Building Setbacks & Zoning in Santa Clara County, CA (2026)

3 county-level rules, plus city-specific rules for 4 cities in Santa Clara County, California.

Verified from official government sources

Note: These county rules apply to unincorporated areas of Santa Clara County. If you live within an incorporated city, that city's own rules apply: see the city list below.

Setback Rules

Unincorporated Santa Clara County requires a 25-foot front and rear yard setback and a 5-foot side setback on standard R1 residential lots under the county Zoning Ordinance, separate from any of the 15 cities' own codes.

Unincorporated Santa Clara County Yard Setback Minimums

Some Restrictions

Santa Clara County Zoning Ordinance § 2.30.030 (Table 2.30-3)

R1 R1E RHS R1S R3S R2 R3 Setbacks (feet)6, 7: Front 25 8 25 30 25 Note 4 25 20 8 Side 5 8 5 20 5 5 Note 4 5 10 8 Corner lot: Exterior side 10 8 10 20 10 5 Note 4 10 10 8 Rear 25 8 25 25 25 5 Note 4 25 15 8

Full ordinance details →Official source ↗

Structure Height Limits

Homes in unincorporated Santa Clara County's R1 residential district are capped at 35 feet and two stories, dropping to 21 feet and one story on small flag lots, under the county's own Zoning Ordinance.

Unincorporated Santa Clara County Building Height Limits

Some Restrictions

Santa Clara County Zoning Ordinance § 2.30.030 (Table 2.30-3; subsection B)

Maximum height6: Feet 35 8 35 35 35 Note 4 35 45 8 Stories 2 8 2 3 2½ Note 4 2 4 8 B.Flag lots: Height restriction. On any flag lot of less than 20,000 square feet, the maximum height of dwellings shall be 21 feet and shall not include more than one story.

Full ordinance details →Official source ↗

Lot Coverage Limits

In unincorporated Santa Clara County, single-family residential districts (R1, R1E, RHS, R1S, R2) carry no separate lot-coverage percentage, bulk is controlled through setback and height rules instead, while the multi-family R3 district caps building footprint at 50 percent of the lot.