Banning · Building on your lot

Building on your lot in Banning

Banning sets fence heights with lower limits in the front yard setback and in corner sight areas. The city limits accessory structures near interior lot lines and lists businesses not allowed at home.

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Key points

Fence height: Banning limits fences, walls and hedges to 48 inches in the front yard setback and 6 feet elsewhere; corner sight areas, 36 inches.
Accessory structures: Banning limits accessory structures built within 5 feet of the interior side and rear property lines to 10 feet.
Home business: Banning does not allow home businesses such as animal grooming or breeding, medical offices, repair and welding shops, or vehicle repair and storage.

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

Fences and walls

Banning code What Banning's code adds
Corner visibility	No fence, wall, hedge, sign, plant or other obstruction over 36 inches above the nearest street curb. Applies: Inside the traffic safety sight area of a corner lot. § 17.24.080 · code text On a corner lot, no fence, wall, hedge, sign or other structure, shrubbery, mounds of earth, or other visual obstruction over thirty-six inches in height above the nearest street curb elevation shall be erected, placed, planted, or allowed to grow within a traffic safety sight area.
Height anywhere on the lot	No more than 6 feet high, unless required by law or regulation, or otherwise allowed by the zoning ordinance. § 17.24.080 · code text Fences, walls, and hedges shall not exceed six feet in height, unless required by any law or regulation of the city, the State of California, federal government, or agency thereof; or, as otherwise permitted by the zoning ordinance.
Front yard height	No more than 48 inches high. Applies: Fences, walls and hedges in the front yard setback, in any district. § 17.24.080 · code text Fences, walls and hedges located in the front yard setback shall not exceed forty-eight inches in height in any district.

Sheds, garages and other accessory structures

Banning code What Banning's code adds
Side and rear setback	May be built within 5 feet of the interior side and rear property lines. Applies: Accessory structures in residential districts, if they are at least 10 feet from any other structure. § 17.08.050 · code text Accessory structures may be built to within five feet of the interior side and rear property lines as long as these structures are not closer than ten feet to any other structure.
Distance from the house	At least 10 feet from any other structure. Applies: Accessory structures built within 5 feet of the interior side and rear property lines. § 17.08.050 · code text Accessory structures may be built to within five feet of the interior side and rear property lines as long as these structures are not closer than ten feet to any other structure.

Running a business from home

Banning code What Banning's code adds
Businesses not allowed	harboring, training, breeding, raising, or grooming of dogs, cats, or other animals on the premises § 17.72.040 · code text Businesses which entail the harboring, training, breeding, raising, or grooming of dogs, cats, or other animals on the premises; carpentry in excess of minor cabinet making § 17.72.040 · code text Carpentry in excess of minor cabinet making; medical and dental offices, clinics, and laboratories § 17.72.040 · code text Medical and dental offices, clinics, and laboratories; mini storage § 17.72.040 · code text Mini storage; junk yards or salvage yards § 17.72.040 · code text Junk yards or salvage yards; repair or fix-it shops; plumbing shops; welding and machine shops § 17.72.040 · code text Repair or fix-it shops; plumbing shops; welding and machine shops; and storage of equipment, materials, and other accessories to the construction and service § 17.72.040 · code text Storage of equipment, materials, and other accessories to the construction and service. vehicle repair, upholstery, and painting; vehicle storage; vehicle towing; and all types of auto or truck repair § 17.72.040 · code text Vehicle repair (body of mechanical) upholstery, and painting, storage; vehicle towing; and any and all types of auto or truck repair including but not limited to engine repair, exhaust system repair;

Solar panels and EV chargers

Banning code What Banning's code adds
EV charger permit	Fast administrative, nondiscretionary review with standard checklists. Applies: Applies to electric vehicle charging stations. § 15.12.110.3 · code text The building official shall adopt an administrative, nondiscretionary expedited review process for electric vehicle charging station systems, which shall include standard checklist(s).
Solar permit process	Administrative review; a permit issues when a complete application meets the checklist and standard plan; e-mail, fax or internet filing. Applies: Applies to small rooftop home solar systems. § 15.12.100 · code text Electronic submittal of the required permit application and documents by e-mail, facsimile, or via the internet shall be made available to all small residential rooftop solar energy system permit applicants.
Review time	Within 1 to 3 business days. Applies: Applies to complete electronic applications for small rooftop home solar that meet the checklist and standard plan. § 15.12.100 · code text The building and safety division shall issue a building permit, the issuance of which is nondiscretionary, within one to three business days for electronic applications upon receipt of a complete application that meets the requirements of the approved checklist(s) and standard plan(s).

Swimming pools

Banning code What Banning's code adds
Pool barrier	No openings, holes or gaps larger than 4 inches square. § 15.40.010 · code text There shall be no openings, holes or gaps therein larger than four inches square. Openings may not form a horizontal row that works as steps or another way to climb. § 15.40.010 · code text Such openings, holes or gaps shall not be constructed in a horizontal series constituting steps or other means of access. Gaps between pickets may not exceed 4 inches. Applies: Applies to picket fences. § 15.40.010 · code text If a picket fence is erected or maintained, the openings or spaces between the pickets shall not exceed four inches. A house or accessory building may form part of the enclosure. Applies: Applies when a house or accessory building is used as part of the enclosure. § 15.40.010 · code text A dwelling house or accessory building may be used as a part of such enclosure.
Gates	A self-closing, self-latching device at least 54 inches high that keeps the gate or door closed when not in use. § 15.40.030 · code text All gates or doors opening through the enclosure required by this chapter shall be equipped with a self-closing and self-latching device, consistent with the requirements of subsection B of Section 15.08.020, not less than fifty-four inches high, designed to keep, and capable of keeping, such door or gate securely closed at all times when not in actual use. The door does not need a self-closing, self-latching device. Applies: Applies to the door of a house or accessory building that forms part of the enclosure. § 15.40.030 · code text The door of any dwelling house or accessory building and forming any part of the enclosure need not be so equipped.
Maintenance and empty pools	An enclosure must fully surround the pool or outdoor body of water at all times. Applies: Applies to pools or outdoor water for swimming, dipping or immersion deeper than 18 inches. § 15.40.010 · code text shall at all times maintain on the lot or premises upon which such pool or body of water is located, and completely surrounding such pool or body of water, an enclosure
Setback from property lines	At least 5 feet from side and rear lot lines. Applies: Pools built after July 10, 1965; also 5 feet from main and auxiliary buildings, unless the pool design keeps that building sound. § 15.40.040 · code text Every swimming pool constructed after July 10, 1965, shall be constructed so that there is at least five feet between the main building and the swimming pool, that there is at least five feet between a side lot line or rear lot line and the swimming pool, and that there is at least five feet between any auxiliary building and the swimming pool

