County recording office
Los Angeles County Clerk-Recorder
12400 Imperial Hwy, Norwalk, CA 90650 (opens in Google Maps)
Checking the mailbox
Read the Davis-Stirling guide next
California CIDs follow Davis-Stirling (Civil Code §§4000–6150): secret-ballot elections with an inspector, annual budget/policy disclosures, reserve studies, and IDR/ADR before most lawsuits. Start with the plain-English statute guide, then this city’s municipal layer.
County recording office
Los Angeles County Clerk-Recorder
12400 Imperial Hwy, Norwalk, CA 90650 (opens in Google Maps)
Wildland-urban-interface communities face increasing mitigation expectations. Coordinate landscape standards with local fire district guidelines.
Board checklist
Municipal trash schedules, curb placement, and code enforcement pathways.
Burrtec Waste Industries became Santa Clarita's exclusive residential and commercial waste hauler on July 1, 2023, after winning a competitive bid and a 10-year franchise that replaced the city's decades-long relationship with Waste Management; the standard monthly rate moved to $28.92 with the transition. Residents should confirm current cart colors, collection day, and bulky-pickup procedures through Burrtec's dedicated Santa Clarita customer line rather than assuming a covenant handbook's WM-era instructions still apply.
Mediation, courts, and state resources when board actions are challenged.
Unlike Anaheim, Long Beach, or Sacramento, Santa Clarita does not maintain a city-specific short-term rental permit or registration ordinance in its Municipal Code as of this writing. Operators are still required to obtain a city business license, comply with zoning and building rules, and collect and remit California's transient occupancy tax — enforcement runs through the city's general code-compliance process rather than an STR-dedicated chapter. Boards should not assume a covenant rental ban alone satisfies city tax-registration duties, and should re-check the municipal code periodically since the city has signaled it may adopt dedicated STR regulations as the local market grows.
Late fee estimator
Enter your typical monthly assessment to see how local caps may apply. KindHOA can automate notices and fee schedules once your board defines the rules.
Estimated legal ceiling
$10.00
Many associations cannot assess late fees until accounts are at least 30 days past due and proper notice has been sent. You entered 15 days past due.
Tell us about your community. We'll show you how KindHOA automates dues, late fees, and resident communication — free for self-managed HOAs.
No per-door fees. No enterprise bloat. Just the tools your neighbors need to run Santa Clarita with confidence.
A volunteer board guide for Santa Clarita: understand where municipal code ends, where your HOA covenants begin, and how to comply with Davis-Stirling Common Interest Development Act.
The quick answer
Santa Clarita has no dedicated short-term rental permit ordinance of its own — operators still owe the city's transient occupancy tax and must hold a business license, but no STR-specific chapter exists in the municipal code yet. Burrtec Waste Industries took over as the exclusive residential hauler on July 1, 2023, replacing longtime provider Waste Management.
Late fees (California): Max 10% or $10. Confirm against your declaration and current statute.
Reviewed by the KindHOA Editorial Team · Last reviewed July 25, 2026
Santa Clarita is a large Los Angeles County city formed from the 1987 merger of Canyon Country, Newhall, Saugus, and Valencia, with an HOA map reflecting that history — from Valencia's Newhall Land master plans to canyon-adjacent tracts brushing the wildland interface. A 2023 hauler switch to Burrtec is the most consequential recent municipal change most boards need to track, since the city still has not adopted a dedicated STR ordinance the way many Southern California peers have.
Local rules board members use
City-specific answers for Santa Clarita — sourced to municipal code and official city pages. Educational, not legal advice.
Unlike Anaheim, Long Beach, or Sacramento, Santa Clarita does not maintain a city-specific short-term rental permit or registration ordinance in its Municipal Code as of this writing. Operators are still required to obtain a city business license, comply with zoning and building rules, and collect and remit California's transient occupancy tax — enforcement runs through the city's general code-compliance process rather than an STR-dedicated chapter. Boards should not assume a covenant rental ban alone satisfies city tax-registration duties, and should re-check the municipal code periodically since the city has signaled it may adopt dedicated STR regulations as the local market grows.
Primary source: Santa Clarita municipal code / city ordinances
Fence and wall projects in Santa Clarita must align with zoning development standards governing setbacks, height measurement, and permit triggers for retaining and masonry features — standards vary between planned-community zones in Valencia and older canyon parcels in Canyon Country. HOA architectural controls add design requirements on top of, not instead of, those city placement rules; verify the applicable standard in the Santa Clarita Municipal Code before breaking ground.
Primary source: Santa Clarita municipal code / city ordinances
Burrtec Waste Industries became Santa Clarita's exclusive residential and commercial waste hauler on July 1, 2023, after winning a competitive bid and a 10-year franchise that replaced the city's decades-long relationship with Waste Management; the standard monthly rate moved to $28.92 with the transition. Residents should confirm current cart colors, collection day, and bulky-pickup procedures through Burrtec's dedicated Santa Clarita customer line rather than assuming a covenant handbook's WM-era instructions still apply.
Primary source: Santa Clarita municipal code / city ordinances
Santa Clarita's Building and Safety Division requires permits for structural alterations, new conditioned area, electrical and plumbing modifications, and grading work that exceeds the city's minor-repair exemptions. HOA design approval for an ADU, solar installation, or patio cover does not substitute for city plan check when building-code thresholds apply — confirm through the city's permit intake before hiring contractors.
