California Artificial Grass Laws

What California's statutes say about artificial grass for homeowners in an HOA and for cities and counties, quoted from the official text on leginfo.legislature.ca.gov as read on November 5, 2026. This is general information, not legal advice: for your own property, read the current law and your HOA's documents, or ask a lawyer.

Can an HOA ban artificial grass in California?

No. Under California Civil Code section 4735, a provision of an HOA's governing documents or architectural or landscaping guidelines or policies “shall be void and unenforceable” if it prohibits, or includes conditions that have the effect of prohibiting, “the use of artificial turf or any other synthetic surface that resembles grass”.

Civil Code 4735(a)(2): an HOA provision is void and unenforceable if it “Prohibits, or includes conditions that have the effect of prohibiting, the use of artificial turf or any other synthetic surface that resembles grass”.
Civil Code 4735(a)(1) does the same for a provision that prohibits “the use of low water-using plants as a group or as a replacement of existing turf”.
It applies to the governing documents and to architectural or landscaping guidelines or policies of a common interest development, which is how the statute is organized (Civil Code, Part 5, Common Interest Developments).

Read the section: Civil Code 4735 on leginfo.legislature.ca.gov (Amended by Stats. 2015, Ch. 780, Sec. 2.5. (AB 786) Effective October 11, 2015.)

Can an HOA still have rules about artificial turf?

Yes, within that limit. Civil Code 4735(b) says the section does not prohibit an association from “applying landscaping rules established in the governing documents, to the extent the rules fully conform with subdivision (a)”. A rule that prohibits artificial turf, or has the effect of prohibiting it, is void; landscaping rules that fully conform with subdivision (a) can still be applied.

Before you order, read your HOA's governing documents and its architectural or landscaping guidelines, and follow any process they set out for landscaping changes.

Does the drought-landscaping law protect artificial turf from city rules?

No. Government Code section 53087.7 stops a city or county from enforcing a rule that “prohibits the installation of drought-tolerant landscaping using living plant material on residential property”, but for that section drought-tolerant landscaping “shall not include the installation of synthetic grass or artificial turf”. So it does not protect artificial turf from city or county rules: check your own city's or county's rules before you install.

Government Code 53087.7(a): a city, including a charter city, county, or city and county, shall not enact or enforce an ordinance or regulation that “prohibits the installation of drought-tolerant landscaping using living plant material on residential property”.
Government Code 53087.7(b): for that section, “drought-tolerant landscaping” “shall not include the installation of synthetic grass or artificial turf”.

Read the section: Government Code 53087.7 on leginfo.legislature.ca.gov.

Can an HOA fine you for not watering your lawn in a drought?

Not while a drought emergency is declared. Civil Code 4735(c) says an association “shall not impose a fine or assessment against an owner of a separate interest for reducing or eliminating the watering of vegetation or lawns” during a drought state of emergency declared by the Governor, or a local drought emergency declared by a local government, unless the exception in subdivision (d) for unused recycled water applies.

Civil Code 4735(e): an owner who installed water-efficient landscaping measures in response to such an emergency “shall not be required to reverse or remove the water-efficient landscaping measures upon the conclusion of the state of emergency”.

Before you install artificial grass

In an HOA: read the governing documents and the architectural or landscaping guidelines, and follow any approval process they set.
Outside an HOA, or as well as one: check your city's or county's rules, since Government Code 53087.7 does not cover artificial turf.
See the turf first: Samples hang on the fence outside the warehouse at 3667 Omec Park Drive, Rancho Cordova, to see or take any time, or order free samples online ($14.95 shipping).
Price it in the Installation Cost Calculator. We provide contractors: independent, third-party installers within 40 miles of Rancho Cordova.

Questions and answers

Can an HOA in California ban artificial turf?

No. Civil Code 4735 makes an HOA rule that prohibits artificial turf, or has the effect of prohibiting it, void and unenforceable. Government Code 53087.7, which protects drought-tolerant landscaping from city and county bans, does not include artificial turf, so check your city's or county's own rules too.

Can my HOA make me remove artificial grass?

Civil Code 4735 makes void and unenforceable any HOA provision that prohibits, or includes conditions that have the effect of prohibiting, the use of artificial turf or any other synthetic surface that resembles grass. Landscaping rules that fully conform with that can still be applied. For your own case, read the current law and your HOA's documents, or ask a lawyer.

Does the California law protecting drought-tolerant landscaping cover artificial turf?

No. Government Code 53087.7(b) says that for that section, drought-tolerant landscaping shall not include the installation of synthetic grass or artificial turf.

Next steps

Warehouse, office and samples: 3667 Omec Park Drive, Rancho Cordova, CA 95742 · (916) 370-5527 (call or text)

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Prices and charges as of November 5, 2026; the product pages and checkout always show the current figure.