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San Bernardino County · Building on your lot

Building on a hillside in San Bernardino County

San Bernardino County's own rules on building on a hillside, with the code text for every value.

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

What San Bernardino County's code says

San Bernardino County code What San Bernardino County's code adds
Grading and retaining walls
  • Graded slope banks may be at most 30 feet high.
    Applies: Hillside grading, unless no feasible option exists or a higher slope greatly reduces grading.
    § 83.08.040 · code text
    A manufactured slope bank shall not exceed 30 feet in vertical height unless no feasible alternative exists or unless grading can be significantly reduced by increasing slope height.
  • No pad grading on slopes of 40% or more; driveway and road grading there needs a Minor Use Permit.
    Applies: Hillside grading standards.
    § 83.08.040 · code text
    40 percent and greater | This is an excessive slope condition. Pad grading shall not be allowed.
When hillside rules apply
  • Hillside rules apply to areas with a natural slope of 15% or more.
    Applies: Areas that need a grading permit; a full Hillside Grading Review is needed when, for example, grading exceeds 500 cubic yards per lot.
    § 83.08.020 · code text
    The standards contained in this Chapter apply to all uses and structures within areas having a natural slope gradient of 15 percent or greater over the area being graded and requiring a Grading Permit.

Who this affects

HomeownersContractorsDesigners

Frequently asked questions

What extra rules apply to a hillside lot in San Bernardino County?

San Bernardino County's code: Hillside rules apply to areas with a natural slope of 15% or more. (Areas that need a grading permit; a full Hillside Grading Review is needed when, for example, grading exceeds 500 cubic yards per lot.) (§ 83.08.020); Graded slope banks may be at most 30 feet high. (Hillside grading, unless no feasible option exists or a higher slope greatly reduces grading.) (§ 83.08.040).

General information, not legal advice.

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Ask GoCodebook how San Bernardino County's building on a hillside rules apply to your situation and get an answer that cites the section.

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San Bernardino County Municipal Code — full text