Bolthole Index

Monterey County, California

Zoning, building permits and septic rules in King City, California

King City, California adopts its own zoning (Title 17)1 and its Building & Safety Department handles building plan review, permits and inspections inside city limits2. Building permits follow the 2025 California Building Standards Code3. We could not confirm who issues septic permits inside the city; Monterey County's Environmental Health Bureau covers unincorporated land, so ask both offices before you buy.

At a glance

Building permit
Required inside city limits; issued by the King City Building & Safety Department2
Building code
2025 California Building Standards Code, with local amendments3
Zoning
City-run zoning under Title 17, by district1
R-1 minimum lot
6,000 sq ft, 60 ft wide, 90 ft deep4
R-1 setbacks
Front 20 ft (never under 17 ft), side 6 ft, rear 10 ft5
Sewer connection
Required if a public sewer is within 200 ft of the building6
Septic permit
Not confirmed inside city limits; ask the city and Monterey County Environmental Health7
Accessory dwelling
Allowed in R-1 under Chapter 17.478

Who to call

Building permits

King City Building & Safety Department

Building plan review, permit issuance and inspections for projects inside King City

831-385-3281

212 S Vanderhurst Avenue, King City, CA 93930

Online permits →

Planning & zoning

King City Community Development Department

Planning, zoning and land-use development permits inside King City

831-385-3281

212 S Vanderhurst Avenue, King City, CA 93930

Planning & zoning

King City Land Use Development Permits (online portal)

Land use permit applications and online payment

Online permits →

Septic permits

Monterey County Health Department, Environmental Health Bureau (Land Use)

Septic system (OWTS) review and permits for unincorporated Monterey County; also the county contact for wells and water supply review

(831) 755-4505

1270 Natividad Road, Salinas, CA 93906

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 King City means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

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Does King City have zoning, and what does it mean for lot size and setbacks?

King City, California administers its own Title 17 zoning ordinance inside city limits, with separate chapters for each district, including the A agricultural district and the R-1 single family district1. Monterey County's zoning does not apply inside the city9.

In the R-1 district, a residential building site must be at least 6,000 square feet, 60 feet wide and 90 feet deep4. The front yard is 20 feet deep and never under 17 feet, except on cul-de-sacs5. Interior side yards are at least 6 feet and rear yards at least 10 feet5. Structures can cover at most 40 percent of the lot10. The main building can be two stories and 30 feet tall, and accessory buildings top out at 14 feet11.

Those figures describe the R-1 district only4. The A district and the other districts have their own tables, and the zoning map is a separate document, so confirm a parcel's district with the Community Development Department12.

Do you need a building permit in King City, and who issues it?

Yes. Inside King City, the Building & Safety Department is responsible for building plan review, permit issuance and periodic site inspections for new construction, remodels and additions, including residential projects2. Permits are processed under the 2025 California Building Standards Code, adopted with local amendments by Chapter 12.043. Applications filed before January 1, 2026 fall under the prior code3.

Appointments are required for permit issuance2. Applicants can apply and pay online for almost all permits through the city's Citizenserve system13.

The county's rules are separate. Monterey County Housing & Community Development issues building permits only for unincorporated land, so a King City address does not go to the county permit counter. We could not confirm the city's fee schedule or a certificate of occupancy rule; ask the Building & Safety Department.

How do septic permits work inside King City?

We could not confirm who issues septic permits inside King City. King City's code requires an occupied building to connect to the public sewer, at the owner's expense, when a city sewer sits within 200 feet of the nearest point of the building, and connection is due within 90 days after official notice6. A lot that reaches the city sewer is therefore probably a sewer-hookup question, not a septic one.

Monterey County's septic rules, including the Environmental Health Bureau's OWTS permit, are written for unincorporated Monterey County and reach a city only by written agreement between the county and that city14. Call the Environmental Health Bureau7 and the King City Building & Safety Department2 before relying on a septic system on a city parcel.

County-wide, only 2.6 percent of soils are rated not limited for a conventional drain field, so any septic plan usually needs a site evaluation and often an engineered system15.

Can you live in an RV, tiny home or accessory dwelling in King City?

Accessory dwelling units and junior accessory dwelling units are allowed in the R-1 district if they meet the standards of Chapter 17.478. We did not confirm the rule for the A district.

We could not confirm King City's rules on living in an RV, on tiny homes or on manufactured homes inside city limits. Monterey County's ban on living in an RV on private property applies to unincorporated land, so do not read it as the city's rule16. California treats RVs as not intended for permanent occupancy and generally limits them to mobilehome parks or special occupancy parks unless a local ordinance allows otherwise17. Ask the Community Development Department before parking anything you plan to sleep in12.

Building a home in King City: the steps, in order

  1. Confirm the parcel's zoning district and its lot size, setback and height limits with the Community Development Department12.
  2. Ask whether a public sewer lies within 200 feet of the building site, since connection is required in that case6.
  3. Make an appointment with the Building & Safety Department and submit plans for review under the 2025 California Building Standards Code23.
  4. Apply for land use and building permits through the city's Citizenserve portal13.
  5. Schedule inspections with the Building & Safety Department as work proceeds2.

If you are splitting a lot, King City regulates subdivisions under its Title 1618.

What stays with Monterey County, and what to check before you buy in King City

Land outside King City limits is a different case: Monterey County's building, zoning and septic rules apply only to unincorporated land, and the Monterey County page covers it. Check the parcel's jurisdiction first.

Property taxes are set county-wide: Monterey County's effective property tax rate is 0.7 percent19, and the median bill is $4,782 a year20. Owner-builders should know that California's Contractors' License Law exemption for owners building on their own property does not waive building permits, inspections, zoning or septic approvals21.