Primary source: Santa Clarita municipal code / city ordinances
Santa Clarita sits in a high wildland-urban-interface zone where Santa Ana winds, brush fires, and steep canyon terrain drive aggressive HOA rules on defensible space, roofing, and vent screening beyond city minimums. Hot, dry summers and state drought mandates interact with covenant turf limits, while occasional heavy winter rains raise mudslide and drainage concerns on hillside lots that push boards toward tighter grading and retaining-wall covenants.
Primary source: Santa Clarita municipal code / city ordinances
Summaries below are for board orientation. Verify requirements in the official Santa Clarita municipal code (opens in a new tab).
Santa Clarita municipal code
Unlike Anaheim, Long Beach, or Sacramento, Santa Clarita does not maintain a city-specific short-term rental permit or registration ordinance in its Municipal Code as of this writing. Operators are still required to obtain a city business license, comply with zoning and building rules, and collect and remit California's transient occupancy tax — enforcement runs through the city's general code-compliance process rather than an STR-dedicated chapter. Boards should not assume a covenant rental ban alone satisfies city tax-registration duties, and should re-check the municipal code periodically since the city has signaled it may adopt dedicated STR regulations as the local market grows.
HOA governing documents
HOAs enforce recorded use restrictions (minimum lease terms, guest limits, parking) when consistent with applicable city licensure and state law. Covenant enforcement requires notice, cure periods, and uniform application.
Zoning & building code
Fence and wall projects in Santa Clarita must align with zoning development standards governing setbacks, height measurement, and permit triggers for retaining and masonry features — standards vary between planned-community zones in Valencia and older canyon parcels in Canyon Country. HOA architectural controls add design requirements on top of, not instead of, those city placement rules; verify the applicable standard in the Santa Clarita Municipal Code before breaking ground.
Permit thresholds
Santa Clarita's Building and Safety Division requires permits for structural alterations, new conditioned area, electrical and plumbing modifications, and grading work that exceeds the city's minor-repair exemptions. HOA design approval for an ADU, solar installation, or patio cover does not substitute for city plan check when building-code thresholds apply — confirm through the city's permit intake before hiring contractors.
HOA architectural control
HOAs review fences and additions through architectural committees under CC&Rs. Municipal compliance alone does not satisfy HOA design or notice requirements.
State / local protections
Civil Code §714 and §714.1 restrict HOA bans on solar energy systems; associations may impose reasonable sizing and placement rules that do not significantly increase cost or decrease performance. The Water Code and many municipal drought ordinances limit HOA prohibitions on water-efficient landscaping. Confirm current Solar Rights Act and fire-zone defensible-space rules for your county.
What HOAs may still regulate
HOAs may adopt reasonable design rules that meet statutory tests (location, color, timeline). Associations cannot impose outright bans where state law voids them.
Drought cycles and municipal watering schedules affect landscaping covenants. Automate reminders when restrictions tighten.
Board checklist
California boards should review master policies, deductibles, and owner disclosure obligations annually.
Board checklist
Parties may use internal ADR required by CC&Rs, private mediation, or Superior Court. Small claims limits follow California Code of Civil Procedure §116.220 et seq. (verify current dollar cap). County recorder and consumer resources vary by county; Los Angeles County Superior Court clerk can confirm filing procedures.
Fence and wall projects in Santa Clarita must align with zoning development standards governing setbacks, height measurement, and permit triggers for retaining and masonry features — standards vary between planned-community zones in Valencia and older canyon parcels in Canyon Country. HOA architectural controls add design requirements on top of, not instead of, those city placement rules; verify the applicable standard in the Santa Clarita Municipal Code before breaking ground.
Burrtec Waste Industries became Santa Clarita's exclusive residential and commercial waste hauler on July 1, 2023, after winning a competitive bid and a 10-year franchise that replaced the city's decades-long relationship with Waste Management; the standard monthly rate moved to $28.92 with the transition. Residents should confirm current cart colors, collection day, and bulky-pickup procedures through Burrtec's dedicated Santa Clarita customer line rather than assuming a covenant handbook's WM-era instructions still apply.
Santa Clarita's Building and Safety Division requires permits for structural alterations, new conditioned area, electrical and plumbing modifications, and grading work that exceeds the city's minor-repair exemptions. HOA design approval for an ADU, solar installation, or patio cover does not substitute for city plan check when building-code thresholds apply — confirm through the city's permit intake before hiring contractors.
Civil Code §714 and §714.1 restrict HOA bans on solar energy systems; associations may impose reasonable sizing and placement rules that do not significantly increase cost or decrease performance. The Water Code and many municipal drought ordinances limit HOA prohibitions on water-efficient landscaping. Confirm current Solar Rights Act and fire-zone defensible-space rules for your county.
Parties may use internal ADR required by CC&Rs, private mediation, or Superior Court. Small claims limits follow California Code of Civil Procedure §116.220 et seq. (verify current dollar cap). County recorder and consumer resources vary by county; Los Angeles County Superior Court clerk can confirm filing procedures.
Sources
KindHOA is educational software for self-managed boards, not a law firm, and this guide is not legal advice. State statutes, local ordinances, and your community’s recorded CC&Rs control and change over time — confirm liens, amendments, and enforcement with association counsel and the official sources above.
Free CCIOA checklist plus Denver, Westminster, Springs guides.