Santa Clara, CA Building Setbacks & Zoning: Setback Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Front setback, R1-6L/R1-8L
- 20 feet
- Front setback, R3-R6
- 10 feet
- Interior side, R1-6L
- 5 feet
- Interior side, R1-8L
- 6 to 9 feet
- Rear (single-story), R1-6L/R1-8L
- 20 feet
- Driveway approach length
- 20 feet, all zones
- Governing table
- Title 18, Table 2-3
Summary
Santa Clara's Table 2-3 sets a 20-foot front setback in R1-6L and R1-8L, stepping down to 10 feet in R3 through R6, with a 5-foot interior side setback in R1-6L and 6-to-9 feet in R1-8L, plus separate second-story and rear-yard minimums.
Setbacks (minimum) -Property lines are measured in feet, with those adjacent to the street measured from the face of the curb., adopted plan line, or edge of right-of-way. Front 20 20 15 10 10 10 10 Section 18.30.050. Front, second story 25 25 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a. Side, Corner 10 10 10 10 15 15 15. Side, corner second story 15 15 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a. Side, Interior 5 6 and 9 5 5 10 10 10 Section 18.10.040(B) Section 18.30.050. Rear, single-story 20 20 10 10 20 20 20 Section 18.30.040. Rear, multi-story 20 20 15 15 20 20 20. G Length of driveway approach 20 20 20 20 20 20 20
Full Breakdown
030, measures setbacks in feet from the property line, with lines adjacent to the street measured from the face of curb, adopted plan line, or edge of right-of-way. 050. A second-story front setback of 25 feet applies in R1-6L and R1-8L only; it does not apply to the higher-density zones. 050; a second-story interior side setback of 10 feet applies in R1-6L and 11 to 14 feet in R1-8L. Corner-lot side setbacks are 10 feet in R1-6L, R1-8L, R2 and R3, rising to 15 feet in R4 through R6, with a 15-foot second-story corner setback in R1-6L and R1-8L. 040. Driveway approach length is a uniform 20 feet across every residential zone.
Violations & Fines
Constructing or maintaining a structure that encroaches into a required Table 2-3 setback is a violation of SCCC Title 18, treated as a public nuisance and strict-liability offense under City Code Section 18.152.070 regardless of intent. The City can issue a Notice of Violation, pursue infraction or misdemeanor charges, and impose administrative and civil penalties under Section 1.05.070 and Chapter 1.10, with fines paid to the Community Development Department.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the front yard setback for a house in Santa Clara?
How wide does a side yard need to be in Santa Clara's R1-8L zone?
Does the rear setback change based on how tall the house is?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Santa Clara
California rules heatmap·Compare Santa Clara to another location·View the California building setbacks & zoning overview
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Setback Rules in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Santa Clara County handle setback rules.