Placer County · Building on your lot

Building on your lot in Placer County

In unincorporated Placer County, a retaining wall and fence together are limited in height in side and rear yards, ground-mounted solar needs side and rear setbacks that grow with height, and home businesses face patron limits.

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Key points

Fences: Retaining wall and fence together in side or rear yards: up to 8 feet, or 10 feet if approved in the project design.
Open structures: In fire hazard areas, open-walled structures needing a permit that are less than 5 feet from a building must use noncombustible or ignition-resistant materials.
Home businesses: Home businesses on one site combined: no more than 3 patrons at a time and 15 per day, except occasional garage or yard sales.
Ground solar: Ground solar side/rear setback: 7.5 feet minimum for 6 feet tall or less (zone may allow less); taller needs 10 to 15 feet.
Tree permits: East of Sierra Summit, cutting a live tree 6 inches or more in diameter needs a permit unless a grading permit allows it.
Flood areas: New or substantially improved buildings in flood hazard areas other than AO zones must be at least 1 foot above base flood elevation.

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

Placer County's code applies in the unincorporated areas of the county. Cities in Placer County have their own codes and their own pages.

Fences and walls

Placer County code What Placer County's code adds
Side and rear yard height	Up to 8 feet high, measured from the lowest finished grade. Applies: A retaining wall and fence together in a side or rear yard, not in a required front or street-side setback. § 17.54.020 · code text The height of a retaining wall and fence may be up to eight feet in height, as measured from the lowest finished grade, when such a fence and retaining wall would be located in a side or rear yard area, and not within any required front or street-side setback. Up to 10 feet high. Applies: A retaining wall and fence together in any side or rear yard, if approved as part of the project design. § 17.54.020 · code text The height of a retaining wall and fence on any side or rear yard area may be up to 10 feet in height if approved by the granting authority as part of the project design.

Sheds, garages and other accessory structures

Placer County code What Placer County's code adds
Distance from the house	At least 5 feet from a building: exempt from ignition-resistant rules; a covered roof still needs a Class A assembly. Applies: Applies to open-walled structures needing a permit (trellises, arbors, patio covers, gazebos) in a Fire Hazard Severity Zone or Wildland-Urban Interface fire area. § 15.04.500 · code text Miscellaneous structures that require a permit, including but not limited to trellises, arbors, patio covers, gazebos, and similar open walled structures, when separated from an applicable building on the same lot by a minimum distance of five feet, shall be exempt from the requirements of Section 504, except that covered roof structures shall be provided a Class A roof assembly per Placer County Code Sections 15.04.310 and 15.04.380. Less than 5 feet from a building: must use noncombustible or ignition-resistant materials. Applies: Applies to open-walled structures needing a permit (trellises, arbors, patio covers, gazebos) in a Fire Hazard Severity Zone or Wildland-Urban Interface fire area. § 15.04.500 · code text Miscellaneous structures that require a permit, including but not limited to trellises, arbors, patio covers, gazebos, and similar open walled structures, when separated from an applicable building on the same lot by a distance of less than five feet, shall be constructed of noncombustible materials or ignition-resistant building materials as described in Section 504.

Running a business from home

Placer County code Home businesses on one site combined: no more than 3 patrons at a time and 15 per day, except occasional garage or yard sales.

All 7 Placer County rules on running a business from home, with the code text →

Solar panels and EV chargers

Placer County code Ground solar side/rear setback: 7.5 feet minimum for 6 feet tall or less (zone may allow less); taller needs 10 to 15 feet.

All 9 Placer County rules on solar panels and EV chargers, with the code text →

Tree removal

Placer County code East of Sierra Summit, cutting a live tree 6 inches or more in diameter needs a permit unless a grading permit allows it.

All 6 Placer County rules on tree removal, with the code text →

Pets, chickens and bees

Placer County code No more than 2 bee colonies. No more than 5 colonies per acre, and at most 100 hives in one location.

All 4 Placer County rules on pets, chickens and bees, with the code text →

Building in a flood zone

Placer County code What Placer County's code adds
Building in a floodway	No encroachments unless certified to cause no flood level increase during the base flood discharge. Applies: In floodways; a California registered civil engineer must certify it. § 15.52.220 · code text Prohibit encroachments, including fill, new construction, substantial improvements, and other new development unless certification by a California registered civil engineer is provided demonstrating that encroachments shall not result in any increase in flood levels during the occurrence of the base flood discharge.
Height of the lowest floor	At least 1 foot above the base flood elevation. Applies: New or substantially improved buildings, including homes, in flood hazard areas other than AO zones; 2 feet is recommended; includes basements. § 15.52.170 · code text New construction and substantial improvement of any structure shall have the lowest floor, including basement, elevated a minimum of one foot above the base flood elevation.

Noise and construction hours

Placer County code 5 dBA above the ambient sound level, or the table level, whichever is greater. 55 dB hourly Leq.

All 5 Placer County rules on noise and construction hours, with the code text →

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)

Home alarm permits and false alarms

Placer County code $25. $50.

All 5 Placer County rules on home alarm permits and false alarms, with the code text →

Trash and recycling carts

Placer County code What Placer County's code adds
Required collection service	The property owner must make sure a used home has refuse removal service. Applies: Franchise Area 3, and developed parcels on Foresthill Divide in Franchise Area 4. § 8.16.220 · code text If the house or business is used, it is the property owner's responsibility to ensure the residence or business and has refuse removal service. Exemption possible if the home is not used for an entire quarter; request it for the upcoming quarter only. Applies: Franchise Area 3; request within the code's timeframe (for example November 15 to December 15 for January to March). § 8.16.220 · code text If the house or business is located in Franchise Area 3 and is not used for one entire quarter, as defined in the table below it can qualify for an exemption.

Other Placer County rules on this

Placer County's code also has these chapters. We have not summarized their values on this page yet; read them in the library.

SB 9 lot splits (§ 16.20.370)
Draining a swimming pool (§ 13.12.110)
Pool and spa barriers at homes (§ 15.04.320)
When a grading permit is needed (§ 15.48.060)
Erosion and sediment control plans (§ 15.48.650)
County public facilities fees (Art. 15.30)
Park and recreation facilities fees (Art. 15.34)
Fire protection development fees (§ 15.36.010) — where a local fire agency has adopted a fee

Who this affects

HomeownersContractorsDesigners

Frequently asked questions

How tall can a fence be in Placer County?

Retaining wall and fence together in side or rear yards: up to 8 feet, or 10 feet if approved in the project design.

How big can a shed or accessory building be in Placer County?

In fire hazard areas, open-walled structures needing a permit that are less than 5 feet from a building must use noncombustible or ignition-resistant materials.

What are the rules for building in a Placer County flood zone?

New or substantially improved buildings in flood hazard areas other than AO zones must be at least 1 foot above base flood elevation.

Can I run a family child care home in Placer County?

California law sets this for every city, including Placer County: 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 Placer County?

Placer County's code: The property owner must make sure a used home has refuse removal service. (Franchise Area 3, and developed parcels on Foresthill Divide in Franchise Area 4.) (§ 8.16.220); Exemption possible if the home is not used for an entire quarter; request it for the upcoming quarter only. (Franchise Area 3; request within the code's timeframe (for example November 15 to December 15 for January to March).) (§ 8.16.220).

General information, not legal advice.

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