Madera County, CA Special Events & Permits: Parade Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- Filing deadline
- 60 days before the parade
- Standard event deadline
- 15 days (non-parade)
- Permitting office
- Planning department
- Also required
- Liability insurance, road approval
Summary
Parades, processions, and caravans in unincorporated Madera County count as outdoor events and must be filed with the planning department sixty days before the date.
An application for a permit under this chapter shall be filed with the planning department not less than fifteen days prior to the date or dates upon which a single event is to be conducted, sixty days if the event is a parade, procession, caravan or any event which is likely to cause the closure of any road or is likely to sell/offer food.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 52).
Full Breakdown
Madera County Code § 5.16.010 defines an 'outdoor event' requiring a permit to include 'any parade, procession, caravan... held at any place other than a permanent building.' Because parades typically use public roads, § 5.16.030(D) singles them out for a longer lead time, requiring applications 'sixty days if the event is a parade, procession, caravan or any event which is likely to cause the closure of any road,' versus the standard fifteen days for other outdoor events. The planning department also requires proof of liability insurance, and any road use separately needs the road commissioner's written approval.
Violations & Fines
Conducting a parade or procession without the required outdoor event permit, or without the road commissioner's road-closure approval, is a misdemeanor under Chapter 1.12, and the board of supervisors may revoke the permit for a disorderly event.
Frequently Asked Questions
How far ahead must a parade permit be filed in Madera County?
Does a Madera County parade permit also cover closing the road?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Madera County
California rules heatmap·Compare Madera County to another location·View the California special events & permits overview
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