Pets, chickens and bees

Banning code What Banning's code adds
Chickens	Up to 16 fowl per acre. Applies: Applies in the R/A, R/A/H, RR and RR/H zones. § 17.40.030 · code text \| Fowl \| 16/acre \| 16/acre \| Up to 10 fowl. Applies: Applies in the VLDR zone. § 17.40.030 · code text \| Fowl \| 16/acre \| 16/acre \| 10 \| Not allowed. Applies: Applies in the LDR, MDR, HDR and MHP zones. § 17.40.030 · code text \| Fowl \| 16/acre \| 16/acre \| 10 \| Prohibited \| Prohibited \| Prohibited \|
Large animals	Up to 5 per acre. Applies: Applies in the R/A, R/A/H, RR and RR/H zones. § 17.40.030 · code text \| Large Animals 3 \| 5/acre \| 5/acre \| Up to 3 per 20,000 square feet. Applies: Applies in the VLDR zone. § 17.40.030 · code text \| Large Animals 3 \| 5/acre \| 5/acre \| 3/20,000 s.f. 4 \| 1 large animal on lots of 12,000-16,000 square feet; 2 on lots of 16,001-19,999 square feet. Applies: Applies to substandard VLDR lots created before the zoning ordinance was adopted. § 17.40.030 · code text On substandard lots created prior to the adoption of this zoning ordinance in the VLDR district (lots of less than twenty thousand s.f.), one large animal shall be permitted on lots of twelve thousand s.f. to sixteen thousand s.f., and two shall be permitted on lots of sixteen thousand one s.f. to nineteen thousand nine hundred ninety-nine s.f. Not allowed. Applies: Applies in the LDR, MDR, HDR and MHP zones. § 17.40.030 · code text \| Large Animals 3 \| 5/acre \| 5/acre \| 3/20,000 s.f. 4 \| Prohibited \| Prohibited \| Prohibited \|
Pet limit	At most 8 dogs and cats combined per lot. Applies: Applies in the R/A, R/A/H, RR and RR/H zones. § 17.40.030 · code text A maximum combined total of eight dogs and/or cats per lot shall be permitted in the R/A, R/A/H, RR and RR/H zone district. At most 3 dogs and cats combined. Applies: Applies to VLDR lots under 20,000 square feet. § 17.40.030 · code text For any lot less than twenty thousand s.f. a maximum of three dogs and cats, or any combination thereof, not to exceed three, shall be permitted. At most 6 dogs and cats combined. Applies: Applies to VLDR lots of 20,000 square feet or more. § 17.40.030 · code text For lot(s) twenty thousand s.f. and larger a maximum of six dogs and cats, or any combination thereof, not to exceed six, shall be permitted. At most 3 dogs or cats combined. Applies: Applies in the LDR zone. § 17.40.030 · code text A maximum of three dogs or cats, or any combination thereof, not to exceed three, shall be permitted in the LDR zone district.

Other Banning rules on this

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

Parking RVs and trailers on the street (§ 10.12.105) — on public streets
Plan to remove and replace old trees (§ 17.32.060)

Who this affects

HomeownersContractorsDesigners

Frequently asked questions

How tall can a fence be in Banning?

Banning limits fences, walls and hedges to 48 inches in the front yard setback and 6 feet elsewhere; corner sight areas, 36 inches.

How big can a shed or accessory building be in Banning?

Banning limits accessory structures built within 5 feet of the interior side and rear property lines to 10 feet.

Can I run a business from my home in Banning?

Banning does not allow home businesses such as animal grooming or breeding, medical offices, repair and welding shops, or vehicle repair and storage.

Do I need a permit for solar panels or an EV charger in Banning?

Banning's code: Fast administrative, nondiscretionary review with standard checklists. (Applies to electric vehicle charging stations.) (§ 15.12.110.3); Administrative review; a permit issues when a complete application meets the checklist and standard plan; e-mail, fax or internet filing. (Applies to small rooftop home solar systems.) (§ 15.12.100).

What are the pool fence and setback rules in Banning?

Banning's code: No openings, holes or gaps larger than 4 inches square. (§ 15.40.010); Openings may not form a horizontal row that works as steps or another way to climb. (§ 15.40.010).

Can I keep chickens or bees at my home in Banning?

Banning's code: Up to 16 fowl per acre. (Applies in the R/A, R/A/H, RR and RR/H zones.) (§ 17.40.030); Up to 10 fowl. (Applies in the VLDR zone.) (§ 17.40.030).

General information, not legal advice.

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More on Banning

Banning Municipal Code — full text

Renting & eviction in Banning

Buying & selling in Banning

Banning overview