Hawthorne, CA Special Events & Permits: Sidewalk Dining & Cafés (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing chapter
- HMC Chapter 5.66, Outdoor Restaurants
- Restricted hours requiring permit
- 11 p.m.-6 a.m. daily
- Weekend restricted hours
- Noon Fri/Sat through 6 a.m.
- Permit issuer
- Hawthorne city council
- Permit review window
- 30 days
- Permit expiration
- December 31 of issuance year
Summary
Hawthorne requires a city council permit for any outdoor restaurant that wants to serve customers outside a fully enclosed building late at night: between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m. any day, and from noon Friday and Saturday through 6 a.m. the next morning.
No person shall operate or cause to be operated or participate in the operation of any outdoor restaurant between the hours of eleven p.m. and six a.m. of the next succeeding day and between the hours of twelve p.m. on Friday and Saturday and six a.m. of the next succeeding day without a permit from the city council to do so having first been obtained.
Full Breakdown
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Violations & Fines
The city council may revoke or suspend a permit any time it is satisfied the business endangers public welfare, has been run illegally, improperly or in a disorderly manner, or no longer satisfies the Section 5.66.080 findings; violation of a state law or any code provision by the proprietor is also grounds. A permanent revocation or suspension requires either a misdemeanor conviction under this chapter or at least ten days' written notice of a public hearing, though the council can impose a temporary suspension without that notice (Section 5.66.110). Violating a condition placed on a permit under Section 5.66.090 is a code violation subject to the general penalties in Section 1.20.010.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does every outdoor dining patio in Hawthorne need a special permit?
Who decides whether Hawthorne issues an outdoor restaurant late-hours permit?
How long does a Hawthorne outdoor restaurant permit last?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Hawthorne
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