Local zoning · Kern County

Kern County — Parking

Parking under the Kern County local zoning and planning code, with the controlling citations.

Last reviewed: July 6, 2026

Overview

This page summarizes how off-street parking, loading, and related design features are regulated in the unincorporated areas of Kern County under the Kern County Zoning Ordinance (Title 19). Parking is principally governed by Chapter 19.82 (Off‑Street Parking), which applies across base districts and is reinforced by district chapters and countywide development standards. If your parcel is in an incorporated city inside Kern County, those city codes—not this page—apply.

Key rule: In unincorporated areas, you must provide the minimum off-street parking at the time a building is erected, enlarged, or a use is established, changed, or expanded; these are minimums that apply countywide unless a district chapter or approval sets a higher standard (§ 19.82.010 ).

Countywide Off‑Street Parking Standards (Title 19, Chapter 19.82)

Purpose and scope. The countywide minimums aim to reduce street congestion and promote safety and convenience in unincorporated Kern County (§ 19.82.010 ).
When parking is triggered. Parking must be provided with new buildings and for changes/expansions of use; if cumulative expansion reaches 50%+ of existing development as of the chapter’s effective date, both existing and new development must comply (landscaping is exempt for existing) (§ 19.82.010 ).
Nonconforming/credits. Where a new building replaces one with legal nonconforming parking and no change of use, the Planning Director may grant a credit up to the historical parking tied to past square footage. For sites with existing legal nonconforming parking, no new parking is required unless there is a change of use, new building, or enlargement; then parking is assessed with crediting per § 19.82.020 (Q) and related provisions (§ 19.82.020(2)–(3) ; § 19.82.020(Q) ).
Off-site and joint use. Nonresidential parking may be off-site within 500 ft subject to a recorded covenant; the Planning Director may allow up to a 20% joint-use reduction where peak demands do not overlap, but not for the primary use’s requirement (§ 19.82.070; § 19.82.080 ).
Dimensions and allocations. Standard stalls 9 ft × 20 ft; parallel 9 ft × 22 ft; compact 8 ft × 16 ft (up to 20% of spaces in lots with 10+ stalls); motorcycle spaces 4 ft × 8 ft (up to 2% in nonresidential lots with 50+ stalls) (§ 19.82.030; § 19.82.040 ).
Accessible parking. Provided per the California Building Standards Code; spaces and accessible routes to primary entrances must be surfaced to facilitate wheelchair use (§ 19.82.050 ).
Loading. Certain uses must also provide on-site freight/passenger loading per thresholds below (§ 19.82.060 ).

Common off-street parking ratios (unincorporated areas)

Use (examples)	Minimum spaces required	Code Reference
Single-family dwelling or mobilehome	2 per dwelling	§ 19.82.020 (Residential Uses—6)
Accessory dwelling unit (ADU)	1 per bedroom, max 2 per unit; with state-law exemptions; tandem/in-setback allowed as specified	§ 19.82.020 (Residential Uses—1) ; § 19.90.030(H)
Multifamily (studio/1‑BR)	1 per unit + for complexes of 5+ units: 1 guest per 5 such units	§ 19.82.020 (Residential Uses—3)
Multifamily (2+ BR)	2 per unit + for complexes of 5+ units: 1 guest per 10 such units	§ 19.82.020 (Residential Uses—3)
Mobilehome park	2 per space + 1 guest per 5 spaces; RV space: 1 per RV space	§ 19.82.020 (Residential Uses—4)
Hotel/motel	1 per guest room + 2 for manager’s quarters + 1 per full-time staff	§ 19.82.020 (Recreation/Tourist—7)
Business/professional office	1 per 250 sq ft GFA	§ 19.82.020 (Offices—1)
Bank/financial	1 per 200 sq ft GFA	§ 19.82.020 (Offices—2)
Medical/dental/vet clinic	1 per 200 sq ft GFA	§ 19.82.020 (Offices—3)
General retail	1 per 250 sq ft GFA	§ 19.82.020 (General Retail—7)
Convenience store	1 per 200 sq ft GFA	§ 19.82.020 (General Retail—4)
Restaurant/cafe	1 per 100 sq ft GFA	§ 19.82.020 (General Retail—10)
Restaurant—fast food	1 per 75 sq ft GFA	§ 19.82.020 (General Retail—12)
Shopping center (aggregate)	1 per 200 sq ft GFA, or sum of tenant requirements, whichever is less	§ 19.82.020 (General Retail—13)
Bowling alley	4 per lane	§ 19.82.020 (Recreation—3)
Movie theater	1 per 3 seats	§ 19.82.020 (Recreation—9)

