Zoning, building permits and septic rules in San Marino, California
San Marino is a city in Los Angeles County, California. San Marino adopts its own zoning, so inside its limits San Marino’s rules apply, not the county’s. 3 rules below are quoted from official sources and independently re-checked, most recently on October 22, 2026. Rules for unincorporated land are on the Los Angeles County page.
Answers from the rulebook for San Marino
San Marino’s own rules
Local zoningPresent (with conditions)
All land inside San Marino city limits. The city's own Chapter XXIII (Zoning and Development) is listed in its adopted code.
Presence is shown by the code's table of contents and the city's own statement that property values are protected by stringent zoning regulations; the zone-by-zone rules were not opened and are not recorded here.
The code listing is on American Legal Publishing and carries a disclaimer that the posted text may not reflect the most current legislation.
“chapter xxii subdivisions chapter xxiii zoning and development, advertising and signs, fences and walls”
Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)
Subdivision of land inside San Marino city limits
Subdivision rules are in the city's Chapter XXII (Subdivisions); the chapter text was not opened, so procedure and standards are not recorded here.
“chapter xxii subdivisions chapter xxiii zoning and development, advertising and signs, fences and walls”
Permit feesPublished (with conditions)
City of San Marino building and planning fees (FY 2023-24 schedule)
The schedule is the FY 2023-24 edition and is outdated; the current schedule was not found.
The PDF layout is garbled, so which fee amount applies to which line (including the '90% of the la county fees' phrase) could not be confirmed. Parameters are not recorded for that reason.
“building plan check/inspection s-058 s-059 certificate of occupancy special permit investigation charge 90% of the la county fees.”
Still unanswered
We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask San Marino or Los Angeles County directly.
Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder permit exemption for a homeowner building inside San Marino city limits
Building code adopted — Building code editions adopted for construction inside San Marino city limits
Zoning districts — Zoning districts of the City of San Marino
Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling size for the single-family residential district inside San Marino city limits
Minimum lot size — Minimum building site area in the R-1 single-family zone (area districts IE and I through VII) inside San Marino city limits
19 more unanswered
Setbacks
Lot coverage
Building height
Living in an RV
Camping on your land
Tiny homes
Manufactured homes
Accessory dwellings
Who permits septic
Septic permit
Septic inspection
Off-grid sanitation
Well permit
Mandatory utility hookup
Agricultural exemption
Driveway access
Building in a floodplain
Short-term rentals
Permit process
Each answer was extracted from an official source and independently re-checked against that source by a second reviewer. That is an evidence check, not legal advice. Rules change; confirm with the authority before you buy or build.
Unanswered questions are usually a sign that San Marino publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Los Angeles County’s page lists the county offices to call.
Off-grid gear
Going off-grid in San Marino means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:
