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The City of Perris has no single bright-line 'curfew' clock, but Perris Municipal Code Chapter 7.34 (Noise Control) sets nighttime amplified-sound limits of 60 dBA between 10:01 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. (versus 80 dBA daytime) and broadly prohibits loud noise that disturbs a residential neighborhood. This is the city's own code, separate from Riverside County's ordinance.
Perris Municipal Code section 7.34.060 bans construction, demolition, excavation, alteration or repair noise between 7:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m., and all day on Sundays and most legal holidays. Construction activity may not exceed 80 dBA in residential zones. This is the City of Perris's own rule, distinct from Riverside County's construction-hour limits.
Perris adopted a dedicated Noisy Animals chapter (Perris Municipal Code Chapter 8.05, Ord. No. 1380, 2019) creating an administrative abatement process for animals whose excessive, unrelenting or habitual barking, howling or crying disturbs neighbors. The older noise chapter (7.34.080(3)) also treats animal noise that disturbs nearby residents as a violation. These are the city's own rules.
Perris Municipal Code section 7.34.080(7) specifically regulates leaf blowers. They may not be operated in residential-zoned areas between 7:00 p.m. and 8:00 a.m. on weekdays or between 5:00 p.m. and 9:00 a.m. on weekends and legal holidays, and may not exceed 80 decibels measured at 50 feet. This is the city's own ordinance.
Perris Municipal Code section 7.34.040 limits amplified sound (only music or the human voice are permitted) to 80 dBA from 7:01 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. and 60 dBA from 10:01 p.m. to 7:00 a.m., measured at or beyond the property line. Loudspeakers and similar devices that disturb the peace are separately prohibited under 7.34.080(2). These are city rules.
Perris Municipal Code section 7.34.100 regulates off-highway vehicle noise by reference to California Vehicle Code section 23130's 45-mph-or-less limits, with a distance-correction table. Section 7.34.080(1) bans unnecessary horn and signaling-device use. On public roads, California Vehicle Code noise standards apply statewide. Perris's off-highway rule supplements state law.
Perris Municipal Code Chapter 7.34 sets measurable decibel limits: amplified sound at the property line is capped at 80 dBA daytime (7:01 a.m.-10:00 p.m.) and 60 dBA nighttime (10:01 p.m.-7:00 a.m.); residential construction at 80 dBA; leaf blowers at 80 dB at 50 feet. Exceeding ambient by more than 1.0 dB presumes a violation.
Outdoor music in Perris is governed by the same amplified-sound limits in Perris Municipal Code section 7.34.040 (80 dBA daytime, 60 dBA nighttime at the property line) and the loudspeaker prohibition in 7.34.080(2). Music in public parks and parking lots needs prior written city approval and must stay within those limits under 7.34.080(6). This is the city's own framework.
Perris regulates industrial noise both through the general dBA limits of Perris Municipal Code Chapter 7.34 and through zoning performance standards in section 19.44.070, which require any industrial use that may generate noise in the 7:00 p.m.-7:00 a.m. evening window to submit a noise assessment and mitigation plan. Off-site vibration is prohibited.
Aircraft noise is federally preempted, so Perris sets no in-flight noise limits. Instead, Perris Municipal Code Chapter 19.51 (March ARB/IP Airport Overlay Zone) regulates noise-sensitive land use near the airport, requiring new sensitive uses to attenuate interior aircraft noise to no more than CNEL 40 dB. Perris Valley skydiving operations fall under FAA rules.
The City of Perris allows short-term rentals but requires the owner to obtain a short-term rental business license before renting a dwelling for 27 or fewer consecutive nights. The rule is Perris's own Chapter 5.38, added by Ordinance 1374 in 2018; it is not Riverside County's STR certificate.
Perris STR hosts register by applying to the City for a short-term rental business license under Section 5.38.050, providing owner and agent contacts, a 24-hour emergency contact within 25 miles, and proof of a valid transient occupancy tax registration. The license runs one year; renewals may be filed at least 60 days before expiration.
Short-term rentals in the City of Perris must collect a 10% transient occupancy tax (TOT) on the rent under Chapter 3.24 of the Perris Municipal Code. The owner must hold a valid TOT registration as a condition of the STR license and must collect and remit the tax. Application fees for the STR license are set by city council resolution.
The City of Perris caps short-term rental occupancy at two persons per bedroom plus two additional persons. The primary guest must be an adult 18 or older, and transients may not stay longer than 27 consecutive days (with exceptions for military personnel and displaced individuals). These limits are set by Perris Section 5.38.080, not by county rules.
Perris does NOT impose an annual night cap limiting how many nights per year a property may be rented. The only stay limit is per-booking: a short-term rental is 1 to 27 consecutive nights, and transients may not stay longer than 27 consecutive days, except for military personnel and displaced individuals. A property may host an unlimited number of such stays if licensed.
The City of Perris limits short-term rental guest vehicles to one per bedroom for a one-bedroom unit, or a maximum of two vehicles for units with two or more bedrooms. The director may approve more vehicles where unusual size or physical characteristics warrant it. These caps come from Perris Section 5.38.080, not the county.
Perris short-term rental owners must ensure guests do not violate the city's noise rules, and must take corrective action within 24 hours of being notified of a problem. The rental is for overnight lodging only - no parties or events. The city's general noise control standards in Chapter 7.34 apply, including a 60 dBA limit on amplified sound from 10:01 p.m. to 7:00 a.m.
The City of Perris does NOT require a short-term rental to be the host's primary residence or to be owner-occupied. Chapter 5.38 ties the license to the property owner and allows a designated agent, but contains no owner-occupancy or primary-residence mandate. Non-owner-occupied (whole-home) rentals are permitted if licensed and compliant.
Perris does not require the host to be present during stays, but Section 5.38.080 requires a 24-hour emergency contact located within a 25-mile radius of the rental who can respond to problems, and the owner must take corrective action within 24 hours of notice of a violation. This local-contact duty - not on-site hosting - is how the city manages absentee rentals.
The City of Perris does NOT require liability insurance as a condition of a short-term rental business license. Chapter 5.38 sets licensing, tax, occupancy, parking, noise, and local-contact duties, but contains no insurance or indemnification mandate. Hosts should still confirm coverage with their own insurer, as platform or lender policies may require it independently.
Riverside County requires online hosting platforms to display the local STR certificate number on every listing for unincorporated parcels. Platforms that knowingly host unpermitted Wine Country or unincorporated RivCo properties face enforcement and may be required to delist non-compliant units.
Riverside County Ordinance 927 authorizes a graduated enforcement system. After repeated violations within a rolling twelve-month period, the county may suspend or revoke a short-term rental certificate, barring the property from operating again for a fixed cooling-off period.
Riverside County Ordinance 927 defines short-term rentals as stays of fewer than thirty consecutive days. Bookings of thirty days or longer are treated as ordinary rental tenancies and fall under California landlord-tenant law rather than the county STR program.
Research of the Perris Municipal Code found no city-specific ordinance penalizing parking in an EV charging space; this is governed by California law. California Vehicle Code 22511 lets agencies designate EV-charging-only spaces and makes a non-charging vehicle in a posted EV space subject to citation. New EV stations are built under the California Green Building Standards Code and Chapter 19.69.
Perris is an incorporated city, so Riverside County's recreational-vehicle parking ordinance (Ord. 413) does NOT control inside city limits. The City of Perris regulates RVs, boats, and trailers through its own Municipal Code (Title 10 Vehicles and Traffic, Title 19 Zoning) and enforces on-street limits through Code Enforcement and Police.
