Carmel-by-the-Sea’s high-heel permit law, created in 1963, requires anyone wearing shoes over 2 inches with less than 1 square inch of base to apply at city hall. The quirky regulation, tied to the city’s buckling sidewalks and cypress roots, turns stilettos into legal novelties.

Tourists seeking high-heel permits often leave with a signed certificate, free of charge, as a keepsake instead of a lawsuit. Thanks to Carmel’s tripping hazards and unique shoe rules, high-heel enthusiasts navigate charming brick paths—sometimes just for the paperwork.