Bolthole Index

Los Angeles County, California

Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Santa Clarita, California

Inside Santa Clarita, California, the city's own Building & Safety division handles building permits1 and the city's own Title 17 sets zoning2. Los Angeles County's unincorporated-area rules do not apply here. We could not confirm who handles septic permits inside city limits, so ask the county's Onsite Wastewater Treatment Program3.

At a glance

Building permits
Issued by the City of Santa Clarita Building & Safety1
Zoning
City zoning code, Title 17 (not county zoning)2
Smallest lot, UR2
5,000 sq ft, 50 ft wide4
Smallest lot, UR1
20,000 sq ft, 75 ft wide5
Accessory dwellings
Allowed under California law6
Septic
Not confirmed inside city limits; ask LA County Environmental Health3
RVs and tiny homes
Not confirmed in the city's code; ask the Planning Division7

Who to call

Building permits

City of Santa Clarita Building & Safety

Building permits, plan review and inspections inside Santa Clarita city limits; Permit Center at City Hall, Suite 140

(661) 255-4935

buildingpermits@santaclarita.gov

23920 Valencia Blvd., Santa Clarita, CA 91355

Zoning

City of Santa Clarita Planning Division

Zoning, land-use review and the city zoning map inside Santa Clarita city limits (phone is City Hall's main line)

(661) 259-2489

23920 Valencia Blvd., Santa Clarita, CA 91355

Septic permits

LA County Department of Public Health, Environmental Health – Onsite Wastewater Treatment Program

Review and approval of septic (onsite wastewater treatment) system plans under the Local Agency Management Program; first call to confirm whether it covers an address inside Santa Clarita

(626) 430-5380

5050 Commerce Drive, Baldwin Park, CA 91706

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 24, 2026.

Off-grid gear

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

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Does Santa Clarita have zoning, and what does it mean for RVs, tiny homes, lot size and setbacks?

Yes. Santa Clarita adopted its own zoning code, Title 17 of the municipal code, and it governs land inside city limits only2. The City of Santa Clarita Planning Division keeps the zoning map that shows which zone each property is in7.

Lot size depends on the district. In the UR2 zone, the city's main single-family district, the minimum net lot area is 5,000 square feet with a 50-foot lot width4. In UR1, the urban/rural interface zone, the minimum is 20,000 square feet with a 75-foot width5. Our review covered the urban residential zones only, so the non-urban zones are not covered here8.

Setbacks in both UR1 and UR2 are a 20-foot front yard, 5-foot side yards, and a 15-foot rear yard910. The main structure can be up to 35 feet tall in UR211 and in UR112.

We could not find where the city's code addresses living in an RV or a tiny home on a lot, so ask the Planning Division before parking or placing either one7.

Do you need a building permit in Santa Clarita, and who issues it?

The City of Santa Clarita Building & Safety division issues building permits inside the city, and its page states that the property owner is responsible for obtaining the necessary permits before a building is constructed, repaired, or altered1. The city also lists Title 18 as its own building code13. The county's unincorporated-area permit rules do not apply inside Santa Clarita.

We did not confirm the city's permit fees, owner-builder rules, or inspection details, so ask Building & Safety at the Permit Center in City Hall or by email1.

How do septic permits work inside Santa Clarita?

We could not confirm whether Los Angeles County Environmental Health or the city handles septic permits inside Santa Clarita city limits. The county's Onsite Wastewater Treatment Program reviews septic plans in unincorporated areas under its Local Agency Management Program, and that program also covers contracted cities14. Call the program to learn whether it covers your address3.

In the unincorporated county, the Director will not issue a permit for a new septic system when a public sewer is available within 200 feet of the building or proposed building15. Whether that applies inside city limits is unconfirmed.

Can you build an accessory dwelling unit in Santa Clarita?

Yes. Santa Clarita's Chapter 17.42 treats accessory dwelling units and junior accessory dwelling units as permitted under California law6. The city's own size, parking and setback standards for these units were not located, so ask the Planning Division for them7.

