Shafter, CA Zoning, Building Permits & Septic Rules

Inside the City of Shafter, California, building permits come from the city's Building Department, which enforces the building code throughout the incorporated city¹. Shafter applies the 2022 California Residential Code to new one- and two-family homes². Zoning is city-run too, and it limits RVs³. We could not confirm who issues septic permits inside the city; Kern County Environmental Health is the office to ask.

At a glance

Building permit: Required; issued by the City of Shafter Building Department¹
Building code: 2022 California Residential Code adopted for one- and two-family homes²
RV living: Limited; private recreational use needs Planning Commission or City Council approval³
Mobile homes: Limited; one per parcel, with a state HCD insignia of approval⁴
Sewer connection: Required within 100 feet of the public sewer, within 90 days of completion⁵
Driveway permit: Written application and permit from the city clerk for driveways on public streets⁶
Septic permit: Not confirmed inside city limits; ask Kern County Environmental Health⁷

Who to call

Building permits

City of Shafter Building Department

Building permits and building inspections inside the City of Shafter

661-746-5002

336 Pacific Ave, Shafter, CA 93263

Septic permits

Kern County Public Health Services Department, Environmental Health Division

Septic (onsite wastewater) permits for Kern County; confirm with this office whether it covers an address inside Shafter

(661) 321-3000

1800 Mt. Vernon Avenue, Bakersfield, CA

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 16, 2026.

Off-grid gear

Going off-grid in Shafter means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

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Do you need a building permit in Shafter, California?

Yes. The City of Shafter's Building Department states its building code standards are enforced throughout the incorporated city, and it issues building permits and performs inspections¹. Kern County's Public Works building office serves unincorporated land, not addresses inside Shafter.

Shafter's code adopts the 2022 California Residential Code, with local amendments, for detached one- and two-family dwellings and townhouses of no more than three stories². California law also requires a separate permit for each building or structure before work begins⁸.

Building yourself? California's owner-builder exemption from contractor licensing exists, but none of the improvements may be intended or offered for sale⁹. We could not confirm whether Shafter adds its own owner-builder rules, so ask the Building Department.

Who handles building permits in Shafter, and how do you reach them?

The City of Shafter Building Department handles building permits and inspections at 336 Pacific Ave, Shafter, CA 93263, by phone at 661-746-5002¹. Online submittals are not accepted, so applications are delivered in person or by mail¹.

A driveway, curb or sidewalk on a public street or right-of-way inside Shafter needs a written application and a permit from the city clerk, including when an existing driveway is relocated⁶. Driveway connections onto a state highway are a separate matter and need a Caltrans encroachment permit¹⁰.

Does Shafter have zoning, and what does it mean for RVs and mobile homes?

Shafter has its own land use zoning ordinance, and the city's rules for RVs and mobile homes both say they must comply with it³⁴. Kern County's zoning ordinance covers unincorporated land only and excludes incorporated cities¹¹. We could not confirm Shafter's lot sizes, setbacks or minimum home size, because the zoning district standards were not verified; call the city before you buy.

Outside an RV or trailer park, Shafter lets RVs be stored dead where zoning permits on a property with an existing conforming use, and allows private recreational use only when the Planning Commission or City Council approves it³. Mobile homes outside mobile home parks are limited to one per parcel in most cases and must carry a state HCD insignia of approval⁴.

How do septic permits and sewer connections work in Shafter?

Shafter requires a building used by people to connect to the public sewer within 90 days of completion when the building is within 100 feet of the public sewerage system⁵. We could not confirm whether the city or the county issues septic permits for addresses that are outside that distance, so ask Kern County Environmental Health before you plan on a septic system⁷.

For reference, California's statewide septic rules leave permitting to a county, city or special district local agency¹². Wells are likewise permitted locally, through the local environmental health agency or water district¹³. We could not confirm Shafter's water connection rule.

Can you live in an RV or tiny home in Shafter?

RV living in Shafter is limited. Private recreational use of an RV outside a park needs approval from the Planning Commission or City Council, and the building official can approve a temporary RV only at a construction site³. California treats RVs as not intended for permanent dwellings¹⁴.

Tiny homes are allowed under state rules when they are approved as a recognized housing type, such as a manufactured home or a home built to the California Residential Code¹⁵. Shafter's own tiny home and accessory dwelling rules were not confirmed. State law requires ministerial approval of accessory dwelling units that meet its standards¹⁶.

Building a home in Shafter: the steps, in order

Call the Building Department at 661-746-5002 to confirm the zoning district, design requirements and plan-submittal rules for your parcel¹.
Ask the city about water and sewer. A building within 100 feet of the public sewer must connect within 90 days of completion⁵.
Submit plans in person or by mail, since online submittals are not accepted¹.
Plan to the 2022 California Residential Code as amended by Shafter².
Get a city clerk driveway permit for any driveway on a public street⁶.
Confirm any septic permit with Kern County Environmental Health⁷.

What stays with Kern County, and what to check before you buy in Shafter?

Land outside Shafter's city limits follows Kern County's rules instead; see the Kern County page for unincorporated land. Kern County Environmental Health runs septic permitting for unincorporated Kern County¹⁷.

Countywide figures: Kern County's effective property tax rate is 0.9%¹⁸ and the median property tax bill is about $2,833 a year¹⁹. A typical home is valued around $366,238²⁰. Annual precipitation averages 8.9 inches²¹, and the county is in severe drought in 41.5% of years²².

Watch-outs

Shafter's zoning ordinance, including lot sizes, setbacks and ADU rules, was not confirmed; ask the City of Shafter Building Department before you commit to a parcel¹.
Do not assume Kern County's rules apply inside Shafter: the county's zoning layer excludes incorporated cities¹¹.
RVs cannot simply be lived in on a Shafter lot; private recreational use needs Planning Commission or City Council approval³.

Sources

Written October 16, 2026 from the rules quoted below, each taken from an official source and re-checked by an independent reviewer. This is research, not legal advice: rules change, so confirm with the office before you buy or build.

Unanswered questions are usually a sign that Shafter publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Kern County’s page lists the county offices to call.

Building permits, zoning and septic rules in Shafter, California