Merced County, CA Building Safety: Green Building Code (2026)
Key Facts
- Adopted code
- 2022 California Green Building Standards Code
- Citation
- Merced County Code § 16.34.010
- Local amendments
- None for the 2022 cycle
- Enforcing office
- Deputy Director - Buildings
- Coverage
- Unincorporated area only
- Adopting ordinance
- Ord. 2024 § 11, 2022
Summary
Merced County adopts the 2022 California Green Building Standards Code (Title 24, Part 11) by reference for all construction in the unincorporated county. The Building and Safety Division, part of the Department of Public Works, enforces the state green code with no local amendments.
Those certain documents, three certified copies of which one is on file in the office of the clerk, and two in the office of the deputy director - buildings, marked and designated as California Code of Regulations Title 24, Part 11, 2022 California Green Standards Code, as published by the International Code Council for the California Building Standards Commission is adopted by reference as the green building standards code for the county of Merced is hereby adopted by reference and, except as herein otherwise provided, are applicable to and shall cover all construction within the unincorporated area of the county of Merced.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4930839; v8 updated 2026-06-02).
Full Breakdown
" The adoption ordinance is Ord. 2024, enacted in 2022 as part of the county's routine cycle-to-cycle update to match the state's triennial Title 24 code adoption. 020 then lists any local exceptions, deletions, or amendments to the state green code, and for the 2022 cycle that list reads simply "None," meaning Merced County enforces the CALGreen mandatory measures exactly as the California Building Standards Commission published them, without loosening or tightening any provision for the unincorporated area. 20), Residential Code, Historical Code, Fire Code, Existing Building Code, and Referenced Standards Code are each adopted the same way, in their own chapter, each with its own companion "exceptions and superseding provisions" section.
Because incorporated cities within the county, including Merced, Los Banos, Atwater, Livingston, Dos Palos, and Gustine, adopt and amend their own building codes independently, this chapter governs green building requirements only for construction on unincorporated land, not inside any of those city limits. Builders permitting new residential or commercial construction, additions, or alterations in the unincorporated county must comply with CALGreen's mandatory measures covering site development, energy efficiency, water conservation, and material conservation as a condition of building permit issuance through the deputy director of buildings.
Violations & Fines
Building without a permit that reflects CALGreen mandatory measures, or constructing in violation of the adopted green building standards, is enforced as a building code violation under Title 16. The deputy director of buildings can withhold permit approval or a certificate of occupancy until CALGreen compliance is documented, and uncorrected violations are subject to the general penalty and abatement provisions that apply to Title 16 building code violations countywide.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Merced County have its own green building code?
Does this apply inside the city of Merced?
Who enforces green building compliance on a county permit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Merced County
California rules heatmap·Compare Merced County to another location·View the California building safety overview
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