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Vacaville restricts where recreational vehicles, boats, and trailers may be stored on streets and within residential zoning districts. On-street storage of any vehicle for more than 72 consecutive hours is treated as abandoned under California Vehicle Code §22651(k) and Vacaville Municipal Code Chapter 10.48. RV, boat, and trailer storage on private residential property is governed by VMC Title 14 zoning standards.
Vacaville Municipal Code §10.20.020(N) prohibits parking any commercial vehicle with a manufacturer's gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of 10,000 pounds or more on any street within 600 feet of an occupied dwelling, unless a special temporary parking permit has been obtained from the Police Department. The City also designates official truck routes under VMC Chapter 10.32.
Aircraft operations at Solano County's Nut Tree Airport (VCB) directly affect parts of Vacaville. The Nut Tree Airport Land Use Compatibility Plan (ALUCP), adopted May 20, 2010, by the Solano County Airport Land Use Commission, is implemented locally through Vacaville Municipal Code §14.09.110 (Airport Environs Overlay District). Direct regulation of aircraft in flight is federally preempted by the FAA. The airport publishes noise-sensitive area procedures including a published noise-abatement route west of Interstate 80 and below 800 feet MSL for runway 20 departures.
Under Vacaville Municipal Code Chapter 8.10, outdoor construction or repair work on any building, structure, or other project is prohibited within 500 feet of any occupied residence between 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. Monday through Saturday, and between 10:00 p.m. and 8:00 a.m. on Sundays. Interior work that does not create noise noticeable to a reasonable person outside is not restricted. The Director of Community Development may grant an exception for emergency work, weather-related project delays, or 24-hour construction projects.
Vacaville Municipal Code Chapter 9.16 (Loudspeakers, Sound Amplifiers and Lighting Equipment) requires advance registration with the City for the use of loudspeakers or sound amplifiers in or upon any building, vehicle, or open-air location. Amplified sound that disturbs nearby residents independently violates the Chapter 8.10 nuisance standard. Active disturbances are enforced by the Vacaville Police Department, including under California Penal Code Section 415.
Vacaville does not impose a stand-alone leaf-blower ban. Vacaville Municipal Code Chapter 8.10 prohibits operation of commercial equipment, including leaf blowers, mowing machines, and parking-lot cleaning/sweeping machines, within 500 feet of any occupied residence between 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. Monday through Saturday and between 10:00 p.m. and 8:00 a.m. on Sundays. Daytime use is allowed if it does not disturb a reasonable person of normal sensitivity. California's statewide small off-road engine standards (CARB SORE) layer on top of the City rules.
Vacaville regulates noise through Vacaville Municipal Code Chapter 8.10 (Abatement of Public Nuisance) using a narrative "reasonable person" standard rather than fixed decibel limits. Outdoor construction and commercial equipment within 500 feet of an occupied residence are prohibited between 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. Monday through Saturday, and from 10:00 p.m. to 8:00 a.m. on Sundays. The City requires a written complaint signed by three or more persons in separate residences before it is obligated to investigate a residential noise nuisance.
Vacaville Municipal Code Chapter 6.20 (Animal Nuisances) makes it a nuisance to keep any animal that habitually disturbs the neighborhood by barking, howling, or other noise, when affirmed in writing by three or more persons in separate residences or regularly employed in the neighborhood, or confirmed by an animal control officer. The animal control officer serves an abatement notice on the owner, and an unabated nuisance can be impounded. Solano County Animal Care Services handles complaints within Vacaville under a contract arrangement.
Vehicle noise on Vacaville streets is governed primarily by the California Vehicle Code rather than by a dedicated local muffler ordinance. CVC §27150 requires every motor vehicle to be equipped with an adequate muffler in constant operation; CVC §27151 prohibits modifying the exhaust to amplify noise above CHP standards (95 dB(A) by SAE J1169 for passenger vehicles). Vacaville's own Chapter 8.10 nuisance standards apply to non-roadway vehicle noise (e.g., revving in driveways, loud car stereos at residences).
Vacaville imposes a Transient Occupancy Tax of 8% on the rent charged for occupancy of any hotel, motel, or other lodging facility for stays of 30 consecutive days or less under Vacaville Municipal Code Chapter 3.16. On top of that, the Vacaville Tourism Marketing District (originally established under Chapter 3.17 as a Hotel Business Improvement District with a 2% assessment) increased its assessment to 4% effective November 1, 2025, after City Council approval of a Visit Vacaville board petition. Effective October 1, 2023, HdL Companies took over TOT collection, returns, and audit on behalf of the city; operators file directly with HdL's TOT Processing Center rather than with the City Clerk. Because STRs are not a permitted use in residential zones, the practical operator base for these taxes is hotels, motels, and lawful lodging facilities in commercial/mixed-use districts.
Vacaville has not codified short-term rental parking conditions because STRs are not authorized in residential zones. Parking for lawful lodging uses (hotels, motels, bed and breakfast inns in commercial/mixed-use districts) is governed by the off-street parking provisions of Title 14 (Land Use and Development Code), which set the minimum number of stalls per guest room and per employee, ADA accessibility, drive-aisle dimensions, and landscaping. For residential addresses, on-street and overnight parking is regulated by Chapter 10.20 (Stopping, Standing and Parking), including a prohibition on parking commercial vehicles with a manufacturer's gross vehicle weight rating of 10,000 pounds or more within 600 feet of any occupied dwelling and the city's posted permit and time-limit zones.
The City of Vacaville does not issue a short-term rental (STR) permit and has not adopted a stand-alone STR licensing chapter. Under Title 14 (Land Use and Development Code) of the Vacaville Municipal Code, a rental of less than thirty (30) consecutive days falls within the 'hotel/motel' or 'bed and breakfast' use classification rather than 'dwelling, single-family' or 'dwelling, multifamily,' and lodging uses are limited to commercial zoning districts under Chapter 14.09.070 (Commercial and Mixed-Use Zoning Districts). Operating a whole-home Airbnb, Vrbo, or Booking.com listing in an R-E, R-L, R-M, or R-H residential district is not a permitted use, even with a city business license. Accessory dwelling units are independently barred from short-term rental use by Chapter 14.09.270 (Standards for Specific Uses and Activities), which prohibits ADU rentals of less than 31 days.
Because Vacaville does not authorize short-term rentals in residential zones, the city has not codified STR-specific quiet hours or party-house penalties. Noise generated at a Vacaville address is governed by the general public nuisance standard in Vacaville Municipal Code Chapter 8.10 (Abatement of Public Nuisance), which defines a nuisance to include any loud, unusual, or unnecessary noise that disturbs the peace or quiet of nearby property or that would annoy or disturb a reasonable person of normal sensitivity. Section 8.10.030 effectively imposes a stricter nighttime window of 10:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. Monday through Saturday and 10:00 p.m. to 8:00 a.m. on Sundays, during which construction, repair work, leaf blowers, mowing equipment, and similar noise sources within 500 feet of an occupied residence are prohibited.
Vacaville has not adopted a stand-alone short-term rental insurance requirement because STRs are not a permitted use in residential zones under Title 14. For lawful lodging operations in commercial and mixed-use districts (hotels, motels, bed and breakfast inns), the city does not impose a codified minimum liability limit in the municipal code; insurance levels are set by the operator and its lender, and may be addressed by individual use-permit conditions adopted by the Community Development Department at the entitlement stage. Hosts using Airbnb, Vrbo, or similar platforms rely on the platform-provided host protection programs (e.g., Airbnb AirCover) in addition to private homeowner or commercial policies, but those private programs are not a substitute for a permitted use.
Vacaville has not codified an STR-specific occupancy cap (such as a flat 'two persons per bedroom plus two' rule or a 10-person maximum) because short-term rentals are not authorized in residential zones. For lawful lodging uses (hotels, motels, bed and breakfast inns in commercial/mixed-use districts), occupancy is set by the California Building Code occupant-load tables for the Group R-1 occupancy classification as adopted by Title 15 of the Vacaville Municipal Code, plus any use-permit-specific cap imposed by the Community Development Department at entitlement. Chapter 9.20 (Abatement of Community Safety Violations) reinforces that exceeding posted occupancy load at a public assembly where alcohol or drugs are accessible is itself a violation.
Vacaville adopts the 2022 California Fire Code through Vacaville Municipal Code Chapter 15.20.270 et seq. (Fire Code of the City of Vacaville). Recreational fires under CFC Section 307.4.2 may be no more than 3 feet in diameter and 2 feet tall, must be at least 25 feet from any structure or combustible material, and only clean firewood may be burned. The Vacaville Fire Department enforces these rules and may order any fire extinguished.
Vacaville requires property owners to keep land clear of dry weeds, vegetation, and rubbish under Vacaville Municipal Code Chapter 8.04 (Abatement of Weeds and Rubbish). On or about June 1 each year, Code Enforcement inspects properties citywide. Parcels in or adjacent to State Responsibility Areas or the Vaca Mountains foothills also must maintain 100 feet of defensible space under California Public Resources Code §4291 / Government Code §51182.
Open burning of vegetation, yard waste, or rubbish inside Vacaville City limits is unlawful under Vacaville Municipal Code Chapter 8.04 unless the Fire Chief has issued written permission. The Yolo-Solano Air Quality Management District also regulates outdoor burning regionally and prohibits all burning on declared 'Don't Light Tonight' no-burn days. Most residential yard-waste burning is effectively banned.
Propane (liquefied petroleum gas) storage in Vacaville is governed by California Fire Code Chapter 61, adopted through Vacaville Municipal Code Chapter 15.20.271. Residential containers under 125 gallons water capacity (the typical 20-lb BBQ tank up through a 100-lb cylinder) have no minimum setback if installation conditions are met; containers 125–500 gallons require a 10-foot separation from buildings, property lines, and public ways.
All fireworks of any kind are illegal in the City of Vacaville under Vacaville Municipal Code Chapter 9.62 (Fireworks Regulation). In 2022 the City Council strengthened the ordinance to authorize City staff to cite the property owner whenever any firework is stored or used on the property, regardless of the amount or type. Dangerous fireworks carry an administrative fine of $1,000 per occurrence plus a 10% late charge.
Portions of eastern and southern Vacaville — including Lagoon Valley Regional Park, the Vaca Mountains foothills, Browns Valley, and the slopes around Pleasants Valley — are mapped in the State Fire Marshal's Local Responsibility Area Fire Hazard Severity Zone map (released Feb 24, 2025) as Moderate, High, or Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones. Vacaville's City Council was required to designate the zones by ordinance within 120 days of receiving the OSFM recommendation. Designation triggers defensible-space, Chapter 7A construction, and Natural Hazard Disclosure obligations.
Vacaville Municipal Code Chapter 6.24 requires a Beekeeping Permit from Community Development to keep hives on any lot in a Residential District, or in a Commercial District where residential uses are allowed. Open Space, Agricultural Hillside, Industrial, and non-residential Commercial parcels are exempt if the hive sits more than 150 ft from any dwelling and at least 100 ft from a public street. Apiary registration with the Solano County Agricultural Commissioner is also required under California Food & Ag Code Section 29040.
Vacaville Municipal Code limits residential households to three dogs and three cats over four months old per lot, plus six adult rabbits. Higher counts require commercial kennel or cattery zoning under Title 14, or a rural-zoned parcel that authorizes additional animals. Humane Animal Services enforces; complaints typically come through neighbor reports under VMC Chapter 6.20.
Vacaville Municipal Code Chapter 6.04 requires dogs in public places to be restrained by a substantial chain or leash no longer than six feet and under the physical control of a competent handler. All dogs over four months old must be licensed under Chapter 6.08 with proof of current rabies vaccination. Humane Animal Services (HAS) provides animal control under contract at 707-449-1700.
