Sunnyvale, CA Building Setbacks & Zoning: Structure Height Limits (2026)
Key Facts
- R-0/R-1 single-family height cap
- 30 ft., 2 stories
- R-3 multi-family height cap
- 35 ft., 3 stories
- R-4/R-5 height cap
- 55 ft., 4 stories
- C-2/C-3 commercial cap
- 75 ft., 8 stories
- Architectural feature bonus
- Up to 25 ft. over max
- Underground parking bonus (R-3/R-4/R-5)
- Up to 5 ft.
Summary
Sunnyvale caps single-family homes in the R-0 and R-1 districts at 30 feet and two stories, per Table 19.32.020 in Municipal Code Chapter 19.32. Multi-family R-3 buildings top out at 35 feet, R-4 and R-5 at 55 feet, while commercial C-2/C-3 buildings may reach 75 feet, all measured under the same conformance standard.
The maximum building height and maximum lot coverage of and on each lot in every zoning district shall conform with the areas, distances and percentage herein specified in the table of building height and lot coverage... Table 19.32.020: R-0: Building Stories 2, Building Height (ft.) 30. R-1: Building Stories 2, Building Height (ft.) 30. R-3: Building Stories 3, Building Height (ft.) 35. R-4: Building Stories 4, Building Height (ft.) 55. R-5: Building Stories 4, Building Height (ft.) 55. C-2: Building Stories 8, Building Height (ft.) 75. C-3: Building Stories 8, Building Height (ft.) 75.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4856529; v14 updated 2026-05-19).
Full Breakdown
020 unless a special provision modifies it, with heights expressed in lineal feet. 7/PD and R-2 districts, and for R-MH mobile home parks. Density steps up the allowance: R-3 permits three stories and 35 feet, R-4 and R-5 permit four stories and 55 feet, and the O office district stays at 30 feet. 020(a)(5) lets hotels in C-2 and C-3 exceed 75 feet by use permit. Industrial M-S and M-3 districts allow 75 feet, with an M-S 100-percent-FAR variant reaching 100 feet. 030 permits architectural features such as towers, chimneys, cupolas and telecommunications facilities to exceed the district maximum by up to 25 feet, but bars them from the required side or rear yard or the space between the main building and the street.
030(b). 5: side-yard-facing walls cannot exceed 12 feet within 12 feet of the side property line, and second-story walls are capped at 21 feet exclusive of a pitched roof.
Violations & Fines
Building a structure that exceeds the Table 19.32.020 height maximum without an approved use permit is a Title 19 zoning violation and an infraction under Municipal Code Section 1.04.010(b)(9), punishable under Government Code Section 36900 per Section 1.04.020(b)(3) since Title 19 sets no fixed fine. Each day the oversized structure stands can be treated as a separate offense and a public nuisance subject to abatement under Section 1.04.040.
Frequently Asked Questions
How tall can a house be in Sunnyvale's R-1 district?
Can a chimney or tower exceed Sunnyvale's height limit?
Is there a height bonus for underground parking in Sunnyvale apartments?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Sunnyvale
California rules heatmap·Compare Sunnyvale to another location·View the California building setbacks & zoning overview
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