"If Your Heels Exceed 5cm, It's Illegal"...The Eccentric U.S. Town Where You Need a Permit to Walk

'High Heel Permit' Issued in Carmel-by-the-Sea, California
City Implements Unique Rule to Prevent Accidents Among Visitors

Recently, a travel influencer who visited Carmel-by-the-Sea in California, USA, revealed that she received a "high heel permit," drawing significant attention. The city is known to issue these permits to visitors in order to prevent accidents.

Travel blogger Jori visiting Carmel-by-the-Sea, California, USA, holding a permit for wearing high heels (right). On the left is a stock photo related to high heels. Jori Instagram · Pixabay

Jori, a travel blogger based in San Francisco, shared this information on her Instagram account. The post quickly went viral, surpassing 1 million views in just ten days.

Carmel is a small city with a population of about 3,000, located on the central coast of Monterey County, California. It is a popular tourist destination, famous for its beautiful natural scenery and European-style village atmosphere. Its crescent-shaped white sand beach and fairy-tale-like houses have earned it the nickname "the most walkable village in America."

However, before you start walking, you need to check your shoes. Many of Carmel's sidewalks and roads are uneven due to the roots of Monterey pines and other trees. To prevent accidents and avoid lawsuits resulting from falls, the city prohibits wearing shoes with heels higher than 5 cm without a permit from city hall.

Jori said, "If you don't want to break the law, you need to get a permit from city hall," adding, "The permit is free, and the process is quick and simple." She also noted, "Even with a permit, the terrain is not ideal for wearing high heels." The city explains that, in practice, no one is actually punished for violating this rule, but it serves as a reminder for visitors to pay attention to their own safety.

Carmel is also known for a variety of other "unique regulations" in addition to the high heel rule. First, there are no street addresses in the town. In the past, the town's founders opposed "urbanization" and arranged for residents to collect their mail at a central post office instead of having home delivery. To this day, outside of commercial areas, it is difficult to find addresses, streetlights, parking meters, or even sidewalks. People describe locations with phrases like "the blue-roofed house with the stone wall south of Santa Fe Street," or use house names such as "Hansel" or "Whale's Tooth" to indicate addresses.

There are also no fast food chains or franchise coffee shops in Carmel. Instead, the area is filled with family-run, unique cafes, more than 40 inns, tasting rooms, and award-winning restaurants, all within walking distance. The town also has strong ties to celebrities. Actor Clint Eastwood served as mayor of Carmel for two years starting in 1986. He promoted the slogan "One Community" to emphasize connections between local businesses and residents, earning widespread support.