Moreno Valley · Building on your lot

Building on your lot in Moreno Valley

Moreno Valley sets its own fence and retaining-wall heights, accessory-structure limits and home-business rules. Fence limits depend on the yard, solid or open design, and retaining walls.

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Key points

Fence height: Moreno Valley limits solid front-yard fences to 3 ft and open ones to 6 ft; side and rear yard fences to 6 ft.
Accessory structures: City rule: accessory structures in a required yard are limited to 600 sq ft, and above-ground ones to 25% of any required yard.
Home businesses: Moreno Valley lets a home business use up to 20% of the floor area, excluding the garage, with a permit and city business license.

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

Fences and walls

Moreno Valley code What Moreno Valley's code adds
Front yard height	No more than 3 feet. Applies: Solid fence or wall in a required residential front yard, outside drivers' lines of sight at street intersections. § 9.08.070 · code text Any solid fence or wall located outside of vehicle lines-of-sight at street intersections shall not exceed three feet in height No more than 6 feet. Applies: Open fence or wall in a required residential front yard, outside drivers' lines of sight at street intersections. § 9.08.070 · code text any open fence or wall shall not exceed six feet in height. Up to 3 feet. Applies: Retaining walls in any front yard. § 9.08.070 · code text Retaining walls up to three feet in height are allowed within any front yard. Up to 3 feet. Applies: Open fence built directly on top of a retaining wall that faces the outside of the property. § 9.08.070 · code text an open fence up to three feet in height may be built directly on top of the retaining wall Up to 3 feet. Applies: Solid fence or wall built directly on top of a retaining wall that faces the inside of the property. § 9.08.070 · code text a solid fence or wall up to three feet in height, or an open fence up to six feet in height, may be built directly on top of the retaining wall Up to 6 feet. Applies: Open fence built directly on top of a retaining wall that faces the inside of the property. § 9.08.070 · code text a solid fence or wall up to three feet in height, or an open fence up to six feet in height, may be built directly on top of the retaining wall
Side and rear yard height	No more than 6 feet, measured from finished grade. Applies: Wall or fence along a side or rear yard in residential developments; up to 8 feet where grade differences between sites call for it. § 9.08.070 · code text Except as described below, a wall or fence along any side yard or rear yard shall not exceed six feet in height, as measured from the finished grade. No more than 8 feet. Applies: Side or rear yard where height differences between neighboring sites call for more height to keep screening. § 9.08.070 · code text provided that the height of such wall or fence does not exceed eight feet No more than 6 feet. Applies: Retaining walls in a side or rear yard, except on the line between 2 residential parcels. § 9.08.070 · code text Retaining walls within any side yard or rear yard shall not exceed six feet in height No more than 3 feet. Applies: Retaining walls on the line between 2 residential parcels. § 9.08.070 · code text except where they are located on the boundary between two residential parcels, in which case they shall not exceed three feet in height. No more than 8 feet of solid surface in total. Applies: Retaining wall plus wall or fence, combined, in a side or rear yard. § 9.08.070 · code text The combined height of retaining wall, wall and or fence shall not exceed eight feet of solid surface A 6-foot retaining wall must be at least 3 feet from the side or rear property line. Applies: Residential side or rear yards. On the line between 2 residential parcels, retaining walls may not exceed 3 feet. § 9.08.070 · code text A six-foot high retaining wall may be placed three feet or more from the side or rear property line Solid and open fencing together may be no more than 12 feet high. Applies: Fencing above a retaining wall facing a street or public view, side or rear yard; solid parts at most 8 feet; community development director approval. § 9.08.070 · code text the combined surface area of solid and open fencing shall not exceed 12 feet in height subject to approval by the community development director.
Permit	Yes. An encroachment permit from the city engineer is required. Applies: Any fence or wall in a city right-of-way. § 9.08.070 · code text No fence or wall shall be placed within a city right-of-way without approval of an encroachment permit by the city engineer for such fence or wall.

