Colfax · Building on your lot
Building on your lot in Colfax
Colfax limits the height, size and setbacks of accessory structures. It also has a chapter on home occupations.
Key points
- Accessory structures: City rule: detached buildings on a lot are limited to 700 square feet unless an administrative permit allows more; carports and gazebos, 15 feet.
- Home businesses: Colfax regulates home occupations in Chapter 17.152 of its code.
Each rule below is marked Colfax code or CA state law and links to the section it comes from (checked October 2026). General information, not legal advice.
Sheds, garages and other accessory structures
Colfax code City rule: detached buildings on a lot are limited to 700 square feet unless an administrative permit allows more; carports and gazebos, 15 feet.
All 7 Colfax rules on sheds, garages and other accessory structures, with the code text →
Solar panels and EV chargers
| Solar permit process |
|
|---|
Tree removal
| Permit to remove |
|
|---|---|
| Protected trees |
|
Pets, chickens and bees
Colfax code Yes, no more than 8 chickens. Yes, up to 15 small animals, including chickens and small fowl other than turkeys, peafowl and guinea fowl.
All 16 Colfax rules on pets, chickens and bees, with the code text →
Grading and erosion control
| Steepest cut or fill slope |
|
|---|---|
| Grading without a permit |
|
Noise and construction hours
Colfax code 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday. 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
All 5 Colfax 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 |
Signs on homes
| Signs that need no permit |
|
|---|
Other Colfax rules on this
Colfax's code also has these chapters. We have not summarized their values on this page yet; read them in the library.
- Home occupations (Ch. 17.152)
- Traffic mitigation fee (Ch. 16.36, Art. II)
- Mitigation impact fees on building permits (§ 3.56.040)
Who this affects
Frequently asked questions
Can I run a business from my home in Colfax?
Colfax regulates home occupations in Chapter 17.152 of its code. Colfax also has a related rule: Home occupations (Ch. 17.152).
Do I need a permit for solar panels or an EV charger in Colfax?
Colfax's code: Building division approves if module coverage is 50% or less and meets the guidelines; over 50% needs fire review first. (§ 15.04.075).
Do I need a permit to remove a tree in Colfax?
Colfax's code: No clearing of trees over 6 inches in diameter, measured 4.5 feet above ground, before a grading permit. (Applies to property with a planning application.) (§ 17.110.030); A tree removal plan must show healthy trees over 6 inches in diameter, measured 4.5 feet above ground. (Applies to planning applications.) (§ 17.110.030).
What are the grading rules in Colfax?
Colfax's code: Excavation below finished basements and footings of a permitted building, and for a permitted swimming pool. (Exempt after city engineer review; the exemption does not allow breaking any provision of the chapter.) (§ 15.30.032); No steeper than 2 horizontal to 1 vertical. (Cut surfaces of permanent excavations, not counting terraces and roundings.) (§ 15.30.061).
Can I run a family child care home in Colfax?
California law sets this for every city, including Colfax: 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)).
What signs may I put up at my home in Colfax?
Colfax's code: "No Trespassing" signs of not more than 1 square foot need no permit. (Placed at each corner and entrance to a property and at intervals of not less than 100 feet.) (§ 17.112.170).
General information, not legal advice.
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