Traffic Control and Direction
San Diego Municipal Code § 82.27
in effect§82.27 Traffic Control and Direction
(a) Except as otherwise provided in this section or by law, it shall be unlawful for any person who is not a police officer or a regularly detailed employee of the City of San Diego to direct vehicular traffic upon a public street within the City of San Diego.
(b) The City Manager is authorized to issue a traffic control permit to a qualifying organization for the limited purpose of controlling vehicular access to and from private property and the public streets or for controlling vehicular traffic upon a portion of a public street, in furtherance of a lawful activity of the permittee, under the following terms and conditions:
(1) The time shall be limited to only such period as shall be necessary to allow orderly ingress and egress; and
(2) A traffic circulation plan is developed and approved by the Chief of Police or designate; and
(3) Only traffic control personnel who have been trained through an approved program and certified and appointed by the Chief of Police to perform such function are used by the permittee; and
(4) Traffic control personnel wear a distinctive color vest with reflective markings, lettered with the words “TRAFFIC CONTROL” in minimum 3 inch letters on the front and back, as approved by the Chief of Police, while performing permitted duties; and
(5) The permittee maintains public liability insurance in an amount of $1,000,000 combined single limit during the term of the permit, naming the City of San Diego an additional insured; and
(6) The permittee executes an indemnification agreement with the City of San Diego indemnifying, defending and holding harmless the City from any and all claims and liability arising from or during the provision of traffic control services.
(c) Permits may be issued on an annual or single event basis. The City Manager may promulgate additional rules and regulations governing the application and issuance of the permit. The standards for training and certification of traffic control personnel shall be approved by and through the Chief of Police. The City Manager may suspend or revoke any permit issued for any violation of the conditions of issuance or unsafe practices or conditions arising from the permittee’s activity.
This section shall apply to traffic control personnel required for special events subject to Chapter II, Article 2, Division 40 of this Code. The City Manager is authorized to charge a fee as shall be set forth in the City Clerk’s Composite Rate Book for the costs of the processing and appointment of traffic controllers and for the administration of this program.
(d) The failure to obey a lawful order issued by a duly appointed traffic controller shall be punished pursuant to Vehicle Code Section 21100.3 or any successor statute.
(Renumbered from former Section 81.03 on 8-5-2013 by O-20281 N.S.; effective 9-4-2013.)
Source: City of San Diego Office of the City Clerk, San Diego Municipal Code and City Charter (docs.sandiego.gov PDFs)URL: https://docs.sandiego.gov/municode/MuniCodeChapter08/Ch08Art02Division00.pdf#page=12Fetched: 10/28/2026