Notes:

Special credits: drive‑through restaurants may credit 2 spaces; convenience markets with gas may credit 1 per pump (§ 19.82.020 (O), (P) ).

Freight loading space minimums (selected)

Use category	Gross floor area (or units)	Required on-site loading	Code Reference
Retail/wholesale/warehousing	0–8,500 sq ft	0	§ 19.82.060(B)
	8,501–60,000 sq ft	1	§ 19.82.060(B)
	60,001–100,000 sq ft	2	§ 19.82.060(B)
	>100,000 sq ft	3 + 1 per add’l 80,000 sq ft	§ 19.82.060(B)
Office/hotel/other	0–100,000 sq ft	0	§ 19.82.060(B)
	100,001–200,000 sq ft	1	§ 19.82.060(B)
	200,001–500,000 sq ft	2	§ 19.82.060(B)
	>500,000 sq ft	3 + 1 per add’l 300,000 sq ft	§ 19.82.060(B)
Apartments	0–25 units	0	§ 19.82.060(B)
	26–100 units	1	§ 19.82.060(B)
	101–200 units	2	§ 19.82.060(B)
	>201 units	3 + 1 per add’l 100 units	§ 19.82.060(B)

Loading-space geometry: first space at least 25 ft L × 10 ft W × 12 ft H, additional spaces 35 ft L × 10 ft W × 14 ft H (§ 19.82.030(F) ).

Bicycle parking triggers embedded in zoning

Multifamily (R‑2/R‑3): For developments with 5+ dwellings, provide bicycle racks or lockers at 1 space per 3 units; half of required auto parking must be covered for projects with 20+ units (§ 19.80.020(Q), (P) ).
Specific uses (examples): Swimming pools and video game arcades must include bicycle racks of at least 10 spaces in addition to auto parking (§ 19.82.020 (Recreation—15, 17) ).
Additional bicycle/EV requirements may arise under the California Building Standards Code. Verify with the jurisdiction.

Design and placement standards you will actually draw

Surfacing: Materials vary by area and intensity (e.g., asphaltic or Portland cement concrete in Type A areas; other specified stabilized surfaces elsewhere). All required surfacing must be maintained (§ 19.82.090(A) ).
Aisle widths: 90° parking requires 25 ft aisles (exceptions for alley adjacency); see table for angled parking widths (§ 19.82.090(B) ).
Driveway clearances: Residential 14 ft min width (incl. tapers) and 15 ft vertical clearance; commercial/industrial 18 ft min (incl. tapers) and 15 ft vertical clearance (§ 19.82.090(E) ).
Independent access: Each stall must function independently; tandem permissible only for lots with up to two dwellings (§ 19.82.090(D) ).
Backing into streets: Prohibited except for lots with ≤2 dwellings; a third unit may be allowed backing to a local street if authorized by Roads (§ 19.82.090(F) ).
Setback prohibitions: No parking in required front/side yards that abut a street, except for single-family/mobilehome lots and commercially/industrially zoned lots (§ 19.82.090(G) ).
Screening next to homes: Where a parking facility (5+ spaces) or drive aisle abuts E, R‑1, R‑2, or R‑3, provide a 6‑ft masonry wall (reduced to 4 ft within the abutting front yard depth) (§ 19.82.090(H) ).
Interior landscaping: Lots with 10+ spaces must landscape at least 5% of interior parking area and plant trees at a minimum of 1 per 6 spaces (with irrigation) (§ 19.82.090(I) ).
Headlight control and lighting: Provide a low barrier if stalls abut a public street; direct lights away from adjacent properties/streets (§ 19.82.090(J), (K) ).

