Ventura County, CA Special Events & Permits: Street Fair Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Permit-exempt cap
- 75-350 attendees by parcel size
- Exempt event hours
- 8 a.m.-10 p.m.
- CUP trigger
- Sec. 8107-46.4
- Exempt events/year
- 5 (10 on 250+ acre parcels)
Summary
Festivals, street fairs, animal shows and similar outdoor gatherings in unincorporated Ventura County are permit-exempt below set attendance caps (75-350 people depending on parcel size); larger events need a Conditional Use Permit under Section 8107-46.
No Zoning Clearance or other land use approval or entitlement is required under this Chapter for an outdoor event that meets all of the following criteria... For a parcel of less than five (5) acres, the total number of attendees over the course of an event is greater than seventy-five (75) but does not exceed 150, or such larger number if both the event and the number of attendees are such that the use is customarily incidental...
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 51).
Full Breakdown
Under Section 8107-46.3, no Zoning Clearance is needed if attendance stays within the cap for the parcel's size: 75-150 on parcels under 5 acres, 75-250 on parcels of 5+ acres, or 100-350 on parcels of 250+ acres. Exempt events run 8 a.m.-10 p.m., allow amplified sound only 10 a.m.-10 p.m., need one portable restroom per 50 attendees, and are capped at 5 per year (10 for parcels of 250+ acres). Events exceeding these limits require a Conditional Use Permit under Section 8107-46.4.
Violations & Fines
Holding an outdoor event beyond the exempt attendee limit or event count without a Conditional Use Permit is a zoning violation. Under Section 8107-46.5(a), two or more confirmed violations for holding unpermitted events on a parcel within 24 months bars that parcel from applying for a CUP.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I hold a street fair on my unincorporated Ventura County property without a permit?
What happens above the exempt attendee limit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Ventura County
California rules heatmap·Compare Ventura County to another location·View the California special events & permits overview
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