Santa Clara County · Land use · Church or place of worship
Where is a church or other place of worship allowed in Santa Clara County?
In Santa Clara County, a church or other place of worship is needs a permit in 17 (A, AR, HS, RR, R1 and 12 more, all with a condition) and not allowed in 3 (Santa Clara County use tables, read October 2026).
Key points
- Needs a permit: A, AR, HS, RR, R1, R1E, RHS, R1S and 9 more
- Not allowed: RS, OS/F and SCA
Find your lot's zone on the city zoning map, then read its row. Every status below was read from the Santa Clara County Municipal Code use tables (read October 2026). Base zones only. General information, not legal advice — check with the city before you apply.
Zones where a church or other place of worship can go
Santa Clara County's code calls this use “Religious Institutions”. Each row links to the use table it comes from. A zone marked “see note” has a condition in the code, for example upper floors only or a larger lot.
| Zone | Status | Code |
|---|---|---|
| A Exclusive Agriculture | Needs an use permit and architecture and site approval — see note Note 4: Not a permitted use in areas with the "Agriculture-Large Scale" land use plan designation of the general plan. Note 19: Established Religious Institutions and Nonprofit Institutions may include Emergency Shelters: Small-Scale as an ancillary use by right. | § 2.20.020 |
| AR | Needs an use permit and architecture and site approval — see note Note 4: Not a permitted use in areas with the "Agriculture-Large Scale" land use plan designation of the general plan. Note 19: Established Religious Institutions and Nonprofit Institutions may include Emergency Shelters: Small-Scale as an ancillary use by right. | § 2.20.020 |
| HS | Needs an use permit and architecture and site approval — see note Note 4: Not a permitted use in areas with the "Agriculture-Large Scale" land use plan designation of the general plan. Note 19: Established Religious Institutions and Nonprofit Institutions may include Emergency Shelters: Small-Scale as an ancillary use by right. | § 2.20.020 |
| RR Rural Residential | Needs an use permit and architecture and site approval — see note Note 4: Not a permitted use in areas with the "Agriculture-Large Scale" land use plan designation of the general plan. Note 19: Established Religious Institutions and Nonprofit Institutions may include Emergency Shelters: Small-Scale as an ancillary use by right. | § 2.20.020 |
| R1 | Needs an use permit and architecture and site approval — see note Note 6: Established Religious Institutions and Nonprofit Institutions may include Emergency Shelters: Small-Scale as an ancillary use by right. | § 2.30.020 |
| R1E | Needs an use permit and architecture and site approval — see note Note 6: Established Religious Institutions and Nonprofit Institutions may include Emergency Shelters: Small-Scale as an ancillary use by right. | § 2.30.020 |
| RHS | Needs an use permit and architecture and site approval — see note Note 6: Established Religious Institutions and Nonprofit Institutions may include Emergency Shelters: Small-Scale as an ancillary use by right. | § 2.30.020 |
| R1S | Needs an architecture and site approval (asa) — see note Note 6: Established Religious Institutions and Nonprofit Institutions may include Emergency Shelters: Small-Scale as an ancillary use by right. | § 2.30.020 |
| R3S | Needs an architecture and site approval (asa) — see note Note 6: Established Religious Institutions and Nonprofit Institutions may include Emergency Shelters: Small-Scale as an ancillary use by right. | § 2.30.020 |
| R2 | Needs an use permit and architecture and site approval — see note Note 6: Established Religious Institutions and Nonprofit Institutions may include Emergency Shelters: Small-Scale as an ancillary use by right. | § 2.30.020 |
| R3 | Needs an use permit and architecture and site approval — see note Note 6: Established Religious Institutions and Nonprofit Institutions may include Emergency Shelters: Small-Scale as an ancillary use by right. | § 2.30.020 |
| CN | Needs an use permit and architecture and site approval — see note Note 9: Established Religious Institutions and Nonprofit Institutions may include Emergency Shelters: Small-Scale as an ancillary use by right. | § 2.40.020 |
| CG | Needs an use permit and architecture and site approval — see note Note 9: Established Religious Institutions and Nonprofit Institutions may include Emergency Shelters: Small-Scale as an ancillary use by right. | § 2.40.020 |
| OA | Needs an use permit and architecture and site approval — see note Note 9: Established Religious Institutions and Nonprofit Institutions may include Emergency Shelters: Small-Scale as an ancillary use by right. | § 2.40.020 |
| ML | Needs an use permit and architecture and site approval — see note Note 9: Established Religious Institutions and Nonprofit Institutions may include Emergency Shelters: Small-Scale as an ancillary use by right. | § 2.40.020 |
| MH | Needs an use permit and architecture and site approval — see note Note 9: Established Religious Institutions and Nonprofit Institutions may include Emergency Shelters: Small-Scale as an ancillary use by right. | § 2.40.020 |
| A1 | Needs an use permit and architecture and site approval — see note Note 18: Established Religious Institutions and Nonprofit Institutions may include Emergency Shelters: Small-Scale as an ancillary use by right. | § 2.50.020 |
Zones where it is not allowed
What else applies
- Standards for this use: § 4.10.290 Religious institutions (A, Exclusive Agriculture district).
- State law: Federal law (RLUIPA) bars zoning rules that treat religious assembly worse than other assembly uses.
- Not covered here: Combining districts (-os, -sm, -h, -bw, -d1, -d2 etc.) can change allowed uses; Chapter 2.10 use classification definitions are not in the packet; Other base districts of the county outside Chapters 2.20-2.50, if any. Overlay zones and specific plans can also change the answer.
Other uses in Santa Clara County
Who this affects
HomeownersBuyersReal estate agentsSmall developers
Frequently asked questions
Can I have a church or other place of worship in the A zone in Santa Clara County?
Only with an use permit and architecture and site approval. Santa Clara County's use table lists it that way in A (Exclusive Agriculture) (§ 2.20.020). The code adds a condition: “Not a permitted use in areas with the "Agriculture-Large Scale" land use plan designation of the general plan. Established Religious Institutions and Nonprofit Institutions may include Emergency Shelters: Small-Scale…”
Can I have a church or other place of worship in the RS zone in Santa Clara County?
No. Santa Clara County's use table does not allow it in RS (§ 2.50.020).
General information, not legal advice.
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