San Benito County, CA Fire Regulations: Propane Storage (2026)

San Benito County has no propane-specific ordinance, so liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) storage is governed by the California Fire Code (CFC) Chapter 61 and the referenced standard NFPA 58, as adopted through the County's Building Standards Code and enforced by CAL FIRE's San Benito-Monterey Unit and county fire prevention. CFC Chapter 61 'provides requirements for the safe handling, storing and use of LP-gas to reduce the possibility of damage to containers, accidental releases of LP-gas, and exposure of flammable concentrations of LP-gas to ignition sources.' Required separation distances scale with container size: aboveground containers of 125 gallons up to 500 gallons water capacity must be at least 10 feet from a building, public way, or line of adjoining property that can be built upon; 501-to-2,000-gallon containers must be at least 25 feet away. Small cylinders such as the typical 20-pound BBQ-grill tank must be stored outdoors, not inside a building or garage. Larger residential and commercial installations require a Fire Code permit and must keep vegetation, weeds, and other combustibles cleared back from the tank - which dovetails with the defensible-space duty on rural parcels in the State Responsibility Area. Rural San Benito County relies heavily on propane for heating and cooking, so correct tank placement, clearance from structures and ignition sources, and protection from vehicle impact are the practical priorities.