In unincorporated Santa Clara County, driveways must not block sidewalks or public rights-of-way, and curb cuts require an encroachment permit from Roads and Airports.
Santa Clara County regulates driveways under Title C (Building and Construction) and Title B (Roads), which govern curb cuts, driveway approaches, and encroachments on county-maintained roads. Property owners must obtain an encroachment permit from the Roads and Airports Department before constructing or modifying a driveway that crosses a public right-of-way or county road shoulder. Driveways cannot obstruct sidewalks, bike lanes, or pedestrian paths, and vehicles parked in driveways cannot extend over the sidewalk (a violation of CVC 22500(f) enforceable countywide). Flag lot driveways, shared driveways, and long private accessways must meet Fire Marshal width and turnaround standards (typically 20 feet clear width with 13 feet 6 inches vertical clearance) so fire apparatus can reach structures. In hillside zones, driveway grades over 15 percent require special engineering review.
Contact your local code enforcement office for specific penalty information.
See how Santa Clara County's driveway rules rules stack up against other locations.
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