Solano County, CA Special Events & Permits: Parade Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- Trigger
- Events with more than 25 participants
- Permitting agency
- Director of transportation
- Filing deadline
- 30 days ahead (5 days for late filings)
- Minimum insurance
- $500,000 bodily injury per person/occurrence
- Exemptions
- Funeral processions, school activities, government agencies
- Fire-season rule
- No smoking June through October along the route
Summary
Any assembly, parade, footrace or bicycle tour with more than 25 participants on a county road needs a permit from the director of transportation, filed at least 30 days ahead with a route map and a minimum $500,000 liability policy naming the county as an additional insured.
This article shall be applicable to assemblies, parades, footraces, bicycle touring and similar events involving sponsored, advertised or published activities hereinafter referred to as an “event” occurring on Solano County roads other than sidewalks which involve more than twenty-five participants.
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance 1868, passed April 9, 2026).
Full Breakdown
Solano County Code Section 17-20 defines the scope of the parade article: it applies to assemblies, parades, footraces, bicycle touring and similar sponsored, advertised, or published events on county roads other than sidewalks that involve more than twenty-five participants. Section 17-21 makes it unlawful to conduct such an event on a county-maintained road in the unincorporated area without first getting a permit from the director of transportation. Section 17-22 requires a complete application at least thirty days before the event, though the director can accept a late filing at least five working days out for good cause.
Section 17-23 lists the required application contents: starting time, minimum and maximum speed, spacing between units, the streets or property to be occupied, route length, a route map and description, and a certificate of insurance naming the county and state as additional insureds. Section 17-24 sets the minimum insurance limits at $500,000 per person and per occurrence for bodily injury and $100,000 per occurrence for property damage, filed with the risk manager at least ten working days before the event, though the director must waive insurance for a First Amendment event whose sponsor shows the cost is financially prohibitive or coverage is unobtainable.
Section 17-26 lists the findings the director must make before issuing a permit, including that the event will not unduly divert law enforcement or ambulance resources or interfere with fire response. Section 17-29 exempts funeral processions, supervised school activities, and government agencies acting within their functions. Section 17-30 requires the applicant to remove all litter, bars trespass on private property including fences, and bans open fires and, during fire season from June through October, smoking by participants.
Violations & Fines
Conducting a covered event without the required permit violates Section 17-21. The director of transportation may deny a permit and instead offer an alternate date, time, or route under Section 17-28, which the applicant must accept in writing within five days to preserve the permit. General penalties for county code violations apply where the chapter does not specify its own fine, and litter or fire-season violations under Section 17-30 expose the sponsor and participants to citation on top of any permit denial for future events.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many participants trigger a parade permit in Solano County?
How far in advance must I apply for a Solano County event permit?
How much liability insurance does a Solano County parade permit require?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Solano County
California rules heatmap·Compare Solano County to another location·View the California special events & permits overview
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