In This US Town, A Permit Is Needed To Wear Heels Over 2 Inches

The small city of Carmel-by-the-Sea is famous for requiring visitors to get an official permit in order to legally walk in heels higher than two inches.

Carmel-by-the-Sea’s infamous high-heel permit sounds like an urban myth, but it’s a real, official requirement in the Monterey city.

If your heels are over two inches in height and have less than one square inch of bearing surface, it is illegal to wear them in public without first getting a permit from the city hall.

The permit is issued free of charge, and many visitors get it simply as a souvenir, even if they don’t plan on walking in heels.

The certificate has every nice, official look, it is issued in the name of the person making the request and is signed by one of the city clerks on duty.

The law making it illegal to wear high-heels in public on the streets of Carmel-by-the-Sea was passed in 1963 at the request of the City Attorney.

It was a legal oddity back then as well, but it had a very specific purpose that is still valid today.

The California city is home to many cypress and Monterey Pines, many of which have grown to impressive sizes.

However, as the trees grew, so did their roots, pushing up the concrete sidewalks and creating tripping hazards.

Uneven sidewalks and narrow high heels don’t really go well together; in fact, the City Attorney considered the risk of tripping so high that he proposed implementing a permit to prevent people from suing the city in case of an accident.

Police never enforce this unusual law, but if you happen to fall while wearing heels taller than two inches that have less than one square inch of bearing surface, you can’t sue the municipality either.

The brick sidewalks, cobblestoned alleys, and dirt paths of Carmel-by-the-Sea aren’t ideal for showing off your stilettos anyway, but if you want to give it a shot, remember you technically need an official permit to do so.

Interestingly, until a few years ago, Carmel-by-the-Sea also had a law banning the consumption of ice cream within the downtown limits due to concerns of sticky sidewalks.

Apparently, the city has long been concerned with getting sued for the strangest reasons.

Ref: In This US Town, A Permit Is Needed To Wear Heels Over 2 Inches  (ndtv)