Calaveras County, CA Building Setbacks & Zoning: Setback Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Front/street-side setback
- 20 ft from line or 50 ft from road centerline
- Interior side (RR, R3)
- 10 feet
- Interior side (R1, R2)
- 5 feet
- Rear setback (all zones)
- 20 feet
- Small shed encroachment
- Under 120 sq ft may sit in side/rear setback
- Governs
- Unincorporated county (all but Angels Camp)
Summary
Calaveras County sets minimum yard setbacks by zone in Table 17.05.030: 20 feet front (or 50 feet from the road centerline, whichever is greater), 10 feet interior side in the RR and R3 zones (5 feet in R1/R2), and 20 feet rear in every residential zone. These apply countywide outside Angels Camp.
Standard RR R1 R2 R3 Additional Regulations ... Minimum Setbacks (ft) Measured in feet from property line unless otherwise stated. Construction must also meet the requirements for "Defensible Space" and "Fire Regulations for State Responsibility Areas" pursuant to Title 15 of Calaveras County Code and any other applicable fire safety requirements. See also Section 17.16.080, Setbacks. Front 20 from property line or 50 from centerline of the road right-of-way or easement, whichever results in a greater setback from the road right-of-way or easement. ... Interior Side 10 5 5 10 Rear 20 20 20 20
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 23 Update 2).
Full Breakdown
030, Development Regulations, Residential Zones, fixes minimum setbacks for the county's four residential zones: Rural Residential (RR), Low Density Residential (R1), Medium Density Residential (R2), and High Density Residential (R3). The front and street side setback is 20 feet from the property line or 50 feet from the centerline of the road right-of-way or easement, whichever produces the greater setback, in every one of the four zones. The interior side setback is 10 feet in RR and R3, but only 5 feet in R1 and R2.
The rear setback is a flat 20 feet in all four zones. 080, Setbacks, governs how the required setback area may be used: it must stay unobstructed from the ground to the sky except for specifically allowed encroachments, including eaves and overhangs projecting up to one-third of the required setback (no closer than 3 feet from the property line), driveways and utility lines, fences and walls, mechanical equipment kept at least 3 feet from the property line and screened, and a single shed under 120 square feet and under 12 feet tall in the side or rear setback.
Because Angels Camp is the county's only incorporated city, this Title 17 zoning code, not a separate municipal code, is the setback law for San Andreas, Murphys, Arnold, Copperopolis, Valley Springs, Mokelumne Hill, and every other unincorporated community in the county. Construction in the setback area must also satisfy the defensible-space clearance requirements of Title 15 and any applicable fire-safe regulations for State Responsibility Areas, which the table cross-references directly.
Violations & Fines
Setback violations are processed as zoning code compliance matters under Title 17's enforcement chapter, which can require removal or relocation of a nonconforming structure and can withhold future building or use permits until the property is brought into compliance. The planning director may allow limited administrative adjustments, such as a smaller stream or wetland setback, only through an administrative use permit supported by a qualified biologist's or engineer's finding, not by right.
Frequently Asked Questions
How far must a house sit from the front property line in Calaveras County?
Can I put a shed closer to my property line than the normal setback?
Do setback rules differ between Calaveras County's residential zones?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Calaveras County
California rules heatmap·Compare Calaveras County to another location·View the California building setbacks & zoning overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.