San Joaquin County · Building on your lot

Building on your lot in San Joaquin County

San Joaquin County's code applies only in unincorporated areas of the county. There, it limits accessory buildings and open patio structures near rear and side lot lines and sets rules on home businesses, including workers, traffic and banned business types.

Ask about building on your lot in San Joaquin County See coverage

Key points

Near lot lines: County rule: a single-story accessory building in a lot's rear 1/3 may be within 3 feet of rear or interior side lot lines.
Conditions: County rule: such a building must be at most 18 feet high, at least 10 feet from neighbors' homes, and not an ADU.
Patios, gazebos: County rule: covered patios, gazebos and pergolas open on 3 sides may cover at most 50% of required interior side or rear setbacks.
Workers: County rule: a home business may have no more than 1 person other than the residents working on site, including independent contractors.
Traffic: County rule: a home business is allowed if its foot or vehicle traffic is no more than usual for the zone.
Banned businesses: County rule: banned on-site home businesses include restaurants, medical or dental offices, gyms, welding shops, bed and breakfasts, and cannabis delivery.

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

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

Sheds, garages and other accessory structures

San Joaquin County code What San Joaquin County's code adds
Maximum height	No more than 18 feet high. Applies: Single-story accessory buildings in the rear 1/3 of a lot, within 3 feet of the rear or interior side lot line. § 9-400.010 · code text Does not exceed 18 feet in height;
Size or lot coverage	No more than 50% of the required setback area. Applies: Covered patios, gazebos, pergolas and similar structures open on 3 sides that extend into a required interior side or rear setback. § 9-400.010 · code text Accessory structures, such as covered patios, gazebos, or pergolas, that are open on three sides, may encroach into a required interior side and rear setback, as long as such encroachment does not exceed 50 percent of the area of the required setback.
Side and rear setback	May be within 3 feet of the rear or interior side lot line. Applies: Single-story buildings in the rear 1/3 of a lot, at least 10 feet from neighbors' homes, at most 18 feet high, not ADUs. § 9-400.010 · code text Single-story accessory buildings that are located in the rear one-third of a lot may be located within three feet of the rear or interior side lot line, provided that the single-story accessory building is:

Running a business from home

San Joaquin County code What San Joaquin County's code adds
Customer visits	No more than 8 customer visits per day. Applies: Shoe repair: visits to drop off or pick up items. § 9-409.270 · code text Shoe repair, provided there are no more than eight customer visits per day to drop off or pick up such items and no sales of any kind are permitted. Allowed, if foot or vehicle traffic is no more than usual for the zone. § 9-409.270 · 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 zone in which the use is located.
Employees	No more than 1 person other than the residents. Applies: People employed on site or reporting to work at the site, including independent contractors working on site. § 9-409.270 · code text No more than one person other than the resident(s) of the dwelling shall be employed on-site or report to work at the site of the home occupation.
Permit	An Administrative Use Permit is required. Applies: Taxi, limousine or on-demand transportation services with more than 1 service vehicle parked at or near the home. § 9-409.270 · code text An Administrative Use Permit shall be required to have more than one vehicle associated with this service parked at or near the residence where this home occupation is located.
Businesses not allowed	ambulance or hearse service; ammunition reloading; any business distributing, transporting, or delivering commercial cannabis or commercial cannabis products; bed and breakfast lodging; ceramics using a kiln of six cubic feet or more in size; gym, dance, or exercise studio; large household appliance repair or reconditioning; mortician; medical or dental office; private club; shop for repair, storage, or reconditioning of boats, cars, trucks, and recreational vehicles; restaurants; retail sales except artist's, artisan's, and photographer's original work; towing yard; veterinary uses; and welding shop Applies: On-site home occupations § 9-409.270 · code text The following are expressly prohibited for on-site home occupations: ambulance or hearse service; ammunition reloading; any business distributing, transporting, or delivering commercial cannabis or commercial cannabis products; bed and breakfast lodging; ceramics using a kiln of six cubic feet or more in size; , gym, dance, or exercise studio; large household appliance repair or reconditioning; mortician; medical or dental office; private club; shop for repair, storage, or reconditioning of boats, cars, trucks, and recreational vehicles; restaurants; retail sales except artist's, artisan's, and photographer's original work; towing yard; veterinary uses; and welding shop.