On-street parking in Perris is governed by the city's own Perris Municipal Code, Title 10. Chapter 10.32 covers stopping, standing and parking, and Section 10.12.160 lists prohibited places. The biggest day-to-day restriction is street sweeping: parking is prohibited 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on each route's posted sweeping days. Police and Municipal Enforcement Services enforce.
Perris has no citywide blanket overnight on-street ban for standard passenger cars. Instead, overnight parking is shaped by the street-sweeping prohibition (8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on posted days), the prohibited-parking locations in Perris Municipal Code 10.12.160, and the 72-hour storage limit (CA Vehicle Code 22651(k)). Commercial and oversized vehicles face separate, stricter rules.
In Perris, oversized and heavy vehicles are governed by Perris Municipal Code Chapter 10.40 (Truck Routes) and Chapter 10.42 (commercial-vehicle parking). Ordinance 1413 (2022) amended Chapter 10.40 so vehicles over five tons gross weight must use one of 15 designated, signed truck routes. Chapter 10.42 limits where large vehicles, trailers, and semitrailers may park, with a permit process.
As a logistics hub, Perris regulates commercial trucks tightly. Perris Municipal Code Chapter 10.42 restricts where commercial vehicles, trailers, and semitrailers may park, with limited exceptions (Section 10.42.020) and a police-chief permit process (Section 10.42.030). Separately, Chapter 10.40 (amended by Ordinance 1413, 2022) confines trucks over five tons to 15 designated truck routes.
Perris abates abandoned, wrecked, dismantled, or inoperative vehicles under its own Perris Municipal Code, Title 7 (Health and Welfare), Chapter 7.30 Abandoned Vehicles, which sets a notice-and-hearing abatement process (Sections 7.30.080 and 7.30.130). On public streets, a vehicle left 72 or more consecutive hours may be removed under California Vehicle Code 22651(k). Code Enforcement handles complaints.
Perris regulates driveways and parking surfaces through its Zoning Code (Title 19, Chapter 19.69 Parking and Loading Standards). California Vehicle Code 22500 prohibits parking that blocks a public sidewalk or driveway. On residential lots, the City's parking standards govern required surfaces and where vehicles may be kept; blocking a sidewalk is enforced by Police and Code Enforcement.
Perris addresses loading in two ways: off-street loading is required at developments under Perris Municipal Code Chapter 19.69 (Parking and Loading Standards, including Section 19.69.040 Loading), and on-street loading-zone curb markings follow California Vehicle Code 21458. Yellow curbs allow loading/unloading during posted hours; white curbs allow brief passenger loading. Police and Municipal Enforcement Services cite vehicles parked in unauthorized locations.
Curb colors in Perris carry the meanings set by California Vehicle Code 21458, which applies citywide: red = no parking; yellow = loading only during posted hours; white = brief passenger loading; green = limited-time parking; blue = disabled parking. Only the City may authorize official curb markings; unauthorized resident curb painting is unenforceable and may itself be a violation.
There is no snow-shoveling parking tradition in Riverside County, and using chairs, cones, or other objects to reserve public parking is not recognized by law. Placing obstructions in the roadway or public shoulder can be cited as a traffic hazard, illegal dumping, or obstruction under Riverside County ordinances and the California Vehicle Code.
The City of Perris Building Department reviews fence and wall work for compliance with zoning height limits and structural standards. Block (masonry) walls require a building permit and footing, rebar, and final inspections. The city publishes a standard block-wall design and a site-plan example through Development Services at 135 N. D Street.
The City of Perris caps residential walls, fences, and hedges at 6 feet in interior side and rear yards. In the front yard, only 3 feet of solid fencing is allowed; heights to 5 feet are permitted if the portion above 3 feet is at least 50 percent open. Commercial fencing may reach 12 feet.
The City of Perris publishes a standard plan for a block wall atop a 2-foot retaining wall and requires footing, rebar, and final inspections for masonry work. Under the California Building Code the city enforces, retaining walls over 4 feet (measured from the bottom of the footing) require a building permit.
Perris zoning sets fence heights, but shared boundary fences between neighbors are governed by California Civil Code 841, the 'Good Neighbor Fence' law. Adjoining owners are presumed to share equally in the reasonable cost of building, maintaining, or replacing a dividing fence, and 30 days' written notice is required before incurring costs.
Perris restricts fence and wall materials in residential zones. Section 19.02.040 prohibits barbed wire, plain wire, corrugated metal, electrically charged fences, exposed plain PCC concrete, plywood (including T-111), and chain link. Approved materials include masonry, stone, brick, slump block, stucco, wood, and block/wrought-iron combinations.
Beyond height, Perris requires fences to preserve corner visibility and meet design standards. Zoning Code Section 19.02.050 bars fences, walls, hedges, and retaining walls from the corner sight triangle (15-foot sides) between 42 inches and 8 feet in height. Multi-family developments must be fully fenced and gated around the perimeter.
Perris specifies which fence and wall materials are acceptable. Section 19.02.040 permits split-face masonry, stone and stone veneer, brick, slump block, stucco, wood, and block/wrought-iron combinations in residential zones. Commercial and public-facing walls must use decorative materials such as block or wrought iron.
Riverside County enforces California Building Code Chapter 31A and California Health & Safety Code §§115920-115929 for swimming pool barriers. Pools must be enclosed by a 60-inch (5-foot) fence with self-closing, self-latching gates, and new construction must provide at least two drowning-prevention safety features from the statutory list.
All fireworks are illegal in the City of Perris, including state-approved 'Safe and Sane' fireworks and sparklers. Perris is not one of the handful of Riverside County cities (Blythe, Coachella, Desert Hot Springs, Indio) that permit Safe and Sane sales. Violators face fines and possible arrest, enforced by CAL FIRE/Riverside County Fire and the Sheriff.
Perris does not appear to have a separate local smoke-alarm ordinance; requirements come from California law and the building and fire codes the city adopts in Title 20. State law requires working smoke alarms in all dwellings used for sleeping and carbon-monoxide alarms in homes with a fuel-burning appliance, fireplace or attached garage, with landlords responsible for rentals.
Recreational fires and outdoor fire pits in Perris are governed by the California Fire Code, which the city adopts through Title 20 of the Perris Municipal Code and enforces with CAL FIRE/Riverside County Fire. The Fire Code allows small recreational fires and approved portable outdoor fireplaces but sets clearance distances from structures and requires constant attendance.
Small backyard recreational fires are allowed in Perris under the California Fire Code (adopted in Title 20), but burning trash, leaves or yard waste is not. Recreational fires must burn clean fuel, stay 25 feet from structures, be constantly attended, and have extinguishing means on hand. South Coast AQMD no-burn days override these rules.
Open outdoor burning of trash and yard waste is effectively prohibited in Perris. Any open burning requires a permit from the fire code official under the California Fire Code (adopted in Title 20), and South Coast AQMD limits burning to permissive burn days and issues mandatory no-burn orders. Routine backyard burning of leaves, debris or rubbish is not allowed.
Propane (LP-gas) storage in Perris is regulated by the California Fire Code, adopted in Title 20 of the Perris Municipal Code and enforced by CAL FIRE/Riverside County Fire. Small barbecue and patio-heater cylinders are allowed for home use, but larger aggregate quantities and commercial LP-gas storage trigger permit, location and clearance requirements under California Fire Code Chapter 61.
Perris property owners must clear hazardous and flammable vegetation, including dry weeds and tumbleweeds, from their lots. Clearance is enforced through the CAL FIRE/Riverside County Fire Department's Hazard Reduction program (Ordinances 695 and 772) and the city's own weed/vegetation nuisance rules. Owners get a Notice to Abate and typically 30 days to comply before the agency abates and bills them.
