Garage Sale Permits

A garage/yard sale permit is required for all residential garage/yard sales on premises zoned or used for residential purposes within San Antonio city limits. Hours for the yard sale are 9:00am to 6:00pm and may not exceed two consecutive days. Estate Sales would follow these guidelines also.

A garage/yard sale permit may be purchased here or at one of the following locations for a fee of $16:

• Development Services Department (One Stop Center) at 1901 S. Alamo, San Antonio, TX 78204
• H-E-B Grocery (participating stores only)

Garage sale permits purchased at Development Services will include two decals to be used for off premise signs.

You may have up to four (4) garage/yard sales per calendar year, on each property, not to exceed one (1) garage sale per quarter. **(Once between Jan-Mar, once between Apr-Jun, once between Jul-Sep, once between Oct-Dec).

Save your first three (3) garage/yard sale permit receipts to obtain your fourth permit free.  The free permit may be obtained at the Development Services Department located at 1901 S. Alamo.

• Post the permit in plain view at the time of the garage sale.
• You are allowed three signs to advertise your garage sale. One sign can be placed at the location of the garage sale and two signs can be placed off premise. You must place the two sign decals included with this permit on the signs located off premise. All signs cannot be larger than 6 square feet.
• Garage sale signs can be posted two days before the date of the garage sale.
• Garage sale signs posted without the decals in a public right-of-way are not allowed and may be removed and discarded without notice.
• ​Signs posted on City right-of-way objects such as utility poles, street signs, traffic signs, street light standards, etc. are strictly prohibited  and are considered a misdemeanor offense.
• All signs must be removed upon expiration of the garage sale permit.
• The following are prohibited items at your Garage/Yard Sale: Glue, Live Animals, Aerosol Paints, Guns, Ammunition, Food items (unless you obtain a food sales permit from the City Health Dept.)
• A garage/yard sale permit is not required if you are selling five (5) items or less.

Should inclement weather hinder the operation of the garage/yard sale during the time authorized by the permit, you may be issued a replacement permit allowing the completion of the authorized time under the following conditions:

• The garage sale operator requests the replacement permit within one week from the initial permit's date of issuance.
• The replacement is valid for the completion of the initial permit's allotted time within thirty (30) days from the replacement permit's date of issuance.
• Only one replacement permit shall be issued for any garage sale permit regardless of subsequent weather conditions or circumstances.
• No more than one replacement permit shall be issued per calendar year per address.

Replacement permits are issued at the Development Services Department located at 1901 S. Alamo.

Non Profit Registration can be obtained in person only at 1901 S. Alamo. You may register any church, charitable, or non-profit organization in order to hold a maximum of twelve (12) garage/yard sales per year (one garage sale per month).  Registered organizations must still purchase a garage/yard sale permit for each event for a fee of $16. The sale must be on church or organization property and proceeds must be for the organization.

To register your organization, bring in a letter on letterhead with the Name of Organization, Address, Contact Information and Tax ID Number and a copy of the non-profit exemption letter from the IRS.

For additional questions regarding garage/yard, please call Development Services at (210) 207-1111.

More about Garage Sale Permits.