Ventura, CA Fire Regulations: Propane Storage (2026)

California Fire Code Chapter 61 (LP-Gases), adopted into San Buenaventura Municipal Code Division 10, establishes the limits on propane storage and use in Ventura. Key thresholds: CFC §105.6 / §6101 Operational Permit required for the storage, use, or handling of LP-Gas where the aggregate water capacity is more than 125 gallons (about 500 lb propane) at residential locations or 60 gal at commercial. CFC §6104 (Container Specifications and Location) limits residential aggregate storage of portable cylinders to 200 lb at one- and two-family dwellings outside; cylinders > 4 lb LP-Gas must be stored outdoors (CFC §6109.5). CFC Table 6104.3 sets minimum distances from buildings, lot lines, and combustible storage based on water capacity — e.g., a 125-gal-water tank requires 0 ft from buildings of frame construction up to certain sizes, increasing with capacity; aboveground tanks > 500 gal need 10 ft from any building. Containers must be on a firm noncombustible base, with relief valves directed away from buildings (CFC §6107). Filling above 80% capacity is prohibited. Propane appliances inside structures must comply with the California Mechanical Code and California Plumbing Code. The City's Unified Program Agency (CUPA) responsibility, including LPG above threshold quantities, is delegated to the Ventura County Environmental Health Division for hazardous-materials disclosure under HSC §25500 et seq. (the Business Plan / California Accidental Release Program) when on-site quantities exceed 1,000 cubic feet at standard temperature and pressure (typically a 60-gal tank).