Palm Desert · Building on your lot
Building on your lot in Palm Desert
Palm Desert sets fence heights by location, and fences in front and side setbacks may be taller the farther they stand from the curb face. Many home businesses, including auto repair, barber shops, medical offices and on-site retail sales, are not allowed.
Key points
- Fence heights: Walls and fences behind the front building setback, including side yard, interior side and rear-yard fences, are limited to 6 feet.
- Accessory buildings: Enclosed accessory buildings: 8 feet on residential lots, under 14 feet on lots over 12,000 square feet; setback equal to their height.
- Home businesses: Home-based businesses need a permit and may have 1 outside person; instructional services may have up to 6 students at a time.
Each rule below is marked Palm Desert code or CA state law and links to the section it comes from (checked October 2026). General information, not legal advice.
Fences and walls
Palm Desert code Walls and fences behind the front building setback, including side yard, interior side and rear-yard fences, are limited to 6 feet.
All 9 Palm Desert rules on fences and walls, with the code text →
Sheds, garages and other accessory structures
Palm Desert code Enclosed accessory buildings: 8 feet on residential lots, under 14 feet on lots over 12,000 square feet; setback equal to their height.
All 11 Palm Desert rules on sheds, garages and other accessory structures, with the code text →
Running a business from home
Palm Desert code Home-based businesses need a permit and may have 1 outside person; instructional services may have up to 6 students at a time.
All 5 Palm Desert rules on running a business from home, with the code text →
Lot splits under SB 9
| Standards |
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Solar panels and EV chargers
| EV charger permit |
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|---|---|
| Solar permit process |
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Swimming pools
Palm Desert code Pool equipment at least 5 feet from property lines (2 feet with structural documentation), housed or screened from public view. Pools must meet the Uniform Swimming Pool Code and not be hazardous, such as polluted, stagnant, smelly or insect-breeding water.
All 3 Palm Desert rules on swimming pools, with the code text →
Pets, chickens and bees
Palm Desert code Yes; up to 2 hive colonies. Yes; up to 4 hive colonies.
All 5 Palm Desert rules on pets, chickens and bees, with the code text →
Building in a flood zone
| Floodplain permit |
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|---|---|
| Building in a floodway |
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| Height of the lowest floor |
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Grading and erosion control
| Steepest cut or fill slope |
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Noise and construction hours
Palm Desert code Construction is allowed only from 7 a.m. to five-thirty p.m. Construction is allowed only from five-thirty a.m. to 7 p.m.
All 5 Palm Desert rules on noise and construction hours, with the code text →
Outdoor lighting
Palm Desert code Hillside lights must be off by 10 p.m. and stay off until the next evening. Lamps may be 15,000 lumens or less.
All 11 Palm Desert rules on outdoor lighting, 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 |
Parking spaces required for homes
| Spaces per apartment or condo |
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|---|---|
| Spaces for a single-family home |
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Signs on homes
Palm Desert code Removed within 30 days after the election. No fee or permits are required.
All 6 Palm Desert rules on signs on homes, with the code text →
Trash and recycling carts
Palm Desert code Separate organic material and keep it in designated containers obtained only through the franchise waste hauler. Within 12 hours after collection.
All 4 Palm Desert rules on trash and recycling carts, with the code text →
Other Palm Desert rules on this
Palm Desert's code also has these chapters. We have not summarized their values on this page yet; read them in the library.
- Permit to park an RV on private property (§ 8.40.060)
- Hillside development plan (§ 25.78.020) — hillside planned residential district only
- Grading in the hillside overlay (§ 27.12.060) — hillside overlay only
- Park fees for new dwelling units (§ 25.40.130)
- Regional transportation fee on new development (§ 3.44.030)
Who this affects
Frequently asked questions
Can I split my lot under SB 9 in Palm Desert?
Palm Desert's code: Building on the new lots must meet the underlying zone's objective standards. (Except as this section or state law provides otherwise.) (§ 26.30.010); The lot to be split must be in a single-family residential zone. (§ 26.30.010).
Do I need a permit for solar panels or an EV charger in Palm Desert?
Palm Desert's code: Apply in person, by mail or electronically, with fees; permits are approved administratively once complete and meeting the checklist. (Applies to small rooftop home solar systems eligible for fast review.) (§ 15.17.040); The building official issues all permits when the application meets the checklist; the charger stays off until city approval. (Applies to installing an electric vehicle charging station.) (§ 15.36.050).
What are the rules for building in a Palm Desert flood zone?
Palm Desert's code: You need a development permit before any construction or development starts in a special flood hazard area. (§ 28.08.010); The lowest floor must be at or above the base flood elevation. (New or substantially improved homes in an A zone.) (§ 28.10.010).
What are the grading rules in Palm Desert?
Palm Desert's code: Fill slopes may be no steeper than 2 horizontal to 1 vertical. (Land development; a steeper slope needs a soils engineer's report that it will not endanger property.) (§ 27.12.040); Cut slopes may be no steeper than 1½ horizontal to 1 vertical. (Land development; a steeper slope needs a soils engineer's report that it will not endanger property.) (§ 27.12.040).
Can I run a family child care home in Palm Desert?
California law sets this for every city, including Palm Desert: 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)).
How many parking spaces does a home need in Palm Desert?
Palm Desert's code: 2 spaces per unit. (Multifamily dwellings or cluster housing; studio and one bedroom.) (§ 25.46.040); 2 spaces per unit. (Multifamily dwellings or cluster housing; two and more bedrooms.) (§ 25.46.040).
General information, not legal advice.
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