San Francisco — Setbacks & Yards

Last reviewed: July 6, 2026

Overview

This page distills what the San Francisco Planning Code establishes about setbacks, yards, and permitted obstructions under §§ 130–136, and how they work across San Francisco’s zoning map. These sections set the rules for where buildings must be held back from lot lines, how deep rear yards must be, when side yards are required, and which features are allowed in those open areas. For district-specific use rules, processes, and maps, see the broader San Francisco Planning Code, Use Districts, and Special Use Districts.

The Planning Code measures and requires open areas differently by district: most residential districts must match the block’s established pattern for the front, provide a rear yard equal to a set percentage of lot depth, and in one house district, provide side yards sized by lot width (§§ 132, 133, 134).

How §§ 130–136 fit together

• The “open areas” framework: general rules (§ 130), legislated (mapped) front setbacks (§ 131), front setbacks in RH/RTO/RM districts and for PUDs (§ 132), side yards in the RH‑1(D) district (§ 133), rear yards across many districts (§ 134), usable open space (residential; outside this page’s scope) (§ 135), and permitted obstructions in setbacks/yards/open space (§ 136).
• All required open areas must be on the subject lot, measured at right angles to the lot line; where walls are not parallel to side/rear lines, averaging is allowed but never below minimums of 3 ft (side) and 5 ft (rear) (§ 130(b), (e)).
• No obstruction is allowed in any required open area unless listed in § 136 (§§ 130(f), 131(b), 132(f), 134(e)).

District-by-District: Setback and Yard Rules

RH (Residential, House: RH‑1, RH‑2, RH‑3)

• Purpose/uses: Not found in retrieved materials.
• Front setback: Required and tied to adjacent buildings’ setbacks; maximum required is generally 10 ft (may be 15 ft on specific block faces with deep patterns). Corner lots provide half the adjacent’s setback (§ 132(a)–(d)).
• Rear yard: 30% of lot depth, minimum 15 ft (§ 134(c)(1)). Rear yards must be provided at grade and at each story in RH districts (§ 134(d)(1)).
• Side yards: Only required if the lot is zoned RH‑1(D); otherwise, not set by § 133. Verify with Use Districts.

RH‑1(D) (Residential, House, One-Family, Detached)

• Purpose/uses: Not found in retrieved materials.
• Front setback: Same method as RH (adjacent-based; see above) (§ 132).
• Rear yard: 30% of lot depth, minimum 15 ft (§ 134(c)(1); also provided at each story per § 134(d)(1)).
• Side yards: Required by lot width, with possible trade-offs for buildings ≤25 ft tall:
  • <28 ft lot width: none
  • 28–<31 ft: total equal to lot width minus 25 ft (one side may be ≥3 ft or split into two with one ≥3 ft)
  • 31–<40 ft: two side yards, each 3 ft
  • 40–<50 ft: two side yards, each 4 ft
  • ≥50 ft: two side yards, each 5 ft
  • May reduce a yard >3 ft down to 3 ft if the other side increases by the same amount (≤25 ft tall); common-wall option if the other side provides the combined total (§ 133(a)–(c)).
• Where it applies: Verify on the Use Districts map.

RM (Residential, Mixed: RM‑1, RM‑2, RM‑3, RM‑4)

• Purpose/uses: Not found in retrieved materials.
• Front setback: Required and tied to adjacent buildings (§ 132).
• Rear yard: 30% of lot depth, minimum 15 ft (§ 134(c)(1)).
• Where it applies: Verify with Use Districts.

RTO and RTO‑M (Residential, Transit-Oriented)

• Purpose/uses: Not found in retrieved materials.
• Front setback: Required per adjacent-based rule in § 132; for wide frontages in RTO, the Planning Commission’s Ground Floor Residential Design Guidelines also apply (see Residential Design Guidelines) (§ 132).
• Rear yard: 30% of lot depth, minimum 15 ft (§ 134(c)(1)).
• Side yards: Not required by § 133 (applies only to RH‑1(D)) (table reference confirms “Not Required”) (Table 209.4).

RC (Residential–Commercial)

• Purpose/uses: Not found in retrieved materials.
• Front setback: Not set by § 132 (only RH/RTO/RM). Verify with district controls.
• Rear yard: 25% of lot depth, minimum 15 ft (§ 134(c)(2)).

