Hawaiian Gardens · Building on your lot

Building on your lot in Hawaiian Gardens

Hawaiian Gardens sets its own limits for fences, rear-yard sheds and gazebos, and home businesses. Front-yard fence height depends on the material, and larger sheds need a minor use permit.

Ask about building on your lot in Hawaiian Gardens See coverage

Key points

Fence height: Hawaiian Gardens limits front-yard fences to 42 inches if solid or 48 inches if wrought iron; rear and side yards 6 ft.
Sheds and gazebos: Hawaiian Gardens allows rear-yard sheds up to 10 by 10 ft and gazebos up to 8 by 10 ft; larger ones need a permit.
Home businesses: Hawaiian Gardens home businesses may use 400 sq ft or 25% of living area, whichever is less, with no nonresident employees.

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

Fences and walls

Hawaiian Gardens code Hawaiian Gardens limits front-yard fences to 42 inches if solid or 48 inches if wrought iron; rear and side yards 6 ft.

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

Sheds, garages and other accessory structures

Hawaiian Gardens code What Hawaiian Gardens's code adds
Size or lot coverage	No more than 10 feet by 10 feet. Applies: For sheds in a required rear yard; not allowed in required front or side yards. Larger sheds need a minor use permit. § 18.50.080 · code text Sheds* (no more than 10 ft. by 10 ft. in size) 5 feet by 5 feet. Applies: For dollhouses and playhouses in a required rear yard. Larger ones need a minor use permit. § 18.50.080 · code text Dollhouses and playhouses * (5 ft. by 5 ft. in size) No more than 8 feet by 10 feet. Applies: For gazebos in a required rear yard. Larger ones need a minor use permit. § 18.50.080 · code text Gazebos (no more than 8 ft. by 10 ft. in size)*

Running a business from home

Hawaiian Gardens code Hawaiian Gardens home businesses may use 400 sq ft or 25% of living area, whichever is less, with no nonresident employees.

All 5 Hawaiian Gardens rules on running a business from home, with the code text →

Lot splits under SB 9

Hawaiian Gardens code Each new lot must be between 40% and 60% of the original lot area. Each new lot must be at least 1,200 square feet.

All 7 Hawaiian Gardens rules on lot splits under SB 9, with the code text →

RV and boat parking

Hawaiian Gardens code Oversized vehicles may not park on public streets; emergency: up to 24 straight hours after breakdown or driver incapacity. Up to 72 hours in a row, for loading and unloading.

All 3 Hawaiian Gardens rules on RV and boat parking, with the code text →

Solar panels and EV chargers

Hawaiian Gardens code What Hawaiian Gardens's code adds
Review time	Permit issued within 3 business days. Applies: Small residential rooftop solar applications that meet the city's checklist and standard plan. § 15.22.060 · code text For an application for a small residential rooftop solar energy system that meets the requirements of the City's checklist and standard plan, the Building Department shall issue a building permit or other non-discretionary permit or authorization within three business days.

Swimming pools

Hawaiian Gardens code What Hawaiian Gardens's code adds
Maintenance and empty pools	Pools must be kept so they do not breed mosquitoes; abandoned or unused pools must be emptied and kept dry. § 16.18.020 · code text All owners of property that contain decorative water ponds and/or swimming pools and all operators of such decorative water ponds and/or swimming pools shall at all times properly maintain and operate these decorative water ponds and/or swimming pools in a manner that does not allow the decorative water pond and/or swimming pool to become a breeding place for mosquitoes, including emptying and keeping dry any decorative water ponds and/or swimming pools that are abandoned and/or not in service.

Pets, chickens and bees

Hawaiian Gardens code No, chickens are not allowed. No more than 3 dogs and 3 cats per household, plus any unweaned litter not over 6 months old.

All 3 Hawaiian Gardens rules on pets, chickens and bees, with the code text →

Noise and construction hours

Hawaiian Gardens code What Hawaiian Gardens's code adds
Noise limit at homes	The outdoor noise limit is 60 db(A). Applies: Noise Zone 1, 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. § 9.29.060 · code text 1 \| 60 db(A) \| 7:00 a.m.—10:00 p.m. The outdoor noise limit is 55 db(A). Applies: Noise Zone 1, 10:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. § 9.29.060 · code text 1 \| 55 db(A) \| 10:00 p.m.—7:00 a.m. The indoor noise limit is 55 db(A). Applies: Noise Zone 1, 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. § 9.29.080 · code text 1 \| 55 db(A) \| 7:00 a.m.—10:00 p.m. The indoor noise limit is 45 db(A). Applies: Noise Zone 1, 10:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. § 9.29.080 · code text 1 \| 45 db(A) \| 10:00 p.m.—7:00 a.m.

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)

Trash and recycling carts

Hawaiian Gardens code What Hawaiian Gardens's code adds
When carts must come back	Remove containers by 8:00 p.m. on collection day, or 2 hours after actual collection, whichever is later. § 6.12.090 · code text A person shall not place any solid waste, recyclables, or organic waste, or any container containing solid waste, recyclables, or organic waste at the place of collection before 6:00 p.m. of the day preceding the scheduled collection of the said solid waste, recyclables, or organic waste, or leave any such container at the place of collection after 8:00 p.m. on the day of actual collection, or more than two hours after actual collection, whichever is later.
When carts may go to the curb	No earlier than 6:00 p.m. on the day before the scheduled collection. § 6.12.090 · code text A person shall not place any solid waste, recyclables, or organic waste, or any container containing solid waste, recyclables, or organic waste at the place of collection before 6:00 p.m. of the day preceding the scheduled collection of the said solid waste, recyclables, or organic waste, or leave any such container at the place of collection after 8:00 p.m. on the day of actual collection, or more than two hours after actual collection, whichever is later.

Who this affects

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Frequently asked questions

How big can a shed or accessory building be in Hawaiian Gardens?

Hawaiian Gardens allows rear-yard sheds up to 10 by 10 ft and gazebos up to 8 by 10 ft; larger ones need a permit.

Do I need a permit for solar panels or an EV charger in Hawaiian Gardens?

Hawaiian Gardens's code: Permit issued within 3 business days. (Small residential rooftop solar applications that meet the city's checklist and standard plan.) (§ 15.22.060).

What are the noise rules and construction hours in Hawaiian Gardens?

Hawaiian Gardens's code: The outdoor noise limit is 60 db(A). (Noise Zone 1, 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.) (§ 9.29.060); The outdoor noise limit is 55 db(A). (Noise Zone 1, 10:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m.) (§ 9.29.060).

Can I run a family child care home in Hawaiian Gardens?

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

When can trash carts go out to the curb in Hawaiian Gardens?

Hawaiian Gardens's code: Remove containers by 8:00 p.m. on collection day, or 2 hours after actual collection, whichever is later. (§ 6.12.090); No earlier than 6:00 p.m. on the day before the scheduled collection. (§ 6.12.090).

General information, not legal advice.

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