's substantive permit standards, not a locally drafted set of rules.
040 separately amends Section 308 of Ordinance No. 3597 so the city engineer, when funds are available, will prepare engineering plans and specifications for street improvements requested by a property owner, with the owner paying a prorated share of the design cost based on their property's street frontage versus the total frontage of both sides of the street. 050 amends Section 706 to set driveway-width standards for approaches built off any permitted encroachment: a minimum of 12 feet, up to 27 feet for residential or small-lot driveways, and up to 36 feet (or 20 percent of frontage, capped at 60 feet) for larger commercial lots.
Violations & Fines
Violating any provision of Chapter 12.16, including working in the right-of-way without the required permit, is a misdemeanor under Section 12.16.030. Conviction carries a fine of up to $1,000, up to six months in county jail, or both. Each day or portion of a day the violation continues counts as a separate offense, so unpermitted encroachment work left in place accrues a new violation daily until it is permitted or removed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Lancaster have its own encroachment permit rules or does it use the county's?
Who approves a private encroachment into a Lancaster street right-of-way?
What happens if I encroach on a Lancaster street without a permit?
How wide can a driveway approach be under this chapter?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Lancaster
California rules heatmap·Compare Lancaster to another location·View the California sidewalk & pedestrian rules overview
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Encroachment Permits in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Los Angeles County handle encroachment permits.