Building a home in Santa Clarita: the steps, in order

  1. Look up the lot's zone on the city zoning map and check the lot size, setbacks and height for that district7.
  2. If you plan to divide land, note that the city regulates subdivisions in Title 1616.
  3. Apply for building permits at Building & Safety; the Permit Center is in City Hall, Suite 1401.
  4. Confirm septic or sewer arrangements with LA County Environmental Health3.
  5. Schedule inspections with Building & Safety as work proceeds1.

What stays with Los Angeles County, and what to check before you buy

Land outside Santa Clarita city limits falls under the county's rules instead; see the Los Angeles County page. Los Angeles County's median property tax bill is $5,438 a year at an effective rate of 0.7%1718. These are county-level figures, not specific to Santa Clarita.

Watch-outs

  • Santa Clarita's rules apply only inside city limits; a parcel just outside is unincorporated Los Angeles County and uses county offices instead19.
  • We could not confirm who issues septic permits, or the rules for RVs, tiny homes, permit fees and owner-builders, inside city limits; call Building & Safety or the Planning Division1.
  • Lot size, setbacks and height above are for UR1 and UR2 only; other zones differ, so check the zoning map for your parcel8.

Sources

  1. City of Santa Clarita Building & Safety (santaclarita.gov)
  2. City of Santa Clarita, CA code of ordinances (eCode360) table of contents (Santa Clarita), quoted and re-checked
  3. LA County Department of Public Health, Environmental Health – Onsite Wastewater Treatment Program (admin.publichealth.lacounty.gov)
  4. Chapter 17.33: Urban Residential Zones, City of Santa Clarita, CA (Santa Clarita), quoted and re-checked
  5. Chapter 17.33: Urban Residential Zones, City of Santa Clarita, CA (Santa Clarita), quoted and re-checked
  6. Chapter 17.42: Residential Use Types, City of Santa Clarita, CA (Santa Clarita), quoted and re-checked
  7. City of Santa Clarita Planning Division (santaclarita.gov)
  8. Chapter 17.33: Urban Residential Zones, City of Santa Clarita, CA (Santa Clarita), quoted and re-checked
  9. Chapter 17.33: Urban Residential Zones, City of Santa Clarita, CA (Santa Clarita), quoted and re-checked
  10. Chapter 17.33: Urban Residential Zones, City of Santa Clarita, CA (Santa Clarita), quoted and re-checked
  11. Chapter 17.33: Urban Residential Zones, City of Santa Clarita, CA (Santa Clarita), quoted and re-checked
  12. Chapter 17.33: Urban Residential Zones, City of Santa Clarita, CA (Santa Clarita), quoted and re-checked
  13. City of Santa Clarita, CA code of ordinances (eCode360) table of contents (Santa Clarita), quoted and re-checked
  14. Local Agency Management Program (LAMP), quoted and re-checked
  15. New Ordinance Adopted - Local Agency Management Program, quoted and re-checked
  16. City of Santa Clarita, CA code of ordinances (eCode360) table of contents (Santa Clarita), quoted and re-checked
  17. Median property tax bill: Bolthole Index county data
  18. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
  19. Building and Safety - LA County Public Works Permits, quoted and re-checked

Written October 24, 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.

Answers from the rulebook for Santa Clarita

Santa Clarita’s own rules

  • Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

    New construction inside Santa Clarita city limits under the city's own building code title

    • The table of contents lists Title 18 as the city building code; the adopting ordinance and the code edition year were not opened.
    “title 18 city building code (§ 18.01.010 – § 18.21.020)”
  • Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

    Land inside Santa Clarita city limits, under the city's own Title 17 (Zoning) of its municipal code

    • Title 17 is the city's adopted zoning code in its eCode360 code; it is not county zoning and does not govern the unincorporated county area.
    • District dimensional standards are in the separate urban residential zone claims and the zoning_districts claim.
    “title 17 zoning (§ 17.01.010 – § 17.95.220)”
  • Zoning districtsPartial

    Urban residential zones UR1 through UR5 of Santa Clarita city's zoning code

    • Only Chapter 17.33 (Urban Residential Zones) was opened. The Non-Urban zones and the zoning map were not opened, so the district list is partial.

