Temple City · Building on your lot

Building on your lot in Temple City

Temple City sets its own limits on fences and home businesses. Fence height depends on the yard and driveway visibility, and some businesses, such as auto repair and pet grooming, may not run from a home.

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Key points

Fence height: On R-zoned lots, Temple City limits walls and fences to 6 feet outside front yards, and to 36 inches in corner driveway visibility areas.
Home businesses: Temple City limits a home business to 200 square feet and one employee, who must be a resident, and requires a home occupation license.

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

Fences and walls

Temple City code What Temple City's code adds
Corner visibility	No more than 36 inches. Applies: Walls, fences or hedges in the driveway visibility area of a corner side yard. § 9-1N-3 · code text In the driveway visibility area, which only applies to driveways in a corner side yard, the maximum height of a wall, fence or hedge will be thirty-six inches (36").
Height anywhere on the lot	No more than 6 feet. Applies: Walls, fences or security gates anywhere on an R-zoned lot, except front yards and corner-side-yard driveway visibility areas. § 9-1N-3 · code text A wall, fence, or security gate not more than six feet (6') in height may be located and maintained on any part of an R zoned lot except those areas comprising the front yard and, along a corner side yard, the driveway visibility area.
Front yard height	Up to 6 feet. Applies: Front yard, where the neighbor's house or garage is set back farther; the fence may be no closer to the front line than that building. § 9-1N-3 · code text A fence or wall up to six feet (6') in height is allowed in the front yard on parcels where the adjacent house or garage is setback further than the house or garage on the parcel as shown in the diagram below. No more than 36 inches if it blocks the view. Applies: Fence crossing the driveway, where the garage is at the front and its door is perpendicular to the street. § 9-1N-3 · code text In cases where a garage is located in the front of the property and the garage door is perpendicular to the street any fence crossing the driveway is limited to a maximum of thirty-six inches (36") when view obscuring or a maximum of forty-two inches (42") when non-view obscuring No more than 42 inches if it does not block the view. Applies: Fence crossing the driveway, where the garage is at the front and its door is perpendicular to the street. § 9-1N-3 · code text In cases where a garage is located in the front of the property and the garage door is perpendicular to the street any fence crossing the driveway is limited to a maximum of thirty-six inches (36") when view obscuring or a maximum of forty-two inches (42") when non-view obscuring

Running a business from home

Temple City code What Temple City's code adds
Space used	No more than 200 square feet of the home's floor space. § 9-1T-16 · code text There is not more than two hundred (200) square feet of the floor space of the dwelling devoted to such use;
Customer visits	1 unrelated student at a time. Applies: Music lessons only (piano, woodwind, string or headphone-based); between 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m.; not on Sundays or federal holidays. § 9-1T-16 · code text Music lessons including piano, woodwind, string, and headphone-based musical instruments are permitted if there is not more than one unrelated student present at a time, lessons occur after eight o'clock (8:00) A.M. and before eight o'clock (8:00) P.M., and lessons do not occur on Sundays or Federal Holidays.
Employees	No more than 1 person regularly employed, and only a resident of the home. § 9-1T-16 · code text There is not more than one (1) person regularly employed in such occupation; and only a resident of the dwelling unit shall be employed in the operation of a home occupation use. No volunteers, interns or independent contractors. § 9-1T-16 · code text No volunteers, interns or independent contractors shall be part of a home occupation permit.
Permit	Yes. A home occupation license is required. Applies: Issued to an occupant of a home in any R zone. § 9-1T-16 · code text A home occupation license may be issued to an occupant of a dwelling unit, located in any R Zone, provided the home occupation meets the following:
Businesses not allowed	firearms and ammunition, massage, automotive repair shops, automotive body shops, pet grooming shops, kennels, bee keeping, raising animals for commercial purposes, or other uses deemed to be hazardous or undesirable by the Community Development Director § 9-1T-16 · code text The following uses will be prohibited as home occupations: firearms and ammunition, massage, automotive repair shops, automotive body shops, pet grooming shops, kennels, bee keeping, raising animals for commercial purposes, or other uses deemed to be hazardous or undesirable by the Community Development Director.

RV and boat parking

Temple City code What Temple City's code adds
Size limit	Vehicles over 20 feet long, 80 inches wide, 78 inches high or 6,000 pounds, plus all trailers, boats and RVs. Applies: May not park on public streets, alleys or rights-of-way without a temporary oversized vehicle permit. § 3-3A-50 · code text OVERSIZED VEHICLE: Any vehicle, whether motorized or nonmotorized, that exceeds twenty feet (20') in length, or eighty inches (80") in width or seventy eight inches (78") in height or that weighs more than six thousand (6,000) pounds (gross vehicle weight).
Parking on the street	No more than 48 hours. Applies: Permit for a resident's or guest's oversized vehicle next to the home; at most 4 permits per vehicle a month, at least 48 hours apart. § 3-3A-50 · code text The duration of the permit shall not exceed forty eight (48) hours. No more than 72 hours. Applies: A temporary permit the city manager or designee may issue for houseguests. § 3-3A-50 · code text At the discretion of the city manager, or his designee, a permit may be issued for a period not to exceed seventy two (72) hours to accommodate houseguests.
Living in an RV	No. The vehicle may not be used for camping, lodging or living. Applies: Applies to an oversized vehicle parked under a temporary permit. § 3-3A-50 · code text The oversized vehicle shall not be used for overnight camping, lodging, residing in, or any use for accommodation purposes.

Solar panels and EV chargers

Temple City code What Temple City's code adds
EV charger permit	Expedited administrative review; the Building Official approves and issues permits when the application meets the City checklist. Applies: Applies to EV charging stations. § 7-10-3 · code text the Building Official shall implement an expedited administrative permit review process for electric vehicle charging stations and a checklist of all requirements with which electric vehicle charging stations shall comply with in order to be eligible for expedited review. Electronic submittal is allowed, and electronic signatures are accepted. Applies: Applies to permit applications under this ordinance. § 7-10-3 · code text the Building Official shall allow for electronic submittal of permit applications covered by this Ordinance and associated supporting documentation.
Solar permit process	Expedited review; apply in person, by mail, e-mail, fax or internet; electronic signatures accepted. Applies: Applies to small residential rooftop solar systems. § 7-8-3 · code text Applications for small residential rooftop solar energy system permits, and any supporting documents, may be submitted in person, mailed, or submitted electronically by e-mail, facsimile, or the internet.

Swimming pools

Temple City code What Temple City's code adds
Maintenance and empty pools	Pools and other bodies of water must be kept so they do not create a health hazard, such as mosquitoes. § 3-2A-5 · code text All swimming pools or bodies of water within the city shall be so maintained as to not cause any public health hazard, including, but not limited to, the creation of mosquitoes.

Other Temple City rules on this

Temple City'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 (§ 9-1T-17)
Urban dwellings and lot splits (SB 9) (§ 9-1T-21)
Urban lot split procedure (SB 9) (§ 9-2-20)

Who this affects

HomeownersContractorsDesigners

Frequently asked questions

How tall can a fence be in Temple City?

On R-zoned lots, Temple City limits walls and fences to 6 feet outside front yards, and to 36 inches in corner driveway visibility areas.

Can I run a business from my home in Temple City?

Temple City limits a home business to 200 square feet and one employee, who must be a resident, and requires a home occupation license.

Can I park an RV or boat at my home in Temple City?

Temple City's code: Vehicles over 20 feet long, 80 inches wide, 78 inches high or 6,000 pounds, plus all trailers, boats and RVs. (May not park on public streets, alleys or rights-of-way without a temporary oversized vehicle permit.) (§ 3-3A-50); No more than 48 hours. (Permit for a resident's or guest's oversized vehicle next to the home; at most 4 permits per vehicle a month, at least 48 hours apart.) (§ 3-3A-50).

Do I need a permit for solar panels or an EV charger in Temple City?

Temple City's code: Expedited administrative review; the Building Official approves and issues permits when the application meets the City checklist. (Applies to EV charging stations.) (§ 7-10-3); Electronic submittal is allowed, and electronic signatures are accepted. (Applies to permit applications under this ordinance.) (§ 7-10-3).

What are the pool fence and setback rules in Temple City?

Temple City's code: Pools and other bodies of water must be kept so they do not create a health hazard, such as mosquitoes. (§ 3-2A-5).

General information, not legal advice.

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More on Temple City

Temple City Municipal Code — full text

Renting & eviction in Temple City

Buying & selling in Temple City

Temple City overview