South El Monte · Building on your lot

Building on your lot in South El Monte

South El Monte sets its own limits on fences and home businesses. Fence height depends on the zone, the yard and whether the fence is see-through.

Ask about building on your lot in South El Monte See coverage

Key points

Fence height: South El Monte limits residential front-yard fences to 42 inches if solid, or 6 feet if the part above 42 inches is see-through.
Home businesses: South El Monte allows home businesses only inside the home, with resident family members only and a home occupation permit.

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

Fences and walls

South El Monte code What South El Monte's code adds
Corner visibility	Nothing over 40 inches tall in the corner triangle, which extends 40 feet from the intersection. Applies: Corner or reversed corner lots. § 17.05.080 · code text it shall be prohibited to construct, install or maintain any fence, hedge or wall or any other obstruction to view higher than forty inches above the reference point
Height anywhere on the lot	Fences, hedges and walls can be at most 10 feet tall. Applies: R-1 zone, next to a freeway right-of-way; over 6 feet needs a building permit. § 17.05.080 · code text except that fences, hedges and walls located adjacent to a freeway right-of-way shall not exceed ten feet in height Fences or walls can be at most 10 feet tall. Applies: R-2 and R-3 zones, next to a freeway right-of-way. § 17.05.080 · code text except that fences or walls located adjacent to a freeway right-of-way shall not exceed ten feet in height
Front yard height	Solid fences can be at most 42 inches tall. Applies: R-1 zone, required front yard; concrete, block, masonry or wood fences that block the view. § 17.05.080 · code text no sight obscuring fence (concrete, block, masonry or wood) shall exceed forty-two inches in height Fences can be up to 6 feet tall. Applies: R-1 front yard; the part above 42 inches must be wrought iron, chain link or other see-through material, with director design approval. § 17.05.080 · code text the fence may be increased in height to six feet if the increase consists of wrought iron, chain link, or other "see through" materials and the design is approved by the director of planning and community development Solid fences can be at most 42 inches tall. Applies: R-2 and R-3 zones, front yard of interior lots; concrete, block, masonry or wood fences that block the view. § 17.05.080 · code text no sight-obscuring fence (concrete, block, masonry or wood) shall exceed forty-two inches in height Fences can be up to 6 feet tall overall. Applies: R-2 and R-3 front yards of interior lots; the part above 42 inches must be see-through, with director design approval. § 17.05.080 · code text the fence may be increased to an overall height of six feet if the increase consists of wrought iron, chain link, or other "see through" materials and the design approved by the director of planning and community development
Side and rear yard height	Fences and walls can be at most 6 feet tall. Applies: R-1 zone, behind the front setback and along side and rear property lines. § 17.05.080 · code text Fences and walls located to the rear of the front setback and along the side and rear property line shall not exceed six feet in height Fences, hedges and walls can be at most 6 feet tall. Applies: R-2 and R-3 zones, behind the front setback and along the side and rear of the property. § 17.05.080 · code text Fences, hedges and walls located to the rear of the front setback and along the side and rear of the property shall not exceed six feet in height
Permit	A building permit is required for any fence over 6 feet. Applies: Fences, hedges and walls in the R-1 zone. § 17.05.080 · code text provided, that any height increase exceeding six feet will require a building permit

Running a business from home

South El Monte code What South El Monte's code adds
Customer visits	No car or foot traffic beyond what is normal for homes. § 17.03.080 · code text The use shall not generate vehicular or pedestrian traffic not normally associated with residential uses;
Employees	Only members of the resident family can work in the business. § 17.03.080 · code text There shall be no employment of help other than members of the resident family;
Permit	A home occupation permit is required. § 17.03.080 · code text Any individual desiring to conduct a home occupation shall submit a request for home occupation permit to the director of community development on forms prescribed by the planning commission.
Businesses not allowed	sale or exchange of merchandise on the premises § 17.03.080 · code text No sale or exchange of merchandise shall take place on the premises; vehicle maintenance services other than washing, waxing, checking and adding (but not changing) oil, cleaning windows and windshields, or replacing damaged tires Applies: limousines or vans used in connection with transporting persons for hire, parked or kept in a residential zone § 17.03.080 · code text No person may perform maintenance services on such a vehicle located in the residential zone other than washing, waxing, checking and adding (but not changing) oil, cleaning windows and windshields, or replacing damaged tires
Space used	Only inside the home; no use of accessory buildings or yard space. § 17.03.080 · code text No accessory building or yard space use or activity outside of the dwelling unit shall be permitted in connection with the home occupation;

