Merced · Building on your lot

Building on your lot in Merced

Merced sets its own accessory-structure limits and home-business rules for residential zones. Walls and fences have a separate city chapter.

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Key points

Accessory structures: Merced limits residential accessory structures to 35 ft; interior side and rear setbacks are 3 ft, or 5 ft over 120 sq ft.
Home businesses: City rule: a home business may use 25% of the home or 400 sq ft, whichever is less; auto repair is not allowed.
Walls and fences: Walls and fences fall under the city's own chapter, Ch. 20.30 (Walls and fences).

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

Sheds, garages and other accessory structures

Merced code What Merced's code adds
Maximum height	No more than 35 feet high. Applies: Residential accessory structures in residential zones. § 20.28.020 · code text Height (max.) \| 35 ft.
Side and rear setback	At least 3 feet. Applies: Interior side and rear yards in residential zones; 5 feet for garages off an alley or structures over 120 square feet. § 20.28.020 · code text Interior Yard \| 3 ft. [1] The same setback as required for the main building. Applies: Exterior yards. § 20.28.020 · code text Exterior Yard \| Same as required for primary structure At least 5 feet. Applies: Interior side and rear yards in residential zones; garages off an alley or any accessory structure over 120 square feet. § 20.28.020 · code text Five (5) feet minimum for garages off an alley or any accessory structure exceeding one hundred twenty (120) square feet.

Running a business from home

Merced code What Merced's code adds
Space used	No more than 25% of the home's floor area or 400 square feet, whichever is less. § 20.48.040 · code text Home occupations shall not occupy more than twenty-five (25) percent of the floor area of the dwelling unit or four hundred (400) square feet, whichever is less.
Customer visits	No clients or customers may visit. Applies: Minor home occupations. § 20.48.040 · code text No clients or customers are permitted to visit a minor home occupation. No more than 6 clients per day. Applies: Major home occupations; visits 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. on weekdays only, unless the site plan review committee approves otherwise. § 20.48.040 · code text Not more than six (6) clients per day may visit a major home occupation. Not subject to the limits on customers coming to the home. Applies: Cottage food operations. § 20.48.040 · code text Cottage food operations are exempt from the restrictions on customers coming to the home, the sale of goods from the home, and any of the standards in this chapter if in conflict with state law.
Employees	Only people who live in the home may be employees. Applies: Minor home occupations. § 20.48.040 · code text Employees of a minor home occupation shall be limited to the persons residing in the dwelling unit. At most 1 employee besides the people who live in the home. Applies: Major home occupations, only if 1 extra off-street parking space is provided for the employee. § 20.48.040 · code text Major home occupations are allowed one (1) additional employee in addition to those residing in the dwelling unit as long as one (1) additional off-street parking space is provided for such employee.
Permit	A home occupation certificate and a city business license. Applies: Minor home occupations. § 20.48.030 · code text No special permits or approvals from the Planning Division are required to establish or operate a minor home occupation, except a home occupation certificate and a city business license. A minor use permit is required. Applies: Cottage food operations. § 20.48.030 · code text A minor use permit shall be required to establish or operate a cottage food operation. A site plan review permit is required. Applies: Major home occupations other than cottage food operations. § 20.48.030 · code text A site plan review permit shall be required for other major home occupations.
Businesses not allowed	auto repair in either minor or major home occupations § 20.48.040 · code text The storage of flammable, combustible, or explosive materials is prohibited as is auto repair in either minor or major home occupations.

Solar panels and EV chargers

Merced code What Merced's code adds
EV charger permit	Expedited, streamlined permits; electronic submittal and signatures allowed as resources permit. Applies: Electric vehicle charging stations. § 17.64.020 · code text As allowed by available resources, the building division shall allow electronic submittal of a permit application and associated documentation and shall allow electronic signature in lieu of a wet signature.
Solar permit process	Expedited, streamlined permits; electronic submittal and signatures allowed as resources permit. Applies: Small residential rooftop solar systems. § 17.05.040 · code text As allowed by available resources, the building division shall allow for electronic submittal of a permit application and associated documentation and shall allow electronic signature in lieu of a wet signature. Only one inspection, unless the work fails code or a separate fire safety inspection is needed. Applies: Small residential rooftop solar systems eligible for expedited permitting. § 17.05.050 · code text Small residential rooftop solar energy systems eligible for expedited, streamlined permitting process shall only require one (1) inspection, unless the installation is found to be out of compliance with the California Building Standards Codes or a separate fire safety inspection is required.

