Santa Cruz County · Building on your lot

Building on your lot in Santa Cruz County

In unincorporated Santa Cruz County, the county code sets its own limits on accessory structures, home businesses, pool barriers and parking on county roads. It also has a streamlined permit for small rooftop solar and EV chargers, and protects significant trees in the Coastal Zone.

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Key points

Accessory height: County rule: inside the urban and rural services lines, detached garages are limited to 16 feet and other accessory structures to 13 feet.
Accessory size: County rule: accessory structures up to 640 square feet inside the services lines, or 1,000 outside, need only a building permit.
Home businesses: County rule: a home business may use at most 35% of the floor area and 2,000 square feet without a conditional use permit.
Pool barriers: County rule: home pool barriers must be at least 60 inches high, with self-closing, self-latching gates that swing away from the pool.
Road parking: County rule: any vehicle may stay on a County-maintained road for at most 72 hours.
Trees: County rule: in the Coastal Zone, removing a significant tree or trimming more than one-third of its foliage needs approval.

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

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

Fences and walls

Santa Cruz County code What Santa Cruz County's code adds
Permit	Yes. A permit is required. Applies: Hedges, plantings, fences or similar structures in a public right-of-way. § 9.70.520 · code text No hedge, shrub or other planting whatever, or fence or similar structure, shall be planted, erected or maintained in a right-of-way without a permit.

Sheds, garages and other accessory structures

Santa Cruz County code County rule: inside the urban and rural services lines, detached garages are limited to 16 feet and other accessory structures to 13 feet. County rule: accessory structures up to 640 square feet inside the services lines, or 1,000 outside, need only a building permit.

All 7 Santa Cruz County rules on sheds, garages and other accessory structures, with the code text →

Running a business from home

Santa Cruz County code County rule: a home business may use at most 35% of the floor area and 2,000 square feet without a conditional use permit.

All 10 Santa Cruz County rules on running a business from home, with the code text →

RV and boat parking

Santa Cruz County code What Santa Cruz County's code adds
Parking on the street	No more than 72 hours. Applies: Applies to any vehicle on a County-maintained road. § 9.70.610 · code text No person who owns or has possession, custody or control of any vehicle, shall park such vehicle upon any County-maintained road for more than a consecutive period of 72 hours.

Solar panels and EV chargers

Santa Cruz County code Streamlined permit: submit the checklist application, documents, and required permit processing and inspection fees. Administrative approval and all required permits.

All 7 Santa Cruz County rules on solar panels and EV chargers, with the code text →

Tree removal

Santa Cruz County code What Santa Cruz County's code adds
Permit to remove	Approval needed to remove, cut down, trim over 1/3 of green foliage, poison, kill or destroy a significant tree. Applies: Significant trees in the Coastal Zone. Listed exempt activities are not covered. § 16.34.040 · code text Except for those exempt activities as enumerated in SCCC § 16.34.090, no person shall do, cause, permit, aid, abet, suffer, or furnish equipment or labor to remove, cut down, or trim more than one-third of the green foliage of, poison, or otherwise kill or destroy any significant tree as defined in this chapter within the Coastal Zone until a significant tree removal approval for the project has been obtained pursuant to Chapter 18.10 SCCC, Level II.

Swimming pools

Santa Cruz County code County rule: home pool barriers must be at least 60 inches high, with self-closing, self-latching gates that swing away from the pool.

All 14 Santa Cruz County rules on swimming pools, with the code text →

Pets, chickens and bees

Santa Cruz County code What Santa Cruz County's code adds
Chickens	Yes. Applies: Kept on the owner's property in a predator-proof coop with an enclosed runway, clean and odor-free. Free-range birds must stay on the property. § 6.04.164 · code text They shall be confined at all times to the owner's property and be provided a suitable house or coop with an enclosed runway. Free range animals are permitted, but must remain on the owner's property.
Large animals	Livestock may not run loose or be kept in public places, or on private property without consent; enclosed at night. Applies: Unincorporated County. At night livestock must be in a pen, corral or barn. § 6.12.120 · code text Persons owning or having care, custody or control of any ox, steer, bull, cow, horse, calf, sheep, goat, hog, or other livestock animal, including any wild animal as defined in California Fish and Game Code Section 2118 that is kept as livestock, shall not:

Building in a flood zone

Santa Cruz County code Fill, new building or other encroachment is banned unless hydrologic and hydraulic analysis shows no flood-level rise. Rebuilding, repairing or improving an existing structure needs no hydrologic or hydraulic analysis if it adds no encroachment.