Most of Perris is flat valley, but the city does have mapped Fire Hazard Severity Zones in its Local Responsibility Area, and the City of Perris publishes an official FHSZ map so residents can check their address. Properties in higher-hazard zones face defensible-space and Wildland-Urban Interface building requirements. Confirm any parcel on the city's or CAL FIRE's map.
Perris does not set a numeric grass-height limit for ordinary residential yards. Front-yard and street-visible landscaping must be maintained (no overgrown, dead, or missing vegetation) under Chapter 7.42. On weed-abatement parcels, grasses must be cut to no more than six inches under PMC 7.08.045.
Perris water customers are now served by Eastern Municipal Water District (EMWD). EMWD's permanent rules limit irrigation to 9 p.m.-6 a.m., cap unattended sprinkler stations at 15 minutes, ban runoff, hosing pavement, and watering within 48 hours of rain. EMWD's contingency plan can mandate 2 watering days/week (Jun-Aug) and 1 day/week (Sep-May).
Perris protects public and certain private trees under Chapter 19.71. Mature backyard trees are exempt, but front-yard and street trees are protected. Removing a public, heritage, or protected tree requires city/arborist review (PMC 19.71.090, 19.71.100). Hazardous-tree removals need a city arborist recommendation and replanting within 45 days.
Perris implements California's SB 1383 organic-waste law through PMC Chapter 7.17, which requires residents and businesses to separate organic waste (food scraps and yard/green waste) for collection. Backyard home composting is allowed and encouraged as a way to keep organics out of the landfill; the green-cart program is mandatory.
Perris addresses tree trimming through its Urban Forestry chapter (PMC 19.71) for public and protected trees, and through weed/fire abatement (PMC 7.08.045), which requires trees on abatement parcels to be trimmed clear of their trunk at least eight feet above ground. Crown-raising and crown-reduction standards for street trees are defined in code.
Perris Chapter 7.08 declares weeds, dry grasses, dead shrubs/trees, and rubbish that pose a fire hazard or nuisance unlawful. Abatement standards (PMC 7.08.045) require grasses cut to six inches, trees trimmed eight feet above grade, clearing of tumbleweeds, and (on larger parcels) 100-foot firebreaks. The city can abate and bill the owner.
Perris encourages and, for new/rehabilitated landscapes, effectively requires water-wise, low-water-use planting under Chapter 19.70. The code caps landscape water demand at 70% of reference ET, requires water-wise plants on slopes, limits front-yard turf to 70% of planting area, and bars invasive species listed in the Western Riverside MSHCP.
Perris has no ordinance restricting residential rain barrels, and the city's landscape code encourages capturing rainfall. Under California's Rainwater Capture Act of 2012, rooftop rainwater collection for outdoor non-potable use needs no state water-right permit, and rain barrels/cisterns under 360 gallons generally need no building or plumbing permit.
Perris has no standalone artificial-turf ban, and synthetic turf can help meet the city's water-efficient landscape goals. Installations are reviewed within Chapter 19.70 (turf must conform to the project water budget) and through building/grading permits for drainage. California's AB 1572 phases out potable irrigation of nonfunctional turf, but exempts single-family homes.
Perris Municipal Code Section 8.02.050 requires dogs on public streets, alleys and public property to be on a substantial chain or leash not exceeding six feet, held by a competent person. On private property a dog must be confined by fence, wall, chain or leash. Section 8.02.060 requires a leash on school, park and municipal golf course property.
Perris Municipal Code Section 8.01.090 allows small fowl (chickens, ducks, geese, turkeys, peacocks) only on lots of at least 20,000 square feet, capped at five small animals or fowl combined and kept 150 feet from any occupied neighboring residence. Roosters are separately restricted, and no animal may be kept within 100 feet of another residence (Section 8.01.290).
Perris Municipal Code Section 8.02.040 limits a residence or parcel to a maximum of four dogs and four cats (each four months or older) unless the property is permitted as a kennel or cattery. Five or more dogs is a 'dog kennel' and four or more cats is a 'cattery' under Section 8.01.010, requiring separate permitting.
The City of Perris does not ban or restrict any specific dog breed. Chapter 8.04 of the Perris Municipal Code regulates potentially dangerous, dangerous and vicious animals based on an individual animal's behavior, not its breed. California Food and Agricultural Code Section 31683 prohibits cities from declaring a dog dangerous based solely on breed.
The Perris Municipal Code does not contain any beekeeping or apiary provisions in its Title 8 animal code, so hives are not separately regulated as 'animals.' Beekeeping is governed by the city zoning code and by California Food and Agricultural Code Section 29040, which requires every beekeeper to register their apiary annually with the Riverside County Agricultural Commissioner.
Perris Municipal Code Section 8.01.090 allows large animals (horses, cattle, sheep, goats, swine, llamas, donkeys, mules) only on lots of at least 20,000 square feet, 150 feet from any occupied neighboring residence, with density limits of two per 20,000 sq ft, three per 30,000 sq ft, and four per acre. Most large livestock are limited to RA or A1 zoning.
Perris Municipal Code Section 8.01.270 prohibits keeping any exotic animal, venomous or dangerous reptile or arachnid, or carnivorous wild animal unless zoning specifically allows it or a state agency permits it. Section 8.01.090 also prohibits keeping exotic animals such as elephants. Animal control may impound and humanely dispose of such animals after three working days.
Perris Municipal Code Section 8.02.020 makes it unlawful to allow an unspayed or unaltered cat four months or older to be outdoors. Section 8.02.100 requires all cats over 12 months to be spayed/neutered, and Section 8.02.190 requires microchipping. Cat licensing is optional (Section 8.02.030). The cat limit is four per parcel (Section 8.02.040), and Section 8.02.210 regulates cat trapping.
The Perris Municipal Code Title 8 does not contain a dedicated ordinance banning the feeding of wildlife such as coyotes. Feeding that attracts nuisance wildlife is addressed indirectly through the sanitary-condition and nuisance provisions of the animal code, and California Fish and Game Commission regulations (14 CCR 251.3) prohibit intentionally feeding big game like deer.
Perris addresses hoarding through its pet-number caps (Section 8.02.040: four dogs and four cats), its cruelty and sanitary provisions (Chapter 8.03), and incorporation of California Penal Code Section 597.1. Keeping animals in unsanitary, neglected or cruel conditions allows City of Perris Animal Control to impound the animals after notice and a hearing.
Riverside County requires all licensed dogs and cats to be microchipped with current owner contact information registered to a recognized national database, enforced through RCDAS at licensing renewal.
Riverside County Ordinance 630.10 requires all dogs and cats over four months in unincorporated areas to be spayed or neutered unless the owner holds a valid intact-animal permit from RCDAS.
Riverside County pet grooming businesses must meet zoning under Ordinance 348, obtain a county business license, comply with Public Health sanitation standards, and meet Ordinance 630 humane-handling rules.
Riverside County follows California Department of Fish and Wildlife guidance: coyotes are not relocated, attractants must be removed, and hazing by residents is encouraged, with depredation permits required for lethal removal.
California AB 485 prohibits Riverside County pet stores from selling commercially bred dogs, cats, or rabbits unless sourced from shelters or rescues, enforced locally by RCDAS and county code compliance.
Riverside County Ordinance 348 permits veterinary clinics in commercial and limited industrial zones, with overnight boarding and outdoor runs requiring conditional use permits and noise-buffer setbacks from residences.
Perris pools follow California's Swimming Pool Safety Act and the California Building/Electrical/Plumbing Codes. New and remodeled pools need at least two drowning-prevention features, anti-entrapment suction outlets, and GFCI-protected equipment. Riverside County's uniform barrier letter must be signed by the owner before a permit is issued.
The City of Perris requires a building permit (issued through its Accela online portal) for any in-ground or permanent swimming pool or spa. Zoning sets the location; the structure must conform to the California Building Code and Health and Safety Code. Plan check follows the Western Riverside County uniform pool standards.
