Albany · Building on your lot
Building on your lot in Albany
Albany sets fence heights by yard in R Districts and limits accessory structure height by distance from the property line. Home businesses need a city business license, and some uses are not allowed.
Key points
- Fence height: Albany limits fences to 3 feet in required front yards and 6 feet elsewhere in R Districts; 8 feet next to parks.
- Accessory structures: Albany limits accessory structures to 12 feet when more than 3 feet from the property line, and 8 feet 6 inches within 3 feet.
- Home business: Albany home businesses need a business license; auto repair, barbershops, beauty parlors, clinics, kennels and medical offices are not allowed.
Each rule below is marked Albany code or CA state law and links to the section it comes from (checked October 2026). General information, not legal advice.
Fences and walls
Albany code Albany limits fences to 3 feet in required front yards and 6 feet elsewhere in R Districts; 8 feet next to parks.
All 5 Albany rules on fences and walls, with the code text →
Sheds, garages and other accessory structures
Albany code Albany limits accessory structures to 12 feet when more than 3 feet from the property line, and 8 feet 6 inches within 3 feet.
All 10 Albany rules on sheds, garages and other accessory structures, with the code text →
Running a business from home
| Permit |
|
|---|---|
| Businesses not allowed |
|
RV and boat parking
| Parking on the street |
|
|---|
Solar panels and EV chargers
Albany code Expedited review. You may apply by email, the Internet or fax, and electronic signatures are accepted. Only 1 approved inspection is required. A separate fire inspection may be done.
All 3 Albany rules on solar panels and EV chargers, with the code text →
Pets, chickens and bees
Albany code With a permit, up to 6 female chickens or rabbits. Roosters are not allowed. Animal housing must be at least 50 feet from any home or business the owner does not own.
All 3 Albany rules on pets, chickens and bees, with the code text →
Grading and erosion control
| When a grading permit is needed |
|
|---|
Building on a hillside
Albany code Land with an average slope under 30% may be considered for the full Measure K density. Land with an average slope of 30% to 40% may have at most 50% of the Measure K density.
All 3 Albany rules on building on a hillside, with the code text →
Noise and construction hours
Albany code 55 dB(A) in the daytime, 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. 50 dB(A) at night, 10:00 p.m. to 8:00 a.m.
All 6 Albany rules on noise and construction hours, with the code text →
Family child care homes
| Zoning | A small or large family child care home is a residential use and a use by right under all local ordinances, including zoning |
|---|---|
| Business license or fee | A city or county may not charge a business license, fee or tax to run a family child care home |
| Local rules | Local limits on height, setbacks, lot size, health and safety must be the same as for every other home in the same zone |
| Small home | Up to eight children, counting the provider's own children under 10 who live there |
| Large home | 7 to 14 children, counting the provider's own children under 10 who live there |
Group homes and residential care
| Homes for 7 or more |
|
|---|---|
| Homes for 6 or fewer |
|
Home alarm permits and false alarms
| How long an alarm may sound |
|
|---|---|
| False alarms before a fee |
|
Signs on homes
| Election and other noncommercial signs |
|
|---|---|
| Signs that need no permit |
|
Other Albany rules on this
Albany's code also has these chapters. We have not summarized their values on this page yet; read them in the library.
- Flood damage prevention rules (§ 20.52)
- Capital facilities impact fee on new development (§ 20.56)
Who this affects
Frequently asked questions
Can I run a business from my home in Albany?
Albany home businesses need a business license; auto repair, barbershops, beauty parlors, clinics, kennels and medical offices are not allowed.
What are the grading rules in Albany?
Albany's code: A permit is needed for more than 50 cubic yards of digging or fill. (Slope over 10% or cut/fill over 5 feet high. Also any excavation within 15 feet of a property line or on ground sloped over 10%.) (§ 23-2.1); A permit is needed for more than 5 cubic yards of permanently unretained digging or fill. (When it is over 5 feet high and steeper than 2:1 for fill or 1 1/2:1 for digging.) (§ 23-2.1).
Can I run a family child care home in Albany?
California law sets this for every city, including Albany: Zoning: A small or large family child care home is a residential use and a use by right under all local ordinances, including zoning (Health & Safety Code § 1597.45(a)); Business license or fee: A city or county may not charge a business license, fee or tax to run a family child care home (Health & Safety Code § 1597.45(b)); Local rules: Local limits on height, setbacks, lot size, health and safety must be the same as for every other home in the same zone (Health & Safety Code § 1597.45(e)); Small home: Up to eight children, counting the provider's own children under 10 who live there (Health & Safety Code § 1596.78(c)); Large home: 7 to 14 children, counting the provider's own children under 10 who live there (Health & Safety Code § 1596.78(b)).
Where are group homes and residential care homes allowed in Albany?
Albany's code: Minor Use Permit required. (Licensed residential care facilities for more than 6 residents.) (§ 20.20.020); State-licensed care facilities for 6 or fewer residents are an accessory use. (Properties where residential occupancy is permitted.) (§ 20.20.020).
Do I need a permit for a home alarm in Albany?
Albany's code: The alarm may sound for no longer than 20 minutes. (New audible alarm systems protecting a residential or commercial structure.) (§ 8-3.3); No more than 3 free false alarms in any 60-day period and no more than 8 in a 12-month period. (§ 8-3.8).
What signs may I put up at my home in Albany?
Albany's code: No time limit. (Temporary noncommercial signs in all zoning districts.) (§ 20.32.045); At most 16 square feet per sign. (Temporary noncommercial signs.) (§ 20.32.045).
General information, not legal advice.
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