Plumas County · Building on your lot

Building on your lot in Plumas County

In unincorporated Plumas County, the county code sets fence heights and permit needs, with a 4-foot limit within 10 feet of the front property line in the 2-R, 3-R, 7-R and M-R zones. These county rules apply only in unincorporated areas.

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Key points

Fence heights: Outside industrial zones, fences are limited to 8 feet; fences over 7 feet need a building permit and must meet yard requirements.
Fire-zone spacing: State Responsibility Area, 1 acre or more: fire-resistant detached accessory buildings inside the 30-foot setback must be 20 feet from other buildings.

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

Plumas County's code applies in the unincorporated areas of the county. Cities in Plumas County have their own codes and their own pages.

Fences and walls

Plumas County code What Plumas County's code adds
Height anywhere on the lot	Fences up to 7 feet high may go anywhere without a building permit. Applies: All zones, except within 10 feet of a front property line in the 2-R, 3-R, 7-R or M-R zones. § 9-2.407 · code text Fences not over seven (7') feet in height may be built anywhere on a property in all zones, except as modified in (c) below. Up to 8 feet high. Applies: Outside industrial zones. Fences over 7 feet need a building permit and must meet yard rules. § 9-2.407 · code text Fences not over eight (8') feet in height not in an industrial zone may be built subject to the yard requirements.
Front yard height	No more than 4 feet high. Applies: Within 10 feet of a front property line on lots zoned 2-R, 3-R, 7-R or M-R. § 9-2.407 · code text Fences within ten (10') feet of a front property line shall be no more than four (4') feet in height on parcels zoned 2-R, 3-R, 7-R, or M-R.
Permit	Yes. A building permit is required for fences over 7 feet high. Applies: All zones. Yard rules must also be met. § 9-2.407 · code text Fences over seven (7') feet in height require that a building permit be obtained and yard requirements be met.

Sheds, garages and other accessory structures

Plumas County code What Plumas County's code adds
Distance from the house	At least 20 feet from any other building. Applies: State fire zone lots of 1 acre or more: fire-resistant detached accessory buildings inside the 30-foot setback. § 9-2.419 · code text A detached accessory building may be located within the thirty-foot setback when it is constructed using non-combustible or fire resistant materials, meeting the standards of Sections 704A and 705A Ignition-Resistant Construction, Materials and Construction Methods for Exterior Wildfire Exposure, 2013 California Building Code and is located not closer than twenty (20') feet to another building.

Pets, chickens and bees

Plumas County code What Plumas County's code adds
Chickens	Yes; at most 6 chickens per legal parcel. Applies: Single-family residential zones; only on a lot with a single-family home and a fenced rear yard. § 9-2.4304 · code text In the Single-Family Residential Zones, a maximum of six (6) chickens shall be permitted per legal parcel. Yes; at most 12 chickens. Applies: Single-family residential zones; parcels at least twice the zone's minimum lot area. § 9-2.4304 · code text The maximum chickens allowed on any parcel in the Single-Family Residential Zone may be increased to twelve (12) on parcels twice or more the minimum lot area of the zoning.
Coop setback	At least 10 feet from any property line or 20 feet from the nearest neighboring home, whichever is greater. Applies: Side and rear yards. § 9-2.4305 · code text The coop and run must be located at least twenty (20') feet from the nearest adjoining residence or ten (10') feet from any property line, whichever is greater. Coop and run on the rear part, opposite the street-access side, at least 25 feet from the other front line. Applies: Parcels with street frontage on 2 sides. § 9-2.4305 · code text For parcels that have a frontage on two (2) sides, the coop and run shall be located on the rear portion of the property that is opposite the side providing street access, with the remaining front having a minimum front yard setback of twenty-five (25') feet from the property line.
Permit	A building permit is required. Applies: Electrical power supplied to a chicken coop. § 9-2.4305 · code text Electrical power supplied to a chicken coop shall be installed under an appropriate building permit.

Who this affects

HomeownersContractorsDesigners

Frequently asked questions

How tall can a fence be in Plumas County?

Outside industrial zones, fences are limited to 8 feet; fences over 7 feet need a building permit and must meet yard requirements.

How big can a shed or accessory building be in Plumas County?

State Responsibility Area, 1 acre or more: fire-resistant detached accessory buildings inside the 30-foot setback must be 20 feet from other buildings.

Can I keep chickens or bees at my home in Plumas County?

Plumas County's code: Yes; at most 6 chickens per legal parcel. (Single-family residential zones; only on a lot with a single-family home and a fenced rear yard.) (§ 9-2.4304); Yes; at most 12 chickens. (Single-family residential zones; parcels at least twice the zone's minimum lot area.) (§ 9-2.4304).

General information, not legal advice.

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More on Plumas County

Plumas County Municipal Code — full text

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Buying & selling in Plumas County

Plumas County overview