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

Modoc County does not have a carport-specific chapter; carports are regulated as accessory structures under the Zoning Code. Section 18.100.010(D) permits accessory buildings and uses, including those 'such as attached or detached garage, private shop, private greenhouse, or a combination of accessory buildings,' in any zone that allows a one-family dwelling, and a carport for vehicle storage falls within this accessory category. Section 18.100.010(D) requires that no permitted accessory structure encroach into any yard required by the zone, and the general yard rules in Section 18.110.050 provide that, except as otherwise provided, no building or structure is permitted within any required yard area. Required yards vary by zone, for example the Rural Residential (RR) zone (Section 18.30.060) requires a 20-foot front and side-street yard and a 30-foot rear and side yard, and the Agricultural General (AG) zone (Section 18.24.060) requires a 20-foot front/side-street yard for nonfarm buildings. Height and other standards are applied through Section 18.110.060 and the base zone. The County's ADU information confirms a useful interaction: if an existing garage, carport or covered parking structure is converted or demolished to construct or convert to an ADU, replacement parking is not required; any parking the owner does choose to replace must meet County parking-space dimension standards. Parking standards generally are set by Section 18.110.040 (off-street parking and loading).