Midway City, CA Accessory Structures: Carport Rules (2026)

Section 7-9-70.3 of the Orange County Codified Ordinances (Title 7, Division 9, Article 2 - the Comprehensive Zoning Code) sets the off-street parking requirements that govern carport placement and dimensions. Each required covered off-street parking space - including a carport space - must be at least 10 feet wide and 20 feet long of area unobstructed by trash cans or door swings under Section 7-9-70.3(a)(1); in carports with two or more side-by-side spaces, the minimum may include exterior walls or supports if unobstructed dimensions of 9 feet by 18 feet per space are met. Section 7-9-70.3(d) provides that the placement or construction of garages and carports on any residential building site shall comply with the setback requirements for a main building, with three specified exceptions: (1) Section 7-9-70.3(d)(1) requires a garage entry to be at least 20 feet from the ultimate right-of-way of a street or common driveway when the building line is closer than 20 feet (reducible to 18 feet with a roll-up door); (2) Section 7-9-70.3(d)(2) allows attached and detached garages and carports to be placed anywhere within the rear setback area to within a minimum of 5 feet from the alley, private street, or common driveway when those routes are provided specifically as vehicular access; and (3) Section 7-9-70.3(d)(3) - the key carport-permissive rule - allows detached garages and carports to be placed or constructed any place within the required rear or interior side setback area except within those areas where fences and walls are limited to a maximum height of three and one-half (3.5) feet, as specified in Section 7-9-64. Maneuvering area in front of a carport must be at least 28 feet under Section 7-9-70.3(c)(2), measured from the outward end of the parking stall, with a possible 4-foot reduction under Section 7-9-70.3(c)(4). Driveways serving carports for one single-family residence must be paved to at least 10 feet wide under Section 7-9-70.3(b)(1). A carport accessible from a driveway less than 18 feet from the right-of-way may also trigger one additional off-street parking space under Section 7-9-70.3(e). Carports - whether attached to a main dwelling or detached - are also accessory structures subject to Section 7-9-116.1 (general accessory-structure standards), which limits accessory structures within required setbacks to 12 feet in height (8 feet if within 3 feet of a property line) under Section 7-9-116.1(e), and limits enclosed accessory-structure coverage of side and rear setback areas to 25% under Section 7-9-116.1(f). Building permits for the carport's footings, posts, and roof framing are required under Title 7 of the Codified Ordinances, which adopts the California Building Code (Title 24, Part 2). An existing carport may be converted to an ADU under Section 7-9-90 without replacing the lost parking - see Section 7-9-90(d)(3).