California Drone Laws: Where to Find the Official Rules
California has no single "drone law" — it regulates specific conduct. The anti-paparazzi privacy statute makes you liable for flying a drone over private land to record private activity, it's a misdemeanor to interfere with firefighters or police at an emergency scene or to fly over a prison or jail, and emergency responders who damage an interfering drone are immune from suit. California State Parks allow drones by default, but district superintendents can (and usually do) ban them by posted order, and wilderness areas and preserves are always off-limits. There is no statewide preemption, so cities and counties — including Los Angeles and San Francisco — add their own ordinances, mostly around takeoff and landing in parks.
Can cities and counties in California add their own drone rules?
Cities & counties may add their own rules
This state has no blanket preemption statute, so cities and counties can adopt their own drone ordinances — especially takeoff and landing rules in local parks. Always check the local code where you plan to fly.
Official California sources
These links go directly to government and primary sources. They open in a new tab.
Official statute text
- Cal. Civil Code § 1708.8 — invasion of privacy, including drone image capture over private land (official text) leginfo.legislature.ca.gov (opens in a new tab)
- Cal. Penal Code § 402 — interference with emergency personnel, including operating a drone at an emergency scene (official text) leginfo.legislature.ca.gov (opens in a new tab)
- Cal. Government Code § 853 — public-entity immunity for damage to a drone that interfered with emergency services (official text) leginfo.legislature.ca.gov (opens in a new tab)
- Cal. Civil Code § 43.101 — emergency-responder immunity for damage to an interfering drone (official text) leginfo.legislature.ca.gov (opens in a new tab)
- Cal. Penal Code § 4577 — operating a drone on or above state prison or jail grounds (official text) leginfo.legislature.ca.gov (opens in a new tab)
State agency
Local rules we've verified in California
This is not every local ordinance in the state — only localities where we've confirmed an official source. To check any other city or county, use the look-up workflow on the regulations hub .
- Los Angeles — LAMC § 63.44 (city parks) L.A. Municipal Code § 63.44 (Regulations Affecting Park and Recreation Areas) prohibits landing, releasing, taking off, or flying aircraft — including powered models — in city parks except in areas specifically set aside, such as the Apollo XI Model Aircraft Field in the Sepulveda Basin. codelibrary.amlegal.com (opens in a new tab)
- Los Angeles — LAMC § 56.31 (citywide drone ordinance) L.A. Municipal Code § 56.31 (Unmanned Aircraft Systems) is the city's dedicated drone ordinance, writing FAA-style operating restrictions into the municipal code, including restrictions near people and within 500 feet of police and fire stations. codelibrary.amlegal.com (opens in a new tab)
- San Francisco — Park Code § 3.09 S.F. Park Code § 3.09 bars launching or landing any "machine or apparatus of aviation" in any city park without Recreation and Park Department permission — the section the department enforces against drones. codelibrary.amlegal.com (opens in a new tab)
What California’s drone statutes actually cover
California legislates around specific drone harms rather than airspace:
- Privacy (Civil Code § 1708.8). The “anti-paparazzi” statute creates civil liability for sending a drone into the airspace above someone’s land to capture images, video, or sound of private activity — no physical trespass required.
- Emergency scenes (Penal Code § 402). It is a misdemeanor to operate a drone that interferes with firefighters, police, or medical personnel at an emergency scene. Paired with that, Government Code § 853 and Civil Code § 43.101 make emergency responders immune from lawsuits if they damage a drone that was interfering with their work.
- Prisons and jails (Penal Code § 4577). Flying a drone on or above the grounds of a state prison or county jail is a misdemeanor.
- State parks. The default rule is that drones are allowed in California State Parks — but each district superintendent may prohibit them by posted order, and most districts have. Drones are always prohibited in designated wilderness areas, natural preserves, and cultural preserves. Check the specific park’s posted orders before flying.
Local rules
California has no statute preempting local drone ordinances, so city and county rules matter — especially where you take off and land. Los Angeles restricts drones through both its parks code (§ 63.44) and a dedicated citywide drone ordinance (§ 56.31); San Francisco’s Park Code § 3.09 requires Recreation and Park Department permission to launch or land in any city park. Many other California cities and park districts have similar rules — check the local code with the look-up workflow on the regulations hub before you fly.