Vacaville has no breed-specific dog ordinance. California Food & Agricultural Code Section 31683 prohibits any local breed-discriminatory ordinance that declares a specific breed inherently dangerous or vicious. The City and Humane Animal Services regulate individual dogs through California's potentially-dangerous and vicious-dog process (Food & Ag Code Sections 31601-31683) and through VMC Chapter 6.16 (Dangerous Animals).
Vacaville Municipal Code Chapter 6.04 prohibits wild species from running at large or being pastured/staked in the City. Possession of restricted species (large cats, monkeys, venomous snakes, alligators, ferrets) is controlled primarily by California Code of Regulations Title 14 Section 671 and the California Department of Fish & Wildlife, which requires a Restricted Species Permit. VMC Chapter 6.16 (Dangerous Animals) reinforces the prohibition on possessing any animal another jurisdiction has deemed dangerous, vicious, or a threat to safety.
Vacaville allows home chicken keeping as a non-commercial accessory use to single-family residences in agricultural and lower-density residential zones with a 6,000 sq ft minimum lot size. The cap is one adult hen per 1,000 sq ft of lot area, up to nine hens total. Roosters are prohibited citywide. Other livestock require an agricultural or rural-zoned parcel under Title 14 (Land Use & Development Code).
Vacaville does not have a stand-alone wildlife-feeding chapter, but California Fish & Game Code Section 251.1 prohibits any conduct that herds, harasses, or pursues wildlife, and California Code of Regulations Title 14 Section 251.3 makes it unlawful to feed big-game mammals - including deer, elk, antelope, and bears - throughout California. Local nuisance abatement under VMC Chapter 6.20 backstops feeding that attracts coyotes, raccoons, or other animals onto private property.
Vacaville does not have a dedicated animal-hoarding ordinance. Instead it caps companion animals at three dogs and three cats over four months old per residential lot (and six adult rabbits), enforces nuisance and cruelty provisions through VMC Chapters 6.20 and 6.16, and relies on California Penal Code Section 597 (cruelty to animals) for severe hoarding cases.
Vacaville Municipal Code Section 14.09.250.060 protects all trees with a diameter at breast height of six inches or more. Significant pruning that risks destroying the tree requires authorization from the Director of Community Development. Routine maintenance trimming is allowed, but cuts that exceed standard arboricultural practice can trigger a Tree Removal Permit requirement and replacement-tree mitigation.
Vacaville Municipal Code Section 14.09.250.060 prohibits removing or destroying any tree six inches or more in diameter at breast height (DBH) on public or private property without a Tree Removal Permit issued by the Director of Community Development. The application takes a minimum of 21 days, requires arborist information where applicable, and may require replacement trees as a condition of approval.
Vacaville residents and businesses must subscribe to Recology Vacaville Solano's organics (green-cart) curbside service under California SB 1383 (Public Resources Code Sections 42649.8-42649.97). Food scraps, food-soiled paper, and yard trimmings go to Jepson Prairie Organics on Hay Road for composting. Backyard composting is allowed as a complement, subject to standard nuisance and rodent-control rules.
Vacaville Municipal Code Chapter 8.04 (Abatement of Weeds and Rubbish) declares dry vegetation, weeds, and rubbish a public nuisance, with annual June 1 inspections by Code Enforcement and lien recovery for non-abated parcels. The Solano County Agricultural Commissioner's Weed Management Area (WMA) handles state-listed noxious weeds (yellow starthistle, perennial pepperweed, medusahead) under California Food & Ag Code Sections 5001-5026.
Vacaville does not impose a numeric inch-limit on lawn height. Tall dry grass and weeds are regulated under VMC Chapter 8.04 (Abatement of Weeds and Rubbish), which declares such growth a public nuisance and authorizes annual June 1 Code Enforcement inspections. Properties not in compliance face abatement at the owner's expense, administrative fines, and tax-roll liens.
Vacaville does not require native plants in standard residential yards, but the City's Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance at VMC Section 14.27 strongly favors low-water and California-native species through plant-factor calculations under the WUCOLS classification. Solano County Water Agency lawn-conversion rebates require at least 50% drought-tolerant or California-native plants at maturity.
Vacaville Municipal Code Chapter 13.20 (Water Conservation) prohibits runoff, overspray, and using potable water to wash hardscape without a shutoff nozzle. Violations carry fines up to $500. The City also enforces a Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance (WELO) at VMC Section 14.27 implementing California's Model Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance under California Code of Regulations Title 23 Section 490 et seq.
Government Code 65850.3 prevents California cities and HOAs from banning drought-tolerant artificial turf installed at single-family residential properties.
The 2012 Rainwater Capture Act allows California residents to capture rainwater from rooftops for non-potable outdoor use without a state water-right permit, preempting most local barriers.
Vacaville follows the California Building Code as adopted in VMC Title 15 - fences 7 feet tall or less are typically exempt from a building permit under CBC 105.2 (item 2). Fences over 7 feet, masonry/retaining walls over 4 feet from the bottom of footing, and pool barriers always require a building permit through the Vacaville Building Division. A zoning compliance review still applies even when no building permit is required.
Vacaville Municipal Code 14.09.200 (General Site Regulations) caps residential fences at 6 feet outside required setbacks and 3 feet within 5 feet of the back of sidewalk or a front property line. Nonresidential districts allow up to 8 feet on interior/rear lines and 6 feet on street-side corner setbacks, with front yards limited to 3 feet.
Vacaville Municipal Code 14.09.200 permits standard fence materials including wood, masonry, brick, wrought iron, and vinyl. Barbed wire, razor wire, ultra-barrier, electrified, and other hazardous fencing is prohibited unless required by law or another public agency. Front-yard fencing must remain at least 50% see-through where over 3 feet under typical residential standards.