District-by-District: How parking ties into Kern’s base zones

All standards below apply to unincorporated areas; most districts defer to the countywide parking chapter unless a district sets a specific rule.

E (Estate) and R‑1 (Single-Family Residential)

Purpose/uses: Low-density single-family living.
Parking: 2 spaces per dwelling (§ 19.82.020 (Residential Uses—6) ). Design/placement per § 19.82.090 (e.g., driveway/backing, setbacks, surfacing) .
Notes: ADUs follow county standards with state-law exemptions and siting flexibilities (§ 19.90.030(H); see also § 19.82.020 (1) ; ). See California ADU law for broader state limits.

R‑2 (Medium-Density) and R‑3 (High-Density) Residential

Purpose/uses: Attached and multifamily housing.
Parking: Ratios as above for multifamily; R‑3 explicitly references countywide standards (§ 19.22.100; § 19.82.020 ; ).
Key dimensional/standards: For R‑3, min separations between buildings are specified (§ 19.22.090 ). Countywide multifamily development standards require paved access/parking, and for 20+ units, at least 50% of required auto spaces must be covered; bicycle storage is also required at 1 space per 3 units for 5+ units (§ 19.80.020(D), (P), (Q) ; ).

CO, C‑1, C‑2, CH (Commercial Office, Neighborhood, General, Highway Commercial)

Purpose/uses: Office, neighborhood services, regional retail, highway-oriented commercial.
Parking: Must comply with Chapter 19.82; off-street parking/loading is explicitly required by countywide development standards (§ 19.80.030(P) ).
Typical ratios: See office/retail/restaurant/shopping-center standards in § 19.82.020 (table above) .

M‑1, M‑2, M‑3 (Light, Medium, Heavy Industrial)

Purpose/uses: Industrial production, warehousing, processing.
Parking: Must meet Chapter 19.82; explicitly stated for M‑2 (§ 19.38.100 ) and required via the countywide standards for all listed industrial districts (§ 19.80.030(P) ).
Dimensional context: M‑2 setbacks and heights are codified elsewhere (e.g., M‑2 max 10 stories/135 ft with conditions) (§ 19.38.080 ). Loading thresholds in § 19.82.060 often apply to industrial uses (table above) .

PR (Parks and Recreation)

Purpose/uses: Public/private parks, recreation.
Parking: Passive parks ≤ 2.5 acres abutting a public road: no off‑street parking required (except indoor pools and community/senior centers, which use § 19.82.020). Passive parks > 2.5 acres or not abutting a public road: 3 spaces/acre minimum. Active recreation uses follow § 19.82 or conditions of approval (§ 19.45.100 ).
Caretaker’s dwelling: 2 spaces required (§ 19.45.060 excerpt—parking note) .

MP (Mobilehome Park)

Purpose/uses: Mobilehome parks.
Parking: Guest parking must be distributed throughout the park as required by § 19.82; on‑site drives and parking areas must be properly surfaced/graded (§ 19.26.150(B)(2), (B)(3) ). See mobilehome park ratios in § 19.82.020 (table above) .

SP (Specific Plan)

Purpose/uses: Tailored development per an adopted plan.
Parking: Determined through SP procedures but must align with the ordinance’s SP standards; parking requirements are set through the SP review using the cited procedures (§ 19.52.100; §§ 19.52.130–19.52.180 ).

FPP (Floodplain Primary District)

Purpose/uses: Floodplain management with limited uses.
Parking: Provided per Chapter 19.82 (§ 19.50.100 ). Additional floodplain regulations apply outside the scope of this parking page.

P (Automobile Parking District — interim)

Purpose/uses: Dedicated vehicle parking areas (interim district).
Parking: All development must comply with Chapter 19.82; permitted uses are limited to motor‑vehicle parking, with no buildings (except parking‑lot related improvements) and no storage uses (§ 19.78.020 ).