Sheds, garages and other accessory structures

Moreno Valley code What Moreno Valley's code adds
Size or lot coverage	No more than 600 square feet of gross floor area. Applies: Accessory structures in any required yard. § 9.08.030 · code text No accessory structure within any required yard shall exceed 600 square feet in gross floor area. No more than 25% of any required yard. Applies: Above-ground accessory structures. § 9.08.030 · code text Above-ground accessory structures shall occupy no more than 25% of any required yard.
Side and rear setback	At least 5 feet from the rear property line. Applies: Accessory structures not used for living, up to 15 feet tall, in residential districts. § 9.08.030 · code text Unless otherwise provided for within this section, structures up to 15 feet in height shall be located no closer than five feet to the rear property line, five feet to the interior side property line and 10 feet to the street side property line. At least 5 feet from the interior side property line. Applies: Accessory structures not used for living, up to 15 feet tall, in residential districts. § 9.08.030 · code text Unless otherwise provided for within this section, structures up to 15 feet in height shall be located no closer than five feet to the rear property line, five feet to the interior side property line and 10 feet to the street side property line. At least 5 feet from the rear property line. Applies: One-story open-sided structures, such as patio covers and gazebos, on legal single-family parcels that became substandard under this zoning code. § 9.08.030 · code text Where single-family residential uses were legally established on parcels which became substandard upon adoption of this title, one story open-sided structures such as patio covers and gazebos shall be no closer than five feet to the rear property line and three feet to the interior side property line. At least 3 feet from the interior side property line. Applies: One-story open-sided structures, such as patio covers and gazebos, on legal single-family parcels that became substandard under this zoning code. § 9.08.030 · code text Where single-family residential uses were legally established on parcels which became substandard upon adoption of this title, one story open-sided structures such as patio covers and gazebos shall be no closer than five feet to the rear property line and three feet to the interior side property line. May be less than 5 feet from any side or rear property line. Applies: Structure of 120 square feet or less needing no building permit, inside the boundary fence or wall and no higher than its top. § 9.08.030 · code text may be placed less than five feet from any side or rear property line, provided said structure is on the interior side of the adjacent parcel boundary fence or wall and no higher than the top of such fence or wall.
No permit needed up to	120 square feet of floor area or less. Applies: No building permit for a tool shed, storage shed, playhouse or similar building. § 9.08.030 · code text an accessory structure that does not require a building permit (including a tool shed, storage shed, playhouse or similar building with a floor area of 120 square feet or less)

Running a business from home

Moreno Valley code What Moreno Valley's code adds
Space used	No more than 20% of the gross floor area, not counting the garage. § 9.02.130 · code text Further, not more than 20% of the gross floor area, excluding the garage area, shall be used for a home occupation.
Employees	No more than 1 employee besides the people who live in the home. Applies: Babysitters and domestic staff do not count. § 9.02.130 · code text Not more than one employee, other than the residents of the dwelling unit, shall be allowed to work, gather or congregate on the premises in connection with a home occupation with the exception of babysitters or domestic staff.
Permit	Yes. A home occupation permit is required. § 9.02.130 · code text The home occupation permit is intended to limit enterprises which are conducted within homes to those which are clearly incidental and secondary to the use of the dwelling unit and compatible with surrounding residential uses. A city business license is required. Applies: The home occupation permit is valid only while a valid, unexpired city business license is in effect. § 9.02.130 · code text The home occupation permit shall be valid only for the person to whom it is issued, at the address for which it is issued, and during the period of time for which a valid, unexpired city business license is in effect.
Businesses not allowed	Automotive and other vehicle (inclusive of motorcycles or recreational vehicles) repair (body or mechanical), upholstery, painting or storage; towing; the sale, use or manufacture of ammunition, explosives or fireworks; spa facilities (medical massage by licensed professionals is not prohibited); junk yards; escort services; and quantities of materials which may present a health and/or safety hazard, including explosives, flammable or combustible dusts, liquids or gases, corrosives, irritants and toxic materials § 9.02.130 · code text The following uses, either by operation or nature, are not considered to be incidental to or compatible with residential activities and therefore shall not be permitted as home occupations:

Solar panels and EV chargers

Moreno Valley code What Moreno Valley's code adds
EV charger permit	Complete applications are approved administratively, and all required permits are issued. Applies: Electric vehicle charging stations; the application is complete and meets the checklist. § 8.42.040 · code text Upon confirmation by the building official of the application and supporting documentation being complete and meeting the requirement of either checklist, the building official shall administratively approve the application and issue all required permits or authorizations.
Solar permit process	Complete applications are approved administratively, and all required permits are issued. Applies: Small residential rooftop solar systems; the application is complete and meets the checklist. § 8.40.040 · code text Upon confirmation by the building official of the application and supporting documentation being complete and meeting the requirement of the checklist, the building official shall administratively approve the application and issue all required permits or authorizations.

Other Moreno Valley rules on this

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

Agricultural and animal uses at a home (§ 9.09.090)
Urban lot split parcel map (SB 9) (§ 9.14.240)
SB 9 two-unit developments (§ 9.09.300)
Swimming pools and spas at a home (§ 9.09.202)

Who this affects

HomeownersContractorsDesigners

Frequently asked questions

How tall can a fence be in Moreno Valley?

Moreno Valley limits solid front-yard fences to 3 ft and open ones to 6 ft; side and rear yard fences to 6 ft.

How big can a shed or accessory building be in Moreno Valley?

City rule: accessory structures in a required yard are limited to 600 sq ft, and above-ground ones to 25% of any required yard.

Can I run a business from my home in Moreno Valley?

Moreno Valley lets a home business use up to 20% of the floor area, excluding the garage, with a permit and city business license.

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

Moreno Valley's code: Complete applications are approved administratively, and all required permits are issued. (Electric vehicle charging stations; the application is complete and meets the checklist.) (§ 8.42.040); Complete applications are approved administratively, and all required permits are issued. (Small residential rooftop solar systems; the application is complete and meets the checklist.) (§ 8.40.040).

General information, not legal advice.

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Moreno Valley Municipal Code — full text

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