Brentwood · Building on your lot
Building on your lot in Brentwood
Brentwood sets fence heights with a lower limit in front yards and at corners, and limits accessory building and shed height and size. The city also has a chapter on home occupation use permits.
Key points
- Fence height: Brentwood limits fences to 42 inches in any required front yard and 7 feet on side or rear property lines outside the front yard.
- Accessory buildings: Brentwood limits accessory buildings to one story and 15 feet; portable sheds in required yards, to 120 square feet and the adjacent fence height.
- Home business: Brentwood has a city chapter on home occupation use permits (Ch. 17.840).
Each rule below is marked Brentwood code or CA state law and links to the section it comes from (checked October 2026). General information, not legal advice.
Fences and walls
Brentwood code Brentwood limits fences to 42 inches in any required front yard and 7 feet on side or rear property lines outside the front yard.
All 5 Brentwood rules on fences and walls, with the code text →
Sheds, garages and other accessory structures
Brentwood code Brentwood limits accessory buildings to one story and 15 feet; portable sheds in required yards, to 120 square feet and the adjacent fence height.
All 6 Brentwood rules on sheds, garages and other accessory structures, with the code text →
Solar panels and EV chargers
Brentwood code Apply online with the application form and checklist; the building permit is issued when requirements are met. Apply online with the form and checklist; the city issues the permit when the checklist is met; only one inspection.
All 3 Brentwood rules on solar panels and EV chargers, with the code text →
Pets, chickens and bees
| Chickens |
|
|---|---|
| Coop setback |
|
Building in a flood zone
| Floodplain permit |
|
|---|---|
| Building in a floodway |
|
| Height of the lowest floor |
|
Grading and erosion control
Brentwood code A stormwater pollution prevention plan with erosion controls, plus a notice of intent to the Regional Water Quality Control Board. 50 cubic yards or less, on a disturbed site up to 10,000 square feet with slopes under 10%.
All 3 Brentwood rules on grading and erosion control, with the code text →
Noise and construction hours
Brentwood code Monday through Friday, seven a.m. until three-thirty p.m. (until five-thirty p.m. with written approval of the city engineer) Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
All 5 Brentwood 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
Brentwood code 2 assigned spaces enclosed within a garage, plus 2 common spaces per dwelling unit. The common spaces may be uncovered. 0.5 assigned, covered space per studio unit.
All 8 Brentwood rules on parking spaces required for homes, with the code text →
Signs on homes
Brentwood code Up to 16 square feet in total, shared by non-commercial messages, real estate signs and garage sale signs. No sign permit is needed for non-commercial messages, real estate signs, garage sale signs, name plates, address indicators and flags.
All 6 Brentwood rules on signs on homes, with the code text →
Trash and recycling carts
Brentwood code Put source-separated organic waste in the green container. Carts must be removed by 10 p.m. on collection day.
All 4 Brentwood rules on trash and recycling carts, with the code text →
Other Brentwood rules on this
Brentwood's code also has these chapters. We have not summarized their values on this page yet; read them in the library.
- Home occupation use permit (Ch. 17.840)
- Urban lot splits (SB 9) (Ch. 16.169)
- Two-unit housing developments (SB 9) (Ch. 17.797) — single-family zones
- Development impact fees (Ch. 16.130)
Who this affects
Frequently asked questions
Can I run a business from my home in Brentwood?
Brentwood has a city chapter on home occupation use permits (Ch. 17.840). Brentwood also has a related rule: Home occupation use permit (Ch. 17.840).
Can I keep chickens or bees at my home in Brentwood?
Brentwood's code: Yes. (Only in an enclosure whose outer edges are more than 20 feet from any dwelling, church or school.) (§ 6.08.010); More than 20 feet. (From the enclosure to any dwelling, church or school.) (§ 6.08.010).
What are the rules for building in a Brentwood flood zone?
Brentwood's code: A floodplain permit is needed before any construction or other development begins. (Within any area of special flood hazard.) (§ 15.07.200); 1 foot above the base flood elevation. (New or substantially improved homes in an A zone.) (§ 15.07.300).
Can I run a family child care home in Brentwood?
California law sets this for every city, including Brentwood: 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)).
General information, not legal advice.
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