Kings County, CA Rental Property Rules: Repairs & Habitability (2026)
Key Facts
- Adopted codes
- Uniform Housing Code, UCADB
- Enforcing officer
- Kings County Building Official
- State authority
- Health & Safety Code § 17964
- Coverage
- Unincorporated county only
Summary
Kings County enforces habitability minimums through the Uniform Housing Code and the Uniform Code for the Abatement of Dangerous Buildings, adopted as part of its building code for the unincorporated area.
...the most recently published editions of the Uniform Housing Code and Uniform Code for the Abatement of Dangerous Buildings, as published by the International Code Council or any successor entity thereto, are hereby referred to, adopted and made a part hereof with the same effect as if fully set forth herein and are hereby declared to be the building code of the county, and the provisions thereof shall apply to the unincorporated area of the county.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 13).
Full Breakdown
Sec. 5-36 folds the Uniform Housing Code and the Uniform Code for the Abatement of Dangerous Buildings into the county's building code, setting the habitability and dangerous-building standards that apply outside Hanford, Lemoore, Corcoran, and Avenal. Sec. 5-4 designates the building official, acting under Health and Safety Code § 17964, as the officer responsible for enforcing state housing law countywide, and owners can be charged a fee for a housing compliance inspection and letter of compliance under Sec. 5-37.
Violations & Fines
Substandard or dangerous conditions bring action from the building official under the adopted codes; findings can be appealed to the board of appeals, the Board of Supervisors sitting in that role, under Sec. 5-21.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who enforces habitability standards in unincorporated Kings County?
What code sets the substandard-housing standards?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Kings County
California rules heatmap·Compare Kings County to another location·View the California rental property rules overview
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