Salinas · Building on your lot

Building on your lot in Salinas

Salinas sets its own limits on fence heights, accessory structures and home businesses in residential districts, and fast-tracks rooftop solar permits. Fence height depends on the yard and, in corner side yards, on the setback.

Ask about building on your lot in Salinas See coverage

Key points

Front fences: Fences in residential and agricultural front yards are limited to 3 feet, measured from the top of the nearest street curb.
Side and rear: Interior side and rear fences are limited to 8 feet; in corner side yards, 3 feet within 10 feet of the line, otherwise 8.
Accessory structures: Accessory structures in R districts are limited to 12 feet, or 15 feet with a pitched roof.
Home businesses: Home businesses need a permit, may use at most 25% of floor area, and generally allow no customers and only resident workers.
Home instruction: Home instruction is limited to 2 students per hour and 6 per day, or 5 and 35 with conditional use approval.
Rooftop solar: Complete rooftop solar applications meeting the checklist get permits within 3 business days, and inspections are scheduled within 2 business days.

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

Fences and walls

Salinas code What Salinas's code adds
Corner visibility	Entryway arbors may not be in an area of unrestricted visibility. Applies: Entryway arbors in front or corner side yards. § 37-50.090 · code text No entryway arbor shall be located in an area of unrestricted visibility pursuant to Section 37-50.460: Driveway and corner visibility. A pedestrian gate may be taller than the front fence, up to 48 inches, only outside visibility areas. Applies: See-through pedestrian gates up to 5 feet wide in front or corner side yards. § 37-50.090 · code text if constructed of nonsight-obscuring material consistent with the fence or entryway arbor material and not located in an area of unrestricted visibility pursuant to Section 37-50.460: Driveway and corner visibility. 3 feet max within 10 feet of corner side line; 8 feet max when set back at least 10 feet. Applies: Required corner side yards in residential and agricultural districts; never in the corner visibility area; some decorative and noise-wall exceptions. § 37-50.090 · code text (i) Within ten feet of a corner side property line: three feet, or (ii) If setback a minimum of ten feet from the corner side yard property line: eight feet. Such a fence, wall, or hedge may extend along the corner side yard portion of the lot as well as the length of the house until the fence, wall, or hedge meets the required front yard setback. At no time shall such fence, wall, or hedge encroach into any area of unrestricted visibility as specified in Section 37-50.460: Driveway and corner visibility;
Front yard height	No more than 3 feet. Applies: Front yards in residential and agricultural districts. § 37-50.090 · code text (A) Front yards: three feet; No more than 3 feet high. Applies: Required front yards in residential and agricultural districts, measured from the top of the nearest curb; some decorative features may be taller. § 37-50.090 · code text Front yards: three feet;
Side and rear yard height	No more than 8 feet high. Applies: Required interior side or rear yards in residential and agricultural districts; approved noise mitigation may allow more height. § 37-50.090 · code text Interior side or rear yards: eight feet.

Sheds, garages and other accessory structures

Salinas code What Salinas's code adds
Maximum height	No more than 12 feet. Applies: Residential accessory structures in R districts, unless this section says otherwise. Pitched roofs may reach 15 feet. § 37-50.010 · code text Except as otherwise provided for in this section, the maximum height of a residential accessory structure shall be twelve feet, subject to the provisions of this subsection, provided that pitched roofs shall not exceed a height of fifteen feet. Pitched roofs no higher than 15 feet. Applies: Residential accessory structures in R districts. § 37-50.010 · code text Except as otherwise provided for in this section, the maximum height of a residential accessory structure shall be twelve feet, subject to the provisions of this subsection, provided that pitched roofs shall not exceed a height of fifteen feet. Exterior walls no higher than 8 feet. Applies: Accessory structures approved for a taller roof in the area of historic and architectural merit. § 37-50.010 · code text The exterior walls of the accessory structure do not exceed a maximum of eight feet in height;