Spas and hot tubs in Perris follow the same accessory-structure setbacks and California safety codes as pools. A self-contained spa or hot tub with a listed ASTM F-1346 safety cover is exempt from the pool-barrier requirements, under the Western Riverside County standards Perris uses.
Perris defers to California's Swimming Pool Safety Act for pool barriers. New or remodeled pools at single-family homes must have at least two approved drowning-prevention features. Enclosures must be at least 60 inches high with self-closing, self-latching gates, per state law and the Western Riverside County barrier standards.
Above-ground pools in Perris are treated as accessory structures under Zoning Chapter 19.29 and must meet the same setbacks and the California Swimming Pool Safety Act barrier rules as in-ground pools. Small portable/prefabricated pools under 5,000 gallons may avoid a building permit, but the 60-inch barrier still applies.
The City of Perris permits accessory dwelling units and junior ADUs ministerially under its own Zoning Code Chapter 19.81, implementing California Government Code Chapter 13 (Gov. Code 66310 et seq.). Detached ADUs may reach 1,200 sq ft, JADUs are capped at 500 sq ft, and ADUs may not be rented for under 31 days.
Perris allows garages and other existing structures to be converted into ADUs or JADUs under Municipal Code Chapter 19.81. A converted-space ADU has no maximum size limit, and when a garage is converted the lost parking for the primary home does not have to be replaced. Conversions must stay within the existing building envelope.
Perris regulates sheds as accessory buildings under Municipal Code Chapter 19.29. Detached tool/storage sheds up to 120 sq ft and 10 feet tall with no utilities are permit-exempt. Larger accessory buildings cap at 750 sq ft and must sit at least five feet from side and rear lot lines.
Perris regulates carports, canopies, and overhanging structures under Municipal Code Chapter 19.29. Such structures must sit at least five feet from any rear or interior side lot line, stay unenclosed on at least three sides, and may not cover more than 25% of the required rear yard. Alley-access garages and carports must sit 20 feet from the opposite alley line.
Perris has no separate 'tiny home' ordinance. A tiny house on a permanent foundation is generally permitted as an accessory dwelling unit under Municipal Code Chapter 19.81 (minimum 320 sq ft). A tiny house on wheels is treated as a recreational vehicle and may not be used as a permanent residence on a standard residential lot.
Perris allows home occupations as an accessory use in residential zones under Municipal Code 19.02.140 (amended by Ordinance 17-05199 in 2017). The business must be clearly incidental to the home, use no more than one room or 25% of the dwelling, and not change the residential character of the property.
California's Cottage Food law (HSC 113758 / AB 1616) lets residents make and sell certain low-risk foods from home. Perris allows home catering and food-preparation as a home occupation under Municipal Code 19.02.140, subject to Riverside County Environmental Health registration or permitting as the local enforcement agency.
Perris prohibits signage and commercial advertising for home occupations. Municipal Code 19.02.140 bars any sign for a home-based business so the property keeps its residential appearance - a stricter rule than for commercial storefronts governed by the Chapter 19.75 sign regulations.
Perris requires a valid City business license to operate a home occupation but does not require a separate discretionary home occupation permit. The business is approved administratively if it meets the standards of Municipal Code 19.02.140; food and certain regulated uses need additional approvals.
Under California law (SB 234, HSC 1597.40-1597.46), both small (up to 8) and large (up to 14) family child care homes are a residential use by right. Perris cannot require a conditional use permit to operate one in a residential zone, though a City business license and state licensing still apply.
Riverside County Ordinance 348 Section 18.28 limits customer and client visits to a home occupation and prohibits any activity that generates traffic or parking demand exceeding normal residential levels. Walk-in retail sales to the general public are not allowed in residential zones.
Backyard propane and charcoal barbecues are allowed at single-family homes in Perris. The California Fire Code (adopted in Title 20) restricts open-flame cooking devices on combustible balconies and near combustible construction at apartments and condos, where charcoal and LP-gas grills are limited. Store propane cylinders upright and outdoors.
Backyard smokers (wood, pellet, charcoal or gas) are allowed at single-family homes in Perris and are treated as outdoor cooking devices under the California Fire Code (adopted in Title 20). The main constraints are the Fire Code's restriction on open-flame and solid-fuel cooking near combustible construction at apartments and condos, plus South Coast AQMD smoke and no-burn rules.
The City of Perris caps single-family residential building height at 30 feet (measured to the top of the roof pitch) in its lot-size-based zones such as R-7,200 and R-6,000. Section 19.02.030 allows limited rooftop features (penthouses, mechanical equipment) to exceed the zone limit by less than 10 feet in residential zones — but not to add floor space.
Perris classifies single-family zones by lot size, each with its own setbacks in Zoning Code Title 19. In typical R-7,200 and R-6,000 zones the minimum front yard is 20 feet (25 feet for a front-entry garage), side yard is 5 feet per story, street side yard is 10–15 feet, and rear yard is 20 feet. Setbacks vary by zone.
The City of Perris limits how much of a residential lot can be covered by buildings, and the cap depends on the number of stories. In R-7,200 and R-6,000 single-family zones, maximum lot coverage is 60 percent for one-story dwellings and 40 percent for two-story dwellings, per Zoning Code Sections 19.24.080 and 19.25.080.
Perris's Urban Forestry chapter (PMC 19.71) controls removal of public, street, heritage, and protected trees. Removal of a heritage or protected tree requires public works director approval (appealable to the urban forestry board) plus a certified arborist report. Private landowners must file tree plans with development applications; mature backyard trees are exempt.
Riverside County does not maintain a formal heritage tree registry, but Ordinance No. 559 and the Western Riverside MSHCP effectively protect mature native oaks, sycamores, and desert natives (Joshua trees, Palo Verde). Trees on historic properties may have additional CEQA-level protection.
Riverside County's tree regulations include Ordinance No. 559 (oak preservation), Ordinance No. 457 (tree-trimming in public rights-of-way), and the Western Riverside MSHCP. State laws also apply: CA Desert Native Plants Act, Western Joshua Tree Conservation Act, and PRC §4291 (defensible space).
When oak trees are removed under Ordinance No. 559, replacement is required at ratios ranging from 3:1 to 10:1 depending on the size of the removed tree. Replacement trees must be native species, typically 15-gallon minimum, with a 3-5 year establishment monitoring period.
The City of Perris enforces blight and exterior-maintenance standards under its own Municipal Code, not Riverside County's. The Code Enforcement (Neighborhood Preservation) Division treats accumulated trash and debris, junk, inoperable household items, dead or overgrown front-yard vegetation, and improperly stored trash carts as public nuisances subject to abatement.
Perris Municipal Code Chapter 7.16 governs how residents store and set out trash and recycling carts. Containers may not be stored where they are visible from the street or kept on the public right-of-way, and the City treats improperly stored carts as a code violation enforced by its Code Enforcement Division.
Perris does not publish a standalone vacant-lot ordinance, but undeveloped and vacant parcels fall under the City's general nuisance and weed-and-rubbish abatement code (Title 7, Chapters 7.02 and 7.08). Owners must keep lots free of accumulated rubbish, debris, and overgrown weeds that the City can declare and abate as a public nuisance.
Perris requires owners and occupants to keep front-yard and street-visible vegetation alive and maintained, and authorizes the City to abate overgrown weeds and rubbish. Letting visible vegetation die, become overgrown, or go missing is a code violation enforced by the City of Perris, not Riverside County.
Perris regulates yard and garage sales under Municipal Code Chapter 5.32. Each address is limited to three yard sales per calendar year, sales may run one to three consecutive days, and a permit is required. Sales are allowed Friday through Sunday, 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., with a permit obtained at City Hall.
