Amador County, CA Accessory Structures: Carport Rules (2026)

Amador County has no separate carport ordinance; an open carport is regulated as an accessory building under the 'Yards and setbacks' rules of Zoning Code Section 19.48.110. A detached carport must be located at least six feet from the main building and no closer to the front than the district's required front setback (Section 19.48.110(I)), and it may not sit within six feet of an alley or one foot of a lot line on the rear half of the lot, nor encroach on a recorded easement (Section 19.48.110(K)). If the carport is attached to the house, Section 19.48.110(H) treats it as part of the main building, so the main structure's setbacks apply. The code allows limited projections into required yards: cornices, eaves, canopies, and similar architectural features may extend into a required setback no more than two and one-half feet (Section 19.48.110(C)), and uncovered porches or stairways may extend up to six feet into a front or rear setback and three feet into a side setback (Section 19.48.110(D)). District-specific yard requirements still apply; for example, the R1-A district requires a 25-foot front, 15-foot rear, and five-foot interior side setback under Section 19.24.045. The county's 50-foot building setback from the centerline of county and state highways (Section 19.48.110(M)) also applies to carports. A building permit is generally required for a carport.