Chino · Building on your lot

Building on your lot in Chino

Chino sets fence heights by yard and light transmission, and sets height, size and setback limits for accessory structures in single-family districts. Home businesses need a permit, with exceptions for small tutoring and phone-or-computer work.

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Key points

Fence height: Front-yard fences are limited to 3 feet, or 4 feet if they let through at least 90% of light; side and rear, 6 feet.
Accessory structures: Nonhabitable accessory structures are limited to 1,200 square feet; those over 120 square feet, to 2 stories or 20 feet in single-family districts.
Home businesses: A home business needs a permit and may use at most 10% of the home's floor area, in one room, with only occupants working.

Each rule below is marked Chino code or CA state law and links to the section it comes from (checked October 2026). General information, not legal advice.

Fences and walls

Chino code Front-yard fences are limited to 3 feet, or 4 feet if they let through at least 90% of light; side and rear, 6 feet.

All 6 Chino rules on fences and walls, with the code text →

Sheds, garages and other accessory structures

Chino code Nonhabitable accessory structures are limited to 1,200 square feet; those over 120 square feet, to 2 stories or 20 feet in single-family districts.

All 19 Chino rules on sheds, garages and other accessory structures, with the code text →

Running a business from home

Chino code A home business needs a permit and may use at most 10% of the home's floor area, in one room, with only occupants working.

All 7 Chino rules on running a business from home, with the code text →

RV and boat parking

Chino code What Chino's code adds
Parking on the street	Not allowed unless the trailer stays attached to a vehicle that can move it normally. Applies: Applies to trailers and semitrailers on any street, alley or public place, except while loading, unloading or disabled. § 10.44.015 · code text A person shall not park any trailer or semitrailer upon any highway, street, alley, public way or public place unless the trailer or semitrailer is, at all times while so parked, attached to a vehicle capable of moving the trailer or semitrailer in a normal manner upon the highway, street, public way or public place.

Solar panels and EV chargers

Chino code The building official approves and issues all needed permits when the application meets the city's checklist. Panels may not exceed the maximum legal building height to count as a small residential rooftop system.

All 4 Chino rules on solar panels and EV chargers, with the code text →

Building in a flood zone

Chino code What Chino's code adds
Floodplain permit	A development permit is needed before any building or development, including manufactured homes, in a special flood hazard area. § 8.60.170 · code text A development permit shall be obtained before any construction or other development, including manufactured homes, within any of special flood hazard area established in accordance with its definition in Section 8.60.070.
Building in a floodway	No new development, including fill, unless all development combined raises the base flood level no more than 1 foot anywhere. Applies: Applies in Zones A1-30 and AE until a regulatory floodway is adopted. § 8.60.240 · code text Until a regulatory floodway is adopted, no new construction, substantial development, or other development (including fill) shall be permitted within Zones A1-30 and AE, unless it is demonstrated that the cumulative effect of the proposed development, when combined with all other development, will not increase the water surface elevation of the base flood more than one foot at any point within the city. Fill, new building, substantial improvements and encroachments are banned unless a registered civil engineer certifies no flood-level rise. Applies: Inside an adopted regulatory floodway. § 8.60.240 · code text Within an adopted regulatory floodway, the City of Chino shall prohibit encroachments, including fill, new constriction, substantial improvements, and other development, unless certification by a registered civil engineer is provided demonstrating that the proposed encroachment shall not result in any increase in flood levels during the occurrence of the base flood discharge.
Height of the lowest floor	Lowest floor, including the basement, at least 1 foot above the base flood elevation. Applies: New or substantially improved homes in special flood hazard areas. § 8.60.190 · code text New construction and substantial improvement of any structure shall have the lowest floor, including basement, elevated to at least one foot above the base flood elevation. At least the FIRM depth number plus 1 foot above highest adjacent grade; at least 2 feet if no number. Applies: New or substantially improved homes in Zone AO; the lowest floor includes the basement. § 8.60.190 · code text New construction and substantial improvement of any structure in Zone AO shall have the lowest floor, including basement, elevated above the highest adjacent grade at least one foot higher than the depth number specified in feet on the FIRM, or at least two feet if no depth number is specified.

Park and impact fees for new homes

Chino code Adding onto an existing home pays no impact fees, except building an accessory dwelling unit. Accessory dwelling units of 750 square feet or less pay no fees.

All 6 Chino rules on park and impact fees for new homes, with the code text →

Noise and construction hours

Chino code Noise above 55 dBA may last no more than 30 minutes in any hour. Noise above 50 dBA may last no more than 30 minutes in any hour.

