Richmond · Building on your lot

Building on your lot in Richmond

Richmond sets its own limits on fences, accessory structures, pools and home businesses in residential districts. Fence height depends on the yard, every fence needs Zoning Conformance approval, and taller fences need Zoning Administrator approval.

Ask about building on your lot in Richmond See coverage

Key points

Front fences: Residential front fences are limited to 4 feet, or 6 feet with approval if the part above 4 feet is at most 50% solid.
Side and rear: Residential side and rear fences are limited to 6 feet, or 8 feet with Zoning Administrator approval in some locations.
Accessory structures: Residential accessory structures are limited to 14 feet and set back 5 feet from property lines, unless at most 9½ feet within the setback.
Pools: Pools need a safety cover or drowning prevention feature and must be at least 15 feet from street side lines, 5 from interior lines.
Home businesses: Home businesses need zoning compliance review and may have at most 1 nonresident employee or contractor on site; normal-level customer visits are allowed.
Rooftop solar: Complete small rooftop solar applications meeting the checklist get permits in 3 business days, with inspections within 2 business days of request.

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

Fences and walls

Richmond code What Richmond's code adds
Corner visibility	Within the sight triangle, at most 42 inches; any part over 42 inches may not be more than 50% opaque. Applies: Applies in residential zones at sight-triangle locations. § 15.04.601.060 · code text b. Sight Triangle. No fence that is a visual obstruction may be constructed or maintained within the sight triangle (see Section 15.04.601.160). A fence shall be deemed to be a visual obstruction if any part of it over 42 inches high has opacity in excess of 50 percent. D. Maximum Fencing Height in Residential Zone Districts. Fence height in Residential zoning districts shall be limited by its location as specified below in Table 15.04.601.060-D. TABLE 15.04.601.060-D: ALLOWABLE FENCE HEIGHTS \| Location of Fence \| Maximum Basic Height \| Maximum Height Exceptions \| Notes \| \| --- \| --- \| --- \| --- \| \| Front yard \| 4 feet \| 6 feet if non-view-obscuring (not in excess of 50% opacity) above 4 feet \| Front yard fences above 4 feet in height require the approval of the Zoning Administrator. \| \| Side yard \| 6 feet \| 8 feet \| The maximum height exception may be allowed only if both abutting residential structures have at least 10-foot side yard setbacks, or if a residential lot abuts a mixed use, commercial or industrial use, subject to approval by the Zoning Administrator. \| \| Rear yard \| 6 feet \| 8 feet \| The maximum height exception may be allowed only when a rear yard abuts an interior side yard, subject to approval by the Zoning Administrator. \| \| Within the sight triangle \| 42 inches \| None \| \|
Front yard height	No more than 4 feet tall. Applies: Front yards in residential zoning districts. § 15.04.601.060 · code text Front yard \| 4 feet \| 6 feet if non-view-obscuring (not in excess of 50% opacity) above 4 feet Up to 6 feet tall. Applies: Front yards in residential districts, if the part above 4 feet is no more than 50% solid; Zoning Administrator approval needed. § 15.04.601.060 · code text Front yard \| 4 feet \| 6 feet if non-view-obscuring (not in excess of 50% opacity) above 4 feet
Side and rear yard height	No more than 6 feet tall. Applies: Side yards in residential zoning districts. § 15.04.601.060 · code text Side yard \| 6 feet \| 8 feet \| The maximum height exception may be allowed only if both abutting residential structures have at least 10-foot side yard setbacks, or if a residential lot abuts a mixed use, commercial or industrial use, subject to approval by the Zoning Administrator. Up to 8 feet tall, with approval. Applies: Residential side yards where both neighboring homes have side setbacks of at least 10 feet, or next to mixed use, commercial or industrial uses. § 15.04.601.060 · code text Side yard \| 6 feet \| 8 feet \| The maximum height exception may be allowed only if both abutting residential structures have at least 10-foot side yard setbacks, or if a residential lot abuts a mixed use, commercial or industrial use, subject to approval by the Zoning Administrator. No more than 6 feet tall. Applies: Rear yards in residential zoning districts. § 15.04.601.060 · code text Rear yard \| 6 feet \| 8 feet \| The maximum height exception may be allowed only when a rear yard abuts an interior side yard, subject to approval by the Zoning Administrator. Up to 8 feet tall, with approval. Applies: Residential rear yards that border a neighbor's interior side yard. § 15.04.601.060 · code text Rear yard \| 6 feet \| 8 feet \| The maximum height exception may be allowed only when a rear yard abuts an interior side yard, subject to approval by the Zoning Administrator. At most 6 feet in residential side yards. Applies: Up to 8 feet with Zoning Administrator approval if both homes have at least 10-foot side setbacks, or lot abuts mixed-use, commercial or industrial use. § 15.04.601.060 · code text Side yard \| 6 feet \| 8 feet 6 feet in residential rear yards. Applies: Up to 8 feet where the rear yard abuts an interior side yard and the Zoning Administrator approves. § 15.04.601.060 · code text Rear yard \| 6 feet \| 8 feet
Permit	All fences need Zoning Conformance approval; fences over 6 feet also need a building permit. § 15.04.601.060 · code text All fences require Zoning Conformance approval by the Zoning Administrator. Any fence over six feet in height requires a building permit.

