Long Beach · Building on your lot
Building on your lot in Long Beach
Long Beach sets its own limits on fence heights, accessory buildings and garages, and home businesses on residential lots. The meal limit for home kitchens (MEHKOs) comes from state law.
Key points
- Fence heights: In residential zones, front-yard fences max 3 ft (4 ft in special fence areas, extra foot wrought iron or chain link); other yards 6 ft 6 in.
- Taller fences: Residential fences may reach 8 ft beside a nonresidential district or use or along an alley, and 10 ft outside required yards.
- Accessory buildings: Non-garage accessory buildings in residential districts: rear half of lot, at most 1 story and 13 ft, and the smaller of 300 sq ft or 5% of lot.
- Garages: Garages: 1 story and 13 ft (projects of 3+ units in R-3/R-4 differ), at most 700 sq ft for a single-family home, 1,100 for two-family.
- Home businesses: General home occupations: only residents may work, no more than 2, with at most 2 business visitors an hour and 8 a day.
- MEHKO meals: State law limits MEHKOs to 30 meals a day and 90 meals a week; Long Beach exempts MEHKOs from general visitor limits.
Each rule below is marked Long Beach code or CA state law and links to the section it comes from (checked October 2026). General information, not legal advice.
Fences and walls
Long Beach code In residential zones, front-yard fences max 3 ft (4 ft in special fence areas, extra foot wrought iron or chain link); other yards 6 ft 6 in. Residential fences may reach 8 ft beside a nonresidential district or use or along an alley, and 10 ft outside required yards.
All 9 Long Beach rules on fences and walls, with the code text →
Sheds, garages and other accessory structures
Long Beach code Non-garage accessory buildings in residential districts: rear half of lot, at most 1 story and 13 ft, and the smaller of 300 sq ft or 5% of lot. Garages: 1 story and 13 ft (projects of 3+ units in R-3/R-4 differ), at most 700 sq ft for a single-family home, 1,100 for two-family.
All 14 Long Beach rules on sheds, garages and other accessory structures, with the code text →
Running a business from home
Long Beach code General home occupations: only residents may work, no more than 2, with at most 2 business visitors an hour and 8 a day. State law limits MEHKOs to 30 meals a day and 90 meals a week; Long Beach exempts MEHKOs from general visitor limits.
All 6 Long Beach rules on running a business from home, 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 |
Who this affects
Frequently asked questions
Can I run a family child care home in Long Beach?
California law sets this for every city, including Long Beach: 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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