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Kings County, CA Building Setbacks & Zoning: Setback Rules (2026)

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

Key Facts

RR front setback
50 ft (or 80 ft from centerline)
R-1 front setback
25 ft
RM front setback
20 ft
R-1/RM side setback
5 ft
Rear setback (R-1/RM)
10 ft

Summary

Kings County's Development Code sets minimum yard setbacks by residential district: 50 feet in front for Rural Residential zones (or 80 feet from the road centerline), dropping to 25 feet in R-1 and 20 feet in RM districts.

City-specific rules exist: Hanford has its own setback rules rules that differ from Kings County's county-level regulations. If you live in Hanford, check the city-specific page instead.

Front setback 50* 25 25 25 20 15 20 20 20 *Or not less than 80 feet from centerline of road. Rear setback of ground floor 20 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10. Side setback of ground floor 20 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5.

Full Breakdown

Table 5-2 of the Development Code sets residential setbacks by district. Rural Residential (RR) parcels need a 50-foot front setback, or 80 feet from the road centerline, whichever is greater, plus 20-foot side and rear setbacks. The R-1 single-family districts drop to a 25-foot front setback with 5-foot side and 10-foot rear setbacks, and the RM multi-family districts require 20 feet in front with the same 5-foot side, 10-foot rear minimums. Extra stories add further setback per Table 5-2, and corner-lot and reverse-corner-lot parcels follow separate notes in the same table.

Violations & Fines

Building inside the required front, side, or rear setback violates Sec. 506; Sec. 2403 treats a first offense as an infraction, a repeat within 12 months as a misdemeanor, with each day a separate violation.

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the minimum front setback in a Kings County RR zone?
50 feet, or not less than 80 feet from the road centerline if that's greater. Development Code Table 5-2 sets both standards.
Are setbacks smaller in the RM multi-family districts?
Yes. RM districts require a 20-foot front setback versus 50 feet in Rural Residential, plus added rear setback per story near an R district.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Kings County

All Kings County rules

California rules heatmap·Compare Kings County to another location·View the California building setbacks & zoning overview

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