Running a business from home

Salinas code What Salinas's code adds
Space used	No more than 25% of the home's floor area. Applies: The business must be entirely inside the home, unless the code provides otherwise; live-work units are excluded. § 37-50.100 · code text A home occupation shall be conducted entirely within a dwelling unit and shall occupy no more than twenty-five percent of the floor area except as provided for elsewhere in this section.
Customer visits	No customers, clients or students may come to the home. Applies: General home businesses; qualifying teaching services and single-practitioner fortunetelling are excepted. § 37-50.100 · code text No customers, clients, or students shall come to the home in conjunction with the home occupation except as provided for elsewhere in this section. At most 2 clients or students per hour and 6 per day. Applies: Teaching services with a home occupation permit; guardians are not counted; higher limits need a conditional use permit. § 37-50.100 · code text There shall be no more than a maximum of two clients/students (excluding guardians) per hour and a maximum of six clients/students per day; At most 5 clients or students per hour and 35 per day. Applies: Teaching services with a conditional use permit; guardians not counted; needs collector/arterial access, guardians present, 300-foot separation, 15-minute class gaps. § 37-50.100 · code text Home occupations involving instructional and educational services with a maximum of five clients/students per hour (excluding guardians) and thirty-five clients/students per day may be considered as a conditional use permit in lieu of a home occupation permit. At most 3 client visits per day, 1 at a time, each no longer than 60 minutes. Applies: Fortunetelling by 1 practitioner; by appointment only, 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. § 37-50.100 · code text There shall be no more than a maximum of three client/customer visitations per day, one at a time for no more than sixty minutes each;
Employees	Only residents of the home may work on site or report to work there. § 37-50.100 · code text A home occupation may be granted only to a resident of the dwelling unit and no one other than a resident of the dwelling unit shall be employed on-site or report to work at the site in the conduct of a home occupation.
Permit	A home occupation permit is required. Applies: Applies to home businesses, not live-work units; qualifying teaching uses may use a conditional use permit instead. § 37-50.100 · code text A home occupation permit (see Article VI, Division 4: Administrative Permits) obtained from community planning and development shall be required to operate any home occupation.
Businesses not allowed	on-site vehicle repair; beauty or barbershop; food preparation; boarding or training of animals § 37-50.100 · code text No on-site vehicle repair, beauty or barbershop, food preparation, or boarding or training of animals shall be permitted.

Solar panels and EV chargers

Salinas code What Salinas's code adds
Solar permit process	Administrative, nondiscretionary review; the permit is issued when a complete application meets the checklist and standard plan; 1 inspection. Applies: Applies to small residential rooftop solar systems. § 9-15.230 · code text The building official shall issue the permit within three business days of receipt of a complete standard or electronic application that meets the requirements of the approved checklist and standard plan. No permit is needed for routine operation and maintenance or like-kind replacements. Applies: Applies to routine operation, maintenance and like-kind replacements only. § 9-15.215 · code text Routine operation and maintenance or like-kind replacements shall not require a permit. The inspection is scheduled within 2 business days of a request. Applies: Small residential rooftop solar eligible for expedited review; repeat visits after a failed inspection are excepted. § 9-15.230 · code text An inspection will be scheduled within two business days of a request.
Review time	The permit is issued within 3 business days. Applies: A complete standard or electronic application that meets the approved checklist and standard plan. § 9-15.230 · code text The building official shall issue the permit within three business days of receipt of a complete standard or electronic application that meets the requirements of the approved checklist and standard plan.

Other Salinas rules on this

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

No livestock in the city (§ 7-21)
Parking and storing RVs and boats (§ 37-50.190)

Who this affects

HomeownersContractorsDesigners

Frequently asked questions

How tall can a fence be in Salinas?

Fences in residential and agricultural front yards are limited to 3 feet, measured from the top of the nearest street curb. Interior side and rear fences are limited to 8 feet; in corner side yards, 3 feet within 10 feet of the line, otherwise 8.

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

Accessory structures in R districts are limited to 12 feet, or 15 feet with a pitched roof.

Can I run a business from my home in Salinas?

Home businesses need a permit, may use at most 25% of floor area, and generally allow no customers and only resident workers. Home instruction is limited to 2 students per hour and 6 per day, or 5 and 35 with conditional use approval.

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

Complete rooftop solar applications meeting the checklist get permits within 3 business days, and inspections are scheduled within 2 business days.

General information, not legal advice.

Ask about a specific Salinas property

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

Ask your question

More on Salinas

Salinas Municipal Code — full text

Renting & eviction in Salinas

Buying & selling in Salinas

Salinas overview