Santa Ana · Building on your lot
Building on your lot in Santa Ana
Santa Ana sets its own limits on fences, accessory buildings and home businesses. A front-yard fence over 18 inches needs a permit, and a home business needs a permit from the zoning administrator.
Key points
- Fence height: In residential zones, front-yard fences are limited to 3 feet, or 4 feet on arterial streets; other walls and fences, 8 feet.
- Accessory setbacks: On interior lots, accessory buildings up to 15 feet high need a 3-foot setback; taller ones, 5-foot side and 10-foot rear yards.
- Home businesses: A home business may use 1 room or 400 square feet, whichever is more restrictive, with at most 2 people in total (city rule).
Each rule below is marked Santa Ana code or CA state law and links to the section it comes from (checked October 2026). General information, not legal advice.
Fences and walls
| Height anywhere on the lot |
|
|---|---|
| Front yard height |
|
| Permit |
|
Sheds, garages and other accessory structures
| Side and rear setback |
|
|---|
Running a business from home
| Space used |
|
|---|---|
| Customer visits |
|
| Employees |
|
| Permit |
|
| Businesses not allowed |
|
Lot splits under SB 9
| How the lot may be divided |
|
|---|---|
| Unit size |
|
| Minimum new lot size |
|
| Standards |
|
RV and boat parking
| Size limit |
|
|---|---|
| Parking on the street |
|
Solar panels and EV chargers
| EV charger permit |
|
|---|---|
| Solar permit process |
|
Swimming pools
| Pool barrier |
|
|---|---|
| Barrier height |
|
| Gates |
|
| Permit |
|
Pets, chickens and bees
| Bees |
|
|---|---|
| Chickens |
|
| Coop setback |
|
| Permit |
|
| Pet limit |
|
Who this affects
Frequently asked questions
How tall can a fence be in Santa Ana?
In residential zones, front-yard fences are limited to 3 feet, or 4 feet on arterial streets; other walls and fences, 8 feet.
How big can a shed or accessory building be in Santa Ana?
On interior lots, accessory buildings up to 15 feet high need a 3-foot setback; taller ones, 5-foot side and 10-foot rear yards.
Can I run a business from my home in Santa Ana?
A home business may use 1 room or 400 square feet, whichever is more restrictive, with at most 2 people in total (city rule).
Can I split my lot under SB 9 in Santa Ana?
Santa Ana's code: Each new lot must be between 40% and 60% of the original lot's area. (Applies to urban lot splits; the lot being split must be at least 2,400 square feet.) (§ 41-2109); New primary homes: over 500 and at most 800 square feet; a smaller existing home may expand to 800. (Applies to two-unit projects and to lots created by an urban lot split.) (§ 41-2115).
Can I park an RV or boat at my home in Santa Ana?
Santa Ana's code: Vehicles over 22 feet long or 7 feet high may not park on streets, park roads or lots, 2–6 a.m. (Applies to oversized vehicles, including attached trailers. They also may not park within 50 feet of an intersection at any time.) (§ 36-19); Oversized, non-motorized and recreational vehicles may not park between 2:00 a.m. and 6:00 a.m. (Applies on public streets, park roads and parking lots, except with a valid city permit, or where the City Manager allows it with posted signs.) (§ 36-149).
Do I need a permit for solar panels or an EV charger in Santa Ana?
Santa Ana's code: Administrative, nondiscretionary review; the Building Department issues the permit at an expedited rate when the application meets the checklist. (§ 8-2904); Expedited administrative approval; all required permits are issued once the application is confirmed complete and meets the checklist. (§ 8-2511).
What are the pool fence and setback rules in Santa Ana?
Santa Ana's code: The fence or wall may have no openings or projections that could be used to climb it. (Applies to fences around a pool, pond or other body of water.) (§ 8-20); Openings, holes or gaps may not let a 4-inch sphere pass through. (Applies to the enclosure, doors and gates around a pool, pond or other body of water.) (§ 8-20).
Can I keep chickens or bees at my home in Santa Ana?
Santa Ana's code: Yes; at most 2 hives. (Applies to single-family lots of 6,000 square feet or less.) (§ 5-7); Yes; 1 hive per 3,000 square feet of lot, up to 5 hives, whichever is less. (Applies to single-family lots larger than 6,000 square feet.) (§ 5-7).
General information, not legal advice.
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