Unincorporated Riverside County has no ordinance requiring property owners to clear snow from sidewalks. Most of the county is low-desert and inland valley where measurable snow is rare; the few mountain communities such as Idyllwild, Pine Cove, and Anza receive occasional snow but the county imposes no mandatory clearance rule on adjacent property owners.
Trash, recycling, and organics collection in Perris is provided by the City's franchised hauler, CR&R, Inc. Residents receive three automated color-coded carts — black for trash, gray for recycling, green for organics/green waste — serviced once a week. Only the hauler's carts are picked up.
Perris Municipal Code Chapter 7.16 sets when and where carts may be placed for collection. Carts may go to the curb or alley no earlier than 12 hours before pickup and must be removed within 24 hours after. Between collections, carts may not be stored where visible from the street or on the public right-of-way.
The City's franchised hauler CR&R offers free bulky-item pickup to Perris residents for large items that don't fit in carts, such as furniture and appliances. Residents schedule pickups by appointment with CR&R. The City also runs Citywide Clean-Up events for additional large-item disposal.
Perris residents must separate recyclables from trash and place them in the gray CR&R cart, with trash in the black cart and organics in the green cart. Under California's SB 1383 and AB 341/AB 1826, residents and businesses must subscribe to recycling service; the City and CR&R provide the three-cart system to comply.
Under California SB 1383, Perris residents and businesses must separate organic waste — food scraps, food-soiled paper, and yard/plant debris — into the green CR&R organics cart. Perris has over 70,000 residents, so it is not rural-exempt. The City administers SB 1383 through Public Works, and CR&R processes organics at its Perris anaerobic digester.
The City of Perris has no standalone dark-sky lighting ordinance and has not separately adopted Riverside County's Mount Palomar Ordinance 655. Its main lighting rule is in the parking standards (Municipal Code 19.69.030), requiring full-cut-off fixtures directed away from neighbors, plus a 750 cd/m2 nighttime cap on illuminated signs (Sec. 19.75.160).
Perris does not have a numeric residential light-trespass limit, but Municipal Code Section 19.69.030 requires that any illumination, including security lighting, use full-cut-off fixtures and be directed away from adjoining properties and the public right-of-way. Illuminated signs must use shielded fixtures and stay under 750 cd/m2 at night (Sec. 19.75.160).
Riverside County Ord. 655 protects Mt. Palomar Observatory through one of the strongest dark-sky lighting laws in the United States, restricting outdoor lighting type, intensity, and curfews across western Riverside County.
Perris regulates political signs in Municipal Code Section 19.75.110(a). Signs are allowed in any zone with owner consent, posted no earlier than 90 days before an election and removed within 10 days after. A sign may not exceed 32 sq ft per side or 6 feet tall, may not be illuminated, and no lot may carry over 80 sq ft.
Perris addresses garage/yard sale signs in Municipal Code Section 5.32.080. No advertising signs are permitted off the sale property or in the public right-of-way. Only one on-site sign up to four square feet is allowed (two signs, one facing each direction, for corner-lot homes). A finance-department permit is required to hold the sale itself.
Residential holiday lighting and seasonal decorations are allowed in unincorporated Riverside County without a permit. Displays must comply with Ordinance 655 Mount Palomar Light Pollution rules in the western portion of the county and must not obstruct the public right-of-way or create traffic hazards. Displays should be removed within a reasonable time after the holiday.
Unincorporated Riverside County does not operate a general long-term rental registration program. Short-term vacation rentals (under 30 days) in wine-country and mountain areas must register under Ordinance 927, collect Transient Occupancy Tax, and meet operational standards, but conventional long-term rentals require only a standard county business license where applicable.
California SB 329 amended FEHA to prohibit Riverside County landlords from refusing to rent to applicants who use Section 8 housing choice vouchers or other government rental assistance. Source-of-income discrimination became unlawful statewide in January 2020.
California AB 12, effective July 2024, caps residential security deposits at one month of rent for most Riverside County landlords. Small landlords owning two or fewer properties may collect up to two months on unfurnished units.
Under AB 1482, Riverside County landlords removing covered tenants for no-fault reasons such as owner move-in, withdrawal from the rental market, or substantial remodel must provide one month of rent as relocation assistance or waive the final month of rent.
California AB 1482 requires just cause to terminate any tenancy in a covered unit in Riverside County after the tenant has continuously occupied the unit for 12 months (or 24 months if a new adult tenant joined). The law distinguishes at-fault reasons (no relocation fee) from no-fault reasons (requires one month of rent as relocation assistance).
California Civil Code 1940.2 prohibits Riverside County landlords from using force, threats, fraud, or repeated unreasonable entries to push tenants out. Violations can result in civil penalties up to 2,000 dollars per harassment incident plus actual damages.
Unincorporated Riverside County has no local rent-control ordinance. California AB 1482, the Tenant Protection Act of 2019, applies statewide and caps annual rent increases on qualifying units at 5 percent plus regional CPI (capped at 10 percent total) for rental units more than 15 years old that are not single-family homes owned by non-corporate landlords.
AB 1482 requires one month of relocation assistance for no-fault evictions in Riverside County. Additional relocation may be triggered when a county code enforcement order forces tenants to vacate due to substandard conditions or red-tag actions.
California Civil Code section 1946.2 requires landlords of covered Riverside County rentals to include a specific just-cause and rent-cap disclosure in every lease and in a separate notice to existing tenants. Failure to deliver the notice undermines later eviction efforts.
The Housing Authority of the County of Riverside administers federal Housing Choice Vouchers across unincorporated areas and most cities. Landlords accepting vouchers sign a HAP contract setting rent at a reasonable level and pass annual housing quality inspections.
Film productions in Riverside County must comply with the county Noise Ordinance (No. 847), with permit-based exceptions for filming activities. Generators, dialogue amplification, and special effects require notification to neighbors and may need variances for work outside 7 AM-10 PM.
Street closures for filming in unincorporated Riverside County require coordination with the Transportation Department, the Sheriff's Department (traffic control), and the Film Commission under Ordinance No. 447. Closures require signed traffic control plans, 72+ hour advance notice to affected residents, and certified flagger/deputy staffing.
Riverside County has waived all film permit fees in unincorporated areas and offers free use of County-owned properties for shoots lasting 10 days or less. Permits are still required and processed through the Riverside County Film Commission.
Riverside County participates in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) and regulates development in FEMA Special Flood Hazard Areas under Ord. 458 (Flood Damage Prevention) and Ord. 460 Art. III. New structures in the 100-year floodplain (Zone A, AE, AH, AO) must have the lowest floor elevated at least 1 foot above the Base Flood Elevation.
Riverside County Ordinance 457 (Grading Ordinance) requires erosion and sediment control on all graded sites year-round, with heightened requirements during the rainy season (October 1 through April 30). Best Management Practices must be in place before any soil disturbance and maintained until permanent stabilization.
Riverside County operates under two NPDES Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) permits: the Santa Ana River Region permit (R8-2010-0033) and the Whitewater River Region permit (R7-2013-0011), plus the San Diego Region permit in the southwest. All construction over 1 acre requires a state SWPPP, and new development must implement LID BMPs.
Riverside County enforces 100-foot defensible space around structures in State Responsibility Areas and Local Responsibility Areas, with two clearance zones inspected annually by Cal Fire/Riverside County Fire.
Riverside County Ord. 457 (Grading) regulates earth moving and Ord. 458 (Drainage) regulates stormwater conveyance. A grading permit is required for any earth movement exceeding 50 cubic yards on a single lot, any fill over 3 feet deep, or any cut over 5 feet deep. Onsite drainage may not be redirected onto neighboring property.
