Sacramento County, CA Landscaping Rules: Rainwater Harvesting (2026)
Key Facts
- Legal status
- Legal statewide under the Rainwater Capture Act of 2012 (AB 1750)
- Permit for typical rain barrel
- Generally none for residential roof-to-barrel outdoor irrigation
- Permit may be needed
- For potable use, indoor plumbing, or large tanks (commonly cited 360-gallon threshold)
- County-specific ban
- None; County defers to state law
- Property-tax exclusion
- SB 558 (2018) excludes qualifying systems from reassessment
- Key caution
- Cover/screen storage to prevent mosquito breeding; control overflow
Summary
Rainwater harvesting is legal in California and not separately restricted by Sacramento County. Under the Rainwater Capture Act of 2012 (AB 1750), residential roof-to-barrel/cistern systems for outdoor use generally need no building or plumbing permit. Larger or non-standard systems may require permits and must avoid creating mosquito breeding or nuisances.
PART 2.4. Rainwater Capture Act of 2012 10570. This part shall be known, and may be cited, as the Rainwater Capture Act of 2012. 10573. Solely for the purposes of this part, and unless the context otherwise requires, the following definitions govern the construction of this part:
(a) "Developed or developing lands" means lands that have one or more of the characteristics described in subparagraphs (A) to (C), inclusive, of paragraph (4) of subdivision (b) of Section 56375.3 of the Government Code.
(b) "Rain barrel system" is a type of rainwater capture system that does not use electricity or a water pump and is not connected to or reliant on a potable water system.
(c) "Rainwater" means precipitation on any public or private parcel that has not entered an offsite storm drain system or channel, a flood control channel, or any other stream channel, and has not previously been put to beneficial use.
(d) "Rainwater capture system" means a facility designed to capture, retain, and store rainwater flowing off a building rooftop for subsequent onsite use. 10574. Use of rainwater collected from rooftops does not require a water right permit pursuant to Section 1201.
Full Breakdown
Sacramento County does not prohibit residential rainwater harvesting, and there is no County ordinance banning rain barrels or cisterns. The controlling framework is California state law: the Rainwater Capture Act of 2012 (Assembly Bill 1750) authorizes residential, commercial, and government landowners to install and operate rainwater-capture systems, subject to State Water Board requirements. For typical home use, a rain barrel or cistern that collects rainwater from a roof for outdoor (non-potable) irrigation generally does not require a building or plumbing permit. Permits, inspection, or professional installation become more likely when the system is used for purposes beyond simple outdoor irrigation, plumbed into the home, intended for potable use, or uses storage larger than the commonly cited 360-gallon threshold, in which case the local building authority (Sacramento County Building Permits and Inspection) should be consulted.
California also adopted SB 558 (2018), excluding qualifying rainwater-capture system installations from triggering a property-tax reassessment. Practical cautions apply regardless of permits: stored water should be covered and screened so it does not become a mosquito-breeding source (a vector nuisance the County and the Sacramento-Yolo Mosquito and Vector Control District can act on), and overflow should not create runoff onto neighbors. Because the County defers to state law here, the safest course for large tanks or any indoor plumbing connection is to confirm permit requirements with County Building before installing.
Violations & Fines
There is no County penalty simply for collecting rainwater. Problems arise only if a system is installed without a required building/plumbing permit (for larger or plumbed systems), or if uncovered storage becomes a mosquito-breeding or runoff nuisance, which can be abated under public-nuisance and vector-control authority.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it legal to collect rainwater in unincorporated Sacramento County?
Do I ever need a permit for a rainwater system?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Sacramento County
California rules heatmap·Compare Sacramento County to another location·View the California landscaping rules overview
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