Kern County, CA Building Setbacks & Zoning: Setback Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Front yard
- ≥25 feet
- Side yard
- ≥5 ft (10 ft corner street side)
- Rear yard
- ≥5 feet
- Code section
- KCOC 19.18.070
Summary
In Kern County's R-1 low-density residential district, buildings must have a front-yard setback of at least 25 feet, side yards of at least 5 feet (10 feet on the street side of corner lots), and a rear yard of at least 5 feet.
Front Yard... In no case shall the front-yard minimum setback be less than twenty-five (25) feet... Side Yard. There shall be a side yard on each side of any building of not less than five (5) feet, except that on the street side of corner lots, buildings shall be set back a minimum of ten (10) feet from the right-of-way of any local street... Rear Yard. There shall be a rear yard of not less than five (5) feet.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 59 Update 1).
Full Breakdown
Kern County Ordinance Code section 19.18.070 sets yard and setback requirements in the R-1 (low-density residential) district. The front-yard minimum setback for all buildings must in no case be less than 25 feet. A side yard of at least 5 feet is required on each side of a building, except that on the street side of corner lots buildings must be set back at least 10 feet from the right-of-way. A rear yard of at least 5 feet is required, with through lots following the front-yard requirement.
Violations & Fines
Building within the required front, side, or rear setbacks in the R-1 district violates Kern County Ordinance Code section 19.18.070 and is enforced by the Planning Department.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the setbacks in Kern County's R-1 zone?
Do corner lots differ?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Kern County
California rules heatmap·Compare Kern County to another location·View the California building setbacks & zoning overview
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