Before You Build in Riverside, CA: Permit & Rule Checklist (2026)

Riverside requires a building permit for fences and walls taller than 6 feet, and for all retaining walls over 4 feet (measured from footing bottom to top of wall). Fences under 6 feet in rear/side yards generally do not require a permit but must still meet Title 19 zoning standards.

Riverside has no city-specific shared-fence ordinance; instead California Civil Code Section 841 (the Good Neighbor Fence Act) governs shared boundary fences and presumes equal cost-sharing between adjoining owners, with a mandatory 30-day prior written notice before incurring costs.

Riverside Municipal Code Chapter 19.550 prohibits hazardous fence materials such as barbed wire, razor wire, and electrified fencing in residential zones, and requires that fences be constructed of durable, finished materials and maintained in good condition.

Per the City of Riverside Building & Safety Division and the California Building Code as adopted by Riverside, retaining walls not exceeding 4 feet measured from the bottom of the footing to the top of the wall do not require a building permit unless they support a surcharge or impound Class I, II, or IIIA flammable liquids.

California Health & Safety Code Section 115922 (the Swimming Pool Safety Act as amended by SB 442) requires at least two of seven drowning prevention safety features for new or remodeled residential pools, including an enclosure under Section 115923 with a minimum 60-inch height, self-closing/self-latching gate, and 4-inch maximum gaps.

Per Riverside Municipal Code Chapter 19.550 (Fences, Walls, Landscaping and Maintenance), fences in residential front-yard setbacks are limited to roughly 4 feet (with openwork above 3 feet) and to 6 feet in side and rear yards; fences over 7 feet require a building permit.

California Health & Safety Code §115922 — as enforced by the City of Riverside Building & Safety Division at final inspection — requires every new residential pool or spa, or any pool being remodeled, to have AT LEAST TWO of seven approved drowning prevention safety features. A compliant enclosure alone is not enough.

Per the California Residential Code Appendix V (Section AV105.1) as adopted by Riverside, prefabricated above-ground pools accessory to an R-3 dwelling that are less than 24 inches deep and hold under 5,000 gallons are exempt from a standard building permit. Any above-ground pool with water depth over 18 inches still triggers the California Swimming Pool Safety Act barrier rules.

Riverside requires a building permit from the Community & Economic Development Department for any in-ground pool, above-ground pool over 24 inches deep, or spa. Permits are issued under the 2022 California Residential Code (CRC) and California Building Code (CBC) Section 3109, as adopted by the City.

Hot tubs and portable spas with water depth over 18 inches are 'swimming pools' under California Health & Safety Code §115921. However, a spa is exempt from full barrier rules if it is equipped with an approved locking safety cover meeting ASTM F1346-23 (CA H&S §115922(a)(3) and CBC §3109.4.4.1). Spa equipment must also comply with Riverside Title 7 noise limits.

Per California Building Code §3109 (as adopted by the City of Riverside) and California Health & Safety Code §115923, any pool or spa with water depth over 18 inches must be surrounded by a barrier at least 60 inches high. Openings cannot pass a 4-inch sphere, the bottom gap cannot exceed 2 inches, and gates must be self-closing and self-latching with the release placed at least 60 inches above grade.

Riverside Municipal Code Chapter 19.442 governs Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs), Junior ADUs (JADUs) and Movable ADUs (MADUs). Every single-family and multi-family property in the city is eligible for at least one ADU and one JADU under state law and §19.442.030.

Converting an existing garage into an ADU or Junior ADU is permitted ministerially in Riverside under RMC Chapter 19.442 and California Government Code §65852.2. No replacement covered parking is required when the garage becomes an ADU.

Riverside allows movable accessory dwelling units (MADUs) between 150 and 430 square feet on single-family lots under RMC Chapter 19.442. Tiny homes on wheels classified as RVs cannot be used as permanent dwellings on residential lots.

One-story detached storage sheds 120 sq ft or smaller are exempt from a building permit under California Residential Code R105.2 and Riverside Municipal Code Title 16, but they must still meet zoning setbacks in RMC Chapter 19.440 (Accessory Buildings and Structures).

Carports in Riverside are accessory structures under RMC Chapter 19.440 and must be permitted by Building & Safety. They must be open on at least two sides or they are reclassified as garages, and must meet zoning setbacks for their underlying residential zone.

Open burning of trash or yard waste is prohibited in Riverside. Any open burn or bonfire requires both a Riverside Fire Department permit (24-hour advance notice) and compliance with South Coast AQMD Rule 444; no-burn days override any permit.

Riverside permits small recreational fires in approved pits, but bonfires and open burning require a Fire Department permit at least 24 hours in advance. Distance, size, and supervision rules are strictly enforced under the California Fire Code as adopted by RMC Chapter 16.32.

Under Riverside Municipal Code Chapter 16.40, no person may remove a City tree — any tree in a park, parkway, median, or public right-of-way — without a removal permit from the City Arborist. Private-property trees can generally be removed without a permit unless they are heritage trees, protected native species, or on hillside parcels subject to grading ordinances.

Riverside Public Utilities (RPU) enforces year-round outdoor watering restrictions under Riverside Municipal Code Chapter 14.22 (Water Conservation). RPU urges customers to irrigate only between 6:00 p.m. and 10:00 a.m. (no watering during the heat of the day), and RPU's drought outreach has activated Water Shortage Contingency Plan Level 2 calling for a 10-20% reduction.

The City of Riverside owns and maintains the ~150,000 street trees in the parkway strip between sidewalk and curb under RMC Chapter 13.06. Residents who want a private contractor to trim or remove a City street tree must first obtain a no-fee permit from the Trees & Landscaping Division of Public Works.