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Siskiyou County · Building on your lot

Building on your lot in Siskiyou County

Siskiyou County's code applies only in unincorporated areas of the county. There it sets height and setback limits for accessory structures by district, limits home businesses and reviews rooftop solar administratively.

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Key points

  • Accessory height: Accessory structures are limited to 20 feet in Res districts and on R-R lots under 1 acre; 30 feet on larger R-R lots.
  • Accessory setbacks: Accessory structures need 5-foot side yards, except on the rear half of Res lots, where the setback from interior lines is 1 foot.
  • Home businesses: Home businesses may use at most 25% of the home's square footage, including storage, with no employees and an administrative use permit.
  • Rooftop solar: Siskiyou County issues rooftop solar permits administratively when a complete application meets the approved checklist and standard plan.
  • Bees: Keeping Africanized honey bees is not allowed in unincorporated Siskiyou County.

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

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

Sheds, garages and other accessory structures

Siskiyou County code What Siskiyou County's code adds
Maximum height
  • At most 20 feet.
    Applies: R-R District, lots under 1 acre.
    § 10-6.5501 · code text
    | R-R | 7,200 sq. ft. 1 | 1 acre | 35 ft. 11 | 20 ft. 11 | 40% | 60 1 | 20 2, 9, 10 | 5 | 20 4, 12 |
  • At most 30 feet.
    Applies: Accessory structures in the R-R District on lots of 1 acre or more.
    § 10-6.5501 · code text
    On one-acre or larger lots, the maximum height standard shall be forty (40') feet for single-family dwellings and thirty (30') feet for accessory structures.
  • At most 20 feet.
    Applies: Res-1 District.
    § 10-6.5501 · code text
    | Res-1 | 7,200 sq. ft. 1 | 1 acre | 30 ft. | 20 ft. | 40% | 60 1 | 20 2 | 5 3 | 20 4, 12 |
  • At most 20 feet.
    Applies: Res-2 District.
    § 10-6.5501 · code text
    | Res-2 | 7,200 sq. ft. 1 | N/A | 35 ft. | 20 ft. | 50% | 60 1 | 20 2 | 5 3 | 20 4, 12 |
  • At most 20 feet on average.
    Applies: Res-3 District.
    § 10-6.5501 · code text
    | Res-3 | 7,200 sq. ft. 5 | N/A | 40 ft. | 20 ft. avg. | 75% | 50 5 | 20 | 5 3 | 10 6, 12 |
  • At most 20 feet on average.
    Applies: Res-4 District.
    § 10-6.5501 · code text
    | Res-4 | 7,200 sq. ft. 5 | N/A | 40 ft. | 20 ft. avg. | 75% | 50 5 | 20 | 5 3 | 10 6, 12 |
Side and rear setback
  • 5 feet.
    Applies: Side yards in the R-R District.
    § 10-6.5501 · code text
    | R-R | 7,200 sq. ft. 1 | 1 acre | 35 ft. 11 | 20 ft. 11 | 40% | 60 1 | 20 2, 9, 10 | 5 | 20 4, 12 |
  • 1 foot.
    Applies: Rear yards for accessory structures in the R-R, Res-1 and Res-2 Districts.
    § 10-6.5501 · code text
    For accessory structures the minimum rear yard shall be one foot.
  • 5 feet.
    Applies: Res-1 side yards, except accessory structures on the rear half; some narrow pre-December 3, 1957 lots may use 10% of width, at least 3 feet.
    § 10-6.5501 · code text
    | Res-1 | 7,200 sq. ft. 1 | 1 acre | 30 ft. | 20 ft. | 40% | 60 1 | 20 2 | 5 3 | 20 4, 12 |
  • 5 feet.
    Applies: Res-2 side yards, except accessory structures on the rear half; some narrow pre-December 3, 1957 lots may use 10% of width, at least 3 feet.
    § 10-6.5501 · code text
    | Res-2 | 7,200 sq. ft. 1 | N/A | 35 ft. | 20 ft. | 50% | 60 1 | 20 2 | 5 3 | 20 4, 12 |
  • 5 feet.
    Applies: Res-3 side yards, except accessory structures on the rear half; some narrow pre-December 3, 1957 lots may use 10% of width, at least 3 feet.
    § 10-6.5501 · code text
    | Res-3 | 7,200 sq. ft. 5 | N/A | 40 ft. | 20 ft. avg. | 75% | 50 5 | 20 | 5 3 | 10 6, 12 |
  • 10 feet.
    Applies: Rear yards in the Res-3 District.
    § 10-6.5501 · code text
    | Res-3 | 7,200 sq. ft. 5 | N/A | 40 ft. | 20 ft. avg. | 75% | 50 5 | 20 | 5 3 | 10 6, 12 |
  • 5 feet.
    Applies: Res-4 side yards, except accessory structures on the rear half; some narrow pre-December 3, 1957 lots may use 10% of width, at least 3 feet.
    § 10-6.5501 · code text
    | Res-4 | 7,200 sq. ft. 5 | N/A | 40 ft. | 20 ft. avg. | 75% | 50 5 | 20 | 5 3 | 10 6, 12 |
  • 10 feet.
    Applies: Rear yards in the Res-4 District.
    § 10-6.5501 · code text
    | Res-4 | 7,200 sq. ft. 5 | N/A | 40 ft. | 20 ft. avg. | 75% | 50 5 | 20 | 5 3 | 10 6, 12 |
  • At least 1 foot from interior lot lines.
    Applies: Res-1 to Res-4 accessory structures on the rear half; on corner lots, not past the front yard of the adjacent lot.
    § 10-6.5501 · code text
    The minimum required side yard for accessory structures shall be one foot from the interior lot lines when constructed on the rear one-half (½) of the lot or, in the case of a corner lot, shall not project beyond the front yard required or existing on an adjacent lot.

