Santa Barbara County, CA Fire Regulations: Propane Storage (2026)
Key Facts
- Zoning permit needed
- No, exempt under Sec. 35.20.040.B.18
- Fire permit needed
- Yes, under adopted CFC 105.5.30
- Fire permit fee
- $99.00 per Sec. 15-101 fee schedule
- Fire code edition adopted
- 2025 California Fire Code
- Zoning exemption covers
- Residential and agricultural zones only
Summary
A residential or agricultural propane tank does not need a zoning permit under Development Code Sec. 35.20.040.B.18, but installing or operating one still requires a Fire Department operational permit because Sec. 15-3 adopts California Fire Code Sec. 105.5.30 (LP-gas) in full, with a $99 fee under the county's fee schedule.
SECTION 105 PERMITS is amended by adopting and amending the following: ... 105.5.30 LP-gas is adopted in its entirety [Sec. 15-3]. Fee schedule: 105.5.30 LP-gas $99.00 [Sec. 15-101]. Development Code exemption: 18.Propane tanks. Propane tanks located in residential or agricultural zones. [Sec. 35.20.040.B.18]
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 44 Update 1).
Full Breakdown
Two separate county rules cover propane. 18 lists 'Propane tanks located in residential or agricultural zones' among the activities exempt from all planning permit requirements of the Development Code, so a homeowner or farm placing a propane tank does not need a Land Use Permit, Zoning Clearance, or other planning approval, as long as it still meets setback, height, and other applicable development standards. 30 LP-gas is adopted in its entirety,' meaning the county did not modify the state model code's LP-gas operational permit trigger; it applies exactly as the Fire Code writes it.
30 LP-gas' line item, the same flat rate charged for several other single-category operational permits such as floor finishing and hot work operations. 30, such as bulk or cylinder storage above the code's exempt thresholds, still needs the Fire Department's operational permit and must pay the $99 fee before the county will sign off, and the Fire Department retains inspection authority over the installation regardless of the zoning exemption.
Violations & Fines
Operating an LP-gas installation that requires a Fire Code 105.5.30 permit without first obtaining and paying for it is a violation of Section 15-3's adopted Fire Code provisions, enforceable by the Fire Department the same as any other unpermitted operational fire-code activity under Chapter 15, up to and including a stop-work or stop-use order until the $99 permit is obtained and the installation is inspected. The Section 35.20.040.B.18 zoning exemption does not excuse this fire-permit requirement; it only means Planning and Development will not separately cite the tank for lacking a land use permit as long as the exempt-use conditions in Section 35.20.040.A, including compliance with setbacks and height limits, are met.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a county zoning permit to install a propane tank at my house in unincorporated Santa Barbara County?
Does the zoning exemption mean I skip the fire permit too?
How much does the county charge for the LP-gas fire permit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Santa Barbara County
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