Santa Barbara County, CA Special Events & Permits: Park Event Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- Permit authority
- Director of Community Services (Sec. 26-9)
- Applies to
- unincorporated county recreation areas only
- Fee areas
- entry without payment unlawful (Sec. 26-5)
- Permit revocable
- for violations (Sec. 26-4)
- Penalty
- infraction or misdemeanor, DA's discretion (Sec. 26-6)
Summary
Groups that want exclusive use of a picnic area, pavilion, or other portion of a Santa Barbara County park in the unincorporated area need a special use permit from the community services director under Sec. 26-9. Where the county has set a use fee, Sec. 26-5 makes it unlawful to enter without paying it first, and the director can revoke a permit under Sec. 26-4.
Sec. 26-9. - Reserved or special use areas. The director of community services is authorized to provide for reservations of special permits for portions of county recreation areas as the director may specify. No person shall obstruct or interfere with the use of those specified areas by the person or persons to which a reservation or special permit has been issued. ... Sec. 26-5. - Public use fees. User fees shall be established by the board of supervisors, by ordinance or resolution. When fees are required, it is unlawful for any person to enter a county recreation area or other applicable area without first paying the appropriate fees and/or obtaining the appropriate permits.
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
Santa Barbara County Code Chapter 26 governs every county recreation area, meaning county parks, beaches, trails, open space and Lake Cachuma, but only in the unincorporated area; Santa Barbara, Santa Maria, Lompoc, Goleta, Carpinteria and Buellton run their own separate park systems. Sec. 26-9 lets the director of community services 'provide for reservations of special permits for portions of county recreation areas as the director may specify,' and once a reservation or permit is issued, no one else may obstruct or interfere with the permit holder's use of that space.
Where the board of supervisors has established a use fee for a park or facility under Sec. 26-5, entering without paying the fee or holding the required permit is itself unlawful. Community services department personnel can revoke a permit, certificate or decal under Sec. 26-4 if it was issued in error or if the holder violated any provision of Chapter 26 or another applicable law or rule; a revoked permit holder can also be expelled from the recreation area under Sec. 26-7 and barred from returning for at least 24 hours.
Public officers designated under Sec. 31, may issue citations to enforce the permit and reservation rules. Applicants should contact the community services department directly, since Chapter 26 leaves the specific reservation process, fee amounts and blackout dates to administrative rule rather than printing them in the code itself.
Violations & Fines
Entering or using a county recreation area without paying a required fee or holding the necessary permit, or violating any permit condition, is a crime under Sec. 26-6, chargeable as either an infraction or a misdemeanor at the district attorney's discretion. Each day a violation continues is a separate offense, and the county can also pursue administrative remedies under Chapter 24A on top of any criminal penalty.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to hold a group gathering at a Santa Barbara County park?
What if the county park I want charges an entry fee?
Can the county cancel my park permit after it's issued?
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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