San Bernardino County Zoning, Planning & Building Codes

Last reviewed: July 6, 2026

Overview

San Bernardino County regulates land use in the unincorporated areas through the San Bernardino County Development Code, adopted as Title 8 of the County Code. It implements the Countywide General Plan and applies to all development, subdivisions and permits outside incorporated cities. The code is a “permissive” system: only uses the code expressly allows may occur. Building, grading, and related permits are issued only after Development Code requirements are met.

Plain-English rule of thumb: If a use isn’t listed as allowed in your zoning district (or approved by a permit the code provides), it’s prohibited in unincorporated San Bernardino County.

How San Bernardino County’s code is organized

San Bernardino County’s Development Code is structured so you can find both the map-based zoning rules and the countywide standards that apply to most projects:

• Division 2: Land Use Plan, zoning districts, overlays, and what’s allowed by district (Ch. 82.01–82.22). This is the map-to-rules backbone, including tables of allowed uses and development standards.
• Division 3: Countywide development standards (e.g., development standards, parking, landscaping, height). These are referenced from each district’s development standards tables.
• Division 4: Standards for specific uses (e.g., accessory structures, ADUs) that apply in addition to district rules.
• Division 5: Permit application and review procedures (e.g., site plan permits, conditional/minor use permits, variances). See design review workflows in Ch. 85.02–85.10 and the Review Authority table.
• Division 6: Administration, appeals, and enforcement; appeals must be exhausted before judicial review.

The Development Code applies in the unincorporated areas only; the Building Official may issue building/grading permits only after all applicable Development Code and other laws are satisfied.

Zoning district families

Unincorporated San Bernardino County uses a set of primary zoning districts plus overlays. The primary districts established by § 82.01 include:

• Agricultural & Resource Management: AG, RC, FW, OS. For example, AG supports commercial agriculture and related uses; RC supports open space and very large-lot single-family homes; FW is for floodway-compatible uses; OS for open space and recreation.
• Residential: RL (Rural Living), RS (Single Residential), RM (Multiple Residential).
• Commercial: CR (Rural Commercial), CN (Neighborhood Commercial), CO (Office Commercial), CG (General Commercial), CS (Service Commercial), CH (Highway Commercial).
• Industrial and Special Purpose: IC (Community Industrial), IR (Regional Industrial), IN (Institutional), SD (Special Development), SP (Specific Plan).

The code explains each family’s purposes and where they are applied in the General Plan. For example, RL provides rural residential sites with incidental agriculture; RS is for single-family neighborhoods; RM is for multi-unit residential and compatible uses.

Find your base district and overlays via the County Land Use Plan; then use the “Allowed Uses and Permit Requirements” and “Development Standards” tables for your district. See San Bernardino County Zoning and San Bernardino County Land Use.

Citywide development standards

San Bernardino County publishes per-district development standards tables for each of its three planning regions (Valley, Mountain, Desert). The tables set baseline setbacks, height, FAR, lot coverage, and reference countywide standards like parking, landscaping, and signs.

Examples (Desert Region unless noted):

• Residential districts (Table 82-9C):
  • RL: Front 25 ft, street-side 15–25 ft depending on street class, interior sides typically 5 ft/10 ft or 15 ft by lot width; rear 15 ft; 35 ft height; 20% lot coverage.
  • RS: Front 25 ft (a final/parcel map may set no less than 22 ft average), interior sides 5 ft/10 ft; rear 15 ft; 35 ft height; lots ≥20,000 sq ft allow up to 40% coverage (smaller lots: full building envelope subject to setbacks).
  • RM: Front 25 ft, interior sides 5 ft/10 ft; rear 15 ft; 45 ft height; 60% coverage.
• Commercial districts:
  • CG/CS/CH (Desert Region): Typical front 25 ft; interior sides 10 ft; rear 10 ft (when abutting non-commercial/industrial); FAR 0.5/0.3/0.3; height up to 60 ft (district/area dependent); 80% coverage.
  • CR/CN/CO (Mountain Region): Front 15 ft; interior sides 10 ft; rear 10 ft; FAR up to 0.5; 35–60 ft height range; 80% coverage.
• Industrial districts (Valley Region):
  • IC: Front 25 ft; interior sides 10 ft; rear 10 ft; FAR 0.45; 85% coverage; 75 ft height.
  • IR: Front 25 ft; interior sides 10 ft; rear 10 ft; FAR 0.55; 85% coverage; 150 ft height.

