Posted by Waste Happy
on September 10, 2026
Quick answer: Yes. Los Angeles requires dog owners to pick up after their dogs under LAMC sec. 53.49. The set ticket for a first offense is $100, and $250 for a repeat.
What the Los Angeles ordinance says
| Ordinance | LAMC sec. 53.49 |
|---|---|
| Fine | $100 |
| Repeat offense | $250 |
| Must carry a bag | No |
| Service animal exemption | Yes |
How the penalty works
Section 53.49 states no fine of its own; Ordinance 183271 (2014) conformed it to the city's Administrative Citation Enforcement (ACE) program. The City Attorney's official list of ACE-eligible Animal Services offenses lists four fine amounts for 53.49 'Dog Defecation-failure to remove': $100, $250, $500 and $1,000, active since 08/13/2015. ACE fines escalate with repeat violations, so $100 is the first-violation amount and $250 the second, rising to $500 and then $1,000. The list does not label the tiers itself, and LAMC 11.2.04 (which sets the tiers) is hosted on a code site that blocks automated access, so the ordering is read from the ascending amounts. Per the same list, an unpaid citation grows by $50 after 21 days.
The carry rule
Section 53.49 requires immediate removal and sanitary disposal (in a closed or sealed container placed in a trash receptacle) but does not require carrying a bag.
Service animals
Narrow: the text exempts only 'a blind person being accompanied by a guide dog.' Other service dog handlers are not exempted by the text.
How Los Angeles compares
Los Angeles is the only one of the largest cities in California we checked with a set ticket amount. The others leave the figure to a judge.
In practice
Pick up every time, bag it, and put it in a trash can. That is the one method that satisfies every ordinance in the country. The Walk Dispenser clips to the leash and holds a full roll.
Elsewhere in California
California dog poop laws covers the state and its other large cities. Nearby: San Diego dog poop law · San Jose dog poop law. All 50 states.
Source
Checked 2026-09-10 against the Los Angeles municipal code. Codes change, so read the current version before relying on this for an actual citation.
This page is general information, not legal advice.
