Murrieta · Building on your lot

Building on your lot in Murrieta

Murrieta sets its own size limits for accessory structures and its own home-business rules. Fences, hedges and walls have a separate city chapter.

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Key points

Accessory size: Murrieta limits each detached accessory structure to 1,000 sq ft, and all together to 40% of the required rear yard.
Home businesses: Murrieta home businesses need a city business license, may have at most 1 non-resident employee, and see 1 customer per 2 hours.
Fences: Fences, hedges and walls fall under the city's own chapter, Ch. 16.22.

Each rule below is marked Murrieta 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

Murrieta code What Murrieta's code adds
Size or lot coverage	No more than 1,000 square feet of floor area. Applies: A single detached accessory structure. § 16.44.150 · code text The floor area of a single detached accessory structure shall not exceed one thousand (1,000) square feet, nor shall the sum of the floor area(s) of the total number of detached accessory structures exceed 40 percent, of the required rear yard of the parcel. No more than 40% of the required rear yard. Applies: Total floor area of all detached accessory structures. § 16.44.150 · code text The floor area of a single detached accessory structure shall not exceed one thousand (1,000) square feet, nor shall the sum of the floor area(s) of the total number of detached accessory structures exceed 40 percent, of the required rear yard of the parcel. No more than 1,000 square feet or 50% of the main home's square footage, whichever is less. Applies: Detached accessory garages outside rural residential zones. § 16.44.150 · code text A detached accessory garage shall not be greater than one thousand (1,000) square feet or fifty (50) percent of the square footage of the main dwelling unit, whichever is less, or two thousand (2,000) square feet or fifty (50) percent of the square footage of the main dwelling unit in rural residential zones, whichever is greater. No more than 2,000 square feet or 50% of the main home's square footage, whichever is greater. Applies: Detached accessory garages in rural residential zones. § 16.44.150 · code text A detached accessory garage shall not be greater than one thousand (1,000) square feet or fifty (50) percent of the square footage of the main dwelling unit, whichever is less, or two thousand (2,000) square feet or fifty (50) percent of the square footage of the main dwelling unit in rural residential zones, whichever is greater. Up to 500 square feet per dwelling unit or 10% of the parcel, whichever is less. Applies: Accessory greenhouses. § 16.44.150 · code text An accessory greenhouse may occupy up to five hundred (500) square feet for each dwelling unit or ten percent of the parcel, whichever is less. Up to 500 square feet, and may include a restroom. Applies: Guest living quarters, attached or detached, with no kitchen or wet bar. § 16.44.150 · code text Guest living quarters do not include a kitchen or wet-bar and may occupy up to 500 square feet and include restroom facilities. No more than 1,000 square feet. Applies: Workshops, unless combined with a garage. § 16.44.150 · code text A workshop shall not occupy an area larger than one thousand (1,000) square feet, except where a workshop is combined with a garage.

Running a business from home

Murrieta code What Murrieta's code adds
Space used	No more than 125 cubic feet of indoor storage. Applies: Goods or supplies stored in no more than 1 room of the home and/or the attached garage. § 16.60.050 · code text Limited indoor storage of goods or supplies (125 cubic feet maximum) may take place within no more than one room of the dwelling and/or in the attached garage
Customer visits	No more than 1 customer or vendor at one time. Applies: 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., Monday through Saturday; no more than 1 customer or vendor in any 2-hour period. § 16.60.050 · code text Home occupations may have a maximum of one customer or vendor on the premises at any one time, between 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m., Monday through Saturday. No more than 6 non-resident students at one time. Applies: Tutoring in music, academics, dance, swimming or tennis at a home. § 16.60.050 · code text Home occupations involving tutoring students in music, academics, dance swimming or tennis at a residence may have a maximum of six non-resident students at any one time, and no more than 18 non-resident students during any one day. No more than 18 non-resident students in one day. Applies: Tutoring in music, academics, dance, swimming or tennis at a home. § 16.60.050 · code text Home occupations involving tutoring students in music, academics, dance swimming or tennis at a residence may have a maximum of six non-resident students at any one time, and no more than 18 non-resident students during any one day. No more than 1 customer at one time. Applies: Animal sitting or grooming done entirely indoors; 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., Monday through Saturday; no more than 1 customer per 2 hours. § 16.60.050 · code text Grooming services shall be limited to one customer on the premises at any one time, between 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m., Monday through Saturday with no more than one customer within a 2-hour time period.
Employees	The residents plus no more than 1 non-resident employee. § 16.60.050 · code text The residents of the dwelling unit, and no more than one non-resident employee, may be engaged in the home occupation.
Permit	Yes. A city business license must be approved before the business starts. § 16.60.050 · code text No person shall commence or carry on a home occupation/cottage food operation without first having received approval of a city business license.
Businesses not allowed	Automotive or other vehicle repair (body or mechanical); welding or machining; medical clinics or labs; animal hospitals, kennels and grooming facilities (animal sitting or grooming may be permitted when conducted entirely indoors); uses that require explosives or highly combustible or toxic materials § 16.60.050 · code text Notwithstanding the provisions above, the following uses are prohibited:

