Santa Barbara · Building on your lot

Building on your lot in Santa Barbara

Santa Barbara sets its own limits on fences, accessory buildings and home businesses. Fence height depends on the distance from the front lot line, and taller fences need a minor zoning exception.

Ask about building on your lot in Santa Barbara See coverage

Key points

Fence height: Fences: at most 3.5 feet within 10 feet of the front lot line, 5 feet elsewhere in the front yard, 8 feet outside it.
Accessory buildings: Accessory buildings other than garages may total at most 500 square feet; on residential lots they are limited to 2 stories and 30 feet.
Home businesses: Home businesses: up to 2 visitors at a time and 4 visits per day; only residents may work there, except 1 cottage food employee.

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

Fences and walls

Santa Barbara code What Santa Barbara's code adds
Corner visibility	No fence, wall, screen or hedge may block the sightlines needed for safe driving. Applies: Corner lots zoned A-1 to A-3, E-1 to E-3 or R-1 to R-4, in the intersection sight distance; not at all-way stops. § 28.87.170 · code text Within the required "Intersection Sight Distance," as depicted in the Fences, Screens, Walls and Hedges Guidelines, no fence or wall may obstruct the sightlines required for the safe operation of motor vehicles.
Height anywhere on the lot	No higher than 8 feet. Applies: Fences outside the front yard; up to 12 feet with a minor zoning exception. § 30.140.110 · code text Fence \| 3.5 ft. \| 5 ft. \| 8 ft. No higher than 8 feet. Applies: Fences/walls in required setbacks, zones A-1 to A-3, E-1 to E-3, R-1 to R-4; within 10 feet of front lot line: 3 1/2 feet. § 28.87.170 · code text Except as otherwise provided in this section, no fence or wall located in the required setbacks shall exceed a height of eight feet. No higher than 8 feet. Applies: Screens and hedges in required setbacks on parcels zoned A-1 to A-3, E-1 to E-3 or R-1 to R-4. § 28.87.170 · code text Except as otherwise provided in this section, no screen or hedge located in the required setbacks shall exceed a height of eight feet.
Front yard height	No higher than 3.5 feet. Applies: Fences within 10 feet of the front lot line; up to 7.5 feet with a minor zoning exception. § 30.140.110 · code text Fence \| 3.5 ft. \| 5 ft. \| 8 ft. No higher than 5 feet. Applies: Front yard fences more than 10 feet from the front lot line; up to 12 feet with a minor zoning exception. § 30.140.110 · code text Fence \| 3.5 ft. \| 5 ft. \| 8 ft. No higher than 8 feet. Applies: Screens and hedges, not fences, within 10 feet of a front lot line; parcels zoned A-1 to A-3, E-1 to E-3 or R-1 to R-4. § 28.87.170 · code text Except as otherwise provided in this section, no screen or hedge located within 10 feet of a front lot line shall exceed a height of eight feet.

Sheds, garages and other accessory structures

Santa Barbara code What Santa Barbara's code adds
Maximum height	No more than 2 stories or 30 feet. Applies: Detached accessory buildings in the A-1, A-2, E-1, E-2, E-3, R-1, R-2, R-3 or R-4 zones. § 28.87.160 · code text No detached accessory buildings in the A-1, A-2, E-1, E-2, E-3, R-1, R-2, R-3 or R-4 Zones may exceed two stories or 30 feet in height. No more than 2 stories and 30 feet. Applies: Accessory buildings and structures on lots with residential uses, unless a lower limit applies. § 30.140.020 · code text Accessory buildings or structures shall not exceed two stories and 30 feet in height, or as otherwise limited by this Title.
Size or lot coverage	No more than 500 square feet in total. Applies: All accessory buildings on the lot combined, not counting garages. § 28.87.160 · code text Accessory buildings, excluding garages, shall not have a total aggregate floor area in excess of 500 square feet. No more than 750 square feet in total. Applies: Garages in the A-1 and A-2 zones. § 28.87.160 · code text Garages in the A-1 and A-2 Zones shall not have a total aggregate floor area in excess of 750 square feet. No more than 500 square feet in total. Applies: Garages in the E-1, E-2, E-3 and R-1 zones on lots of 20,000 square feet or less. § 28.87.160 · code text Garages in the E-1, E-2, E-3, and R-1 Zones shall not have a total aggregate floor area in excess of 500 square feet, except that garages on lots in excess of 20,000 square feet shall not have a total aggregate floor area in excess of 750 square feet. No more than 750 square feet in total. Applies: Garages in the E-1, E-2, E-3 and R-1 zones on lots over 20,000 square feet. § 28.87.160 · code text Garages in the E-1, E-2, E-3, and R-1 Zones shall not have a total aggregate floor area in excess of 500 square feet, except that garages on lots in excess of 20,000 square feet shall not have a total aggregate floor area in excess of 750 square feet. No more than 1,000 square feet in total. Applies: Covered parking and other detached accessory buildings; lots under 5,000 square feet in single-unit zones or with a single-unit home. § 30.140.020 · code text Lots less than 5,000 square feet: 1,000 square feet. No more than 1,300 square feet in total. Applies: Covered parking and other detached accessory buildings; lots of 5,000 to 9,999 square feet in single-unit zones or with a single-unit home. § 30.140.020 · code text Lots 5,000 square feet up to 9,999 square feet: 1,300 square feet. No more than 500 square feet. Applies: Two-unit residential projects, when the allowed accessory floor area is combined into 1 accessory building. § 28.80.040 · code text Residential accessory buildings, such as garages and sheds, may be permitted concurrently or subsequent to a two-unit residential development project. Each residential unit may have up to the maximum amount of accessory building floor area as permitted by Section 28.87.160, Accessory Buildings; however, the maximum accessory building floor area may not be combined to create one accessory building larger than 500 square feet. No more than 500 square feet in total. Applies: Accessory buildings other than garages in the SP-9 Veronica Meadows Specific Plan zone. § 28.50.105 · code text Accessory buildings, excluding garages, shall not have a total aggregate square footage in excess of 500 square feet. No more than 600 square feet in total. Applies: Garages in the SP-9 Veronica Meadows Specific Plan zone. § 28.50.105 · code text Garages shall not have a total aggregate square footage in excess of 600 square feet.