Vacaville enforces California's Swimming Pool Safety Act (Health & Safety Code 115921-115929) and California Building Code Section 3109. Every new or remodeled in-ground pool requires at least two of seven approved drowning-prevention safety features. The enclosure must be at least 60 inches (5 feet) tall with no more than 4 inches of clearance at the bottom and self-closing/self-latching gates.
Vacaville has no special neighbor-fence ordinance - California Civil Code 841 (the 2014 Good Neighbor Fence Act) governs shared boundary fences. Adjoining landowners are presumed to share equally in the cost of construction and maintenance. The party seeking to build or replace must give 30 days' written notice with a description of the work, cost estimate, and proposed cost-sharing.
California Building Code under Title 24 universally requires permits and engineering for retaining walls over four feet measured from the bottom of the footing, applying statewide regardless of local variation.
Vacaville permits ADUs and JADUs ministerially under VMC 14.09.122 in conformance with California Government Code 66310 et seq. (renumbered from 65852.2 effective 2024). ADU maximum size scales with the primary dwelling: 850 sq ft if primary is up to 1,700 sq ft, 1,000 sq ft if primary is up to 2,000 sq ft, and 1,200 sq ft (or 50% of primary if larger) otherwise. ADUs cannot be used for short-term rentals under 31 days.
Vacaville sheds 120 square feet or smaller are exempt from a building permit under California Building Code 105.2(1) as adopted in VMC Title 15. Larger sheds require a building permit. All accessory structures must comply with VMC 14.09.200 zoning setbacks - typically 5 feet from side and rear lines and behind the front building line, with no electrical or plumbing for the permit exemption.
Under California Government Code 66322(a) (formerly 65852.2(f)(3)) and VMC 14.09.122, Vacaville ADUs under 750 square feet are exempt from all city impact fees. ADUs 750 sq ft and larger pay impact fees proportional to the ratio of ADU floor area to primary dwelling area. Standard building, plan-check, and utility connection fees still apply at any size.
Vacaville permits conversion of an existing attached or detached garage into an ADU under VMC 14.09.122 and California Government Code 66320(a)(1). No replacement parking is required (Gov. Code 66321(a)(2)). State default 4-foot side and rear setbacks apply for new construction within the existing garage footprint. Building permits and Title 24 energy compliance are required.
Vacaville processes ADU and JADU permits ministerially through the Community Development Department / Building Division under VMC 14.09.122 and California Government Code 66317. The city must act on a complete application within 60 days. Submittal is through the eTRAKiT online portal. Pre-approved ADU plans accelerate review under AB 434 (Gov. Code 66315).
California HCD guidance and Health and Safety Code 18007 classify many tiny homes on wheels as manufactured housing or ADUs, granting statewide siting protections.
Vacaville requires a building permit for any in-ground pool or spa, and for above-ground pools deeper than 18 inches or holding more than 5,000 gallons. Permits are issued by the Vacaville Building Division (650 Merchant Street) through the eTRAKiT online portal and include structural, electrical, plumbing, and gas plan review and final inspection.
Vacaville requires every new or substantially remodeled pool or spa to incorporate at least two of seven Pool Safety Act features under Health & Safety Code 115922, one of which is typically an isolation barrier under CBC 3109.4. The barrier must be at least 60 inches tall, with a gate latch at least 54 inches above the ground, and openings no more than 4 inches.
Vacaville pools must comply with the federal Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act (15 USC 8001) for anti-entrapment drain covers, the California Pool Safety Act for barriers/alarms, and California Code of Regulations Title 22 (CalCode) for any public pool. Pool chemical storage falls under VMC Title 15 fire-code adoption and California Fire Code Chapter 60.
California's Swimming Pool Safety Act covers above-ground pools deeper than 18 inches, requiring uniform drowning-prevention features and barriers regardless of pool type.
Hot tubs and spas fall under California's Swimming Pool Safety Act when capable of holding water deeper than 18 inches, requiring barriers, covers, or other approved safety features.
Vacaville requires a Home Occupation Permit under VMC 14.09.270 plus a city Business License before operating a home-based business. Home occupations are limited to 20% of the dwelling's floor area, must be incidental to residential use, cannot generate customer traffic, and cannot involve outside employees. California AB 1472 (Gov. Code 65852.2 family day care) and AB 587 / SB 1100 frame state-level limits on local prohibitions.
VMC 14.09.270 expressly prohibits client/customer visits to a Vacaville home occupation to procure goods or services, allows only occasional postal/parcel deliveries by standard residential carriers, and bars outdoor storage of business vehicles or equipment. Excess vehicle trips beyond normal residential character trigger Code Enforcement action.
Vacaville prohibits exterior signage for home occupations under VMC 14.09.270 - no signs, displays, or stock-in-trade visible from outside the dwelling. The broader sign code (VMC 14.09.260, amended July 23, 2024) regulates other signage by zoning district. Federal Reed v. Town of Gilbert content-neutrality constraints apply to all sign enforcement.
The California Homemade Food Act, codified at Health and Safety Code sections 113758 and 114365, sets uniform rules for cottage food operations and bars local governments from prohibiting them in residential zones.
Health and Safety Code sections 1597.40 through 1597.465 require all California cities and counties to treat licensed family daycare homes as permitted residential uses, preempting any local prohibition or restrictive zoning.
Vacaville Municipal Code Chapter 8.10 (Abatement of Public Nuisance) declares a wide range of blight-producing conditions to be public nuisances, including unsecured vacant structures, exterior trash and debris, abandoned personal property, accumulated newspapers and flyers, unmaintained landscaping, and unmaintained pool barriers. The Code Enforcement Division (within the Vacaville Fire Department) administers abatement under Chapter 1.28, including administrative citations, abatement at the owner's expense, and cost recovery through liens or special assessments.