RV and boat parking

Murrieta code What Murrieta's code adds
Parking on the street	Not allowed on any street except up to 48 hours before or after a recreational trip. Applies: Self-propelled RVs; stricter posted rules still apply. § 10.32.180 · code text Self-propelled recreational vehicles as defined by Section 18019 of the Health and Safety Code shall not be parked on any street except for a period not longer than forty-eight (48) hours prior to a recreational trip or forty-eight (48) hours after a recreational trip unless more restrictive parking regulations exist.

Solar panels and EV chargers

Murrieta code What Murrieta's code adds
EV-ready new homes	1 Level 2 or higher EV charger (EVSE) per enclosed garage. Applies: One- and two-family homes, and multifamily homes with private garages. § 16.44.115 · code text Installation of one Level 2 or greater EVSE per enclosed garage
Solar permit process	Administrative approval and all required permits once a complete application meets the checklist; this does not cover utility grid connection. Applies: Small residential rooftop solar energy systems. § 15.62.050 · code text Upon confirmation by the building official of the application and supporting documentation being complete and meeting the requirements of the checklist, the building official shall administratively approve the application and issue all required permits or authorizations.

Tree removal

Murrieta code What Murrieta's code adds
Exemptions	No tree removal permit is needed. Applies: Removing or relocating a protected tree as part of a discretionary permit application; all other chapter rules still apply. § 16.42.070 · code text Notwithstanding the above, a tree removal permit shall not be required in the event that the removal or relocation of a protected tree is proposed as part of a discretionary permit application. While a tree removal permit is not required, all other provisions of this chapter shall still apply to the discretionary permit. The director may waive any requirement of the chapter. Applies: Trees with little or no ornamental value, not affected by development, or not worth protecting per an arborist, including damaged or diseased trees. § 16.42.100 · code text The director may waive any requirement of this chapter based upon a determination that the tree(s) would have little or no ornamental value in an urban setting, or that the tree(s) are located so that they would not be impacted by the proposed development, or evidence is provided from an arborist determining that the current condition of the tree does not justify its protection (i.e., damaged tree or diseased tree).
Permit to remove	Yes, a tree removal permit is required. Applies: Removing, cutting down or otherwise destroying a protected tree. § 16.42.070 · code text No protected tree shall be removed, cut down, or otherwise destroyed, unless a tree removal permit has been approved by the director.
Replacement trees	The removal permit application must include a tree replacement plan that meets city replacement standards. Applies: Tree removal permit applications. § 16.42.070 · code text A tree replacement plan with explanation of how proposed replacement trees comply with Section 16.42.095 Protected Tree Replacement Standards.

Other Murrieta rules on this

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

Fences, hedges and walls (Ch. 16.22)
Animal keeping (§ 16.44.040)

Who this affects

HomeownersContractorsDesigners

Frequently asked questions

How tall can a fence be in Murrieta?

Fences, hedges and walls fall under the city's own chapter, Ch. 16.22. Murrieta also has a related rule: Fences, hedges and walls (Ch. 16.22).

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

Murrieta limits each detached accessory structure to 1,000 sq ft, and all together to 40% of the required rear yard.

Can I run a business from my home in Murrieta?

Murrieta home businesses need a city business license, may have at most 1 non-resident employee, and see 1 customer per 2 hours.

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

Murrieta's code: Not allowed on any street except up to 48 hours before or after a recreational trip. (Self-propelled RVs; stricter posted rules still apply.) (§ 10.32.180).

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

Murrieta's code: 1 Level 2 or higher EV charger (EVSE) per enclosed garage. (One- and two-family homes, and multifamily homes with private garages.) (§ 16.44.115); Administrative approval and all required permits once a complete application meets the checklist; this does not cover utility grid connection. (Small residential rooftop solar energy systems.) (§ 15.62.050).

Do I need a permit to remove a tree in Murrieta?

Murrieta's code: No tree removal permit is needed. (Removing or relocating a protected tree as part of a discretionary permit application; all other chapter rules still apply.) (§ 16.42.070); The director may waive any requirement of the chapter. (Trees with little or no ornamental value, not affected by development, or not worth protecting per an arborist, including damaged or diseased trees.) (§ 16.42.100).

General information, not legal advice.

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