Newport Beach · Building on your lot
Building on your lot in Newport Beach
Newport Beach sets its own limits for small accessory structures in setbacks and its own home-business rules. Fences, hedges and walls have separate city sections, including one for the coastal zone.
Key points
- Setback structures: City rule: accessory structures in required side or rear setbacks are limited to 6 ft high and 150 sq ft each.
- Home businesses: City rule: home businesses need a business license and prior appointments for visits; vehicle repair and hazardous storage are not allowed.
- Fences: Fences, hedges and walls fall under city § 20.30.040, and in the coastal zone under § 21.30.040.
Each rule below is marked Newport Beach 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
Newport Beach code City rule: accessory structures in required side or rear setbacks are limited to 6 ft high and 150 sq ft each.
All 4 Newport Beach rules on sheds, garages and other accessory structures, with the code text →
Running a business from home
Newport Beach code City rule: home businesses need a business license and prior appointments for visits; vehicle repair and hazardous storage are not allowed.
All 5 Newport Beach rules on running a business from home, with the code text →
Lot splits under SB 9
| Standards |
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|---|---|
| Owner occupancy |
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RV and boat parking
Newport Beach code Vehicles over 22 feet long, or 84+ inches wide and over 84 inches tall, may not park on residential streets. Less than 24 consecutive hours.
All 4 Newport Beach rules on RV and boat parking, with the code text →
Solar panels and EV chargers
Newport Beach code Approved administratively through a building permit or similar nondiscretionary permit. A nondiscretionary permit for a complete application meeting the checklist and standard plan; one inspection for expedited systems.
All 4 Newport Beach rules on solar panels and EV chargers, with the code text →
Swimming pools
| Drain safety |
|
|---|
Pets, chickens and bees
Newport Beach code Not allowed, since poultry counts as livestock, except where city zoning specifically permits it. Livestock, such as cows, pigs, goats, horses, mules and poultry, only where city zoning specifically permits it.
All 4 Newport Beach rules on pets, chickens and bees, with the code text →
Building in a flood zone
Newport Beach code A building permit application is needed before construction. Encroachments, including fill and new construction, are banned unless a certified hydrologic and hydraulic analysis shows no flood level increase.
All 6 Newport Beach rules on building in a flood zone, with the code text →
Grading and erosion control
Newport Beach code A grading and erosion control plan is required. Excavation for footings of a building, retaining wall or other structure under a valid building permit (not fill made from it, or an excavation left unsupported or unstable); excavation less than two feet deep, or not creating a cut slope greater than four feet in height and steeper than two horizontal to one vertical, and less than fifty (50) cubic yards on one site; fill not exceeding fifty (50) cubic yards on any one site, placed on natural undisturbed terrain flatter than five horizontal to one vertical or less than three feet deep and not intended to support structures
All 3 Newport Beach rules on grading and erosion control, with the code text →
Park and impact fees for new homes
| How the park fee is set |
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|---|---|
| Parkland per 1,000 residents |
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Noise and construction hours
Newport Beach code 7:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on Saturdays.
All 10 Newport Beach rules on noise and construction hours, with the code text →
Outdoor lighting
| Shielding |
|
|---|
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
Newport Beach code Park only in permanent parking areas and on driveways to them. No parking in front yards other than driveways. Parking or storage in required front setbacks is prohibited, except on driveways before garages set back at least 20 feet.
All 3 Newport Beach rules on parking spaces required for homes, with the code text →
Home alarm permits and false alarms
Newport Beach code $50. $100.
All 7 Newport Beach rules on home alarm permits and false alarms, with the code text →
Signs on homes
Newport Beach code Up to 3 signs, total area at most 6 square feet, height at most 4 feet. 1 sign per street frontage. Total area at most 72 square inches. Numbers and letters at most 8 inches high.
All 12 Newport Beach rules on signs on homes, with the code text →
Trash and recycling carts
Newport Beach code Move containers to storage no later than 6:30 p.m. on the day of collection. Put containers out no earlier than 7:00 p.m. on the day before collection.
All 3 Newport Beach rules on trash and recycling carts, with the code text →
Other Newport Beach rules on this
Newport Beach's code also has these chapters. We have not summarized their values on this page yet; read them in the library.
- Fences, hedges, walls and retaining walls (§ 20.30.040)
- Fences, hedges and walls in the coastal zone (§ 21.30.040) — coastal zone only
Who this affects
Frequently asked questions
How tall can a fence be in Newport Beach?
Fences, hedges and walls fall under city § 20.30.040, and in the coastal zone under § 21.30.040. Newport Beach also has a related rule: Fences, hedges, walls and retaining walls (§ 20.30.040); Fences, hedges and walls in the coastal zone (§ 21.30.040) — coastal zone only.
Can I split my lot under SB 9 in Newport Beach?
Newport Beach's code: The owner states they will live in one unit as principal residence for at least 3 years. (Counted from recording of the final parcel map.) (§ 19.90.020); No work, including grading, may start on either lot without a building permit, issued only after the parcel map records. (The permit must be for housing that meets the city's objective standards; applies during or after an urban lot split.) (§ 19.90.040).
What park or impact fees apply to a new home in Newport Beach?
Newport Beach's code: Acres that would have been dedicated × fair market value per acre from periodic city appraisal. (New subdivisions paying a fee instead of dedicating park land.) (§ 19.52.070); 5 acres per 1,000 residents. (Park dedication standard for new subdivisions.) (§ 19.52.040).
What are the outdoor lighting rules for homes in Newport Beach?
Newport Beach's code: Fixtures must be shielded and aimed to protect neighbors from glare; parking lot and building fixtures must be full cut-off. (§ 20.30.070); Shield neighbors; no light flooding or glare toward shoreline, coastal waters or bluffs; parking and building fixtures full cut-off. (In the coastal zone.) (§ 21.30.070).
Can I run a family child care home in Newport Beach?
California law sets this for every city, including Newport 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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