Does Riverside County, CA have its own green building code ordinance?

No. Riverside County, CA does not appear to have a local green building code ordinance, California state law applies instead. The rules summarized on this page come from California CALGreen Title 24 Part 11.

Key Facts Ordinance Text Full Breakdown Violations FAQ Sources More in Riverside County

Riverside County, CA Building Safety: Green Building Code (2026)

Some Restrictions

Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified August 2026

Key Facts

Governing section: Riverside County Code § 15.04.230
Code adopted: 2025 CALGreen Code, Title 24 Part 11 CCR
Adopting ordinance: Ordinance No. 457.107 § 23, 12-9-2025
Geographic scope: Unincorporated Riverside County only, § 15.04.040(A)
State effective date: January 1, 2026, per § 15.04.010(B)
Enforcement path: Building & Safety Dept. via Ordinance No. 725, § 15.04.270

Summary

Riverside County Code Section 15.04.230 adopts the 2025 California Green Building Standards Code (CALGreen), Title 24, Part 11 of the California Code of Regulations, "in its entirety" for construction in the unincorporated county. Adopted by Ordinance No. 457.107 on December 9, 2025, it covers water efficiency, waste diversion and building-commissioning standards enforced by the county's Building and Safety Department during plan check and inspection.

City-specific rules exist: Corona, Murrieta, Moreno Valley, Temecula, Palm Springs, Riverside, and Menifee have their own green building code rules that differ from Riverside County's county-level regulations. If you live in one of those cities, check the city-specific page instead.

15.04.230 - Adoption of the 2025 California Green Building Standards Code. Title 24, Part 11 of the California Code of Regulations, the 2025 California Green Building Standards Code, including any errata and supplements, is adopted in its entirety. (Ord. No. 457.107, § 23, 12-9-2025) ... 15.04.040 - Application. A. General. This chapter shall apply to all buildings, structures, grading, improvements or parts thereof in the unincorporated area of the County of Riverside. ... 15.04.270 - Violation and penalties. Unless otherwise provided in this chapter or as required by state law, the procedures, remedies and penalties for any violation of this chapter and for recovery of costs related to enforcement are provided for in Riverside County Ordinance No. 725, as may be amended from time to time, which is incorporated herein by this reference.

Source: California CALGreen Title 24 Part 11View official code

Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 84 Update 1).

Full Breakdown

04 of the Riverside County Code, rewritten in full by Ordinance No. 010(B), the 2025 statewide code "was published on July 1, 2025, and will become effective on January 1, 2026," so the county's local ordinance predates the state's own compliance deadline by roughly three weeks. 5. 230 carries no county-specific amendment list for CALGreen itself; the state's mandatory measures apply unchanged. 230, to "the unincorporated area of the County of Riverside"; the county's 28 incorporated cities, including Riverside, Moreno Valley, Corona and Temecula, enforce CALGreen under their own separately adopted municipal codes.

Violations & Fines

Riverside County Code Section 15.04.270 states that "the procedures, remedies and penalties for any violation of this chapter and for recovery of costs related to enforcement are provided for in Riverside County Ordinance No. 725 ... which is incorporated herein by this reference." In practice, the county's Building and Safety Department checks CALGreen compliance at plan review and again at framing and final inspection, and can withhold a certificate of occupancy until deficiencies noted on the CALGreen checklist are corrected.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Riverside County's CALGreen ordinance apply inside the City of Riverside?

No. Section 15.04.040(A) limits Chapter 15.04, including the CALGreen adoption in Section 15.04.230, to "the unincorporated area of the County of Riverside." The county's 28 incorporated cities, among them the City of Riverside, Moreno Valley, Corona, Temecula, Murrieta and Palm Desert, each adopt and enforce the 2025 California Green Building Standards Code through their own separate municipal codes, not through this county chapter.

When did Riverside County adopt the 2025 CALGreen Code?

The Board of Supervisors adopted Section 15.04.230 as part of Ordinance No. 457.107 on December 9, 2025. Section 15.04.010(B) recites that the underlying 2025 California Building Standards Code "was published on July 1, 2025, and will become effective on January 1, 2026," so the county's local adoption took effect roughly three weeks before the state's own effective date.

Did Riverside County add its own local amendments to CALGreen?

No. Section 15.04.230 adopts Title 24, Part 11 "in its entirety," with no amendment list attached, unlike Section 15.04.050's Building Code amendments or Section 15.04.080's grading amendments. The county's local-condition findings in Section 15.04.010 (wind, flooding, seismic faults) justify amendments elsewhere in Chapter 15.04, but the Green Building Standards Code itself is enforced exactly as the state published it.

What agency enforces CALGreen compliance in unincorporated Riverside County?

Section 15.04.270 routes enforcement of Chapter 15.04, including Section 15.04.230, to the procedures in Riverside County Ordinance No. 725, which the section incorporates "by this reference." The county's Building and Safety Department administers those procedures through the standard building permit, plan-check and inspection process rather than a separate CALGreen-only enforcement track.

Sources & Official References

[1]Riverside County Code, Chapter 15.04 (Building Regulations)

Other rules in Riverside County

Noise Ordinances: Construction HoursSome Restrictions Building PermitsSome Restrictions Fire Sprinkler RequirementsHeavy Restrictions Electrical PermitsSome Restrictions Plumbing PermitsSome Restrictions Building InspectionsSome Restrictions Noise Ordinances: Barking DogsSignificant Restrictions Parking Rules: Driveway RulesSome Restrictions Parking Rules: EV ChargingSome Restrictions Animal Ordinances: Veterinary Clinic ZoningSome Restrictions Landscaping Rules: Native PlantsSome Restrictions

All Riverside County rules

California rules heatmap·Compare Riverside County to another location·View the California building safety overview

See something wrong?

Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.

Green Building Code in Cities Across Riverside County

Riverside, CA Moreno Valley, CA Corona, CA Temecula, CA Murrieta, CA Palm Springs, CA Jurupa Valley, CA Menifee, CA