Riverside County adopted a Climate Action Plan setting countywide targets for greenhouse gas reduction, addressing transportation emissions, building efficiency, and renewable energy across unincorporated areas and partner cities.
California restricts heavy-duty diesel vehicle idling to five minutes statewide, enforced in Riverside County by CHP, sheriff, and South Coast and Mojave Desert air districts, with heightened focus near schools.
Riverside County integrates heat mitigation into General Plan and Coachella Valley specific plans, requiring shade trees, cool roofing, and pedestrian shelter for new commercial and multifamily projects in extreme-heat zones.
California Title 24 Part 6 requires cool roofing on most new and replacement low-slope roofs in Climate Zones 14 and 15, which cover most of Riverside County including the Coachella Valley and desert communities.
Riverside County coordinates with the South Coast and Imperial air districts on Salton Sea dust mitigation, where receding shorelines expose playa generating PM10 and PM2.5 exceeding federal standards in nearby communities.
The California Coastal Act, Public Resources Code sections 30000 through 30900, requires Coastal Development Permits for nearly all work in the coastal zone and gives the Coastal Commission appeal jurisdiction over local decisions.
California Proposition 64 allows adults 21+ to cultivate up to 6 cannabis plants per residence for personal use. Riverside County Ord. 348.4903 restricts personal cultivation in unincorporated areas to indoor locations within a private residence or fully enclosed accessory structure; outdoor personal cultivation is prohibited.
Riverside County requires cannabis retail and cultivation sites to be set back from schools, daycares, youth centers, and parks, mirroring state minimums but adding county-specific distances in unincorporated areas.
Riverside County bans commercial cannabis activity in most unincorporated areas under Ordinance 348 and 348.4901. The limited exceptions require a Conditional Use Permit under the Cannabis Regulation Framework, state MAUCRSA licensing, and strict buffers from schools, daycares, parks, and residences.
Riverside County Ordinance 348.4801 limits commercial cannabis activities to specific industrial and commercial zones in unincorporated areas, with conditional use permits required and minimum buffer distances enforced.
State law allows licensed cannabis delivery into any California jurisdiction, including unincorporated Riverside County, even where the county has not authorized retail storefronts at that location.
Riverside County permits up to six cannabis plants per residence indoors for personal use, mirroring state Proposition 64 minimums while restricting outdoor cultivation in unincorporated areas.
Under SB 946 and Ordinance No. 875, Riverside County cannot designate exclusive vending zones or ban vending from entire commercial districts. Restrictions are limited to specific, objective health and safety criteria — ADA clearance, traffic, and event-based closures.
Vending carts in Riverside County must meet California Retail Food Code standards for food carts and Ordinance No. 875 equipment rules. Carts must fit within a defined footprint, include wastewater containment for food carts, display permits visibly, and comply with sanitation and ADA requirements.
California SB 946 (Safe Sidewalk Vending Act, 2019) restricts Riverside County's ability to prohibit sidewalk vending. The county adopted Ordinance No. 875 implementing SB 946, requiring a sidewalk vending permit, health permit (for food), and compliance with sanitary and zoning rules.
Under California Streets and Highways Code §5610, adjacent property owners are responsible for maintaining and repairing sidewalks fronting their property. Riverside County may order repairs and perform them at owner's expense if ignored; uplifts over 1/2 inch are typically considered tripping hazards.
Ordinance No. 499 prohibits obstructing public sidewalks in unincorporated Riverside County. Merchandise displays, signs, vehicles, and overgrown vegetation must not reduce pedestrian clearance below ADA minimum of 48 inches. Violations are infractions with fines from $100-$500.
Lead-based paint in pre-1978 buildings is regulated by federal EPA RRP Rule and California Title 17 (§35001 et seq.). Contractors must be CDPH Lead-Related Construction certified, and landlords must disclose lead hazards. Riverside County Environmental Health investigates lead poisoning cases.
Elevators, escalators, and platform lifts in Riverside County are regulated by the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA) Elevator, Ride & Tramway Unit under Title 8 CCR §3000-3139. Annual inspections and state permits are required; violations result in red-tag out-of-service orders.
Scaffold safety on construction sites in Riverside County is regulated by Cal/OSHA under Title 8 CCR §1635-1670 (Construction Safety Orders). Scaffolds over 20 feet require a professional engineer's design, and all users must receive competent-person training.
Structural pest control in Riverside County is regulated by the California Structural Pest Control Board (SPCB) under Business & Professions Code §8500 et seq. Operators must be licensed, pesticides must be registered with CA DPR, and fumigation requires advance notification to neighbors and RCDEH.
Riverside County enforces California Green Building Standards Code (CALGreen) Title 24 Part 11 alongside the county Climate Action Plan, requiring water efficiency, EV-ready wiring, and recycling at construction sites.
Riverside County licenses childcare centers under California Title 22 plus Ordinance 526 building, fire, and zoning standards, with stricter exit, restroom, and outdoor-play space requirements than ordinary residences.
California Building Code Section 313 requires automatic fire sprinklers in new one and two-family dwellings, enforced in Riverside County under Ordinance 526 with additional wildland-urban interface standards.
Riverside County Ordinance 348 caps residential floor-area ratio, lot coverage, and height in many residential zones to prevent oversized homes that overshadow neighbors, with stricter rules in scenic and hillside overlays.
California Building Code Section 1010 governs door-locking hardware in Riverside County buildings, requiring single-motion egress, panic hardware in assembly uses, and limits on classroom or barricade devices.
California Vehicle Code §22651.5 authorizes towing cars with alarms sounding over 20 minutes. Riverside County Ordinance No. 847 treats continuous car alarms as a noise nuisance, and Sheriff's Department may cite or tow offending vehicles.
Portable and standby generators in unincorporated Riverside County must comply with Ordinance No. 847 noise limits except during declared emergencies or PSPS events. Permanent generators require building permits, and placement must meet 55 dBA day / 45 dBA night at property lines.
Bars and nightclubs in unincorporated Riverside County are subject to Ordinance No. 847 noise limits plus Conditional Use Permit (CUP) noise conditions. Amplified music must not exceed 55 dBA at residential property lines after 10 PM. CA ABC may also impose noise conditions on alcohol licenses.
HVAC equipment in unincorporated Riverside County must comply with Ordinance No. 847 noise limits — typically 55 dBA daytime and 45 dBA nighttime at the nearest residential property line. CA Building Energy Code (Title 24) also regulates placement to minimize noise.
Rental units in Riverside County must meet California Civil Code §1941.1 habitability requirements: weatherproofing, working plumbing, hot and cold water, working heat, safe electrical, clean sanitation, and pest-free. Violations give tenants repair-and-deduct or rent-withholding rights.
Tenants in Riverside County can file habitability complaints with County Code Enforcement, the CA Department of Consumer Affairs, the CA Dept of Housing & Community Development (HCD), and Riverside Superior Court. AB 1482 just-cause eviction protection applies to most rentals built before 2008.
Riverside County does not operate a universal rental inspection program for unincorporated areas; inspections are complaint-driven through Code Enforcement and Environmental Health. Section 8 housing is inspected annually by Housing Authority. CA Health & Safety Code §17920.3 defines substandard housing.
Commercial drone operations in Riverside County require an FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate and compliance with 14 CFR Part 107. The FAA preempts airspace regulation, but the county restricts drone takeoff and landing on county property and requires a film permit from the Inland Empire Film Commission or Regional Park District for commercial shoots on public land.
Recreational drone operation in Riverside County is governed primarily by the FAA's 14 CFR Part 107 and the Exception for Limited Recreational Operations. The county restricts drone takeoff and landing on county-operated parks and open space per Ordinance 658 and prohibits drones in state and national park airspace.