Vacaville Municipal Code §8.10.060 requires the owner of any foreclosed or vacant building to register the property in the City's monitoring program within thirty days of the building becoming vacant. Registrants must secure the structure, maintain the landscaping and exterior, secure pool barriers, remove exterior trash and abandoned personal property, regularly remove newspapers and flyers, and notify Code Enforcement in writing of the responsible person and phone number. Weeds and dry vegetation on any lot are separately regulated by Chapter 8.04 (Abatement of Weeds and Rubbish).
Vacaville single-family residents receive three carts from Recology Vacaville Solano: a gray garbage cart, a blue recycling cart, and a green organics cart. Carts must be at the curb by 6:00 a.m. on the collection day, lid completely closed, handles toward the curb, with at least three feet of clear space between each cart and other objects (vehicles, lamp posts, trees). Subscription and proper cart use are required under California Senate Bill 1383 for all residents.
Vacaville is a low-elevation Solano County city that does not experience meaningful snowfall, and the Vacaville Municipal Code does not impose a snow- or ice-removal duty on adjacent property owners. California Streets and Highways Code §5610 makes the abutting property owner responsible for maintaining the sidewalk in a safe condition. Vacaville follows the long-standing California rule that the City does the structural sidewalk repair work in many cases, while owners are liable for hazardous conditions they create.
Recology Vacaville Solano requires that all three carts be at the curb by 6:00 a.m. on the collection day, with wheels touching the curb so the lid opens to the street, handles toward the curb, the lid completely closed, and at least three feet of clear space between each cart and other carts, vehicles, lamp posts, trees, and similar objects. Carts may not block the sidewalk. Carts left improperly at the curb can be skipped and may trigger code enforcement under Vacaville Municipal Code Chapter 8.10 if left for an extended period.
Recology Vacaville Solano provides weekly curbside collection of gray garbage, blue recycling, and green organics carts to all single-family customers within Vacaville city limits. Each customer is assigned a service day on the published collection calendar, and all three carts are typically serviced together. Subscription and participation are required under California Senate Bill 1383. The customer service number is (707) 448-2945.
Yard trimmings in Vacaville go in the green organics cart along with food scraps, under California SB 1383. The cart is collected weekly by Recology Vacaville Solano and processed at Jepson Prairie Organics. Open burning of landscape debris is regulated by the Yolo-Solano Air Quality Management District (YSAQMD), which has jurisdiction over agricultural and open burning in northeastern Solano County including Vacaville, Dixon, and Rio Vista.
Recology Vacaville Solano provides one annual curbside bulky-item collection per residential customer. The customer may set out either two bulky items, two cubic yards of bagged material, or three e-waste items. Pickup is scheduled at least one day before the regular collection day. Hazardous waste, construction and demolition debris, and auto parts are not accepted in the bulky-item program.
All Vacaville residents must subscribe to and participate in the City's three-cart Recology service (gray garbage, blue recycling, green organics) under California Senate Bill 1383 and the City's local SB 1383 program. Recyclables and food/organic waste must be sorted out of the garbage. Proper sorting is monitored through annual random collection-route reviews, and improper sorting triggers educational notices with potential escalation to administrative penalties.
Illegal dumping in Vacaville is prosecuted under California Penal Code §374.3, which prohibits dumping waste matter on public or private property without the consent of the owner. State penalties scale from $250 for a first conviction to $1,000+ for repeat offenders, with a possible $3,000 fine and county-jail time for commercial-quantity dumping. Locally, illegally dumped material is also a public nuisance under Vacaville Municipal Code Chapter 8.10, abatable at the responsible party's expense under Chapter 1.28.
Vacaville does not impose a local security-deposit ordinance. Security deposits at Vacaville rental properties are governed by California Civil Code Section 1950.5, as amended by Assembly Bill 12 (Stats. 2023, Ch. 727), which capped most residential security deposits at the equivalent of one month's rent effective July 1, 2024 (with a limited two-month cap retained for certain small landlords who own no more than two residential properties with no more than four units, where the prospective tenant is not a service member). Section 1950.5 also requires deposits to be itemized and returned, with any deductions, within 21 calendar days of vacating, prohibits non-refundable deposits, and entitles a wrongfully-deprived tenant to recover the deposit, statutory damages of up to twice the deposit amount, and attorney fees in small-claims or civil action.
Vacaville has not adopted a Rental Housing Inspection Program (RHIP), a Rental Housing Habitability Program (RHHP), or any other proactive citywide rental inspection regime. There is no per-unit annual inspection requirement, no rolling multi-year inspection cycle, and no inspection fee in the Vacaville Municipal Code. Habitability and code complaints at specific addresses are handled by the Vacaville Fire Department's Community Risk Reduction Division (Code Enforcement) on a complaint-driven basis under Chapter 8.10 (Abatement of Public Nuisance) and Chapter 1.28 (Abatement of City Ordinance Violations). Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8) units are independently inspected by the Solano County Housing Authority to HUD Housing Quality Standards before the HAP contract is signed and annually thereafter.
Vacaville has not enacted a local rent-control or rent-stabilization ordinance. Annual rent increases on covered units are governed by the California Tenant Protection Act of 2019 (AB 1482), codified at California Civil Code Section 1947.12, which caps annual increases on covered rentals at the lesser of 5% plus the regional April-to-April CPI or 10% over any 12-month period. Vacaville sits in the San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward CPI region for AB 1482 purposes. The cap does not apply to new construction less than 15 years old (rolling), to individually-owned single-family homes and condominiums where the landlord delivers the statutory exemption notice, or to deed-restricted affordable units. Costa-Hawkins Rental Housing Act (Cal. Civ. Code Sections 1954.50 et seq.) further preempts local vacancy control even if the city ever adopted a rent-stabilization ordinance.
