Brentwood · Building on your lot

Building on your lot in Brentwood

Brentwood sets fence heights with a lower limit in front yards and at corners, and limits accessory building and shed height and size. The city also has a chapter on home occupation use permits.

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Key points

Fence height: Brentwood limits fences to 42 inches in any required front yard and 7 feet on side or rear property lines outside the front yard.
Accessory buildings: Brentwood limits accessory buildings to one story and 15 feet; portable sheds in required yards, to 120 square feet and the adjacent fence height.
Home business: Brentwood has a city chapter on home occupation use permits (Ch. 17.840).

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

Fences and walls

Brentwood code What Brentwood's code adds
Corner visibility	No more than 42 inches. Applies: Corner lots, in the triangle formed by the curb lines and a line joining points 50 feet from their intersection. § 17.660.008 · code text On a corner lot, the fence or wall height shall not exceed forty-two inches within a triangle formed by the street frontage curb lines extended to their intersection and a line connecting such lot line measured fifty feet from their point of intersection.
Height anywhere on the lot	No more than 4 feet. Applies: Retaining walls. § 17.660.008 · code text Retaining walls shall not exceed a height of four feet.
Front yard height	No more than 42 inches. Applies: Fences in any required front yard. § 17.660.008 · code text Within any required front yard fences shall not exceed a height of forty-two inches.
Side and rear yard height	Up to 7 feet. Applies: Residential zones, on side or rear property lines, outside the required front yard. § 17.660.008 · code text Within residential zones, fences outside of the required front yard may be a maximum of seven feet in height when located on side or rear property lines.
Permit	Yes. A building permit is needed for retaining walls over 4 feet or holding up a steep slope (surcharge). Applies: Retaining walls; height measured from the bottom of the footing to the top of the wall. § 17.660.008 · code text A building permit is required for retaining walls that are over four feet high (measured from the bottom of the footing to the top of the wall), and/or retaining walls supporting a steeply sloped surface called a surcharge.

Sheds, garages and other accessory structures

Brentwood code What Brentwood's code adds
Maximum height	No more than 1 story and 15 feet. Applies: Accessory buildings in residential, agricultural or open space zones. § 17.660.006 · code text The maximum height of accessory buildings shall be one story and fifteen feet. No taller than the adjacent fence, and no more than 7 feet. Applies: Portable shed in a required rear and side yard. § 17.660.006 · code text Within a required rear and side yard a portable shed (as defined in Chapter 17.030) shall be permitted provided its height does not exceed the height of the adjacent fence up to seven feet in height
Size or lot coverage	No more than 120 square feet of floor area. Applies: Portable shed in a required rear and side yard. § 17.660.006 · code text Within a required rear and side yard a portable shed (as defined in Chapter 17.030) shall be permitted provided its height does not exceed the height of the adjacent fence up to seven feet in height, its floor area does not exceed one hundred twenty square feet Buildings and structures may cover no more than 50% of the required minimum rear yard. Applies: Pools and spas do not count. § 17.660.006 · code text In no case shall more than fifty percent of a required minimum rear yard be covered by any buildings or structures, excluding pools and spas.
Side and rear setback	At least 4 feet from any side or rear property line, measured from the closest point, such as an eave. § 17.660.006 · code text Accessory buildings shall be set back four feet from any side or rear property line, as measured from the closest point (e.g., roof overhang or eave if applicable).
Distance from the house	At least 4 feet from any other building on the lot. Applies: Enclosed accessory buildings. § 17.660.006 · code text Enclosed accessory buildings (as defined in Chapter 17.030) shall not be closer than four feet from any other building on the lot.

Solar panels and EV chargers

Brentwood code What Brentwood's code adds
EV charger permit	Apply online with the application form and checklist; the building permit is issued when requirements are met. Applies: Electric vehicle charging stations. § 15.14.030 · code text An applicant for an electric vehicle charging station must submit a building permit application on the form provided by the city, accompanied by each item of information listed in the city's electric vehicle charging station checklist. Both the application form and the checklist are available online.
Solar permit process	Apply online with the form and checklist; the city issues the permit when the checklist is met; only one inspection. Applies: Small residential rooftop solar systems. § 15.12.030 · code text An application that satisfies the application and checklist requirements will be considered complete, and the city will issue the building permit within three days.
Review time	Within 3 days. Applies: Small residential rooftop solar systems with a complete application. § 15.12.030 · code text An application that satisfies the application and checklist requirements will be considered complete, and the city will issue the building permit within three days.

Pets, chickens and bees

Brentwood code What Brentwood's code adds
Chickens	Yes. Applies: Only in an enclosure whose outer edges are more than 20 feet from any dwelling, church or school. § 6.08.010 · code text It is unlawful for any person, firm or corporation to keep any chickens, ducks, pigeons, geese, turkeys, rabbits, Belgian hares, guinea pigs or other domestic fowl or animals in any enclosure in the city of Brentwood unless the exterior boundaries of the enclosure are more than twenty feet from any dwelling, church or school.
Coop setback	More than 20 feet. Applies: From the enclosure to any dwelling, church or school. § 6.08.010 · code text It is unlawful for any person, firm or corporation to keep any chickens, ducks, pigeons, geese, turkeys, rabbits, Belgian hares, guinea pigs or other domestic fowl or animals in any enclosure in the city of Brentwood unless the exterior boundaries of the enclosure are more than twenty feet from any dwelling, church or school.

Other Brentwood rules on this

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

Home occupation use permit (Ch. 17.840)
Urban lot splits (SB 9) (Ch. 16.169)
Two-unit housing developments (SB 9) (Ch. 17.797) — single-family zones

Who this affects

HomeownersContractorsDesigners

Frequently asked questions

How tall can a fence be in Brentwood?

Brentwood limits fences to 42 inches in any required front yard and 7 feet on side or rear property lines outside the front yard.

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

Brentwood limits accessory buildings to one story and 15 feet; portable sheds in required yards, to 120 square feet and the adjacent fence height.

Can I run a business from my home in Brentwood?

Brentwood has a city chapter on home occupation use permits (Ch. 17.840). Brentwood also has a related rule: Home occupation use permit (Ch. 17.840).

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

Brentwood's code: Apply online with the application form and checklist; the building permit is issued when requirements are met. (Electric vehicle charging stations.) (§ 15.14.030); Apply online with the form and checklist; the city issues the permit when the checklist is met; only one inspection. (Small residential rooftop solar systems.) (§ 15.12.030).

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

Brentwood's code: Yes. (Only in an enclosure whose outer edges are more than 20 feet from any dwelling, church or school.) (§ 6.08.010); More than 20 feet. (From the enclosure to any dwelling, church or school.) (§ 6.08.010).

General information, not legal advice.

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