Riverside, CA Building Setbacks & Zoning: Structure Height Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- Max height, most SF zones
- 35 ft
- Max height, RC zone
- 20 ft
- Max stories, most SF zones
- 2
- Max stories, RC zone
- 1
- Architectural feature bonus
- +10 ft (towers, spires, domes)
- Governing section
- RMC §19.100.040, Table A
Summary
Homes in most Riverside single-family zones, RA-5, RR, RE, and the R-1 variants, are capped at 35 feet and two stories under RMC §19.100.040, Table 19.100.040.A. Only the low-density RC zone is stricter, at 20 feet and a single story. Height is measured from finished grade to the roof's highest point.
Table 19.100.040.A Residential Development Standards: Single-family Residential Zones. Building Height - Maximum 10,15: RA-5 35 ft.; RC 20 ft.; RR 35 ft.; RE 35 ft.; R-1-1/2 Acre 35 ft.; R-1-13000 35 ft.; R-1-10500 35 ft.; R-1-8500 35 ft.; R-1-7000 35 ft. Number of Stories - Maximum 15: RA-5 2; RC 1; RR 2; RE 2; R-1-1/2 Acre 2; R-1-13000 2; R-1-10500 2; R-1-8500 2; R-1-7000 2. / 19.560.020 - Height measurement. A. ...structure height shall be measured as the vertical distance between the building pad elevation or finished grade and the highest point of the subject building or structure. The highest point shall be the coping of a flat roof, deck line of a mansard roof, or peak of the highest gable of a pitch or hip roof, exclusive of vents, air conditioners, chimneys, and similar objects.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 33).
Full Breakdown
A sets the same 35-foot, two-story ceiling across RA-5, RR, RE, R-1-1/2 Acre, R-1-13000, R-1-10500, R-1-8500 and R-1-7000 zones; the RC zone alone drops to 20 feet and one story. 020(A), structure height runs from the building pad elevation or finished grade to the highest point of the building, the coping of a flat roof, the deck line of a mansard roof, or the peak of the highest gable on a pitched or hip roof, excluding vents, air conditioners, chimneys and similar equipment. 020(B) instead measures from the midpoint of a line between the highest and lowest building-pad or foundation points up to the roof's top-most point.
030 allows limited exceptions: uninhabited architectural features such as towers, spires, steeples, domes and cupolas may exceed the height limit by up to 10 feet with Approving or Appeal Authority approval, and roof structures housing elevators, stairways, tanks, ventilating fans, parapet walls, chimneys or smokestacks may rise above the limit if safely built, but never to create additional floor space. A also sets each zone's minimum lot area, width, depth, front/side/rear setbacks, and maximum lot coverage (30-40%), so a height review typically happens alongside those other dimensional checks during plan check.
Violations & Fines
A structure built taller than its zone's height limit without an approved exception is caught at building-permit plan check by the Community & Economic Development Department, or flagged after the fact through code enforcement, and can require a stop-work order or physical modification to bring the structure into compliance. Under City Charter §417, violating any City ordinance, Title 19 included, is a misdemeanor unless made an infraction, with a maximum penalty of a $1,000 fine, six months' imprisonment, or both.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a chimney count toward my house's height limit?
Can I build higher than 35 feet for a tower or cupola?
How is height measured on a sloped lot?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Riverside
California rules heatmap·Compare Riverside to another location·View the California building setbacks & zoning overview
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Structure Height Limits in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Riverside County handle structure height limits.