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Omaha, NE Building Setbacks & Zoning: Structure Height Limits (2026)

Some Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified August 2026

Key Facts

R3 district height cap
35 feet maximum
Applies to
Single-family residential structures
Governing chapter
Omaha Municipal Code Ch. 55, Zoning
Variance authority
Zoning board of appeals

Summary

Omaha caps single-family homes in its medium-density R3 residential district at 35 feet, set alongside the district's lot and setback rules.

Sec. 55-166. - Site development regulations. Each site in the R3 single-family residential district shall be subject to the following site development regulations: Regulator Requirement ... Floor area ratio No restriction Height 35 feet maximum Building coverage 35 percent maximum Impervious coverage 45 percent maximum

Source: OMC Title 55 — ZoningView official code

Full Breakdown

Omaha's zoning code fixes a 35-foot maximum building height for houses in the R3 single-family residential (medium density) district, one of the standard site development regulations issued with the district's 7,500-square-foot minimum lot area and building/impervious coverage caps. The R1 large-lot, R2 low-density, and R4 high-density single-family districts carry their own parallel height tables in the same chapter. A property owner who wants to exceed the limit needs a variance from the zoning board of appeals; the planning department's permits and inspections division enforces the cap through the building permit process.

Violations & Fines

Building or altering a structure above the district height maximum without an approved variance is a zoning code violation; the permits and inspections division can deny or revoke the building permit and require the structure to be brought into compliance.

Frequently Asked Questions

How tall can I build a house in Omaha's R3 district?
Up to 35 feet, per the site development regulations table in Sec. 55-166 of the zoning code.
Is the height limit the same in every residential district?
No. R1, R2, R3, and R4 single-family districts each have their own site development table; R3's cap is 35 feet.
Can I exceed the height cap?
Only with a variance approved by the zoning board of appeals under the procedures in Chapter 55.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Omaha

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