Butte County · Building on your lot

Building on your lot in Butte County

In unincorporated Butte County, the county code limits accessory structures in urban zones and sets limits and permits for home businesses. It also has a chapter on walls and fences.

Ask about building on your lot in Butte County See coverage

Key points

Accessory structures: County code: in urban zones, structures accessory to a single-family home have a 25-foot limit and may cover at most 25% of the parcel.
Home businesses: County code: home businesses may use at most 25% of floor area; minor ones allow 6 clients a day, major ones 12.
Fences: Butte County regulates walls and fences in Chapter 24, Division 3 of its code.

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

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

Sheds, garages and other accessory structures

Butte County code What Butte County's code adds
Maximum height	No more than 25 feet. Applies: Structures accessory to a single-family home in urban zones. § 24-156 · code text The height of an accessory structure shall not exceed twenty-five (25) feet.
Size or lot coverage	All accessory structures together may total no more than 25% of the parcel size. Applies: Structures accessory to a single-family home in urban zones, unless the code says otherwise. § 24-156 · code text Accessory structures shall not exceed a cumulative total of twenty-five (25) percent of parcel size per parcel, unless otherwise specified in this section.

Running a business from home

Butte County code What Butte County's code adds
Space used	No more than 25% of the home's gross floor area. Applies: Minor and major home businesses; may be in the home, an attached garage, or a detached garage or accessory structure. § 24-162 · code text Home occupations shall be located within the dwelling unit, attached garage, or detached garage or accessory structure, and shall not occupy more than twenty-five (25) percent of the gross floor area of the dwelling unit.
Customer visits	No client visits. Applies: Home offices. § 24-162 · code text No clients are permitted to visit a home office. No more than 6 clients per day. Applies: Minor home businesses; visits between 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. § 24-162 · code text Not more than six (6) clients per day are permitted to visit a minor home occupation. No more than 12 clients per day. Applies: Major home businesses; visits between 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. § 24-162 · code text Not more than twelve (12) clients per day are allowed to visit a major home occupation.
Employees	Only the people who live in the home. Applies: Home offices and minor home businesses. § 24-162 · code text Employees of a home office and a minor home occupation shall be limited to the persons residing in the dwelling unit. Up to 2 more people besides those who live in the home. Applies: Major home businesses. § 24-162 · code text Major home occupations are allowed two (2) additional persons in addition to those residing in the dwelling unit.
Permit	No home occupation permit. Allowed in all zones that allow homes. Applies: Home offices with no client visits or employees, and limited cottage food operations (no direct sales from home; Environmental Health approval needed). § 24-162 · code text The establishment of a Home Office use and a Cottage Food Operation, Limited use are permitted uses in all zones allowing residences. An approved Administrative Permit. Applies: Minor home businesses. § 24-162 · code text The establishment of a minor home occupation requires the approval of an Administrative Permit. An approved Minor Use Permit. Applies: Major home businesses. § 24-162 · code text The establishment of a major home occupation requires the approval of a Minor Use Permit. Approval by the county Environmental Health Division under the California Health and Safety Code. Applies: Cottage food operations. § 24-162 · code text Cottage Food Operations must be approved by the Butte County Environmental Health Division of the Butte County Public Health Department pursuant to the California Health and Safety Code.

Solar panels and EV chargers

Butte County code What Butte County's code adds
EV charger permit	Approved administratively when the Building Official finds the application meets the checklist; apply in person, by mail or electronically. Applies: Electric vehicle charging stations. § 26-113 · code text An application that satisfies the requirements in the checklist, as determined by the Building Official, shall be deemed complete. A building permit is required to install an electric vehicle charging station. § 26-112 · code text A building permit is required to install an electric vehicle charging station. An application for a building permit to install an electric vehicle charging station shall be processed in accordance with Section 65850.7 of the Government Code.
Solar permit process	Approved administratively when it meets the checklist and structural criteria; only one inspection; apply in person, by mail or electronically. Applies: Small residential rooftop solar systems eligible for expedited review. § 26-103 · code text The county is adopting the ordinance from which this article is derived in order to create an expedited, streamlined permitting process for small residential rooftop solar energy systems. A building permit is required to install a small residential rooftop solar system. § 26-102 · code text A building permit is required to install a small residential rooftop solar energy system. An application for a building permit to install a small residential rooftop solar energy system shall be processed in accordance with Section 65850.5 of the Government Code.

Other Butte County rules on this

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

Walls and fences (Ch. 24, Div. 3)
Keeping livestock and other animals (§ 24-158)

Who this affects

HomeownersContractorsDesigners

Frequently asked questions

How tall can a fence be in Butte County?

Butte County regulates walls and fences in Chapter 24, Division 3 of its code. Butte County also has a related rule: Walls and fences (Ch. 24, Div. 3).

How big can a shed or accessory building be in Butte County?

County code: in urban zones, structures accessory to a single-family home have a 25-foot limit and may cover at most 25% of the parcel.

Can I run a business from my home in Butte County?

County code: home businesses may use at most 25% of floor area; minor ones allow 6 clients a day, major ones 12.

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

Butte County's code: Approved administratively when the Building Official finds the application meets the checklist; apply in person, by mail or electronically. (Electric vehicle charging stations.) (§ 26-113); A building permit is required to install an electric vehicle charging station. (§ 26-112).

General information, not legal advice.

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Butte County Municipal Code — full text

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