Carmel-by-the-Sea: The beautiful town where you need legal permit to wear high heels

Imagine flying all the way to the United States, dressed to slay in your favourite pair of high heels — only to be told you need a permit to walk in them. Not because you’re entering a high-security zone, but because you’ve just stepped into Carmel-by-the-Sea, a charming little town in California that takes high heels very seriously.

It may sound like a hoax, but this rule is 100% real. In Carmel-by-the-Sea, if your heels are taller than two inches and have a narrow base (less than one square inch), you’re technically not allowed to wear the heels in public — unless you obtain a special permit from the town hall.

Wait, What? A Permit Just to Slay in Heels?

Yes, it’s not a joke. This strange law has been in place since 1963, and surprisingly, it has nothing to do with fashion policing. It’s all about tree roots. The town is home to beautiful, towering cypress and Monterey pine trees. Over the years, their enormous roots have pushed up the pavements, creating bumps and cracks all over.

Now imagine twisting your ankle in six-inch stilettos on one of those uneven walkways. That’s a lawsuit waiting to happen.

So, the city came up with a clever (though admittedly odd) solution: allow people to wear high heels — but only if they sign a waiver agreeing not to sue the town in case of a fall. And that waiver comes in the form of a permit.

The Permit Is Real — And Surprisingly Stylish

Believe it or not, people actually visit the town hall to get this permit — sometimes just for the fun of it. It’s free, personalised with your name, and signed by a city clerk. Tourists often collect it as a quirky keepsake.

So even if you’re not planning to strut your stuff in heels on those cobbled paths, you might still want to pick one up just for the novelty. It makes a great conversation starter — or an Instagram post to flex when you’re back in Accra or Kumasi.

But Are They Really Checking?

Here’s the interesting bit — no one is actually enforcing the rule. The police aren’t stopping people on the street and asking for their “heel licence”. But, if you do trip and fall in a pair of heels that break the rules, and you try to sue the town, you’ll be politely reminded that you should’ve gotten a permit.

So technically, yes — you can wear your heels. But if you get injured, you’re entirely on your own.

Fun Fact: They Also Banned Ice Cream (Yes, Really)

Carmel-by-the-Sea clearly takes its public cleanliness and legal protection very seriously. Until a few years ago, eating ice cream in the town centre was banned — all because of fears about sticky pavements. Imagine being fined for enjoying a cone of vanilla!

In Summary: Walk Carefully and Carry a Permit

Carmel-by-the-Sea looks like something straight out of a fairy tale — peaceful, artsy, and almost too beautiful to be real. But if you ever plan to visit and hope to serve looks in your platforms, wedges or stilettos, pop into the town hall and grab that permit first.

Even if you don’t fall, it’ll make a hilarious memory and a cheeky social post:
“Travelled all the way to California and needed a permit just to wear heels — only me!”