Pets, chickens and bees

Merced code What Merced's code adds
Chickens	Yes; up to 5 birds per acre. Applies: Only certain annexed former county farm parcels near McKee, Pettinotti and Mather Roads; elsewhere at most 2 livestock or poultry per residential lot. § 6.04.081 · code text Up to two (2) large animals (i.e., horses, cows, ostriches, and swine) or up to five (5) birds, other than household pets, are permitted per acre parcel.
Large animals	Up to 2 large animals per acre; more need the development services director's approval; no commercial operations. Applies: Only certain annexed former county farm parcels near McKee, Pettinotti and Mather Roads; elsewhere at most 2 livestock or poultry per residential lot. § 6.04.081 · code text Up to two (2) large animals (i.e., horses, cows, ostriches, and swine) or up to five (5) birds, other than household pets, are permitted per acre parcel. More require approval of the director of development services. No commercial operations are allowed. No more than 2 livestock or poultry on any residential lot. Applies: Residential lots citywide, except the listed annexed parcels. § 6.04.080 · code text No person shall keep or maintain more than two (2) livestock or poultry on any residential lot within the city.
Permit	Approval of the director of development services. Applies: More than 2 large animals or 5 birds per acre, only on the listed annexed parcels. § 6.04.081 · code text More require approval of the director of development services.
Pet limit	Dogs and cats in any combination, at most 5 of each. Applies: Single-family home on a lot of 6,000 square feet or more, unless with a kennel or cattery permit. § 6.04.065 · code text 6,000 sq/ft. or greater \| Any combination of dogs and cats not to exceed 5 each unless with a valid kennel or cattery permit. Dogs and cats in any combination, at most 4 of each. Applies: Single-family home on a lot over 5,000 but under 6,000 square feet. § 6.04.065 · code text Less than 6,000 sq/ft. but more than 5,000 sq/ft. \| Any combination of dogs and cats not to exceed 4 each. Dogs and cats in any combination, at most 3 of each. Applies: Single-family home on a lot over 4,000 but under 5,000 square feet. § 6.04.065 · code text Less than 5,000 sq/ft. but more than 4,000 sq/ft. \| Any combination of dogs and cats not to exceed 3 each. Dogs and cats in any combination, at most 2 of each. Applies: Single-family home on a lot over 3,000 but under 4,000 square feet. § 6.04.065 · code text Less than 4,000 sq/ft. but more than 3,000 sq/ft. \| Any combination of dogs and cats not to exceed 2 each. At most 1 dog and 1 cat. Applies: Single-family home on a lot under 3,000 square feet. § 6.04.065 · code text Less than 3,000 sq/ft. \| A maximum of 1 dog and 1 cat. At most 1 cat and 1 dog. Applies: Multifamily dwellings. § 6.04.065 · code text The number of cats and dogs raised and kept in any multifamily dwelling shall be limited to a maximum of one (1) cat and one (1) dog.

Other Merced rules on this

Merced'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. 20.30)
No RV, boat or trailer parking on residential streets (Ch. 9.84) — on public streets in residential zones

Who this affects

HomeownersContractorsDesigners

Frequently asked questions

How tall can a fence be in Merced?

Walls and fences fall under the city's own chapter, Ch. 20.30 (Walls and fences). Merced also has a related rule: Walls and fences (Ch. 20.30).

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

Merced limits residential accessory structures to 35 ft; interior side and rear setbacks are 3 ft, or 5 ft over 120 sq ft.

Can I run a business from my home in Merced?

City rule: a home business may use 25% of the home or 400 sq ft, whichever is less; auto repair is not allowed.

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

Merced's code: Expedited, streamlined permits; electronic submittal and signatures allowed as resources permit. (Electric vehicle charging stations.) (§ 17.64.020); Expedited, streamlined permits; electronic submittal and signatures allowed as resources permit. (Small residential rooftop solar systems.) (§ 17.05.040).

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

Merced's code: Yes; up to 5 birds per acre. (Only certain annexed former county farm parcels near McKee, Pettinotti and Mather Roads; elsewhere at most 2 livestock or poultry per residential lot.) (§ 6.04.081); Up to 2 large animals per acre; more need the development services director's approval; no commercial operations. (Only certain annexed former county farm parcels near McKee, Pettinotti and Mather Roads; elsewhere at most 2 livestock or poultry per residential lot.) (§ 6.04.081).

General information, not legal advice.

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Merced Municipal Code — full text

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Merced overview