Unincorporated Riverside County generally limits residential garage sales to approximately 3-4 events per calendar year per household, each lasting no more than 2-3 consecutive days. Exceeding these limits may classify the activity as a home business requiring a permit.
Garage sales in unincorporated Riverside County must operate within reasonable daytime hours, typically 7 AM to 7 PM, to comply with Ordinance No. 847 (Noise). Early-morning setup noise and late-evening cleanup are prohibited.
Riverside County does not require a permit for residential garage sales in unincorporated areas, but sales are limited in frequency and duration under county zoning. Commercial-scale sales may trigger home-occupation or business-license review.
Block parties on public streets in unincorporated Riverside County require a Street Closure Permit from the Transportation Department, typically combined with notice to adjacent residents. Non-closure block parties in cul-de-sacs or private HOA streets may only need HOA approval.
Sidewalk cafes on public sidewalks in unincorporated Riverside County require an encroachment permit from the Transportation Department plus a business license and Environmental Health permit. Operators must maintain 48-inch ADA clearance and carry liability insurance naming the county.
Events in Riverside County Regional Parks require a facility-use or special-event permit from the Riverside County Regional Park and Open-Space District. Small gatherings (under 50 people, standard picnic shelter) may require only a reservation; larger events need full permits, insurance, and fees.
HOAs enforce CC&Rs under the Davis-Stirling Act, which requires due-process procedures before fines or discipline (Civ Code §5855). Selective or arbitrary enforcement may be challenged. Members have 5-year statutes to enforce CC&Rs against the association or other owners.
HOAs in Riverside County typically operate Architectural Review Committees (ARCs) under Davis-Stirling Act §4765. Owners must submit plans for exterior changes, and the ARC must respond in writing within a reasonable time with reasoning. Solar, EV charging, and low-water landscaping have state-mandated approval protections.
HOAs in unincorporated Riverside County operate under the California Davis-Stirling Common Interest Development Act (Civil Code §4000 et seq.). The Act requires open board meetings, 4-day posted agendas, executive-session limits, and annual member meetings with 30-day notice.
HOA assessments in Riverside County follow Davis-Stirling rules (Civ Code §5600-5740). Regular assessments may increase up to 20% per year without a vote; special assessments above 5% of budgeted expenses require a vote. Delinquent assessments accrue interest and late fees, with lien and foreclosure rights.
Davis-Stirling requires HOAs to offer Internal Dispute Resolution (IDR) under Civ Code §5910 and Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) under §5930 before litigating most disputes. Small-claims court and the CA DRE complaint process are also available.
Ordinance 348 limits mobile food vending in unincorporated Riverside County to commercial and industrial zones, private property with owner consent, and permitted special events. On-street vending in residential areas is prohibited except for ice-cream vendors operating under specific speed and stop rules, and state highway shoulders are off-limits.
Mobile food facilities operating in unincorporated Riverside County must obtain an annual health permit from the Riverside County Department of Environmental Health, pass initial and periodic inspections, operate from a permitted commissary, and comply with California Retail Food Code (CalCode). Additional zoning and vending-location rules apply under county Ordinance 580 and Ordinance 348.
Riverside County does not have a specific ordinance banning or restricting bamboo planting. However, running bamboo species that spread onto neighboring properties can create civil liability and may be addressed as a nuisance under Riverside County Ordinance No. 725. California law (Civil Code §3479) treats encroaching vegetation as a private nuisance.
Riverside County's landscaping guidelines (Ordinance No. 859) include a list of prohibited invasive ornamental plants. Additionally, the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) and Cal-IPC maintain statewide lists of noxious weeds and invasive plants that apply throughout the county.
California law (AB 2561, effective 2015) prohibits HOAs and local governments from banning drought-tolerant landscaping and edible gardens in front yards. Riverside County's landscaping ordinance (No. 859) encourages California-friendly, water-efficient plantings. Front yard vegetable gardens are generally allowed in unincorporated areas.
Unincorporated Riverside County requires a building and electrical permit for rooftop and ground-mount solar photovoltaic systems through the Riverside County Building & Safety Department. California's Solar Rights Act (Civil Code section 714) and AB 2188 limit the county to expedited, ministerial review of residential systems ten kilowatts or smaller with no discretionary conditions that materially reduce system efficiency.
Homeowner associations in Riverside County cannot prohibit rooftop solar. Under the California Solar Rights Act (Civil Code section 714), any HOA covenant or architectural rule that significantly restricts solar installation or raises cost by more than 1,000 dollars or reduces efficiency by more than 10 percent is void and unenforceable.
California is a strict two-party (all-party) consent state under Penal Code §632. Recording any confidential conversation — in person, by phone, or electronically — without the consent of all parties is a criminal offense. This applies to audio recordings by security cameras, phone calls, and any electronic eavesdropping.
In unincorporated Riverside County, fences up to 7 feet tall do not require a building permit. Privacy fences in front yards may be subject to height restrictions and Planning Division review. Side and rear yard privacy fences up to 6 feet are standard; taller fences may require a permit or variance.
Security cameras are legal on private property in unincorporated Riverside County, but California is a two-party consent state for audio recording (Penal Code §632). Video-only surveillance of areas visible to the public is permitted. Cameras must not record areas where people have a reasonable expectation of privacy, such as neighboring bedrooms or bathrooms.
California Civil Code 1954.603 requires landlords to provide bed bug disclosures to tenants, and Riverside County Environmental Health responds to complaints involving habitability and licensed pest control treatments.
California requires food handlers to obtain an accredited Food Handler Card within 30 days of hire, and food facilities in Riverside County must keep records on-site available to county inspectors.
Riverside County Department of Environmental Health inspects food facilities and posts color-coded placards (green pass, yellow conditional, red closure) at the entrance after every routine and follow-up inspection.
Riverside County treats rodent infestations as a public nuisance under Ordinance 541 and the Health and Safety Code, requiring property owners to abate harborage, secure trash, and cooperate with vector control inspections.
California prohibits disposing home-generated sharps in regular trash or recycling, requiring use of approved sharps containers; Riverside County operates household hazardous waste sites and pharmacy take-back programs.
California Senate Bill 54, the California Values Act, restricts state and local law enforcement from using resources to investigate, detain, or arrest persons for federal immigration purposes. The law applies to Riverside County Sheriff and county jails.
Labor Code section 2814 prohibits California state and local governments from requiring private employers to use the federal E-Verify system except where federal law mandates it. Riverside County cannot impose a county-wide E-Verify requirement on contractors.
Under California Assembly Bill 1884, dine-in restaurants in Riverside County may not automatically provide single-use plastic straws; customers must request one. Fast-food and takeout are exempt.
California Assembly Bill 1276 requires food facilities, including those in Riverside County, to provide single-use foodware accessories and condiments only on customer request or at self-serve stations.
California Senate Bill 270, ratified by Proposition 67, bans single-use carryout plastic bags at grocery stores and large retailers statewide, including Riverside County, and requires a minimum charge for paper or reusable bags.
California Senate Bill 54 phases out expanded polystyrene foodware statewide by 2025 unless 25 percent recycling targets are met, applying to food facilities in Riverside County.
California Labor Code section 246 requires employers to provide 40 hours or five days of paid sick leave annually after 30 days of employment. Riverside County follows the statewide standard with no additional county sick-leave ordinance.
California sets a statewide minimum wage of $16.50 per hour effective 2026 under Labor Code section 1182.12. Riverside County does not set a separate county-wide wage floor for unincorporated areas above the state rate.
Riverside County implements California Government Code 65915 density bonus law, granting up to 50 percent additional units, parking reductions, and incentives for projects providing affordable, senior, or special-needs housing.
