Santa Clara County, CA Accessory Structures: Carport Rules (2026)

In unincorporated Santa Clara County, carports are treated as accessory buildings and structures under Zoning Ordinance Section 4.20.020, the same chapter that governs detached garages, sheds and patio covers. In urban residential districts a carport may not exceed 12 feet in height and one story, must be located in the rear half of the lot, within the rear yard, or at least 75 feet from the front property line, and must meet California Building Code fire-separation setbacks from side and rear property lines. Trellises and other unenclosed structures with two or more open sides (a category a carport can fall into) may be placed closer than six feet to a dwelling provided they comply with the dwelling setbacks for that district. Section 4.20.020(F) provides a special setback standard for parking structures on sloping lots: where the grade 50 feet inward from the right-of-way differs by 10 vertical feet or more from the pavement edge, a garage, carport or other parking structure may be located within a required front or side yard, subject to a special permit, a 600-square-foot size cap, and sight-clearance requirements for traffic safety. A carport may also be incorporated into a detached ADU design up to 400 square feet under Section 4.10.015(D)(4). Building permits may be required.