Practical notes that affect site plans

If you propose off‑site parking for a nonresidential use, prepare the recorded covenant and a plot plan for the off‑site lot as required by § 19.82.070 (distance ≤ 500 ft) .
Where parking adjoins residential districts, plan for the 6‑ft masonry wall and interior landscaping requirements from § 19.82.090; coordinate with landscaping and screening standards as applicable (§ 19.82.090(H), (I) ).
Multifamily projects (R‑2/R‑3) need bicycle parking and, for larger projects, covered stalls—put these on the civil/architectural sheets early (§ 19.80.020(P), (Q) ).
Accessible parking and path-of-travel details are through the California Building Standards Code; zoning defers to state standards (§ 19.82.050 ).

Checklist

Identify base zoning district and confirm site is in the unincorporated area (see zoning and county overview).
Determine required auto spaces by use per § 19.82.020 and whether any credits/exemptions apply (drive‑thru, gas pumps, nonconforming credit) (; ; ).
Check required loading per § 19.82.060(B) .
Lay out stalls and aisles to meet dimensions/aisle widths; assign compact/motorcycle counts within allowed caps (§§ 19.82.030–.040, .090(B) ; ).
Confirm surfacing, driveway widths, backing restrictions, setback prohibitions, and screening walls (§ 19.82.090(A), (D)–(H) ; ).
Provide interior landscaping and tree counts if the lot has 10+ spaces (§ 19.82.090(I) ).
If proposing off‑site or joint-use parking, prepare covenant and justification for any reduction (≤20%) (§§ 19.82.070–.080 ).
For R‑2/R‑3: include bicycle parking and covered-stall calculations (§ 19.80.020(P), (Q) ).
For ADUs: apply county ADU parking rule and state exemptions (§ 19.90.030(H); § 19.82.020 (1) ; ).
Confirm whether a parking‑focused plot plan review is required; see design review workflow reference (ministerial list cites §§ 19.82.100–.130) .

Risks & Ambiguities

Issue	Why it matters	What to verify
Off‑site parking within 500 ft	Requires a recorded covenant and proof that on‑site required parking elsewhere won’t be reduced	Submittal content and mapping per § 19.82.070; confirm Recorder’s form and Planning Director approval
Joint‑use reductions	Up to 20% reduction allowed at Director’s discretion	Peak-demand analysis and limitation that the primary use’s minimum cannot be reduced (§ 19.82.080)
Nonconforming parking credit	May allow replacement projects to avoid full new totals	Whether past parking and historical GFA support the Director’s credit under § 19.82.020(2)–(3) and (Q) ;
Bicycle parking triggers	Not all uses have explicit ratios	For R‑2/R‑3 and specific recreation uses, apply § 19.80.020(Q) and § 19.82.020 (Recreation list) exactly ;
Multifamily covered parking	Only for projects with 20+ units	Covered-space fraction and acceptable cover types per § 19.80.020(P)
Plot plan sections for parking (§§ 19.82.100–.130)	Cited in ministerial list but detailed text not retrieved here	Not found in retrieved materials; Verify with the jurisdiction
Overlay constraints (e.g., airport H overlay)	May affect light standards or site elements near airports	Cross-check overlay districts and lighting note in § 19.80.030(J) if near airports

Plain-English Summary

If you’re building or changing a use in the unincorporated areas, Kern County will expect you to meet a minimum number of off‑street stalls based on what you’re building, lay them out to the County’s geometry and surfacing rules, add screening/landscaping if the lot is big enough, and provide loading spaces for certain sizes of retail/office/apartments. Some flexibility exists for joint‑use or off‑site parking, but it needs formal approval and recorded documents, and apartments have extra rules for covered and bicycle parking.