All 10 Chino rules on noise and construction hours, with the code text →

Outdoor lighting

Chino code What Chino's code adds
Fixture height	At most 25 feet high. Applies: Freestanding outdoor lights where no lower limit applies; lights should be only as tall as needed. § 20.10.090 · code text Otherwise the maximum height shall be twenty-five feet.
Light at the property line	No more than 1 foot-candle of light. Applies: Light from private property falling on any property in a residential zone. § 20.10.090 · code text No lighting on private property shall produce an illumination level greater than one foot candle on any property within a residential zoning district.
Shielding	Lights must be shielded, recessed, and aimed down and away from neighboring properties and public rights-of-way. § 20.10.090 · code text Light fixtures shall be shielded, recessed, and directed downward and away from adjoining properties and public rights-of-way to reduce light spillage.

Garage and yard sales

Chino code What Chino's code adds
Hours	Between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. each day. § 5.40.050 · code text Hours for the yard sale shall be limited to between eight a.m. and eight p.m., each day.
How long a sale may last	No more than 3 days in a row. § 5.40.050 · code text The length of time per yard sale shall not exceed three consecutive days.
Sales per year	2 sales per year. Applies: Per seller, household, group, address or location. § 5.40.050 · code text An individual seller, household, group, house address or location, shall be permitted two yard sales per year.

Family child care homes

CA state law California law
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)

Affordable units in new housing (inclusionary)

Chino code What Chino's code adds
Exemptions	Exempt: the 7,000 residential units under the July 1, 2004 development agreement between Chino and Lewis Operating Corporation. Applies: New residential development. § 3.46.030 · code text There is created an affordable housing in-lieu fee for new residential development, excluding the seven thousand residential units governed by the development agreement between the City of Chino and Lewis Operating Corporation effective July 1, 2004.

Group homes and residential care

Chino code What Chino's code adds
Parking	Off-street parking spaces at most 150 feet from building entrances. Applies: Large residential care facilities (7 or more residents in addition to the caregiver). § 20.21.070 · code text Off-street parking spaces shall be located a maximum of one hundred fifty feet from building entrances.
Homes for 7 or more	Special conditional use permit required. Applies: 7 or more residents in addition to the caregiver. § 20.21.070 · code text Planning commission approval of a special conditional use permit is required to establish a large residential care facility.
Distance between homes	Required spacing: 500 feet. Applies: No residential care facility may locate within this distance of another; applies to large facilities (7 or more residents in addition to the caregiver). § 20.21.070 · code text No residential care facility may locate within five hundred feet of any other such facility.

Parking spaces required for homes

Chino code 1 space for every 10 dwelling units. 1 covered space per dwelling.

All 11 Chino rules on parking spaces required for homes, with the code text →

Trash and recycling carts

Chino code Do not leave containers at the collection place after 12:00 pm on the day after collection. Not before 12:00 pm on the day before scheduled collection

All 4 Chino rules on trash and recycling carts, with the code text →

Other Chino rules on this

Chino's code also has these chapters. We have not summarized their values on this page yet; read them in the library.

Animal keeping standards (§ 20.21.030)
Urban lot splits (SB 9) (§ 19.04.110)

Who this affects

HomeownersContractorsDesigners

Frequently asked questions

What are the rules for building in a Chino flood zone?

Chino's code: A development permit is needed before any building or development, including manufactured homes, in a special flood hazard area. (§ 8.60.170); Lowest floor, including the basement, at least 1 foot above the base flood elevation. (New or substantially improved homes in special flood hazard areas.) (§ 8.60.190).

What are the outdoor lighting rules for homes in Chino?

Chino's code: Lights must be shielded, recessed, and aimed down and away from neighboring properties and public rights-of-way. (§ 20.10.090); No more than 1 foot-candle of light. (Light from private property falling on any property in a residential zone.) (§ 20.10.090).

What are the garage sale rules in Chino?

Chino's code: 2 sales per year. (Per seller, household, group, address or location.) (§ 5.40.050); Between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. each day. (§ 5.40.050).

Can I run a family child care home in Chino?

California law sets this for every city, including Chino: 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)).

Does Chino require affordable units in new housing?

Chino's code: Exempt: the 7,000 residential units under the July 1, 2004 development agreement between Chino and Lewis Operating Corporation. (New residential development.) (§ 3.46.030).

Where are group homes and residential care homes allowed in Chino?

Chino's code: Off-street parking spaces at most 150 feet from building entrances. (Large residential care facilities (7 or more residents in addition to the caregiver).) (§ 20.21.070); Special conditional use permit required. (7 or more residents in addition to the caregiver.) (§ 20.21.070).

General information, not legal advice.

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