San Bernardino County · Building on your lot
Building on your lot in San Bernardino County
San Bernardino County's code applies only in unincorporated areas of the county. It limits walls along rights-of-way and accessory building size, and sorts home businesses into classes with different limits.
Key points
- Garages and storage: Detached garages or carports: at most 1,200 sq ft on parcels under 20,000 sq ft; storage structures, 1,000 sq ft up to 1 acre.
- Street walls: Decorative concrete or masonry walls along rights-of-way are limited to 6 feet (county rule).
- Home businesses: A Class II home business may have 1 nonresident employee and at most 12 trips per day on average; Class III, 20 trips.
Each rule below is marked San Bernardino County code or CA state law and links to the section it comes from (checked October 2026). General information, not legal advice.
San Bernardino County's code applies in the unincorporated areas of the county. Cities in San Bernardino County have their own codes and their own pages.
Fences and walls
| Height anywhere on the lot |
|
|---|
Sheds, garages and other accessory structures
San Bernardino County code Detached garages or carports: at most 1,200 sq ft on parcels under 20,000 sq ft; storage structures, 1,000 sq ft up to 1 acre.
Running a business from home
San Bernardino County code A Class II home business may have 1 nonresident employee and at most 12 trips per day on average; Class III, 20 trips.
All 10 San Bernardino County rules on running a business from home, with the code text →
Solar panels and EV chargers
San Bernardino County code Expedited, streamlined administrative review. Apply over the counter, by mail or electronically.
All 3 San Bernardino County rules on solar panels and EV chargers, with the code text →
Tree removal
San Bernardino County code Yes, a Tree or Plant Removal Permit is required. Replacement planting and care may be required; the ratio and tree sizes follow an Oak Reforestation Plan.
All 3 San Bernardino County rules on tree removal, with the code text →
Pets, chickens and bees
San Bernardino County code Not allowed. Yes, on at least ½ acre.
All 25 San Bernardino County rules on pets, chickens and bees, with the code text →
Grading and erosion control
| Steepest cut or fill slope |
|
|---|---|
| Rainy-season limits |
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Building on a hillside
San Bernardino County code Graded slope banks may be at most 30 feet high. No pad grading on slopes of 40% or more; driveway and road grading there needs a Minor Use Permit.
All 3 San Bernardino County rules on building on a hillside, with the code text →
Noise and construction hours
San Bernardino County code 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
All 3 San Bernardino County rules on noise and construction hours, with the code text →
Garage and yard sales
San Bernardino County code 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. A sale may last no more than 3 days in a row.
All 7 San Bernardino County rules on garage and yard sales, 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 |
Group homes and residential care
San Bernardino County code At least one on-site parking space is required for each bedroom. A Conditional Use Permit is required.
All 7 San Bernardino County rules on group homes and residential care, with the code text →
Signs on homes
San Bernardino County code 8 square feet maximum Remove within 30 days after the election
All 4 San Bernardino County rules on signs on homes, with the code text →
Trash and recycling carts
San Bernardino County code Within 24 hours after pick-up No more than 12 hours before scheduled pick-up
All 4 San Bernardino County rules on trash and recycling carts, with the code text →
Other San Bernardino County rules on this
San Bernardino County's code also has these chapters. We have not summarized their values on this page yet; read them in the library.
- Floodplain safety overlay (Ch. 82.14)
- Flood and erosion check before building (Ch. 85.11) — unincorporated areas only
- Light trespass rules (Ch. 83.07)
Who this affects
Frequently asked questions
How tall can a fence be in San Bernardino County?
Decorative concrete or masonry walls along rights-of-way are limited to 6 feet (county rule).
What are the grading rules in San Bernardino County?
San Bernardino County's code: No grading from October 15 to April 15 unless the Director approves adequate erosion control. (Hillside grading standards, slopes of 15% or more.) (§ 83.08.040); Cut and fill slopes may be no steeper than 50% (2:1). (Hillside grading standards: areas with a natural slope of 15% or more that need a grading permit.) (§ 83.08.040).
Can I run a family child care home in San Bernardino County?
California law sets this for every city, including San Bernardino 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)).
General information, not legal advice.
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