Imperial County · Building on your lot

Building on your lot in Imperial County

Imperial County's code applies only in unincorporated areas of the county. It sets limits for accessory buildings and home businesses and has its own chapter on fences.

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Key points

Accessory buildings: In the R-1 to R-4 zones of unincorporated Imperial County, detached accessory buildings are limited to 35 ft.
Home businesses: Imperial County home businesses are single-person uses by the occupant, need a planning director permit, and may not be barber shops or car repair.
Fences: Imperial County has a county chapter on fences (Title 9, Div. 4, Ch. 3).

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

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

Sheds, garages and other accessory structures

Imperial County code What Imperial County's code adds
Maximum height	No more than 3 stories or 35 feet high. Applies: Detached accessory buildings in the R-1, R-2, R-3 or R-4 zones. § 90501.12 · code text No detached accessory buildings in the R-1, R-2, R-3 or R-4 zones may exceed three stories, or thirty-five (35) feet in height. No more than 15 feet high. Applies: One detached private garage on an interior lot in the R-1 to R-4 zones whose front half slopes over 2 feet in 4 feet. § 90501.12 · code text provided that no such building shall exceed fifteen (15) feet in height.
Size or lot coverage	No more than 1,000 square feet. Applies: A private garage that is part of the main building, sharing a wall at least 5 feet long. § 90501.12 · code text A private garage of not to exceed one thousand (1,000) square feet may be a part of the main building if the garage and the main building have a common wall of not less than five feet in length Up to 8,000 square feet. Applies: Attached garages outside Urban Areas on A-2, A-3, S-1 or S-2 lots of 7 acres or more. Permit needed at 4,000 square feet or more. § 90501.12 · code text 7+ \| 8,000* \| 4,000 No more than 600 square feet. Applies: One-story detached garages and storage buildings, used only for parking or storage, below base flood elevation in special flood hazard areas. § 90501.12 · code text Are one story and not larger than six hundred (600) square feet in area when located in special flood hazard areas.
Side and rear setback	At least 5 feet from any interior property line. Applies: Accessory buildings over 1 story in the R-1, R-2, R-3 or R-4 zones. § 90501.12 · code text No accessory buildings in the R-1, R-2, R-3 or R-4 zones, if more than one story in height shall be located nearer than five feet to any interior property line. At least 15 feet from the side street line. Applies: Detached accessory buildings on corner lots in the R-1, R-2, R-3 or R-4 zones. § 90501.12 · code text On a corner lot no detached accessory buildings in the R-1, R-2, R-3 or R-4 zones shall be located at a distance less than fifteen (15) feet from the side street line.

Running a business from home

Imperial County code What Imperial County's code adds
Employees	No employees. Only the person who lives in the home may run the business. § 90404.01 · code text Home occupations are single person (home occupant and not employee) uses that may include, but are not necessarily limited to, the following:
Permit	A home occupation permit approved by the planning director is required. § 90404.04 · code text No home occupation shall be recognized or established until an application for a home occupation permit has been submitted and approved by the planning director.
Businesses not allowed	Antique shop (repair or sales); appliance repair; barber or beauty shop; cabinet making or woodworking; car repair or small engine repair; funeral chapel or funeral home; gift shop; medical or dental clinic, hospital; renting of trailers, autos, trucks or motorcycles; restaurant; stable or kennel; veterinary clinic or hospital § 90404.02 · code text Permitted home occupations do not and shall not be deemed to include any of the following or similar uses: cannabis manufacturing, including as a cottage food operation or in-home retail sales § 90404.02 · code text No cannabis manufacturing shall be allowed as a Home Occupation including, but not limited to, Cottage Food Operation and In-home Retail Sales.

Lot splits under SB 9

Imperial County code What Imperial County's code adds
Owner occupancy	The applicant signs an affidavit to live in one unit as principal residence for at least 3 years from approval. Applies: Does not apply to a community land trust or qualified nonprofit corporation. § 90813.08 · code text The applicant for an Urban Lot Split shall sign an affidavit, in the form approved by the County Counsel, stating that the applicant intends to occupy one of the housing units on the newly created lots as its principal residence for a minimum of three years from the date of the approval of the Urban Lot Split.
Parking	1 parking space per unit. Applies: Not required within 1/2 mile walk of a qualifying transit stop, or within 1 block of a car-share parking area. § 90813.10 · code text One parking space shall be required per unit constructed on a parcel created pursuant to the procedures in this chapter, except that no parking may be required where;