Riverside County uses specific plans under California Government Code 65450 to guide large communities like Wine Country, Highway 79, North Shore, and the Vista Santa Rosa area, layering tailored zoning over Ord. 348.
Riverside County Ord. 348 hillside-development standards limit grading, building height, and lot coverage on slopes above 10 percent, addressing wildfire risk, erosion, and viewshed protection in mountain communities.
Riverside County regulates sitting, lying, and camping on county roads, sidewalks, parks, and flood-control channels. Enforcement is paired with referrals to the Continuum of Care and Path of Life Ministries shelters before citations or arrests.
Riverside County follows a written encampment cleanup protocol that requires advance notice, individual outreach, and storage of unattended personal property for at least ninety days before disposal. Hazardous waste and abandoned items can be removed immediately.
Riverside County's Continuum of Care funds bridge and interim housing through providers like Path of Life Ministries, Lighthouse Social Service Centers, and Step Up. State zoning law SB 9 and SB 10 plus AB 2339 require expedited siting of these facilities in residential and mixed-use zones.
California Senate Bill 793, upheld by Proposition 31 in 2022, bans the sale of flavored tobacco products statewide, including in Riverside County retailers, with limited exemptions for certain hookah and premium cigars.
California Senate Bill 7 raised the minimum sales age for tobacco and vape products to 21, ahead of federal Tobacco 21, and Riverside County retailers must verify identification and post age signage.
California requires statewide licensing of tobacco and vape retailers under the STAKE Act and the Cigarette and Tobacco Products Licensing Act. Business and Professions Code 22970 establishes uniform retailer licensing, while local governments may adopt stricter rules.
Riverside County retail water agencies set day-of-week irrigation schedules under California state framework SB 606 and AB 1668, with Coachella Valley Water District and Western Municipal Water District enforcing local rules.
Riverside County water agencies offer cash rebates to remove turf grass and install drought-tolerant landscaping, with the Coachella Valley Water District program among the most generous in California.
Riverside County agencies expand recycled-water use for golf courses, parks, and agriculture, particularly through the Coachella Valley Water District tertiary-treated supply that helps offset Salton Sea inflows.
Riverside County water agencies require timely repair of leaks on customer-side plumbing, and SB 555 obligates retailers to report water-loss audits and pursue lost-and-unaccounted-for water reduction targets.
Unincorporated Riverside County requires massage establishments to obtain a county regulatory permit. Individual therapists must hold a current California Massage Therapy Council certification under Business and Professions Code section 4600.
Riverside County Ordinance 671 regulates adult-oriented businesses in unincorporated areas, requiring a regulatory permit, strict zoning buffers from residences, schools, parks, and churches, and operator background checks by the Sheriff's Department.
Riverside County Ordinance 348 zoning prohibits commercial auto repair as a home business. Residents may perform incidental repairs on personal vehicles, but operating a paid auto-repair business from a residential property is not allowed.
California Business and Professions Code section 22972 requires all tobacco retailers to obtain a state license from the CDTFA. Riverside County may also require a separate retail business permit for unincorporated-area locations.
California Business and Professions Code section 21641 requires secondhand dealers and pawnbrokers to register with the local police agency and report transactions to the state. Riverside County Sheriff handles permit processing for unincorporated-area dealers.
California Business and Professions Code section 25620 prohibits possession of an open alcoholic beverage container in public places. Riverside County Ordinance 539 supplements the state rule for county parks, beaches, and unincorporated public areas.
Riverside County Ordinance 847 allows the Sheriff to declare a gathering an unruly disturbance and bill responsible parties for response costs. Repeat unruly events on the same property within 12 months trigger escalating cost-recovery fees.
California Health and Safety Code section 11362.3 prohibits smoking or consuming cannabis in public places. Riverside County applies the rule across unincorporated parks, sidewalks, and any location where tobacco smoking is also banned.
California Government Code section 7597 bans smoking in state parks and beaches. Riverside County Ordinance 539 prohibits smoking in regional parks and open spaces, and Labor Code section 6404.5 limits workplace and enclosed-space smoking statewide.
California Penal Code section 647(c) prohibits accosting people for money in public. Riverside County supplements the state rule with Ordinance 743 restrictions near ATMs, parking facilities, and freeway ramps in unincorporated areas.
Residents of unincorporated Riverside County may post a No Solicitation sign at their front door or property entrance to legally bar commercial solicitors under Ordinance 534. California Penal Code 602 and Civil Code 1940.2 further support trespass and harassment enforcement when solicitors ignore posted notices.
Door-to-door commercial solicitors in unincorporated Riverside County must obtain a Peddler/Solicitor Permit from the Sheriff's Department under Ordinance 534. Permits require a live-scan background check, identification card while soliciting, and adherence to hours (generally 9 a.m. to dusk or 7 p.m., whichever is earlier).
In unincorporated Riverside County, one-story detached storage sheds of 120 square feet or less do not require a building permit, provided they have no plumbing or electrical. Sheds over 120 sq ft require a building permit and must comply with setback requirements under Ordinance No. 348.
Fences up to 7 feet in height are exempt from building permits in unincorporated Riverside County. However, fences in front yard setback areas may require Planning Division approval. Fences over 7 feet require a building permit. Retaining walls over 4 feet also need permits.
Decks not exceeding 200 square feet and not more than 30 inches above grade are exempt from building permits in Riverside County. Larger or elevated decks require a building permit. Patio covers can often be obtained as same-day, over-the-counter permits.
Most renovation work in unincorporated Riverside County requires a building permit. Cosmetic work like painting, flooring, and cabinet replacement is exempt. Any work involving structural changes, electrical, plumbing, or mechanical systems requires permits. Roof repairs over 25% of the total area require a permit.
The Riverside County Code Enforcement Department handles complaints in unincorporated areas. Reports can be filed by phone at (951) 955-2004 or (760) 393-3344, by email at celogin@rivco.org, or online through the department's website. A 24-hour call center operates 7 days a week including holidays.
Riverside County Code Enforcement prioritizes complaints based on health and safety risk. Priority 1 cases involving imminent hazards are targeted for investigation within 24 hours. Standard complaints are investigated within 30 days depending on caseload and severity.
The most frequently reported code violations in unincorporated Riverside County include unpermitted construction, overgrown or unmaintained properties, junk vehicles, illegal dumping, substandard housing, and zoning violations such as illegal home businesses or unpermitted short-term rentals.
California regulates concealed carry weapons licenses statewide under Penal Code 26150 through 26225. Senate Bill 2 (2023) imposes uniform sensitive-place restrictions and applicant standards, preempting local variations on issuance criteria and qualifications.
California preempts most local firearm regulation under Government Code 53071 and Penal Code 25605, reserving licensing, registration, and manufacture authority to the state. However, local governments retain limited authority over discharge, sensitive places, and zoning of gun businesses.
California broadly prohibits open carry of firearms statewide under Penal Code 25850 (loaded firearms in public) and Penal Code 26350 (open carry of unloaded handguns). The prohibition applies uniformly across all California cities and counties without local variation.
California prohibits carrying loaded firearms in vehicles statewide under Penal Code 25400 and 25850. Unloaded handguns transported in private vehicles must be in a locked container or the vehicle's locked trunk; long guns must be unloaded but need not be locked.
The California Land Conservation Act of 1965 (Williamson Act), Government Code 51200-51297.4, allows landowners to enter contracts with counties restricting land to agricultural use for ten-year minimum terms in exchange for reduced property tax assessment based on farming income.
The California Right to Farm Act under Civil Code 3482.5 protects established agricultural operations from nuisance lawsuits brought by neighbors who moved in after farming began. The law applies statewide and limits both private and local government nuisance actions.