Posted by Waste Happy
on September 10, 2026
Quick answer: Yes. San Diego requires dog owners to pick up after their dogs under SDMC sec. 44.0304.1. A court can impose up to $1,000.
What the San Diego ordinance says
| Ordinance | SDMC sec. 44.0304.1 (penalty: SDMC sec. 12.0201) |
|---|---|
| Fine | Up to $1,000 |
| Must carry a bag | No |
| Service animal exemption | Yes |
How the penalty works
No fine is set in 44.0304.1 itself; the city's general penalty (SDMC 12.0201) applies. A violation is a misdemeanor punishable by up to $1,000 and/or up to six months in county jail, but the City Attorney may charge it as an infraction, punishable by up to $250 on a first conviction and up to $500 for a second or later conviction within one year. These are maximums, not a fixed citation amount. No administrative fine schedule for this section was found.
The carry rule
Section 44.0304.1 requires the handler to curb the dog and immediately remove feces to a proper receptacle, but does not require carrying a bag. (The city's storm water flyer advises always carrying bags; that is guidance, not a legal requirement.)
Service animals
Narrow: 'Unsighted persons while relying on a guide dog shall be exempt from this section.'
How San Diego compares
Unlike Los Angeles ($100), San Diego has no set ticket, so the amount is decided when a citation is heard.
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: Los Angeles dog poop law · San Jose dog poop law. All 50 states.
Source
Checked 2026-09-10 against the San Diego 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.
