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Monterey County, CA Building Setbacks & Zoning: Structure Height Limits (2026)

Some Restrictions

Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

LDR/MDR/RDR main structure height: 30 feet maximum
HDR main structure height: 35 feet maximum
Accessory structures (all districts): 15 feet maximum
Map override: zoning map notation, e.g. LDR/2.5(24), controls
Exempt: agricultural windmills (§21.14.060(C)(3)(c))
Scope: unincorporated, non-coastal county only

Summary

Monterey County's unincorporated residential zoning caps building height by structure type and district: a Low Density Residential main dwelling tops out at 30 feet, Medium and Rural Density Residential also cap at 30 feet, and High Density Residential goes up to 35 feet, while every district limits habitable and non-habitable accessory structures like garages and sheds to 15 feet.

City-specific rules exist: Salinas has its own structure height limits rules that differ from Monterey County's county-level regulations. If you live in Salinas, check the city-specific page instead.

21.14.060 - Site development standards....1.Main Structures...b.Height. Maximum height: thirty (30) feet.2.Accessory Structures (Habitable)...b.Height. Maximum height: fifteen (15) feet3.Accessory Structures (Non-habitable)...b.Height. Maximum height: fifteen (15) feet.c.Agricultural windmills are exempt from the height provisions of this Chapter.

View official code

Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 56).

Full Breakdown

060(C)(4). 060(C)(1)(b)); accessory structures are capped at 15 feet in all four districts. 62 (Height and Setback Exceptions) sets out further allowed deviations. 010 limits Title 21 to the unincorporated, non-coastal county, these numbers do not apply inside the Coastal Zone, governed by the parallel Title 20 height tables, or inside Salinas, Monterey, Seaside, Marina, Carmel-by-the-Sea, Pacific Grove or King City.

Violations & Fines

A structure built taller than its district or map-noted limit is an unpermitted structure under Section 21.84.040(A), a misdemeanor chargeable as an infraction, and Section 21.84.030 separately declares it a public nuisance. The Director of Planning can record a Notice of Violation under Section 21.84.100 that blocks further County permits on the parcel under Section 21.84.120 until the structure is brought into conformance or a variance is granted through Chapter 21.72.

Frequently Asked Questions

How tall can I build my house in unincorporated Monterey County?

It is capped by your zoning district. Low Density, Medium Density and Rural Density Residential districts all limit a main dwelling to 30 feet under sections such as 21.14.060(C)(1)(b), while High Density Residential allows up to 35 feet under Section 21.10.060(C)(1)(b). Check your Sectional District Map first: a printed number there, like '(24)', overrides the chapter default.

How tall can a detached garage or shed be?

Fifteen feet. Every residential district's Site Development Standards, including Section 21.14.060(C)(2)(b) and (C)(3)(b), cap both habitable and non-habitable accessory structures at fifteen feet, regardless of the main-house height allowance in that same district.

Are there exceptions to the height cap?

Yes. Section 21.14.060(C)(3)(c) exempts agricultural windmills from the height limit, and barns, stables and farm outbuildings in Low Density Residential may reach thirty feet under Section 21.14.060(C)(4). Beyond named exceptions, Chapter 21.62 (Height and Setback Exceptions) sets the process for other height deviations.

Sources & Official References

[1]Monterey County Code, Title 21 - Zoning Ordinance (Municode)

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All Monterey County rules

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Structure Height Limits in Cities Across Monterey County

Salinas, CA