Solar panels and EV chargers

Imperial County code What Imperial County's code adds
EV-ready new homes	A dedicated 208/240-volt circuit of at least 40 amperes for a future EV charger. Applies: Applies to each new single-family home or duplex unit. § 90501.19 · code text For each new dwelling unit, a dedicated 208/240-volt branch circuit shall be installed in the raceway required by California Green Building Standards Code, Section 4.106.4.1 to allow for future installation of electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE) to provide electric vehicle charge station (EVCS) readiness. 3% of the parking spaces provided must be ready for future EV chargers. Applies: Multifamily buildings with 3 to 16 units; rounded up, and at least 1 space. § 90501.19 · code text Three percent of the total number of provided parking spaces shall be EVCS capable of future installation of EVSE as required by California Green Building Standards Code, Section 4.106.4.2 to provide EVCS readiness. Calculations for the number of EV charging spaces shall be rounded up to the nearest whole number, and at no case shall the number of dedicated parking space(s) be less than one. 3% of parking spaces must be EV-ready, and at least 50% of those need active chargers. Applies: New multifamily buildings with 17 or more units; rounded up, with at least 1 active space. § 90501.19 · code text MF dwellings, Seventeen (17) or More Units: Three percent of the total number of provided parking spaces provided shall be EVCS capable of future installation of EVSE as required by California Green Building Standards Code, Section 4.106.4.2 to provide EVCS-readiness.
EV charger permit	Administrative, nondiscretionary review; incomplete applications get a written correction notice within 10 working days. Applies: Applies to EV charging stations; the permit is issued once the application meets all checklist requirements. § 90407.06 · code text If an application is deemed incomplete, a written plan check correction notice will be available to the applicant within ten (10) working days, detailing all deficiencies in the application and any additional information or documentation required to be eligible for expedited permit issuance shall be given to the applicant for resubmission.

Swimming pools

Imperial County code What Imperial County's code adds
Setback from property lines	5 feet from the rear property line. Applies: Pools are not allowed in the front yard. § 90501.16 · code text The distance between the swimming pool and the rear yard property line shall be five feet and four feet to the side yard. 4 feet from the side property line. § 90501.16 · code text The distance between the swimming pool and the rear yard property line shall be five feet and four feet to the side yard.

Other Imperial County rules on this

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

Fences (Title 9, Div. 4, Ch. 3)
Keeping large and medium animals on residential lots (§ 90502.13) — low density residential zone
Keeping animals on homes in the limited agriculture zone (§ 90507.11) — limited agriculture zone, residential uses

Who this affects

HomeownersContractorsDesigners

Frequently asked questions

How tall can a fence be in Imperial County?

Imperial County has a county chapter on fences (Title 9, Div. 4, Ch. 3). Imperial County also has a related rule: Fences (Title 9, Div. 4, Ch. 3).

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

In the R-1 to R-4 zones of unincorporated Imperial County, detached accessory buildings are limited to 35 ft.

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

Imperial County home businesses are single-person uses by the occupant, need a planning director permit, and may not be barber shops or car repair.

Can I split my lot under SB 9 in Imperial County?

Imperial County's code: The applicant signs an affidavit to live in one unit as principal residence for at least 3 years from approval. (Does not apply to a community land trust or qualified nonprofit corporation.) (§ 90813.08); 1 parking space per unit. (Not required within 1/2 mile walk of a qualifying transit stop, or within 1 block of a car-share parking area.) (§ 90813.10).

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

Imperial County's code: A dedicated 208/240-volt circuit of at least 40 amperes for a future EV charger. (Applies to each new single-family home or duplex unit.) (§ 90501.19); 3% of the parking spaces provided must be ready for future EV chargers. (Multifamily buildings with 3 to 16 units; rounded up, and at least 1 space.) (§ 90501.19).

What are the pool fence and setback rules in Imperial County?

Imperial County's code: 5 feet from the rear property line. (Pools are not allowed in the front yard.) (§ 90501.16); 4 feet from the side property line. (§ 90501.16).

General information, not legal advice.

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More on Imperial County

Imperial County Municipal Code — full text

Renting & eviction in Imperial County

Buying & selling in Imperial County

Imperial County overview