Saratoga · Building on your lot
Building on your lot in Saratoga
Saratoga sets its own rules for fences next to heritage lanes, structures in the rear setback and home business licenses. Height limits for rear-setback structures rise with distance from the property line.
Key points
- Rear-setback sheds: Rear-setback garden sheds: at most 250 sq ft; 6 feet high, rising 1 foot per foot of setback beyond 6 feet, to 10.
- Heritage lanes: A fence over 3 feet within 50 feet of a designated heritage lane's right-of-way needs a fence permit (city rule).
- Home businesses: Home occupations need a license with an annual fee set in the City Council fee schedule.
Each rule below is marked Saratoga code or CA state law and links to the section it comes from (checked October 2026). General information, not legal advice.
Fences and walls
| Permit |
|
|---|
Sheds, garages and other accessory structures
Saratoga code Rear-setback garden sheds: at most 250 sq ft; 6 feet high, rising 1 foot per foot of setback beyond 6 feet, to 10.
All 12 Saratoga rules on sheds, garages and other accessory structures, with the code text →
Running a business from home
| Permit |
|
|---|
Solar panels and EV chargers
| Solar height and setbacks |
|
|---|
Tree removal
Saratoga code No permit fee is required. The permit may be issued without neighbor notice or an appeal period.
Pets, chickens and bees
Saratoga code No more than 3 hives per property. 4 hives per property, plus 1 more for each half acre over 1 acre.
All 3 Saratoga rules on pets, chickens and bees, with the code text →
Building in a flood zone
| Floodplain permit |
|
|---|---|
| Building in a floodway |
|
| Height of the lowest floor |
|
Grading and erosion control
Saratoga code Excavation that is less than two feet deep, or that does not create a cut slope that is both greater than five feet in height and steeper than one vertical in one and one-half horizontal (66.7 percent slope); fill less than one foot deep on natural terrain flatter than one vertical in five horizontal (twenty percent slope), or less than three feet deep, not intended to support structures, that does not exceed fifty cubic yards on any one lot and does not obstruct a drainage course; basement and footing excavation under a valid building permit (not fill made from it, and not an excavation with an unsupported height greater than five feet) Excavation under 2 feet deep, or a cut slope up to 5 feet high or no steeper than 66.7%.
All 3 Saratoga rules on grading and erosion control, with the code text →
Building on a hillside
Saratoga code At most 1,000 cubic yards of combined cut and fill. No structure within 8 feet of the top of the nearest major ridge.
All 8 Saratoga rules on building on a hillside, with the code text →
Noise and construction hours
Saratoga code Only certified leaf blowers may be used. Maximum 65 dBA; average 55 dBA.
All 4 Saratoga rules on noise and construction hours, 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 |
Affordable units in new housing (inclusionary)
Saratoga code Residential developments with fewer than 5 dwelling units are exempt from the BMR program. The rule applies to developments of at least 5 dwelling units.
All 6 Saratoga rules on affordable units in new housing (inclusionary), with the code text →
Parking spaces required for homes
Saratoga code Required parking includes guest parking; no spaces beyond the number noted per unit are required. 1 space per studio unit.
All 10 Saratoga rules on parking spaces required for homes, with the code text →
Home alarm permits and false alarms
| How long an alarm may sound |
|
|---|---|
| False alarms before a fee |
|
Signs on homes
| For-sale and open-house signs |
|
|---|
Other Saratoga rules on this
Saratoga's code also has these chapters. We have not summarized their values on this page yet; read them in the library.
- Two-unit developments and urban lot splits (SB 9) (§ 15-57.040)
- Parking RVs, boats and trailers on residential streets (§ 9-25.030) — on public streets
Who this affects
Frequently asked questions
How tall can a fence be in Saratoga?
A fence over 3 feet within 50 feet of a designated heritage lane's right-of-way needs a fence permit (city rule).
Can I run a business from my home in Saratoga?
Home occupations need a license with an annual fee set in the City Council fee schedule.
What are the rules for building in a Saratoga flood zone?
Saratoga's code: A development permit is needed before any construction or development begins in a special flood hazard area. (Inside any special flood hazard area.) (§ 16-66.060); Lowest floor at least 1 foot above the base flood elevation. (New or substantially improved homes in an A Zone.) (§ 16.66.090).
Can I run a family child care home in Saratoga?
California law sets this for every city, including Saratoga: 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)).
Do I need a permit for a home alarm in Saratoga?
Saratoga's code: Noisemaking devices and pulsating lights must switch off within 15 minutes. (§ 6-10.060); It is unlawful to maintain an alarm system that has caused more than 2 false alarms in a calendar year. (§ 6-10.080).
What signs may I put up at my home in Saratoga?
Saratoga's code: 1 temporary on-site sign. (Residential property actively marketed for sale or lease.) (§ 15-30.140); 4 square feet. (Residential property actively marketed for sale or lease.) (§ 15-30.140).
General information, not legal advice.
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