Santa Barbara County, CA Special Events & Permits: Street Fair Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing law
- County Code Ch. 6, Art. VI, Secs. 6-70–6-84
- Trigger
- 500+ attendees (250+ in Isla Vista zone)
- License fee
- $100 plus $250 per event day
- Application deadline
- 60 days before the event
- Cleanup deposit
- At least $5,000
- Damage insurance/bond
- At least $100,000
Summary
Any music, dance, or 'rock' festival open to 500 or more people in unincorporated Santa Barbara County needs an outdoor festival license before it happens: a $100 base fee plus $250 per day, filed at least 60 days ahead, with security deposits, insurance, and board of supervisors sign-off for larger events.
"Outdoor festival" means any music festival, dance festival, "rock" festival or similar musical activity, at which music is provided by paid or professional, or amateur performers or by prerecorded means, which is held at any place other than in a permanent building or permanent installation which permanent installation has been constructed for the purpose of conducting such activities, to which members of the public are invited or admitted or which are otherwise open to view for a charge or free of cost and which is to be or is attended by five hundred persons or more... Every person maintaining an outdoor festival shall first procure a license and pay a fee of one hundred dollars, plus two hundred and fifty dollars for each day of the outdoor festival.
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 Chapter 6, Article VI defines an 'outdoor festival' as any music festival, dance festival, 'rock' festival, or similar musical activity held outside a permanent building, open to the public for a charge or free of charge, and attended by 500 or more persons (or 250 or more within the specific Isla Vista boundary described in Sec. 6-70). Sec. 6-72 requires a license before the event, with a fee of $100 plus $250 for each day the festival runs. Sec. 6-73 requires the application to be filed with the county administrative officer at least 60 days before the festival begins.
Sec. 6-74 through 6-75 require detailed disclosures: security, water, food, sanitation, and medical plans, sound-equipment decibel levels, a cash deposit or bond of at least $5,000 for cleanup, and a separate insurance policy or bond of at least $100,000 to cover damage to neighboring property. Under Sec. 6-79, the administrative officer may approve festivals expected to draw 5,000 or fewer attendees administratively; larger festivals go to the board of supervisors for a noticed public hearing under Sec. 6-80. Sec. 6-81 requires findings that the site meets health, zoning, and fire and safety standards and will not endanger public health, safety, or welfare before any license issues.
Violations & Fines
Except for the separate Isla Vista amplified-music restriction in Sec. 6-70.01 (an infraction with a fine up to $500), violating Article VI's outdoor festival licensing requirements is a misdemeanor under Sec. 6-107, punishable by a fine of up to $500, up to six months in county jail, or both, with each day of violation treated as a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
How far ahead must a festival organizer apply for a county outdoor festival license?
How much does an outdoor festival license cost in Santa Barbara County?
Who decides whether to grant the license?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Santa Barbara County
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