Solar panels and EV chargers

San Joaquin County code What San Joaquin County's code adds
EV charger permit	Expedited permits: submit an application and checklist on Department forms with any required fee. § 8-3004 · code text The applicant shall submit a permit application and checklist on forms provided by the Department along with any required fee. The Department shall review the application and checklist to determine whether it is complete and eligible for expedited permitting. Electronic filing and electronic signatures are accepted. § 8-3004 · code text The Department shall allow for electronic submittal of permit applications covered by this Ordinance. In accepting such permit applications, the Department shall also accept electronic signatures on all forms, applications, and other documentation in lieu of a wet signature by the applicant. No discretionary use permit is required. § 8-3005 · code text The Department shall confirm information provided in the application and checklist is consistent with all applicable laws and health and safety standards and shall not require any discretionary use permit.
Solar height and setbacks	Up to 5 feet above the zone's height limit. Applies: Small residential rooftop solar systems on single-unit lots. § 9-400.060 · code text A small residential rooftop solar energy system may extend up to five feet above the height limit in the zone in which it is located. Up to 7 feet above the zone's height limit. Applies: Solar water or pool heating systems on single-unit lots. § 9-400.060 · code text Solar water or swimming pool heating systems may extend up to seven feet above the height limit in the zone in which it is located. Up to 5 feet above the roof surface, even if this exceeds the zone's height limit. Applies: Small residential rooftop solar systems on all other lots. § 9-400.060 · code text A small residential rooftop solar energy system may extend up to five feet above the roof surface on which they are installed, even if this exceeds the maximum height limit in the zone in which it is located. Up to 7 feet above the roof surface, even if this exceeds the zone's height limit. Applies: Solar water or pool heating systems on all other lots. § 9-400.060 · code text Solar water or swimming pool heating systems may extend up to seven feet above the roof surface on which they are installed even if this exceeds the maximum height limit in the zone in which it is located. Equipment other than collector panels may be in side or rear setbacks, at least 3 feet from any lot line. Applies: Small residential rooftop solar energy systems. § 9-400.060 · code text Excluding solar collector panels, solar energy system equipment may be installed within a required side and rear setback, but must not be closer than three feet to any lot line.
Solar permit process	Expedited administrative review; only a Zoning Compliance Review is needed, with checklist-based processing. Applies: Approved administratively unless specific adverse impacts are found. § 9-400.060 · code text After receipt of a complete application, only a Zoning Compliance Review is required for issuance of a building permit, and the building permitting process shall be streamlined with use of checklists to determine compliance with standards and eligibility for expedited review. Electronic filing and electronic signatures are allowed. Applies: Where available resources allow it. § 8-2002 · code text As allowed by available resources, the Department shall allow for electronic submittal of a permit application and associated documentation and shall allow electronic signature in lieu of a wet signature.

Swimming pools

San Joaquin County code What San Joaquin County's code adds
Equipment and alarms	Not in the front or street-side yard; at least 30 inches from side and rear lot lines. Applies: Pool or spa filtration equipment and pumps. § 9-400.070 · code text Swimming pool or spa filtration equipment and pumps shall not be in the front or street side yard and cannot be closer than 30 inches to side and rear lot lines.
Setback from property lines	At least 3 feet. Applies: From side and rear lot lines, measured to the outside wall of the pool or spa. § 9-400.070 · code text The outside wall of the water-containing portion of any swimming pool or spa must be a minimum of three feet from side and rear lot lines.

Other San Joaquin County rules on this

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

Keeping animals at home (§ 9-409.070)
Two homes on one lot (SB 9) (§ 9-200.040)
Urban lot splits (SB 9) (§ 9-501.040)

Who this affects

HomeownersContractorsDesigners

Frequently asked questions

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

County rule: a single-story accessory building in a lot's rear 1/3 may be within 3 feet of rear or interior side lot lines. County rule: such a building must be at most 18 feet high, at least 10 feet from neighbors' homes, and not an ADU. County rule: covered patios, gazebos and pergolas open on 3 sides may cover at most 50% of required interior side or rear setbacks.

Can I run a business from my home in San Joaquin County?

County rule: a home business may have no more than 1 person other than the residents working on site, including independent contractors. County rule: a home business is allowed if its foot or vehicle traffic is no more than usual for the zone. County rule: banned on-site home businesses include restaurants, medical or dental offices, gyms, welding shops, bed and breakfasts, and cannabis delivery.

Do I need a permit for solar panels or an EV charger in San Joaquin County?

San Joaquin County's code: Expedited permits: submit an application and checklist on Department forms with any required fee. (§ 8-3004); Electronic filing and electronic signatures are accepted. (§ 8-3004).

What are the pool fence and setback rules in San Joaquin County?

San Joaquin County's code: Not in the front or street-side yard; at least 30 inches from side and rear lot lines. (Pool or spa filtration equipment and pumps.) (§ 9-400.070); At least 3 feet. (From side and rear lot lines, measured to the outside wall of the pool or spa.) (§ 9-400.070).

General information, not legal advice.

Ask about a specific San Joaquin County property

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

Ask your question

More on San Joaquin County

San Joaquin County Municipal Code — full text

Renting & eviction in San Joaquin County

Buying & selling in San Joaquin County

San Joaquin County overview