All 3 Santa Cruz County rules on building in a flood zone, with the code text →

Grading and erosion control

Santa Cruz County code What Santa Cruz County's code adds
Grading without a permit	Digs and earth fills of 100 cubic yards or less; no cut over 5 feet deep; fills under 2 feet. Applies: Fills: per site, ground flatter than 5:1, no drainage change, no structural use. Coastal, riparian, erosion and geologic hazard rules still apply. § 16.20A.050 · code text An excavation which does not exceed 100 cubic yards, and which does not create a cut slope greater than five feet in depth. Digs for permitted basements, footings, retaining walls or other structures; wells or utilities. Applies: Not fill made from the dug material, or a dig left over 5 feet high and unsupported after the structure is done. § 16.20A.050 · code text An excavation below finished grade for basements and footings of a building, retaining wall or other structure authorized by a valid building permit.

Park and impact fees for new homes

Santa Cruz County code What Santa Cruz County's code adds
How the park fee is set	The amount in the county's general fee schedule when the final or parcel map is approved. Applies: Subdivisions, when land dedication is not appropriate. § 15.01.100 · code text The fee amount shall be the amount published in the County's general fee schedule at the time of final map or parcel map approval.
Parkland per 1,000 residents	5 acres per 1,000 residents. Applies: Subdivision park land dedication formula. § 15.01.060 · code text A = 5 x N/1,000

Noise and construction hours

Santa Cruz County code What Santa Cruz County's code adds
Leaf blowers and equipment	At most 60 dB at any neighboring property line. Applies: Home air conditioners installed before this rule took effect. § 13.15.060 · code text the A-weighted exterior noise level when measured at any neighboring property line shall not exceed 60 dB for units installed before At most 55 dB at any neighboring property line. Applies: Home air conditioners installed after this rule took effect. § 13.15.060 · code text and 55 dB for units installed after, the effective date of this chapter At most 45 dB inside nearby homes. Applies: Home air conditioners. § 13.15.060 · code text and a maximum interior noise level of 45 dB within nearby residences.
Noise limit at homes	No more than 45 dB Ldn in any habitable room. Applies: Design standard for new homes. § 13.15.090 · code text Interior noise levels shall not exceed 45 dB Ldn in any habitable room in a residential structure

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)

Affordable units in new housing (inclusionary)

Santa Cruz County code Affordability lasts for the life of the unit. The fee is equivalent to the fractional amount.

All 5 Santa Cruz County rules on affordable units in new housing (inclusionary), with the code text →

Home alarm permits and false alarms

Santa Cruz County code A fee applies to each false alarm beyond 1 per calendar year; the Board of Supervisors sets the amount. The first false alarm in a calendar year carries no fee.

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

Trash and recycling carts

Santa Cruz County code You must have recyclable materials, organic materials and solid waste collection service. Within 24 hours after they have been emptied.

All 3 Santa Cruz County rules on trash and recycling carts, with the code text →

Historic homes

Santa Cruz County code Apply to the Department of Community Development and Infrastructure for historic resource preservation plan approval (or sign review). A public hearing before the Historic Resources Commission.

All 6 Santa Cruz County rules on historic homes, with the code text →

Other Santa Cruz County rules on this

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

Two homes on one lot (SB 9) (§ 13.10.327)

Who this affects

HomeownersContractorsDesigners

Frequently asked questions

Can I park an RV or boat at my home in Santa Cruz County?

County rule: any vehicle may stay on a County-maintained road for at most 72 hours.

Do I need a permit to remove a tree in Santa Cruz County?

County rule: in the Coastal Zone, removing a significant tree or trimming more than one-third of its foliage needs approval.

Can I keep chickens or bees at my home in Santa Cruz County?

Santa Cruz County's code: Yes. (Kept on the owner's property in a predator-proof coop with an enclosed runway, clean and odor-free. Free-range birds must stay on the property.) (§ 6.04.164).

What are the grading rules in Santa Cruz County?

Santa Cruz County's code: Digs and earth fills of 100 cubic yards or less; no cut over 5 feet deep; fills under 2 feet. (Fills: per site, ground flatter than 5:1, no drainage change, no structural use. Coastal, riparian, erosion and geologic hazard rules still apply.) (§ 16.20A.050); Digs for permitted basements, footings, retaining walls or other structures; wells or utilities. (Not fill made from the dug material, or a dig left over 5 feet high and unsupported after the structure is done.) (§ 16.20A.050).

What park or impact fees apply to a new home in Santa Cruz County?

Santa Cruz County's code: The amount in the county's general fee schedule when the final or parcel map is approved. (Subdivisions, when land dedication is not appropriate.) (§ 15.01.100); 5 acres per 1,000 residents. (Subdivision park land dedication formula.) (§ 15.01.060).

What are the noise rules and construction hours in Santa Cruz County?

Santa Cruz County's code: No more than 45 dB Ldn in any habitable room. (Design standard for new homes.) (§ 13.15.090); At most 60 dB at any neighboring property line. (Home air conditioners installed before this rule took effect.) (§ 13.15.060).

Can I run a family child care home in Santa Cruz County?

California law sets this for every city, including Santa Cruz 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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