Running a business from home

Santa Barbara code What Santa Barbara's code adds
Customer visits	Up to 2 people at a time and no more than 4 visits per day. Applies: Per residential unit. § 30.185.200 · code text Limited customer or client visits are permitted up to two people at a time and no more than four visits per day, per residential unit.
Employees	No employees other than people who live in the home. Applies: Exception: 1 full-time equivalent cottage food employee per unit in a cottage food operation. § 30.185.200 · code text No employees other than residents of the residence shall be permitted to work at or from the location of a home occupation except that one full-time equivalent cottage food employee per residential unit may participate in a cottage food operation.
Permit	A Zoning Affidavit is required. Applies: For each home occupation. § 30.185.200 · code text A Zoning Affidavit is required for each home occupation.
Businesses not allowed	Adult Entertainment Facilities; Animal Care, Sales, and Services; Barber Shops and Beauty Parlors; Hotels and Similar Uses; Eating and Drinking Establishments; Hospitals and Clinics; Retail Sales; any business which requires a City permit or license, except licenses issued for revenue purposes only § 30.185.200 · code text The following specific businesses are not permitted as home occupations.

Lot splits under SB 9

Santa Barbara code Neither new lot may be smaller than 40% of the original lot's area. Each new lot must be at least 1,200 square feet.

All 20 Santa Barbara rules on lot splits under sb 9, with the code text and the state law underneath →

RV and boat parking

Santa Barbara code What Santa Barbara's code adds
Parking on the street	No longer than 4 hours. Applies: An inoperable oversized vehicle under emergency repair, on streets posted for the oversized vehicle restriction. § 10.44.220 · code text Any inoperable oversized vehicle upon which a person is actively engaged in making emergency repairs, as authorized by Section 10.44.040, for no longer than four hours;

Solar panels and EV chargers

Santa Barbara code What Santa Barbara's code adds
Solar permit process	Apply in person or electronically with e-signatures; complete checklist applications get all permits electronically; only one inspection. Applies: Applies to small home rooftop solar systems. § 22.91.030 · code text The City accepts the submission of applications for Small Residential Rooftop Solar Energy Systems and the associated checklist and documentation in person at the Building Permit counter or by electronic submittal.
Review time	Within 24 working hours (3 working days). Applies: Applies to small home rooftop solar systems. § 22.91.030 · code text The Building and Safety Division shall review applications for Small Residential Rooftop Solar Energy Systems within 24 working hours (three working days) of submission.

Swimming pools

Santa Barbara code What Santa Barbara's code adds
Setback from property lines	At least 15 feet from the front lot line to the water. Applies: In zones with required setbacks; a smaller zone setback applies if the zone has one. § 28.87.060 · code text a swimming pool shall not be located closer than 15 feet to a front lot line At least 5 feet from an interior lot line to the water. Applies: In zones with required setbacks; a smaller zone setback applies if the zone has one. § 28.87.060 · code text or closer than five feet to an interior lot line unless the zone in which the pool is to be constructed has a smaller setback

Pets, chickens and bees

Santa Barbara code Yes; no more than 4 hives. Yes; no more than 1 hive for each 5,000 square feet of extra lot area.

All 9 Santa Barbara rules on pets, chickens and bees, with the code text and the state law underneath →

Other Santa Barbara rules on this

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

Permit to remove trees on private property (Ch. 15.24)

Who this affects

HomeownersContractorsDesigners

Frequently asked questions

How tall can a fence be in Santa Barbara?

Fences: at most 3.5 feet within 10 feet of the front lot line, 5 feet elsewhere in the front yard, 8 feet outside it.

How big can a shed or accessory building be in Santa Barbara?

Accessory buildings other than garages may total at most 500 square feet; on residential lots they are limited to 2 stories and 30 feet.

Can I run a business from my home in Santa Barbara?

Home businesses: up to 2 visitors at a time and 4 visits per day; only residents may work there, except 1 cottage food employee.

Can I park an RV or boat at my home in Santa Barbara?

Santa Barbara's code: No longer than 4 hours. (An inoperable oversized vehicle under emergency repair, on streets posted for the oversized vehicle restriction.) (§ 10.44.220).

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

Santa Barbara's code: Apply in person or electronically with e-signatures; complete checklist applications get all permits electronically; only one inspection. (Applies to small home rooftop solar systems.) (§ 22.91.030); Within 24 working hours (3 working days). (Applies to small home rooftop solar systems.) (§ 22.91.030).

What are the pool fence and setback rules in Santa Barbara?

Santa Barbara's code: At least 15 feet from the front lot line to the water. (In zones with required setbacks; a smaller zone setback applies if the zone has one.) (§ 28.87.060); At least 5 feet from an interior lot line to the water. (In zones with required setbacks; a smaller zone setback applies if the zone has one.) (§ 28.87.060).

General information, not legal advice.

Ask about a specific Santa Barbara property

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

Ask your question

More on Santa Barbara

Santa Barbara Municipal Code — full text

Renting & eviction in Santa Barbara

Buying & selling in Santa Barbara

Santa Barbara overview