Vacaville does not operate a citywide rental registration program. Landlords renting residential property in the city are not required to register units with the City of Vacaville, do not pay an annual rental registration fee, and do not undergo a routine city-administered habitability inspection as a condition of leasing. Operators must still hold a general business license under Vacaville Municipal Code Title 5 (Business Taxes, Licenses and Regulations) for the rental activity, comply with the California Civil Code landlord-tenant provisions (security deposits, habitability, just cause, rent cap), and pass Housing Quality Standards inspections for any unit leased through the Solano County Housing Authority's Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8) program. Code Enforcement responds to specific habitability complaints under Chapter 8.10 (Abatement of Public Nuisance) on a complaint-driven basis.
Vacaville has not adopted a local just-cause eviction ordinance. Eviction grounds at Vacaville addresses are governed by the California Tenant Protection Act of 2019 (AB 1482), codified at California Civil Code Section 1946.2. AB 1482 requires landlords to have 'just cause' to terminate a tenancy after the tenant has continuously occupied the dwelling for 12 months (or 24 months if any additional adult tenant joined later). Just cause is split into at-fault grounds (e.g., nonpayment of rent, material lease breach, nuisance, criminal activity) and no-fault grounds (owner or family move-in, withdrawal from the rental market under the Ellis Act process, government order, substantial remodel), with relocation assistance equal to one month of rent required for no-fault terminations. Single-family homes and condominiums owned by natural persons (not corporations) are exempt if the landlord delivers the statutory exemption notice. Self-help evictions are prohibited statewide by California Civil Code Section 789.3.
Vacaville has not codified a stand-alone secondhand-dealer or pawnbroker chapter in the Vacaville Municipal Code. Secondhand dealers and pawnbrokers operating within the city are governed by the California Business and Professions Code Sections 21625 through 21647 (the Secondhand Dealer/Pawnbroker statute) and Cal. Financial Code Section 21000 et seq. (the Pawnbroker Article); they must obtain a Secondhand Dealer permit from the local law enforcement agency (the Vacaville Police Department) under Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code Section 21641, report all transactions through the California Pawn and Secondhand Dealer System (CAPSS) administered by the California Department of Justice under Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code Section 21628, hold reportable property for the statutory 30-day holding period, and hold a Vacaville general business license under Title 5.
Vacaville has not adopted a stand-alone municipal tobacco retail license ordinance separate from the city's general business-license framework under Title 5 of the Vacaville Municipal Code. Tobacco retailers must hold a California Cigarette and Tobacco Products Retailer's License issued by the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration (CDTFA) under the Cigarette and Tobacco Products Licensing Act of 2003 (Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code Section 22971 et seq.), comply with the statewide flavored-tobacco sales ban codified by Senate Bill 793 (Cal. Health & Safety Code Section 104559.5), comply with vending-machine restrictions in Vacaville Municipal Code Chapter 9.66 (Vending Machines - Cigarettes and Tobacco), and hold a Vacaville general business license under Title 5. Vacaville has not enacted local density caps, school buffers, or local enforcement penalties beyond the state framework.
Vacaville has not adopted a stand-alone 'unruly gathering' or 'party house' ordinance with second-response cost recovery. Loud parties at any address are enforced through three layered chapters: Vacaville Municipal Code Chapter 8.10 (Abatement of Public Nuisance, including Section 8.10.030's noise standard); Chapter 9.20 (Abatement of Community Safety Violations), which targets disturbances at gatherings where alcohol or drugs are consumed or accessible, and where occupant load exceeds permitted limits at public assemblies; and Chapter 9.61 (Social Host Ordinance), which imposes joint and several civil liability on hosts of gatherings where minors obtain, possess, or consume alcoholic beverages, including parental liability where the host is a juvenile.
Vacaville Municipal Code Chapter 9.65 (Smoking Restrictions) prohibits smoking in all enclosed areas customarily used by the general public, including retail stores, hotels and motels, pharmacies, banks, offices, restaurants with an occupied capacity of 50 or more persons (subject to limited designated-smoking-area provisions), and waiting rooms, hallways, wards, and semiprivate rooms of health facilities. Chapter 9.66 (Vending Machines - Cigarettes and Tobacco) regulates vending-machine placement, and related provisions cover smoking in city-owned recreational areas and use of electronic smoking devices. California Labor Code Section 6404.5 supplies the statewide enclosed-workplace smoking ban, and Cal. Health & Safety Code Section 104495 supplies outdoor restrictions within 25 feet of playgrounds and youth sports areas.
Operating a food truck or mobile food facility in Vacaville requires three layered authorizations: (1) a City of Vacaville business license under Vacaville Municipal Code Title 5 (Business Taxes, Licenses and Regulations) for the mobile-vending business; (2) a Mobile Food Facility permit from Solano County Department of Resource Management - Environmental Health under the California Retail Food Code (Cal. Health & Safety Code Section 113700 et seq.) for food and beverage handling; and (3) compliance with the city's mobile and pop-up vendor rules administered by Community Development. The state Mobile Food Facility framework distinguishes between Type 1 (limited menu, packaged or non-potentially hazardous food) and Type 2 (full-menu unit with limited food preparation), and a commissary affiliation under California law is generally required for Type 2 operations.
Vacaville introduced Chapter 5.40 (Sidewalk Vending) of the Vacaville Municipal Code on February 10, 2026, regulating stationary and roaming pedestrian-path vending consistent with California's Safe Sidewalk Vending Act (SB 946, codified at Cal. Gov't Code Section 51036 et seq.) and SB 972 (which amended Cal. Health & Safety Code Section 113700 et seq. to expand authorized sidewalk food vending). Chapter 5.40 requires a city sidewalk vending permit, ADA-compliant clear path of travel, display of the permit, and prohibits horns, sirens, and flashing signs; vending is prohibited at bus stops, red curbs, medians, and bikeways and within corner cutoff areas where the cutoff line makes a 45-degree angle with the property line. State law independently prohibits sidewalk vending in the immediate vicinity of a certified farmers' market during operating hours. Motorized food trucks are expressly excluded from Chapter 5.40 and are instead governed by Title 5 business licensing and Solano County Environmental Health permits.
