Brawley · Building on your lot
Building on your lot in Brawley
Brawley sets fence heights by yard, with lower limits in residential front yards. The city sets where sheds, garages and carports may stand, and home businesses need a permit.
Key points
- Fence height: Brawley limits fences to 48 inches in required front yards of residential zones and 6 feet along side and rear yard lines.
- Storage sheds: Brawley allows storage sheds of up to 150 square feet in a required side or rear yard, at least 3 feet from the line.
- Home business: Brawley home businesses need a permit; customers or clients may not come to the premises, and nonresident employees are not allowed.
Each rule below is marked Brawley code or CA state law and links to the section it comes from (checked October 2026). General information, not legal advice.
Fences and walls
Brawley code Brawley limits fences to 48 inches in required front yards of residential zones and 6 feet along side and rear yard lines.
All 3 Brawley rules on fences and walls, with the code text →
Sheds, garages and other accessory structures
Brawley code Brawley allows storage sheds of up to 150 square feet in a required side or rear yard, at least 3 feet from the line.
All 5 Brawley rules on sheds, garages and other accessory structures, with the code text →
Running a business from home
| Customer visits |
|
|---|---|
| Employees |
|
| Permit |
|
Swimming pools
Brawley code The barrier must block access by anyone other than the owners or occupants. At least 5 feet high.
Park and impact fees for new homes
| How the park fee is set |
|
|---|
Noise and construction hours
Brawley code 6:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Not allowed, except 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at your own home for work not done for profit or livelihood.
All 6 Brawley 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 |
Parking spaces required for homes
| Spaces per apartment or condo |
|
|---|---|
| Spaces for a single-family home |
|
Home alarm permits and false alarms
| False alarms before a fee |
|
|---|---|
| Alarm permit |
|
Signs on homes
Brawley code 1 political sign per lot or parcel, at most. Up to 6 square feet.
Trash and recycling carts
| When carts must come back |
|
|---|
Other Brawley rules on this
Brawley's code also has these chapters. We have not summarized their values on this page yet; read them in the library.
- Keeping livestock, poultry and bees (§ 4.2)
- Parking trailers and RVs on the street (§ 17.58.1) — on public streets
- Building in a flood hazard area (Ch. 9A)
Who this affects
Frequently asked questions
Can I run a business from my home in Brawley?
Brawley home businesses need a permit; customers or clients may not come to the premises, and nonresident employees are not allowed.
What park or impact fees apply to a new home in Brawley?
Brawley's code: The city council sets the amount by resolution. (Development impact fee on new development for public facilities, including recreation.) (§ 10A.2).
Can I run a family child care home in Brawley?
California law sets this for every city, including Brawley: 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)).
How many parking spaces does a home need in Brawley?
Brawley's code: One and one-half spaces for each studio unit (Apartment houses and condominiums containing three or more units; studio unit) (§ 27.143); One and three-quarters spaces for each one bedroom unit (Apartment houses and condominiums containing three or more units; one bedroom unit) (§ 27.143).
Do I need a permit for a home alarm in Brawley?
Brawley's code: A false alarm fee is due starting with the third false alarm in a calendar year. (Counted during the calendar year.) (§ 7A.7); An alarm permit is required. (§ 7A.4).
When can trash carts go out to the curb in Brawley?
Brawley's code: Remove receptacles within 48 hours from the day they are emptied. (§ 15.3).
General information, not legal advice.
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