Indian Wells · Building on your lot

Building on your lot in Indian Wells

Indian Wells sets its own limits for hedges and screen planting and its own rules for home businesses, and has a city section on accessory structures. Hedge height depends on the distance from the curb.

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Key points

Hedges: Indian Wells limits hedges by single-family lots to 3 ft in the first 10 ft of front and street side setbacks; 9 ft elsewhere.
Home businesses: Indian Wells home businesses may use 25% of the main dwelling and at most 1 room; only occupants may work there.
Accessory structures: Indian Wells has a city section on accessory structures on residential lots.

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

Fences and walls

Indian Wells code What Indian Wells's code adds
Front yard height	No more than 3 feet high. Applies: Hedges or screen plants between the curb and the first 10 feet of a front or side street setback, next to a single-family lot. § 21.50.051 · code text neither hedge(s) nor screen planting(s) exceeding three (3) feet in height shall be permitted between the curb and the first ten (10) feet of any front and side front (side street) building setback area. No more than 9 feet high. Applies: Hedges or screen plants beyond the first 10 feet of front or side street setbacks, measured from the property line, next to a single-family lot. § 21.50.051 · code text hedge(s) and screen planting(s) may not exceed nine (9) feet in height beyond the first ten (10) feet of any front and side front (side street) building setback area, as measured from property line.
Side and rear yard height	No more than 9 feet high. Applies: Hedges or screen plants in side and rear yard setbacks, next to a single-family lot. § 21.50.051 · code text Neither hedge(s) nor screen planting(s) shall be allowed to exceed nine (9) feet in height within the side and rear yard building setback area.

Running a business from home

Indian Wells code What Indian Wells's code adds
Space used	No more than 25% of the main home's floor area, and no more than 1 room. Applies: Use of the home for the business. § 5.01.060 · code text Not more than 25% of the floor area of the main dwelling unit, nor more than one room of the main dwelling shall be used in the conduct of the home occupation.
Employees	Only the people who live in the home may work on the premises. Applies: Work done on the premises for the home business. § 5.01.060 · code text Only the occupants of the dwelling unit may perform work on the premises in the home occupation.
Permit	A city business license is required. Applies: Before starting a home business. § 5.01.060 · code text No home occupation may be conducted without having first obtained a City business license.
Businesses not allowed	Adult entertainment activities/business; animal grooming, raising or training of any animals; automotive and other vehicle repair, painting, storage, or upholstery; commercial cabinet or furniture making business (not woodworking as a hobby); construction storage yard; dance club/night club; exercise studios; fortunetelling; mini-storage; plant nursery; repair, reconditioning, servicing or manufacture of internal combustion or diesel engines or motor vehicles; retail sales; sale of home furnishing materials such as carpeting, floor covering and tile; welding and machine shop operations; uses requiring explosive or highly combustible or toxic materials; other uses the Planning Director determines to be similar Applies: commercial uses not compatible with residential properties § 5.01.060 · code text The following list represents an example of commercial uses that are not compatible with residential activities and therefore are prohibited as a home occupation:

RV and boat parking

Indian Wells code What Indian Wells's code adds
Where it may be parked	RV parking or storage is allowed only fully inside an enclosed structure approved by the Design Review Committee. Applies: General rule for public or private streets or property. § 11.36.125 · code text The parking or storage of any RV on a public or private street or property is prohibited unless the vehicle is located entirely within a fully enclosed structure that is approved by the City's Design Review Committee. Only on legal driveways or where a legal garage is or could be built. Applies: Private lots, only when an exception allows RV parking (HOA CC&Rs, or loading and unloading); washing and minor interior upkeep only here. § 11.36.125 · code text RV parking on private lots is restricted to legal driveways or that portion of the lot area where a legal garage is or can be constructed. RVs may park within the common interest development. Applies: Applies where every homeowners' association's CC&Rs expressly allow RVs in the development. § 11.36.125 · code text Subsection (d)(1)(A) above does not apply to a residential property or private street that is part of a common interest development ("CID") to the extent that each homeowners' association with jurisdiction over the CID has an express statement in its CC&Rs that allows recreational vehicles to be parked within the CID. Up to 48 hours on a private lot for loading and unloading. Applies: No more than 2 periods in any 7-day period for the same home or RV. § 11.36.125 · code text An RV may be parked within the City for a maximum of twenty-four (24) hours on public or private streets and a maximum of forty-eight (48) hours on private lots for loading and unloading purposes.
Parking on the street	2 hours maximum. Applies: Public lot or legal street space while visiting a business or park; afterward, the RV must leave the City for at least 48 hours. § 11.36.125 · code text Short-term parking (two (2) hour maximum) in a public parking lot or in a legal street parking space is permitted when patronizing a business or visiting a park in the City. Up to 24 hours for loading and unloading. Applies: Streets next to the RV owner's property only; no more than 2 periods in any 7-day period per home or RV. § 11.36.125 · code text An RV may be parked within the City for a maximum of twenty-four (24) hours on public or private streets and a maximum of forty-eight (48) hours on private lots for loading and unloading purposes.
Living in an RV	No overnight camping in any RV. Applies: Except a resident with an Emergency Use Permit whose home is unsafe to live in after an emergency. § 11.36.125 · code text No person shall camp overnight within any recreational vehicle.

Solar panels and EV chargers

Indian Wells code What Indian Wells's code adds
EV charger permit	The permit can be issued once the application meets all checklist requirements. Applies: Applies to EV charging stations. § 16.110.060 · code text An application for an electric vehicle charging station shall be deemed complete and the permit available for issuance, when the Building Official determines that the application satisfies all the requirements found in the checklist.
Solar permit process	Administrative, nondiscretionary expedited review with standard plans and checklists. Applies: Applies to small residential rooftop solar systems. § 16.100.030 · code text The Official shall, prior to September 30, 2015, adopt an administrative, nondiscretionary expedited review process for small residential rooftop solar energy systems, which shall include standard plan(s) and checklist(s). A building or other nondiscretionary permit is issued within a reasonable time after a complete application. Applies: The application must meet the approved checklist, standard plan and the chapter. § 16.100.050 · code text City staff shall issue a building permit or other nondiscretionary permit within a reasonable period of time after receipt of a complete application that meets the requirements of the approved checklist, standard plan and this Chapter.

Swimming pools

Indian Wells code No more than 2 inches of clearance at the bottom of the barrier. Bottom clearance may be up to 4 inches.

All 13 Indian Wells rules on swimming pools, with the code text and the state law underneath →

Other Indian Wells rules on this

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

Accessory structures on residential lots (§ 21.20.090)
Urban lot splits (SB 9) (§ 20.72.070)
Two-unit projects (SB 9) (§ 21.20.015)

Who this affects

HomeownersContractorsDesigners

Frequently asked questions

How tall can a fence be in Indian Wells?

Indian Wells limits hedges by single-family lots to 3 ft in the first 10 ft of front and street side setbacks; 9 ft elsewhere.

How big can a shed or accessory building be in Indian Wells?

Indian Wells has a city section on accessory structures on residential lots. Indian Wells also has a related rule: Accessory structures on residential lots (§ 21.20.090).

Can I run a business from my home in Indian Wells?

Indian Wells home businesses may use 25% of the main dwelling and at most 1 room; only occupants may work there.

Can I park an RV or boat at my home in Indian Wells?

Indian Wells's code: RV parking or storage is allowed only fully inside an enclosed structure approved by the Design Review Committee. (General rule for public or private streets or property.) (§ 11.36.125); Only on legal driveways or where a legal garage is or could be built. (Private lots, only when an exception allows RV parking (HOA CC&Rs, or loading and unloading); washing and minor interior upkeep only here.) (§ 11.36.125).

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

Indian Wells's code: The permit can be issued once the application meets all checklist requirements. (Applies to EV charging stations.) (§ 16.110.060); Administrative, nondiscretionary expedited review with standard plans and checklists. (Applies to small residential rooftop solar systems.) (§ 16.100.030).

General information, not legal advice.

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