Group homes and residential care in Riverside County

Each rule below links to the section of the Riverside County Municipal Code it was read from, with the code text one click away (checked October 2026). General information, not legal advice.

What Riverside County's code says

Riverside County code What Riverside County's code adds
Homes for 7 or more	An approved conditional use permit is required. Applies: Applies to facilities serving 7 or more persons. § 17.272.010 · code text A residential facility that serves seven or more persons is allowed in the following zoning classifications with an approved conditional use permit in accordance with Section 18.28 of this ordinance: R-R, R-R-O, R-1, R-1A, R-A, R-2, R-2A, R-3, R-3A, R-4, R-6, R-T, R-T-R, A-D, A-P, A-1, A-2, C-V, WC-W, WC-WE, WC-R, WC-E, W-2, W-2-M, R-D, N-A, C-1/C-P, C-P-S, C-R and C-O.
Homes for 6 or fewer	The group is considered a family and the facility a residential use of property. Applies: Applies to facilities serving 6 or fewer persons. § 17.272.010 · code text residents and operators of a residential facility that serves six or fewer persons shall be considered a family and the residential facility shall be considered a residential use of property. Allowed as a use by right. Applies: Applies to facilities serving 6 or fewer persons. § 17.272.010 · code text A residential facility that serves six or fewer persons shall be allowed as a use by right in the following zoning classifications: R-R, R-R-O, R-1, R-1A, R-A, R-2, R-2A, R-3, R-3A, R-4, R-6, R-T, R-T-R, A-D, A-P, A-1, A-2, C-V, WC-W, WC-WE, WC-R, WC-E, W-2, W-2-M, R-D and N-A. The group is considered a family and the residential care facility a residential use of property. Applies: Applies to facilities serving 6 or fewer persons. § 17.272.010 · code text residents and operators of a residential care facility that serves six or fewer persons shall be considered a family and the residential care facility shall be considered a residential use of property. The group is considered a family and the residential care facility for the elderly a residential use of property. Applies: Applies to facilities serving 6 or fewer persons. § 17.272.010 · code text residents and operators of a residential care facility for the elderly that serves six or fewer persons shall be considered a family and the residential care facility for the elderly shall be considered a residential use of property.
Distance between homes	Facilities must be at least 300 feet apart, measured lot line to lot line. Applies: Applies to a residential facility serving 7 or more persons, from another licensed residential facility (foster family homes excepted). § 17.272.010 · code text Except for foster family homes, be separated from another licensed Residential Facility by a minimum of three hundred (300) feet measured lot line to lot line. Facilities must be at least 300 feet apart, measured lot line to lot line. Applies: Applies to a residential care facility serving 7 or more persons, from another licensed residential care facility. § 17.272.010 · code text Be separated from another licensed residential care facility by a minimum of three hundred (300) feet measured lot line to lot line.
Where allowed	Allowed by right in residential zones such as R-R, R-1, R-2, R-3 and R-4, and in other listed zones. Applies: Applies to facilities serving 6 or fewer persons. § 17.272.010 · code text A residential facility that serves six or fewer persons shall be allowed as a use by right in the following zoning classifications: R-R, R-R-O, R-1, R-1A, R-A, R-2, R-2A, R-3, R-3A, R-4, R-6, R-T, R-T-R, A-D, A-P, A-1, A-2, C-V, WC-W, WC-WE, WC-R, WC-E, W-2, W-2-M, R-D and N-A. Allowed with a conditional use permit in the by-right zones plus C-1/C-P, C-P-S, C-R and C-O. Applies: Applies to facilities serving 7 or more persons. § 17.272.010 · code text A residential facility that serves seven or more persons is allowed in the following zoning classifications with an approved conditional use permit in accordance with Section 18.28 of this ordinance: R-R, R-R-O, R-1, R-1A, R-A, R-2, R-2A, R-3, R-3A, R-4, R-6, R-T, R-T-R, A-D, A-P, A-1, A-2, C-V, WC-W, WC-WE, WC-R, WC-E, W-2, W-2-M, R-D, N-A, C-1/C-P, C-P-S, C-R and C-O. Allowed in the by-right zones plus C-1/C-P, C-P-S, C-R and C-O, with an approved conditional use permit. Applies: Applies to residential facilities, care facilities and care facilities for the elderly serving 7 or more persons. § 17.272.010 · code text A residential care facility that serves seven or more persons is allowed in the following zoning classifications with an approved conditional use permit in accordance with section 18.28 of this ordinance: R-R, R-R-O, R-1, R-1A, R-A, R-2, R-2A, R-3, R-3A, R-4, R-6, R-T, R-T-R, A-D, A-P, A-1, A-2, C-V, WC-W, WC-WE, WC-R, WC-E, W-2, W-2-M, R-D, N-A, C-1/C-P, C-P-S, C-R and C-O.

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Where are group homes and residential care homes allowed in Riverside County?

Riverside County's code: An approved conditional use permit is required. (Applies to facilities serving 7 or more persons.) (§ 17.272.010); The group is considered a family and the facility a residential use of property. (Applies to facilities serving 6 or fewer persons.) (§ 17.272.010).

Group homes and residential care in Riverside County

What Riverside County's code says

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