NC (Neighborhood Commercial; all NC types)

• Purpose/uses: Not found in retrieved materials.
• Front setback: Not set by § 132 (only RH/RTO/RM).
• Rear yard: Generally 25% of lot depth, minimum 15 ft; however, NC‑S districts have no rear yard requirement (§ 134(b), (c)(2)). Some NC types (e.g., NC‑1, NCT‑1, named corridors like Inner Sunset, West Portal Avenue, etc.) must provide the rear yard at grade and at each story (§ 134(d)(1)).
• Special case: Upper Market Street NCT has story-by-story rear yards; ZA may waive/reduce where there’s no established rear yard pattern for non-residential buildings (§ 134(d)(4)).

Mixed Use and Industrial families called out in § 134

• Districts: M, CMUO, MUG, MUO, MUR, RED, RED‑MX, SPD, UMU, WMUG.
• Rear yard: 25% of lot depth, minimum 15 ft unless a Special Use District or Residential Character District supersedes (§ 134(b), (c)(2)).
• Example: The SPD – South Park District applies § 134 with a minimum rear yard of 25% (min 15 ft) and notes front and side yards not required under its table; confirm current district controls (Table 837 citing §§ 130, 134, 136).

Front setbacks in RH/RTO/RM (how they’re calculated)

• Basic rule: Match at least the shallower of the two adjacent front setbacks; if there’s only one adjacent building, provide half of that adjacent’s setback (§ 132(a)). Method measures from the street/alley lot line to the main building wall, excluding projections and obstructions (§ 132(b)).
• Special lots: Corner or alley-intersection lots provide a front setback only on the elected frontage; the required depth is half the adjacent building’s setback (§ 132(c)(1)). Lots abutting properties that front a different street or abutting RC/C/M/P districts ignore those sides (§ 132(c)(2)–(3)).
• Maximum required setback: 10 ft, or 15 ft only where 75%+ of the blockface and both neighbors have 15‑ft setbacks; Bernal Heights SUD may differ (§ 132(d)).
• Landscaping and permeability: At least 20% of the required front setback must be unpaved and planted; at least 50% must be permeable. Specific permitted obstructions (e.g., chimneys, steps, garages in steeply sloping setbacks) are excluded from the area used to calculate planting/permeability (§ 132(g)–(h) referencing § 136(c)(6), (14), (27)).

Rear yards across districts

• Applicability: Applies in the many districts listed in § 134, except NC‑S (no rear yard required) and where an SUD/RCD provides different rules (§ 134(b)).
• Depth:
  • RH, RM‑1, RM‑2, RTO, RTO‑M: 30% of lot depth, min 15 ft (§ 134(c)(1)).
  • All other listed districts: 25% of lot depth, min 15 ft (§ 134(c)(2)).
• Location: In RH/RM/RTO and certain NC corridors (NC‑1, NCT‑1, Inner Sunset, 24th Street-Noe Valley, etc.), rear yards must be provided at grade and at every story (§ 134(d)(1)). In Upper Market Street NCT, ZA may waive/reduce rear yards for certain non-residential buildings with no adjacent pattern (§ 134(d)(4)).
• Two buildings on through or corner lots (select RH/RM/RTO districts): A central rear yard can serve both buildings; generally not less than 30% of lot depth or 15 ft. May be reduced to 20% solely for construction of an ADU under a regulatory agreement (§ 134(f); see San Francisco ADUs).

Legislated setbacks and general measurement

• Legislated (mapped) front setback lines along certain streets/alleys remain in effect; permitted obstructions within them are those allowed by §§ 132 and 136. Where these conflict with § 132’s calculated front setback, the more restrictive applies (§ 131).
• General measurement rules: required open areas extend the full relevant lot dimension; owners of lots abutting two or more streets may elect the front lot line for yard/setback purposes (§ 130(b)–(d)).

Permitted obstructions in setbacks and yards (high‑value examples)

• Over streets/alleys and in setbacks/yards/open space, only § 136‑listed features are allowed; all others are prohibited (§ 136(a)–(b)).
• Architectural projections (eaves, cornices, fins): Up to 4 ft into setbacks/yards; must leave at least 7.5 ft vertical clearance where over public way (§ 136(c)(1)).
• Bay windows/balconies: Generally up to 3 ft into required open areas, with additional limits over streets/alleys; subject to aggregate width limits in yards (§ 136(c)(2)–(3)).
• Steps and stairways: Allowed subject to height and projection constraints; used to justify access bridges on steep down‑sloping lots when sized no larger than necessary (§ 136(c)(14); interpretation)
• Fences and garden features:
  • Front setbacks: fences generally limited (interpretation allows limited screening for garbage receptacles) (§ 136(c)(17), interpretation).
  • Yards: “Normal outdoor recreational features,” small greenhouses/tool sheds up to 8 ft tall and 100 sf are allowed; more than one may be allowed if contiguous and still within 100 sf total (interpretations of § 136(c)(20)–(23)).
• Vehicles: No parking or storage in required front setbacks or rear yards except as specifically allowed by § 136 (see §§ 132(f), 134(e)).

