Short answer: A city performance permit is required to perform on the Third Street Promenade, the Pier, the Transit Mall and the surrounding buffer zone. The only exception is before noon on non-holiday weekdays.
Do you need a permit to busk in Santa Monica?
| Permit needed? | Yes |
| Permit | Performance Permit (Santa Monica Municipal Code 6.112.040) |
| Cost | $37 per calendar year (permit expires 31 December, no pro-rating) |
| How to apply | Email the application, a passport-style photo and photo ID to business.license@santamonica.gov, or hand them in at City Hall East, 1685 Main Street. |
| Regulated by | City of Santa Monica, Business License unit (Revenue Division) |
| Official page | santamonica.gov |
The rules in Santa Monica
- On the Promenade you may not stay in one spot or block for more than two hours in any six-hour period, and you must change location on the even hour.
- On the Pier the limit is three hours in any six-hour period at one location.
- Keep at least 10 feet from business entrances, bus stops, street corners and crosswalks, and 40 feet from other performers or vendors on the Promenade.
- Promenade and Pier noise limits are 75 dBA at 25 feet on weekday daytimes and 85 dBA at 25 feet in the evenings and at weekends.
- Speakers must sit on the ground and be no more than three feet high, and generators or plugging into buildings are not allowed.
- You may not charge a set fee for a performance, but passing a hat or leaving a case open for voluntary tips is allowed.
- Each member of a group needs their own permit, and performers under 16 also need a California Entertainment Work Permit.
Where buskers play in Santa Monica
- Third Street Promenade. Permit required; two-hour rotation and 40-foot spacing apply.
- Santa Monica Pier. Permit required; spots are marked on the deck, and the city may run a lottery or voucher system to allocate them.
- Transit Mall and buffer zone streets. Permit required; performers must stay within five feet of the building line.
Good to know
Permits run on a calendar year, so one bought late in the year still expires on 31 December.
Taking card tips on a Santa Monica pitch
Whatever the permit position, the audience in Santa Monica has the same problem as everywhere else: they liked it, and they have no coins. A QR code on a sign beside your case lets them tip in US dollars by card, Apple Pay or Google Pay. Visitors can pay with a card from home, and nobody needs an app.
- Print it large. A phone reads a code from about ten times its width, so a 10 cm code works from a metre and an A3 sign from about three.
- Stand it upright at knee to waist height, with your name and one line saying what it is for.
- Check the rules above on signs and selling. A tip sign is not a sale, but some cities restrict signs, and most treat CDs and merchandise separately.
- Playing as a group? One code can split every tip between the members automatically.
The full set-up, with sign sizes and pitch advice, is in how to set up a digital tip jar for busking.
Sources
Checked in October 2026. Rules and fees change, and enforcement varies from street to street, so confirm with City of Santa Monica, Business License unit (Revenue Division) before you play. This page is general information, not legal advice.
Common questions
Do you need a permit to busk in Santa Monica?
A city performance permit is required to perform on the Third Street Promenade, the Pier, the Transit Mall and the surrounding buffer zone. The only exception is before noon on non-holiday weekdays.
How much does it cost to busk in Santa Monica?
$37 per calendar year (permit expires 31 December, no pro-rating).
Can you use an amplifier when busking in Santa Monica?
Speakers must sit on the ground and be no more than three feet high, and generators or plugging into buildings are not allowed.
Can buskers in Santa Monica take card payments?
Yes. A printed QR code lets listeners tip in US dollars by card, Apple Pay or Google Pay from their own phone, with no card reader to carry or charge.