Sacramento County, CA Special Events & Permits: Parade Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- Permit required from
- Director (Public Works/Transportation)
- Governs
- Unincorporated Sacramento County only
- Arterial/through-highway blackout
- 4 p.m.–6 p.m. and after dark
- Seasonal blackout
- December 10–26 each year
- Penalty basis
- Title 10 general penalty, § 10.04.080
Summary
Sacramento County requires a permit from the Director of Transportation before any parade, procession, or assemblage may use a public highway in the unincorporated area.
No person shall operate a vehicle, or join in, or be a member of any procession, parade or assemblage on any public highway without a permit first having been issued by the Director. No permit shall be valid on an arterial or through highway during the hours of four p.m. to six p.m. or during the hours of darkness or between the tenth of December and the twenty-sixth of December in any year.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4941150; v18 updated 2026-05-19).
Full Breakdown
County Code § 10.32.020 bars anyone from operating a vehicle, joining, or being a member of any procession, parade, or assemblage on a public highway without a permit issued first by the Director. Permits are never valid on an arterial or through highway from 4 to 6 p.m., during hours of darkness, or between December 10 and December 26. Violations fall under the Title 10 general penalty at § 10.04.080.
Violations & Fines
Misdemeanor under § 10.04.080: up to $50 fine or 5 days jail (1st offense), up to $100/10 days (2nd), up to $500/6 months for a 3rd offense within a year.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit for a parade on a Sacramento County road?
Can a parade permit cover an arterial road at night?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Sacramento County
California rules heatmap·Compare Sacramento County to another location·View the California special events & permits overview
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