Building Setbacks & Zoning in Sacramento, CA (2026)
3 verified building setbacks & zoning rules for Sacramento, California, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Setback Rules
Sacramento's Planning and Development Code sets zone-specific yard setbacks rather than one citywide number. In the R-1 single-unit zone, the front-yard setback defaults to 20 feet absent a matching neighbor pattern, interior side yards run 3-5 feet, street side yards are 12.5 feet, and rear yards are 15 feet (5 feet along an alley), under City Code §§ 17.204.240 and 17.212.230.
Sacramento Yard Setback Minimums by Zone
Some RestrictionsSacramento City Code § 17.204.240 (R-1 Zone – Setbacks)
A. Front-yard setback. The minimum front-yard setback is determined as follows: ... 3. If there is no other building with a front-yard setback on the same side of the street on the same block as the lot for which the setback is being determined, the minimum front-yard setback is 20 feet. B. Interior side-yard setback. 1. Unless paragraph 2 or 3 of this subsection applies, the minimum interior s...
Structure Height Limits
Sacramento caps homes at 35 feet in its two primary residential zones. Sacramento City Code §§ 17.204.220 and 17.204.520 set an identical 35-foot maximum height for the R-1 (single-unit) and R-2 (single-unit or duplex) zones, paired with a lot-coverage ceiling of 40 percent (or 2,500 square feet, whichever is greater) that can never top 50 percent.
Residential Structure Height Limit in Sacramento
Some RestrictionsSacramento City Code § 17.204.220 (R-1 Zone-Height, Density, Lot Coverage, and Floor Area Ratios); accord § 17.204.520 (R-2 Zone)
17.204.220 R-1 zone-Height, density, lot coverage, and floor area ratios. A. Height. The maximum height is 35 feet. ... C. Lot coverage. The maximum lot coverage is 40% or 2,500 square feet, whichever is greater; provided, that lot coverage shall not exceed 50 percent. D. Floor area ratios. The minimum and maximum floor area ratios are established in the general plan.
Lot Coverage Limits
In Sacramento's standard R-1 single-unit zone, buildings and structures cannot cover more than 40% of the lot, or 2,500 square feet, whichever is greater -- but coverage is hard-capped at 50% no matter how the formula runs. Other residential zones carry their own separate caps.
Sacramento R-1 Zone Max Lot Coverage
Some RestrictionsSacramento City Code § 17.204.220
17.204.220 R-1 zone-Height, density, lot coverage, and floor area ratios. C. Lot coverage. The maximum lot coverage is 40% or 2,500 square feet, whichever is greater; provided, that lot coverage shall not exceed 50 percent.
Looking for Sacramento County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Sacramento city rules.
Building Setbacks & Zoning in Sacramento County →