Kings County, CA Landscaping Rules: Water Restrictions (2026)
Water restrictions in Kings County, CA, also called the watering schedule, outdoor irrigation rules, or drought ordinance, set which days and hours you can run sprinklers or irrigation.
Key Facts
- Recommended window
- 6 p.m.-10 a.m.
- Months named
- April and October
- Zone duration cap
- 12 min (8 min Nov-Mar)
- Status
- voluntary, not enforced
Summary
Kings County recommends limiting unincorporated-area landscape watering to 6 p.m.-10 a.m. in April and October, with each zone capped at 12 minutes (8 minutes November-March): a voluntary conservation guideline, not an enforced ban.
In the unincorporated areas of the county during the months of April and October, all daily landscape watering should take place between the hours of 6 p.m. and 10 a.m. to reduce water evaporation and the allowable length of watering times for each watering zone should not exceed 12 minutes, or 8 between the months of November and March.
9. In County areas within the primary sphere of a city or an area served by a Community Service District, watering restrictions shall be as set by the City or Community Service District.
10. In an effort to reduce water consumption throughout the county, synthetic lawns may be substituted for grass at the property owner's discretion.
11. All new residential and commercial development in the communities of Armona, Home Garden and Stratford shall integrate drought tolerant landscaping and conservation fixtures with the structures to reduce the average per capita water use within the community.
F. Maintenance of Landscaped Areas: A landscaped area provided in compliance with the regulations prescribed in this Development Code or as a condition or requirement of a use permit or variance shall be planted with materials suitable for screening or ornamenting the site, whichever is appropriate, and plant materials shall be replaced as needed to screen or ornament the site.
Full Breakdown
Development Code Sec. 1504(E)(8), under Article 15's Landscaping Regulations, sets watering guidance for the unincorporated county: during April and October, daily landscape watering should run between 6 p.m. and 10 a.m. to cut evaporation, with each watering zone capped at 12 minutes (8 minutes between November and March). Article 15 is voluntary except where the code says otherwise (Sec. 1502), and this provision uses 'should,' so it isn't an enforceable watering schedule. Areas within a city's sphere of influence or served by a Community Service District follow that agency's watering rules instead, per Sec. 1504(E)(9).
Violations & Fines
No fine or citation attaches. Sec. 1504(E)(8) is a voluntary conservation recommendation, not an enforced ordinance, so residents who water outside these hours face no county penalty.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Kings County fine me for watering my lawn at noon?
Does this apply inside Hanford or Lemoore?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Kings County
How Kings County compares: Cities with the Strictest Water Restrictions·California rules heatmap·Compare Kings County to another location·View the California landscaping rules overview
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