Source References

Title 19 – Zoning: §§ 19.02.020 (off‑street parking purpose), 19.82.010–.090; 19.82.020 (parking schedule); 19.82.030–.050 (dimensions/accessible/compact); 19.82.060 (loading); 19.82.070–.080 (location/joint use); 19.82.090 (design/aisles/landscaping/walls) .
Residential/MF standards: § 19.22.090–.100 (R‑3); § 19.80.020 (R‑2/R‑3 standards including bicycle and covered parking) .
Commercial/industrial development standards requiring parking/loading: § 19.80.030(P) .
District-specific links to parking: § 19.38.100 (M‑2); § 19.45.100 (PR); § 19.50.100 (FPP); § 19.52.100 (SP); § 19.78.020 (P district) .
ADUs: § 19.90.030(H) (parking/exemptions); § 19.82.020 (ADU count); also see California ADU law for state-level limits .
Accessible parking reference: California Building Standards Code as incorporated by § 19.82.050 .

Sources

Retrieved passages

Kern County Zoning Code (Chapter 2-71) High relevance
Kern County Zoning Code (§ 7220.06) High relevance
Kern County Zoning Code (Section 19.102.100) Medium relevance
Kern County Zoning Code (§ 80) Medium relevance
Kern County Zoning Code (§ 7220.04) Medium relevance
Kern County Zoning Code (§ 7115.08) Medium relevance
Kern County Zoning Code (Title 19) Medium relevance
Kern County Zoning Code (§ 72) Medium relevance
Kern County Zoning Code (Section 19.82.090) High relevance
Kern County Zoning Code Medium relevance
Kern County Zoning Code (Chapter 19.82) Medium relevance
Kern County Zoning Code (§ 63) Medium relevance
Kern County Zoning Code (chapter shall) Medium relevance
Kern County Zoning Code (§ 7040.09) Medium relevance
Kern County Zoning Code (Section 19.08.015) Medium relevance
CBC § 69 (§ 69) Medium relevance

Cited sections

Official Kern County code library

Frequently asked questions

How many parking spaces are required for a single-family home in unincorporated Kern County?

Two off-street spaces per dwelling are required for a single-family home or mobilehome (§ 19.82.020 (Residential Uses—6) ).

What are the standard stall sizes and can I use compact spaces?

Standard stalls are 9 ft by 20 ft; parallel stalls 9 ft by 22 ft. In facilities with 10+ spaces, up to 20% may be compact at 8 ft by 16 ft (§§ 19.82.030, 19.82.040(A) ).

How far away can required parking be from my business?

Nonresidential required parking may be on the same site or within 500 ft, subject to a recorded covenant and Planning Director approval of the off-site plan (§ 19.82.070 ).

Can Kern County reduce parking if two uses share a lot?

Possibly. For mixed occupancies on the same premises, the Planning Director may reduce total required spaces by up to 20% if peak demands don’t overlap; the primary use’s minimum cannot be reduced (§ 19.82.080 ).

What loading spaces do I need for retail or warehousing?

Loading is required based on floor area. For example, retail/wholesale/warehousing needs 1 space above 8,500 sq ft, 2 above 60,000 sq ft, and 3 plus increments above 100,000 sq ft (§ 19.82.060(B) ).

Do apartments need covered parking or bicycle storage?

Yes. Multifamily developments with 20+ units must cover at least half of required on-site spaces, and projects with 5+ units must provide bicycle spaces at 1 per 3 units (§ 19.80.020(P), (Q) ).

How is parking for ADUs handled in unincorporated Kern County?

The County requires 1 space per ADU bedroom up to 2 spaces, with exemptions for locations near transit, within historic districts, within or above an existing structure, or near a car-share, and with flexibility for tandem/in-setback siting (§ 19.90.030(H); § 19.82.020 (1) ; ).

What screening or landscaping is required around parking lots?

Lots with 10+ spaces must landscape at least 5% of the interior area with trees (1 per 6 spaces). If abutting E, R‑1, R‑2, or R‑3 property, a 6‑ft masonry wall is required (4‑ft within the adjacent front yard depth) (§ 19.82.090(H)–(I) ).

Are there special parking rules for parks in the PR district?

Yes. Passive parks ≤ 2.5 acres abutting a public road require no off-street parking (except for specified indoor facilities). Larger passive parks or those not abutting a public road must provide 3 spaces per acre; active recreation uses defer to Chapter 19.82 or conditions of approval (§ 19.45.100 ).

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