Where noted in the tables, see countywide standards in Division 3: height rules and exceptions, landscaping, parking, and signage. Performance standards (noise, glare, etc.) also apply, especially in industrial districts.

Specific plans & overlays

Specific plans are applied as primary districts (SP) and administered through the same permit framework, while community/area plans add tailored standards for identified areas. For example, Oak Hills modifies residential minimums and setbacks within its plan area.

San Bernardino County also maps numerous overlays that layer on top of base zoning to address hazards and resources; overlays control when they conflict with base rules. See Overlay Districts.

• FP Flood Plain Safety Overlay: Applies FEMA flood hazard maps (May 8, 2024), integrates flood review into permits.
• GH Geologic Hazard Overlay: Generally requires 50 ft setbacks from active fault traces for human-occupied structures; 150 ft for critical facilities (e.g., hospitals, fire stations).
• HW Hazardous Waste Overlay: Requires a concurrent General Plan Amendment and Conditional Use Permit, plus Fire Department Special Use Permit and ministerial building permits. Some uses are prohibited (e.g., residential).
• MR Mineral Resources Overlay: Protects mineral extraction areas and treats them as “holding” districts until reclaimed.
• Other mapped overlays include FS Fire Safety, AR Airport Safety, BR Biotic Resources, CP Cultural Resources Preservation (see Historic Preservation for related review), NH Noise Hazard, SC Sign Control, among others listed in Table 82-2.

Building permits & review

At a high level, projects move through these steps under Division 5:

1. Determine whether your proposal is ministerial (staff-level) or discretionary (public hearing). Basic review procedures define public hearings, [staff review with notice] and without notice pathways.
2. Submit a complete application with required materials; incomplete applications may expire if no action occurs for 180 days (extensions possible).
3. Where required, a hearing is conducted and a decision issued by the applicable review authority per Table 85‑1 (e.g., Site Plan Permits under § 85.08, Conditional/Minor Use Permits under § 85.06, Variances under § 85.17, Planned Development Permits under § 85.10). Some projects are processed concurrently and decided by the highest required authority.
4. Post-decision notice is issued within ten days. Time limits/extension rules apply to many approvals. Appeals must be exhausted before judicial review.
5. Only after land-use approvals are in place can the Building Official issue permits under the locally adopted California Building Standards Code.

Enforcement provisions bar permits that conflict with the Development Code and authorize inspections within the unincorporated areas; failure to comply with conditions of approval is unlawful.

State housing law in San Bernardino County

• Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs/JADUs). Local district tables repeatedly note “accessory dwellings as allowed by Chapter 84.36 (Accessory Dwelling Units).” This signals ministerial ADU allowances implemented under state law; check your base district table and California ADU law for state minimums. Examples of ADU references appear in the commercial and industrial standards and the residential tables.
• Density Bonus. The County implements state density bonus through Chapter 83.03 (Affordable Housing Incentives – Density Bonus), referenced in the residential standards notes and in the permit Review Authority table.
• SB 9 (urban lot splits/duplex in single-family zones). Not found in retrieved materials; verify local SB 9 implementation with Land Use Services. State framework applies where eligible. (Not found in retrieved materials.)
• Rent stabilization/just-cause. Not found in the Development Code excerpts; rent regulation, if any, would be outside Title 8. See California housing laws for statewide rules. (Not found in retrieved materials.)
• Nonconforming uses. Existing uses must have been legally established and must comply with nonconforming provisions in Chapter 84.17; expansions or changes trigger current code rules.

Source References

• Title 8 — San Bernardino County Development Code: purpose, applicability, authority, administration (§§ 81.01.010–.050).
• Land Use Plan, zoning districts, and overlays (§§ 82.01.010–.030; Table 82‑1; Table 82‑2).
• Residential, Commercial, Industrial/Special Purpose development standards (selected): Tables 82‑9C, 82‑14A/B, 82‑15B, 82‑19A, 82‑20B.
• Countywide standards references (Div. 3: performance, height, landscaping, parking, signage).
• Overlays of note: FP (§§ 82.14.020–.030), GH (§ 82.15.040), HW (§§ 82.16.020–.030), MR (§ 82.17.010).
• Permit process, review authority, hearings, applications, notices, timing, appeals/enforcement (Div. 5–6; §§ 85.01.030; 85.02.010–.050; 85.03.010–.020; 85.03.110; 85.03.120; 85.06; 85.08; 85.10; 85.17; 86.06; 86.07; 86.08; 86.09).