Vacaville requires automatic fire sprinklers in all new one- and two-family dwellings under California Residential Code §R313 (adopted by VMC Chapter 15.20.251), designed and installed to NFPA 13D as adopted in California. Multifamily and commercial buildings use NFPA 13R or NFPA 13. Existing exterior elevated elements on multifamily buildings are separately subject to California SB 326 / SB 721 balcony-inspection laws.
Vacaville does not have its own lead-paint ordinance; lead-based paint compliance in Vacaville follows the federal Residential Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction Act of 1992 (Title X) and the EPA Renovation, Repair, and Painting (RRP) Rule for pre-1978 housing, plus California Department of Public Health requirements administered by the Solano County Health Department. Pre-1978 sale and lease disclosures are mandatory.
Vacaville Municipal Code Chapter 8.10 (Abatement of Public Nuisance) authorizes the City to abate buildings or land that are defective, diseased, or deteriorated in a way likely to harbor rats, vermin, or other pests. Structural pest-control work (termites, rodents, bed bugs, etc.) is performed by Structural Pest Control Board-licensed operators under California Title 16 / Business and Professions Code Division 3, Chapter 14.
Maximum lot coverage in Vacaville is set by zoning district under Vacaville Municipal Code Chapter 14.09.060 (Residential Zoning Districts), with district-specific tables. Table 14.09.060.D applies to accessory structures in the RR (Rural Residential) and RE (Residential Estate) districts. For lots with less than 50 feet of street frontage, impervious surfaces in the front yard are capped at a driveway plus walkway under §14.09.060.
Building height limits in Vacaville are set by zoning district under Vacaville Municipal Code Chapter 14.09.060 (Residential), 14.09.070 (Commercial and Mixed-Use), and 14.09.090 (Public and Semi-Public). VMC Chapter 14.09.200 (General Site Regulations) provides that no portion of a structure exceeding the building height limit may provide habitable area, and additional height above the limit may be approved with a minor use permit.
Vacaville sets residential building setbacks in Vacaville Municipal Code Chapter 14.09.060 (Residential Zoning Districts), with general site regulations in Chapter 14.09.200. Setbacks vary by residential district (RE / RR / RL / RM / RH), structure type, and lot size. Front-entry garages may use a 25% reduction with a minimum 18 feet, and structures above the first floor in single-family districts have specific second-story setback requirements.
The City of Vacaville has not adopted a stand-alone drone or unmanned aircraft system (UAS) ordinance regulating recreational or commercial drone flight. Drone operation over and within Vacaville is governed primarily by federal law - the Federal Aviation Administration's 14 C.F.R. Part 107 (for commercial and non-recreational operations) and the FAA's Recreational Flyer rules under 49 U.S.C. Section 44809 (for hobbyist flight) - and by California statutes addressing privacy and trespass, including Cal. Penal Code Section 632.7 (audio recording), Cal. Civil Code Section 1708.8 (physical and constructive invasion of privacy by drone), and Cal. Penal Code Section 402 (interference with emergency personnel). Travis Air Force Base, located just east of Vacaville, creates Class C airspace and a restricted/prohibited area that requires LAANC authorization for any drone flight in the vicinity.
Commercial drone operations in California follow uniform federal rules under 14 CFR Part 107 plus statewide California provisions in Civil Code 1708.8 and Public Utilities Code 21401, with local rules limited to ground-based regulation.
The City of Vacaville maintains a juvenile curfew ordinance at Vacaville Municipal Code Chapter 9.34 (Curfew). The chapter generally makes it unlawful for a minor (a person under 18 years of age) to be present in or upon any public place, public street, highway, road, lane, park, playground, public building, place of amusement or entertainment, vacant lot, or other public ground during defined curfew hours, subject to enumerated defenses including being accompanied by a parent or guardian, traveling directly to or from lawful employment, engaged in lawful interstate travel, attending an official school, religious, or other lawfully-organized activity, or responding to an emergency. The chapter also imposes parental liability for permitting a curfew violation, consistent with the framework upheld by the California Court of Appeal in Nunez v. City of San Diego.
Solano County does not set a flat closing hour in code; under Solano County Code §19-70, the Parks Division is authorized to close any county park or restrict the times it is open. Posted hours at Lake Solano, Belden's Landing, Sandy Beach, and other county parks govern. Camping outside designated overnight areas is prohibited under §§19-220 to 19-240. Juvenile curfew §16-10 (10 p.m.–sunrise) also applies.
Vacaville Municipal Code Chapter 14.18 (Flood Damage Prevention) governs construction in FEMA Special Flood Hazard Areas. Significant portions of central and east Vacaville along Alamo Creek, Ulatis Creek, Laguna Creek, and Horse Creek sit in Zone A or AE on FEMA's FIRM maps. New structures and substantial improvements in SFHAs must elevate the lowest floor at or above the Base Flood Elevation under VMC 14.18.050.
Vacaville Municipal Code Chapter 14.26 (Stormwater Management) prohibits any discharge of non-stormwater pollutants - sediment, soaps, paint, sewage, washwater, oils - into the municipal storm drain system. Construction sites disturbing one acre or more need coverage under the State Construction General Permit and a SWPPP. Vacaville is a co-permittee under the California State Water Resources Control Board's Phase II MS4 General Permit.
Solano County Code Chapter 31 — Grading, Drainage, Land Leveling, and Erosion Control — is the County's grading and erosion-control ordinance. Most ground-disturbing work in unincorporated Solano County requires a grading permit issued by the Resource Management Department, and that permit incorporates erosion- and sediment-control conditions. Small-fill projects (under 50 cubic yards, under 5,000 sq ft, under 3 ft deep, on slopes flatter than 7:1) are exempt if they meet narrow criteria.
The California Coastal Act, Public Resources Code sections 30000 through 30900, requires Coastal Development Permits for nearly all work in the coastal zone and gives the Coastal Commission appeal jurisdiction over local decisions.
