Santa Barbara County, CA Special Events & Permits: Parade Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing chapter
- County Code Ch. 28A, Sec. 28A-1 to 28A-20
- Issuing authority
- County public works department
- Small-parade exemption
- 40 or fewer participants, obeying traffic rules
- Large-event lead time
- 6 months (Category D, 4+ street closures)
- Unpermitted event fine
- Up to $500, plus 2-year permit denial
Summary
Anyone conducting or sponsoring a parade, demonstration, or other event in the unincorporated county's public right-of-way needs a public right-of-way special event permit from public works, unless it's a funeral procession or a parade of forty or fewer participants that follows traffic rules.
A public right-of-way special event permit shall be required by any person intending to conduct or sponsor an event (see definition) in the unincorporated public right-of-way...A public right-of-way special event permit is not required for the following: (a)Funeral processions;(b)Governmental agencies acting within the scope of their authorized functions;(c)Parades involving forty or fewer participants along a parade route that uses pedestrian facilities, and all participants obey traffic regulations and controls.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 44 Update 1).
Full Breakdown
County Code Section 28A-3 requires a public right-of-way special event permit for any person intending to conduct or sponsor an event, defined in Section 28A-2 to include a parade (a march or procession that obstructs, delays, or interferes with normal traffic flow and does not comply with traffic laws), a demonstration, a block party, or a celebration. Section 28A-4 exempts activities that use the right-of-way as intended, don't delay the public, and don't require road closures, plus funeral processions, government agencies acting in their official capacity, and parades of forty or fewer participants that use pedestrian facilities and obey traffic controls.
Section 28A-6 sets submission deadlines by event category: thirty days ahead for Category A and B events, sixty days for Category C and E, and six months for Category D large events, and the department may deny late applications. Section 28A-7 requires the department to issue an initial approval or denial within five days of a complete application, with denial grounds including code or law violations, scheduling conflicts, a prior applicant's noncompliance, or construction hazards at the site. Section 28A-9 sets an estimated fee within five days based on event category, and Section 28A-16 lets the department require a restoration deposit, forfeited in whole or part if the permittee fails to restore the right-of-way and does not correct the infringement within ten days of notice.
Violations & Fines
Section 28A-15 lets the department issue a cease-and-desist notice and assess a special investigation and processing fee of up to five hundred dollars for a permit breach. Section 28A-19 allows revocation or suspension of the permit, denial of future permits for a minimum of two years, and misdemeanor or infraction charges at the district attorney's discretion, and Section 28A-20 makes it unlawful to sponsor, conduct, or knowingly participate in an unpermitted right-of-way event, or to interfere with a permitted one, punishable by up to a five-hundred-dollar fine and denial of future permits.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to hold a parade in unincorporated Santa Barbara County?
How far in advance must a special event permit application be filed?
What happens if someone holds a parade without a permit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Santa Barbara County
California rules heatmap·Compare Santa Barbara County to another location·View the California special events & permits overview
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