Sheds, garages and other accessory structures

Richmond code What Richmond's code adds
Maximum height	No more than 14 feet high. Applies: Applies in residential districts. § 15.04.601.010 · code text In residential districts, the maximum allowable height for accessory structures shall be 14 feet.
Size or lot coverage	Accessory structures may be no wider than 80% of the rear yard's average width. § 15.04.601.010 · code text The width of accessory structures shall not exceed 80 percent of the average width of the rear yard. May cover no more than 50% of the required rear yard setback area. Applies: Applies to structures open on 3 sides, like covered patios, gazebos or pergolas, in the required rear yard. § 15.04.601.010 · code text Accessory structures, such as covered patios, gazebos, or pergolas, that are open on three sides, may encroach into a required rear yard as long as such encroachment does not exceed 50 percent of the area of the required rear yard setback.
Side and rear setback	At least 5 feet from property lines and public rights-of-way. Applies: May be on a side or rear line if nothing over 9½ feet tall is in the setback; not with ADUs. § 15.04.601.010 · code text An accessory structure shall be no closer than five feet to a main building or less than five feet from any public right-of-way and property line.
Distance from the house	At least 5 feet from the main building. Applies: Detached accessory structures; may be zero on lots sloping 25% or more under the front-yard exception. § 15.04.601.010 · code text An accessory structure shall be no closer than five feet to a main building or less than five feet from any public right-of-way and property line. Separation from the main building may be zero. Applies: Residential lots sloping 25% or more; structure in the front yard with every part at least 5 feet from the front line. § 15.04.601.010 · code text When located on a lot having a slope of 25 percent or more, an accessory structure may be located in the required front yard, provided every portion is located at least five feet from the front line, and the distance between it and the main building may be reduced to zero;

Running a business from home

Richmond code What Richmond's code adds
Customer visits	Customer and client visits are allowed. Applies: If foot and car traffic stays at what is normal for the zoning district. § 15.04.610.230 · code text Customer and client visits are permitted, provided the home occupation does not generate pedestrian or vehicular traffic in excess of that customarily associated with the zoning district in which the use is located.
Employees	At most 1 nonresident employee or contractor working at or reporting to the home. Applies: Residential or mixed-use districts; employees of licensed child-care facilities are excepted. § 15.04.610.230 · code text No more than one person other than resident(s) of the dwelling shall be employed on-site or report to work at the site of the home occupation, except for other employees of licensed child care facilities.
Permit	A zoning compliance review is required. Applies: Home occupations in a home, garage or accessory building in residential or mixed-use districts. § 15.04.610.230 · code text An application for zoning compliance review must be filed in accordance with the provisions of Article 15.04.804.
Businesses not allowed	business of distributing, transporting, or delivery of medical cannabis or medical cannabis products from the home § 15.04.610.230 · code text The business of distributing, transporting, or delivery of medical cannabis or medical cannabis products from the home is not an allowable home occupation.

Solar panels and EV chargers

Richmond code Complete small rooftop solar applications meeting the checklist get permits in 3 business days, with inspections within 2 business days of request.

All 5 Richmond rules on solar panels and ev chargers, with the code text and the state law underneath →

Swimming pools

Richmond code What Richmond's code adds
Pool barrier	An approved safety pool cover or another drowning prevention feature is required. Applies: Applies to all pools. § 15.04.601.140 · code text All pools must be equipped with an approved safety pool cover meeting the standards of the American Society for Testing and Materials or have another drowning prevention safety feature, as required by the California Health and Safety Code.
Equipment and alarms	Filter equipment and pumps must be at least 15 feet from the main building on a neighboring lot. Applies: Pool and spa filter equipment and pumps; not allowed in front or street side yards. § 15.04.601.140 · code text Swimming pool or spa filtration equipment and pumps shall not be located in the front or street side yard and cannot be closer than 15 feet to the main building on an adjoining lot.
Setback from property lines	At least 15 feet from street side lot lines. Applies: Applies to street side lot lines. § 15.04.601.140 · code text The outside wall of the water-containing portion of any swimming pool or spa must be a minimum of 15 feet from street side lot lines, five feet from all interior lot lines, and five feet from the residence and any accessory dwelling unit on the site. At least 5 feet from interior lot lines. Applies: Applies to interior lot lines. § 15.04.601.140 · code text The outside wall of the water-containing portion of any swimming pool or spa must be a minimum of 15 feet from street side lot lines, five feet from all interior lot lines, and five feet from the residence and any accessory dwelling unit on the site.

Other Richmond rules on this

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

Pens, barns and pigeons at home (Ch. 9.24)
Animal keeping on residential lots (§ 15.04.610.070)

Who this affects

HomeownersContractorsDesigners

Frequently asked questions

How tall can a fence be in Richmond?

Residential front fences are limited to 4 feet, or 6 feet with approval if the part above 4 feet is at most 50% solid. Residential side and rear fences are limited to 6 feet, or 8 feet with Zoning Administrator approval in some locations.

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

Residential accessory structures are limited to 14 feet and set back 5 feet from property lines, unless at most 9½ feet within the setback.

Can I run a business from my home in Richmond?

Home businesses need zoning compliance review and may have at most 1 nonresident employee or contractor on site; normal-level customer visits are allowed.

What are the pool fence and setback rules in Richmond?

Pools need a safety cover or drowning prevention feature and must be at least 15 feet from street side lines, 5 from interior lines.

General information, not legal advice.

Ask about a specific Richmond property

Ask GoCodebook how these rules apply to your address and get an answer that cites the section.

Ask your question

More on Richmond

Richmond Municipal Code — full text

Renting & eviction in Richmond

Buying & selling in Richmond

Richmond overview