Vacaville's Tree Preservation Ordinance (VMC 14.09.250.060) does not set a single numeric replacement ratio in code, but the Director of Community Development routinely requires replacement trees as a condition of every Tree Removal Permit. Ratios are calibrated to the size, species, and significance of the removed tree, with native oaks and Resource Protection-area trees triggering the highest ratios. Replanting must use appropriate species, sizes, and locations approved by the City.
Vacaville does not maintain a formal numeric Heritage Tree size threshold separate from its citywide 6-inch DBH rule, but VMC Chapter 14.09.250 (Resource Protection) gives heightened protection to trees within designated Resource Protection areas - including native oak woodlands in Lagoon Valley, the Vaca Hills, and certain ridgelines. Large, mature, and historically significant trees are protected through Tree Removal Permit conditions, higher replacement ratios, and discretionary-review tree-preservation conditions.
Vacaville requires a Tree Removal Permit issued by the Director of Community Development to cut down, remove, or destroy any tree with a diameter at breast height of six inches or more on public OR private property. Applications take a minimum 21 days and are reviewed against tree health, hazard, project design, and replacement criteria. Native oaks and trees within Resource Protection areas receive heightened scrutiny.
Permanent outdoor kitchens in Vacaville require building, plumbing, electrical, and/or gas permits under VMC Title 15 (which adopts the California Building, Plumbing, Electrical, and Mechanical Codes) when they include utilities or covered structures. VMC 14.09.200 accessory-structure setbacks apply. Hillside (H) Overlay properties face additional review under California Building Code Chapter 7A.
Vacaville adopts the California Fire Code under VMC Title 15. CFC 308.1.4 prohibits open-flame cooking on combustible balconies or within 10 feet of combustible construction at apartments, condos, and townhomes. Properties in the Hillside (H) Overlay and Lagoon Valley Specific Plan face Red Flag restrictions on charcoal/wood cooking during fire season.
Vacaville offers instant online solar permitting through the Symbium automated platform under SB 379 (Health & Safety Code 17959.5). Residential rooftop PV up to 10 kW and 30 kW thermal qualify for streamlined review under AB 2188 (Gov. Code 65850.5). The California Solar Rights Act (Civ. Code 714) limits HOA restrictions on rooftop solar.
Civil Code section 714 voids HOA covenants and rules that prohibit or unreasonably restrict residential solar energy systems, preempting private and local restrictions.
California sets a statewide minimum wage floor under Labor Code 1182.12, currently $16.50 per hour for all employers as of 2025. Local governments are not preempted and may set higher minimums; many cities exceed the state rate substantially.
California's Healthy Workplaces, Healthy Families Act under Labor Code 245-249 mandates paid sick leave for nearly all employees statewide. SB 616 (2023) raised the minimum to 40 hours or five days annually effective January 2024, applying universally.
California regulates concealed carry weapons licenses statewide under Penal Code 26150 through 26225. Senate Bill 2 (2023) imposes uniform sensitive-place restrictions and applicant standards, preempting local variations on issuance criteria and qualifications.
California preempts most local firearm regulation under Government Code 53071 and Penal Code 25605, reserving licensing, registration, and manufacture authority to the state. However, local governments retain limited authority over discharge, sensitive places, and zoning of gun businesses.
California broadly prohibits open carry of firearms statewide under Penal Code 25850 (loaded firearms in public) and Penal Code 26350 (open carry of unloaded handguns). The prohibition applies uniformly across all California cities and counties without local variation.
California prohibits carrying loaded firearms in vehicles statewide under Penal Code 25400 and 25850. Unloaded handguns transported in private vehicles must be in a locked container or the vehicle's locked trunk; long guns must be unloaded but need not be locked.
California prohibits state and local governments from requiring private employers to use the federal E-Verify system except where federal law mandates it, under Government Code 7285.1 and 7285.3. The restriction applies uniformly to every California city and county.
The California Values Act (SB 54, 2017) codified at Government Code 7284-7284.12 limits state and local law enforcement cooperation with federal immigration authorities. It applies uniformly to every California agency and bars participation in most civil immigration enforcement.
The California Land Conservation Act of 1965 (Williamson Act), Government Code 51200-51297.4, allows landowners to enter contracts with counties restricting land to agricultural use for ten-year minimum terms in exchange for reduced property tax assessment based on farming income.
The California Right to Farm Act under Civil Code 3482.5 protects established agricultural operations from nuisance lawsuits brought by neighbors who moved in after farming began. The law applies statewide and limits both private and local government nuisance actions.
California prohibits grocery stores and large retailers from providing single-use plastic carryout bags under Public Resources Code 42280-42288, enacted by SB 270 (2014) and ratified as Proposition 67 in 2016. Recycled paper or reusable bags require a 10-cent minimum charge.
California restricts expanded polystyrene food containers statewide through SB 54 (2022) packaging requirements under Public Resources Code 42040-42081. The law mandates that polystyrene foodware achieve 25 percent recycling by 2025 or face statewide sales prohibition.
California Public Resources Code 42270-42273, enacted by AB 1884 (2018), prohibits full-service restaurants from providing single-use plastic straws unless requested by the customer. The on-request rule applies uniformly to dine-in restaurants statewide.
California prohibits sale of tobacco and vapor products to anyone under 21 statewide under Business and Professions Code 22958, enacted by SBX2-7 in 2016. The Tobacco 21 standard applies uniformly across all California jurisdictions.
California bans retail sale of most flavored tobacco products statewide under Health and Safety Code 104559.5, enacted by SB 793 (2020) and upheld by voters via Proposition 31 in November 2022. The ban applies uniformly to all California retailers.
California requires statewide licensing of tobacco and vape retailers under the STAKE Act and the Cigarette and Tobacco Products Licensing Act. Business and Professions Code 22970 establishes uniform retailer licensing, while local governments may adopt stricter rules.