Solar panels and EV chargers

South El Monte code What South El Monte's code adds
EV-ready new homes	Garage needs a listed cabinet, box or enclosure with a raceway to the electrical service, for a future EV charger. Applies: Garages of a new single-family home or each unit of a duplex. § 17.03.220 · code text Must be constructed with a listed cabinet, box or enclosure connected to a raceway linking the garage to the electrical service, in a manner approved by the building and safety official, to allow for the future installation of electric vehicle supply equipment to provide an EVCS for use by the resident. All required spaces need a listed cabinet, box or enclosure with conduit to the electrical service, for future EV chargers. Applies: Garages of new multifamily buildings with 10 units or less. § 17.03.220 · code text All required parking spaces shall be provided with a listed cabinet, box or enclosure connected to a conduit linking the covered parking spaces or garages with the electrical service, in a manner approved by the building and safety official, to allow for the future installation of electric vehicle supply equipment to provide EVCSs at such time as it is needed for use by residents. 10% of required spaces (in covered parking) need a listed cabinet with conduit; 50% of those need active EV chargers. Applies: Garages of new multifamily buildings with 10 units or more. § 17.03.220 · code text 10% of the total parking spaces required (all of the 10% shall be located within the required covered parking) shall be provided with a listed cabinet, box or enclosure connected to a conduit linking the covered parking spaces or garages with the electrical service, in a manner approved by the building and safety official.
EV charger permit	No permit is required. Applies: Routine operation and maintenance, or like-kind replacements. § 17.03.220 · code text Routine operation and maintenance or like-kind replacements shall not require a permit.

Pets, chickens and bees

South El Monte code What South El Monte's code adds
Permit	A permit from the community development director, after a home inspection, for 1 more cat or dog. Applies: Up to 4 cats and/or dogs per household. § 6.04.030 · code text A person may apply for a permit to have one additional cat or dog, for a maximum number of four in any one household.
Pet limit	Up to 3 cats and/or dogs, in any combination. Applies: Per household, plus their litters up to 10 weeks old; 4 with a permit for 1 more. § 6.04.030 · code text A household may have up to three cats and/or dogs, in any combination, and their litter, up to ten weeks of age. Fish and aquatic animals, in tanks or ponds holding no more than 250 gallons in total. Applies: Ponds may not be in the front yard. § 6.04.030 · code text A household may have fish and aquatic animals, provided they are contained in tanks and/or ponds that collectively contain a volume capacity no greater than two hundred fifty gallons. Up to 10 small birds. Applies: Per household; all pets together, not counting fish and aquatic animals, may not exceed 10. § 6.04.030 · code text A household may have up to ten at any one time. Up to 10 small reptiles and amphibians. Applies: Per household; all pets together, not counting fish and aquatic animals, may not exceed 10. § 6.04.030 · code text A household may have up to ten at any one time. Up to 10 small mammals and rodents. Applies: Per household; all pets together, not counting fish and aquatic animals, may not exceed 10. § 6.04.030 · code text A household may have up to ten at any one time. No more than 10 household pets, not counting fish and aquatic animals. Applies: At any residential property at any one time. § 6.04.030 · code text Collectively, there shall be no more than ten household pets at any given residential property or structure at any one time, excluding the number of fish and aqueous animals.

Who this affects

HomeownersContractorsDesigners

Frequently asked questions

How tall can a fence be in South El Monte?

South El Monte limits residential front-yard fences to 42 inches if solid, or 6 feet if the part above 42 inches is see-through.

Can I run a business from my home in South El Monte?

South El Monte allows home businesses only inside the home, with resident family members only and a home occupation permit.

Do I need a permit for solar panels or an EV charger in South El Monte?

South El Monte's code: Garage needs a listed cabinet, box or enclosure with a raceway to the electrical service, for a future EV charger. (Garages of a new single-family home or each unit of a duplex.) (§ 17.03.220); All required spaces need a listed cabinet, box or enclosure with conduit to the electrical service, for future EV chargers. (Garages of new multifamily buildings with 10 units or less.) (§ 17.03.220).

Can I keep chickens or bees at my home in South El Monte?

South El Monte's code: A permit from the community development director, after a home inspection, for 1 more cat or dog. (Up to 4 cats and/or dogs per household.) (§ 6.04.030); Up to 3 cats and/or dogs, in any combination. (Per household, plus their litters up to 10 weeks old; 4 with a permit for 1 more.) (§ 6.04.030).

General information, not legal advice.

Ask about a specific South El Monte property

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

Ask your question

More on South El Monte

South El Monte Municipal Code — full text

Renting & eviction in South El Monte

Buying & selling in South El Monte

South El Monte overview