Riverside, CA Sidewalk & Pedestrian Rules: Encroachment Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- Permit required for
- structures, trees, landscaping, irrigation in ROW
- Fee
- set by City Council resolution
- Issuing authority
- Public Works Director
- Stormwater compliance
- work must meet MS4 NPDES rules
- Governing section
- RMC § 13.08.015
Summary
Anyone placing facilities, structures, trees, landscaping, or irrigation in a Riverside street right-of-way or City easement must first obtain an encroachment permit and pay a processing fee set by City Council resolution.
13.08.015 - Encroachment permit—Fee. No facilities, structures, trees, landscaping or irrigation shall be constructed or placed upon a street right-of-way or upon any City-owned easement except upon issuance of an encroachment permit by the City, or except for facilities or structures installed or constructed by public utilities in accordance with any franchise or right previously granted. All work shall comply with MS4 NPDES Requirements. A processing fee for any permit issued for encroachments into the street rights-of-way or upon City easements shall be paid to the Public Works Department at the time of application for such permit, which fee shall be in an amount as stablished by resolution of the City Council.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 33).
Full Breakdown
015 requires an encroachment permit from the City before any facilities, structures, trees, landscaping, or irrigation are constructed or placed upon a street right-of-way or a City-owned easement, with a narrow carve-out for facilities or structures installed by public utilities under an existing franchise or previously granted right. Applicants must pay a processing fee at the time of application, with the fee amount set by City Council resolution rather than fixed in the Code itself, and all work performed under the permit must comply with MS4 NPDES stormwater requirements.
010, which also authorizes free permits to public agencies and public schools upon a proper application, and covers permits for grading and paving streets, sidewalks and alleys and for installing curbs, gutters, culverts, drains, drainage systems, sanitary sewers, landscaping, and irrigation. 030 if work isn't proceeding per the approved plans, current OSHA standards, or the Director's reasonable satisfaction. 025, with no permit exception available for that particular use.
Violations & Fines
Placing facilities, structures, trees, landscaping, or irrigation in a Riverside street right-of-way or City easement without a valid encroachment permit under RMC § 13.08.015 is a Municipal Code violation; the Public Works Director may also suspend or cancel a noncompliant permit under § 13.08.030, and unpermitted work is separately punishable under the Code's general penalty section, RMC § 1.01.110, as an infraction (up to $250) or misdemeanor (up to $1,000 and/or six months in jail).
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to put landscaping in the parkway strip in Riverside?
Who issues encroachment permits in Riverside?
Can Riverside cancel an encroachment permit after it's issued?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Riverside
California rules heatmap·Compare Riverside to another location·View the California sidewalk & pedestrian rules overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.
Encroachment Permits in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Riverside County handle encroachment permits.