At‑a‑Glance Standards

Checklist

• Confirm your lot’s zoning and any overlays on the City map (then return to §§ 130–136 to apply the standards) via San Francisco Use Districts.
• Check for a legislated front setback line along your frontage (§ 131).
• Calculate the required front setback if in an RH, RTO, or RM district (§ 132).
• Determine your required rear yard depth and whether it must be provided at each story (§ 134(c)–(d)).
• If you are in RH‑1(D), size side yards by lot width and consider the ≤25‑ft‑height trade‑off (§ 133).
• Verify that proposed features in any required open area are listed as permitted obstructions in § 136 (and meet the numeric limits).
• For front setbacks, design to meet the ≥20% landscaping and ≥50% permeability thresholds (§ 132(g)–(h)).
• If proposing an ADU on a through/corner lot arrangement, assess whether § 134(f) allows a reduced central rear yard; coordinate early with Permits & Inspections.

Risks & Ambiguities

Plain-English Summary

In most San Francisco neighborhoods, houses and apartments must sit behind a front setback that lines up with the block, keep a clear rear yard sized as a percentage of lot depth, and (only in RH‑1(D)) provide side yards based on lot width. You can put small features like steps, bay windows, or garden sheds in these open areas only if § 136 allows them, and front setbacks need landscaping and permeable area. Always check if a legislated (mapped) setback applies and whether a special district overrides the default rules.

Source References

• San Francisco Planning Code — Open Areas: § 130 (General), § 131 (Legislated setback lines), § 132 (Front setbacks in RTO, RH, RM; landscaping/permeability), § 133 (Side yards, RH‑1(D)), § 134 (Rear yards; lot coverage in C), § 136 (Permitted obstructions) — see headings and text excerpts.
• Key numerical limits and examples for obstructions (architectural projections, bay windows/balconies) (§ 136(c)(1)–(3)).
• Interpretations informing implementation (front setback wall counting/averaging; small garden structures; stair/bridge access; RH‑1(D) trade‑offs).
• Related pages for broader context: San Francisco zoning & planning overview, San Francisco Use Districts, San Francisco Height & Bulk, San Francisco Special Use Districts, San Francisco ADUs, San Francisco Permits & Inspections.

Retrieved passages

• San Francisco Zoning Code (Section 136) High relevance show source text
• CBC § 136 (Section states) High relevance show source text
• CBC § 102 (Section header) High relevance show source text
• San Francisco Zoning Code (Section 136) High relevance show source text
• CBC § 102 (Section 102) High relevance show source text
• San Francisco Zoning Code (Section 136) High relevance show source text
• San Francisco Zoning Code (Section 102) High relevance show source text
• San Francisco Zoning Code High relevance show source text
• San Francisco Zoning Code (Section 304) High relevance show source text
• San Francisco Zoning Code (Section 136) High relevance show source text
• San Francisco Zoning Code (Section 136.) Medium relevance show source text
• San Francisco Zoning Code (Section 136) Medium relevance show source text

Cited sections

• San Francisco Planning Code — Open Areas: § 130 (General), § 131 (Legislated setback lines), § 132 (Front setbacks in RTO, RH, RM; landscaping/permeability), § 133 (Side yards, RH‑1(D)), § 134 (Rear yards; lot coverage in C), § 136 (Permitted obstructions) — see headings and text excerpts. (§ 130)
• Key numerical limits and examples for obstructions (architectural projections, bay windows/balconies) (§ 136(c)(1)–(3)). (§ 136)
• Interpretations informing implementation (front setback wall counting/averaging; small garden structures; stair/bridge access; RH‑1(D) trade‑offs).
• Related pages for broader context: San Francisco zoning & planning overview, San Francisco Use Districts, San Francisco Height & Bulk, San Francisco Special Use Districts, San Francisco ADUs, San Francisco Permits & Inspections.
• SF Planning Code.md