    maximum density, UR1: <= 2 dwelling units per acre

    “uses in this designation include single-family homes and other residential uses at a maximum density of two (2) dwelling units per acre.”
  • Minimum lot sizeDistrict specific (with conditions)

    UR1 zone (urban/rural interface, up to two units per acre) inside Santa Clarita city limits

    • Source: Chapter 17.33 UR1 development standards; the chapter describes the zone as the urban/rural interface designation.
    • Division 6 development standards also apply.

    minimum net lot area: >= 20000 square feet · minimum lot width: >= 75 feet (cul-de-sac/knuckle lot width 40 feet)

    “minimum net lot area (in square feet) 20,000 lot width (in feet) 75 cul-de-sac/knuckle lot width (in feet) 40”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
    • District specific (with conditions) — Main single-family district UR2 (urban residential, up to five units per acre) inside Santa Clarita city limits
      “minimum net lot area (in square feet) 5,000 lot width (in feet) 50 cul-de-sac/knuckle lot width (in feet) 40”
  • SetbacksDistrict specific (with conditions)

    UR2 zone (main single-family district) inside Santa Clarita city limits

    • Public and semi-public uses have a 25-foot setback from residential property lines (UR2 development standards).
    • Distance between main structures is 10 feet and between main and accessory structures is 6 feet (UR2).
    • Division 6 development standards also apply in addition.

    front yard setback: 20 feet · side yard setback, each side: 5 feet · side yard setback, reverse corner lot: 10 feet · rear yard setback: 15 feet

    “front yard setback (in feet) 20 side yard setback, each side (in feet) 5/5 side yard setback, reverse corner lot (in feet) 10 rear yard setback (in feet) 15”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
    • District specific (with conditions) — UR1 zone (urban/rural interface) inside Santa Clarita city limits
      “front yard setback (in feet) 20 side yard setback, each side (in feet) 5/5 side yard setback, reverse corner lot (in feet) 10 rear yard setback (in feet) 15”
  • Building heightDistrict specific (with conditions)

    UR1 zone (urban/rural interface) inside Santa Clarita city limits

    • The source abbreviates the main-structure limit as 'without a cup (in feet)'; the excerpt does not expand the abbreviation.
    • Accessory structures are limited to 35 feet, not exceeding the main structure height.

    maximum height of main structure: <= 35 feet (without a cup (abbreviation not expanded in source)) · maximum height of accessory structure: <= 35 feet (not exceeding the height of the main structure without a cup)

    “maximum height of main structure without a cup (in feet) 35 maximum height of accessory structures not exceeding the height of the main structure without a cup (in feet) 35”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
    • District specific (with conditions) — UR2 zone (main single-family district) inside Santa Clarita city limits
      “maximum height of main structure without a cup (in feet) 35 maximum height of accessory structures not exceeding the height of the main structure (in feet) 20”
  • Accessory dwellingsAllowed (with conditions)

    Accessory dwelling units and junior accessory dwelling units inside Santa Clarita city limits

    • The city's Chapter 17.42 says the following residential use types are defined or governed by state law in all zones. Accessory dwelling units are therefore allowed under California law, not under a city-specific ADU standard.
    • The city-specific ADU development standards (size, parking, setbacks) were not located within the research budget and are not stated here.
    “accessory dwelling units and junior accessory dwelling units are permitted pursuant to california law as may be amended from time to time, including without limitation, government code section 66323.”
  • Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

    Land divisions inside Santa Clarita city limits

    • The table of contents lists Title 16 as subdivisions. Its procedures and standards were not opened.
    “title 16 subdivisions (§ 16.01.010 &ndash; § 16.41.010)”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Santa Clarita or Los Angeles County directly.

  • Building permit — New residential construction inside Santa Clarita city limits
  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder permits inside Santa Clarita city limits
  • Inspections — Inspections for construction inside Santa Clarita city limits
  • Certificate of occupancy — Certificate of occupancy for new homes inside Santa Clarita city limits
  • Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling size inside Santa Clarita city limits
17 more unanswered
  • Lot coverage
  • Living in an RV
  • Camping on your land
  • Tiny homes
  • Manufactured homes
  • 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 fees
  • 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 Santa Clarita publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Los Angeles County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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