Also in Siskiyou County's code: Accessory buildings on sites less than one acre (§ 10-6.1512). This page does not summarize it yet.

Running a business from home

Siskiyou County code What Siskiyou County's code adds
Space used
  • No more than 25% of the home's square footage.
    Applies: The total business area, including storage.
    § 10-6.1513 · code text
    The total area of the business, including storage, shall not exceed twenty-five (25%) percent of the home's square footage
Employees
  • No employees are allowed.
    § 10-6.1513 · code text
    No employees shall be permitted.
Permit
  • An administrative use permit from the Planning Director.
    Applies: Except phone-only businesses with no employees, display, storage or signs, which may register with the Planning Department.
    § 10-6.1513 · code text
    a home occupation shall be allowed subject to the issuance of an administrative use permit by the Planning Director
  • Registration with the Planning Department is enough.
    Applies: Telephone-only businesses with no employees, no display or storage, and no signs.
    § 10-6.1513 · code text
    Businesses utilizing telephones only with no employees, no display or storage, and no signs will be permitted upon the registration of such businesses with the Planning Department
Businesses not allowed
  • Strictly retail businesses, including grocery stores and stock item stores
    § 10-6.1513 · code text
    Strictly retail businesses shall not be allowed (that is, grocery stores, stock item stores, and the like).

Solar panels and EV chargers

Siskiyou County code What Siskiyou County's code adds
EV charger permit
  • Administrative, nondiscretionary review by the Building Official; the permit issues when the application meets the adopted checklist.
    § 9-5.06 · code text
    The application shall be administratively reviewed by the Building Official as a nondiscretionary permit.
Solar permit process
  • Staff issue a building permit or other nondiscretionary permit when a complete application meets the checklist, standard plan and chapter.
    Applies: Small residential rooftop solar energy systems.
    § 9-03.07 · code text
    Staff shall issue a building permit or other nondiscretionary permit within a reasonable time following receipt of a complete application that meets the requirements of the approved checklist, standard plan and this chapter.

Pets, chickens and bees

Siskiyou County code What Siskiyou County's code adds
Bees
  • Africanized honey bees may not be kept.
    § 4-6.20 · code text
    No person shall willingly and knowingly keep an apiary of Africanized honey bees.

Other Siskiyou County rules on this

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

Who this affects

HomeownersContractorsDesigners

Frequently asked questions

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

Accessory structures are limited to 20 feet in Res districts and on R-R lots under 1 acre; 30 feet on larger R-R lots. Accessory structures need 5-foot side yards, except on the rear half of Res lots, where the setback from interior lines is 1 foot.

Can I run a business from my home in Siskiyou County?

Home businesses may use at most 25% of the home's square footage, including storage, with no employees and an administrative use permit.

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

Siskiyou County issues rooftop solar permits administratively when a complete application meets the approved checklist and standard plan.

Can I keep chickens or bees at my home in Siskiyou County?

Keeping Africanized honey bees is not allowed in unincorporated Siskiyou County.

General information, not legal advice.

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Siskiyou County Municipal Code — full text

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Buying & selling in Siskiyou County

Siskiyou County overview