Palm Springs, CA Building Setbacks & Zoning: Setback Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Front yard, R-1-AH to R-1-D
- 25 ft (local/collector street)
- Front yard, R-1-E
- 15 ft (local/collector street)
- Interior side yard, AH-A-B-C
- 10 ft
- Interior side yard, R-1-E
- 6 ft
- Rear yard, all R-1 zones
- 15 ft minimum
- Governing section
- Zoning Code Sec. 92.01.03(B)
Summary
Palm Springs sets yard setbacks by R-1 subzone under Zoning Code Section 92.01.03(B). A front yard facing a local or collector street must run at least 25 feet in the R-1-AH through R-1-D zones and 15 feet in R-1-E. Interior side yards range from 10 feet down to 6 feet, and every R-1 zone needs a 15-foot rear yard.
R-1-AH R-1-A R-1-B R-1-C R-1-D R-1-E 1. ... Front yards: a. Local/Collector street 25 25 25 25 25 15 ... ... 2. Side yards: a. Interior 10 10 10 10 7.5 6 ... ... 3. Rear yards: a. Backing on interior lot/local/ collector street 15 15 15 15 15 15
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4923139; v14 updated 2026-06-24).
Full Breakdown
" For a lot fronting a local or collector street, the front yard must be at least 25 feet in the AH, A, B, C and D zones, dropping to 15 feet only in R-1-E, the zone built around the city's smallest, densest single-family lots. 5 feet in R-1-D and to just 6 feet in R-1-E. Every R-1 subzone shares the same 15-foot rear yard where the lot backs on an interior lot or a local or collector street; lots backing on a major thoroughfare or state highway need a larger rear yard under the same table.
These are minimums measured from the property line, and separate sections of the Zoning Code allow the Planning Commission to require larger yards on lots abutting a scenic corridor or to modify hillside lot setbacks administratively. A homeowner adding a room, garage or accessory structure has to check which of the six R-1 letter-zones the parcel sits in before assuming a citywide number applies, since the AH/A/B/C/D group and the E zone run on different rows of the same table, and corner and thoroughfare-facing lots carry larger figures still.
Violations & Fines
Building or expanding a structure inside the required setback is a Municipal Code violation under Section 1.01.140 and is treated as a misdemeanor unless the city attorney or an enforcement officer charges it as an infraction. Infraction fines escalate from up to $100 for a first offense to $200 for a second within a year and $500 for each further violation; a misdemeanor carries up to a $1,000 fine and six months in county jail, and each day the encroachment continues is a separate offense under Section 1.01.150.
Frequently Asked Questions
How far must a house sit from the front property line in Palm Springs?
Do side yard setbacks differ by R-1 subzone?
What is the rear yard requirement for a Palm Springs single-family home?
What happens if a structure violates the setback?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Palm Springs
California rules heatmap·Compare Palm Springs to another location·View the California building setbacks & zoning overview
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Setback Rules in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Riverside County handle setback rules.