We could not confirm King City's flood plain rules, short-term rental rules, driveway access rules or water well rules. Ask the Community Development Department12 about each one.

Watch-outs

  • King City's septic permit authority inside city limits is unconfirmed; ask the Environmental Health Bureau and the King City Building & Safety Department before you plan an onsite system72.
  • Permit applications filed before January 1, 2026 are governed by the prior code, so date your application carefully3.
  • Setback and lot numbers here are R-1 only; other districts, including the A agricultural district, have separate standards1.

Sources

  1. Chapter 17.06 Districts—Established, King City Title 17 Zoning (King City), quoted and re-checked
  2. King City Building & Safety Department (kingcity.com)
  3. Chapter 12.04 Construction Codes Adopted, King City Title 12 Buildings and Construction (King City), quoted and re-checked
  4. Chapter 17.12 R-1—Single Family Residential District, King City Title 17 Zoning (King City), quoted and re-checked
  5. Chapter 17.12 R-1—Single Family Residential District, King City Title 17 Zoning (King City), quoted and re-checked
  6. Chapter 15.13 Sewers—Use, King City Title 15 Waters and Sewers (King City), quoted and re-checked
  7. Monterey County Health Department, Environmental Health Bureau (Land Use) (countyofmonterey.gov)
  8. Chapter 17.12 R-1—Single Family Residential District, King City Title 17 Zoning (King City), quoted and re-checked
  9. countyofmonterey.gov, quoted and re-checked
  10. Chapter 17.12 R-1—Single Family Residential District, King City Title 17 Zoning (King City), quoted and re-checked
  11. Chapter 17.12 R-1—Single Family Residential District, King City Title 17 Zoning (King City), quoted and re-checked
  12. King City Community Development Department (kingcity.com)
  13. King City Land Use Development Permits (online portal) (kingcity.com)
  14. Adopted Monterey County Code Chapter 15.20, Sewage Disposal, quoted and re-checked
  15. Share of soils USDA rates "not limited" for a conventional septic drain field (SSURGO). A strict rating: the median county is about 6% and a tenth of counties are 0%, so a low figure means most lots need a site evaluation or an engineered system, not that septic is impossible. Cite it only with that caveat: Bolthole Index county data
  16. Problem Vehicle Report, quoted and re-checked
  17. hcd.ca.gov (California statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  18. King City, CA Code of Ordinances (eCode360) table of contents (King City), quoted and re-checked
  19. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
  20. Median property tax bill: Bolthole Index county data
  21. California Business and Professions Code Section 7044, 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 King City

King City’s own rules

  • Building code adoptedAdopted

    Construction inside King City city limits. The city adopts the 2025 California Building Standards Code, with local amendments, and the 2024 International Property Maintenance Code.

    • Adoption is by Chapter 12.04 (Ord. 840, 12/9/2025); permits applied for before January 1, 2026 are governed by the prior code (§ 12.04.010(a)).
    • Adopts California Building Code 2025 (based on 2024 IBC), California Residential Code 2025, California Plumbing Code, California Mechanical Code, California Electrical Code, California Fire Code 2025, California Energy Code, California Green Building Standards Code, and related Title 24 parts, per § 12.04.050.
    • Building appeals board is the city council (§ 12.04.050(d) as amended).

    code edition: 2025 California Building Standards Code (Title 24)

    “the purpose of this chapter is to adopt by reference the 2025 edition of the california building standards code title 24 identified herein”
  • Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

    All land inside King City city limits; King City administers its own Title 17 Zoning ordinance with eighteen districts (including the A agricultural district and R-1 single family district).

    • Development must comply with the district chapter applicable to the parcel (for example Chapter 17.12 R-1 or Chapter 17.10 A).
    • Zoning-only topics for the city are answered from its own Title 17 chapters, not county zoning.
    “there are established eighteen districts into which the city is divided and which are designated as follows”
  • Zoning districtsPublished

    Zoning district designations inside King City city limits

    • The zoning map is a separate document not opened; district dimensional tables are in Title 17 chapters 17.10 to 17.52.
    “there are established eighteen districts into which the city is divided and which are designated as follows”
  • Minimum lot sizeSpecified

    Residential building sites in the R-1 single family residential district inside King City city limits

    • Applies unless optional design standards under § 17.12.110 are used.
    • Does not apply to parcels created by an urban lot split.
    • Churches and other public uses require 20,000 square feet (§ 17.12.060(1)).

    minimum building site (residential): >= 6000 sq ft (churches and other public uses 20,000 sq ft) · minimum lot width (residential): >= 60 ft (churches and other public uses 100 ft) · minimum lot depth: >= 90 ft

    “minimum building site shall be six thousand square feet of lot for residential uses. churches and other public uses, twenty thousand square feet; (2) minimum lot width shall be sixty feet for residential uses. churches and other public uses, one hundred feet; (3) minimum lot depth shall be ninety feet.”
  • SetbacksSpecified

    Main buildings in the R-1 single family residential district inside King City city limits

    • Setbacks apply unless optional design standards under § 17.12.110 are used or other chapters establish plan lines.
    • Front yard setback is not less than 17 feet in any case, except cul-de-sacs (15 feet by planning commission approval).
    • Corner lot bordering a key lot: street-side yard at least 10 feet.
    • Accessory buildings including garages and carports may be in the rear yard but not within 10 feet of the rear property line.
    • Patios and swimming pools must be at least 5 feet from side or rear property lines and 50 feet from the front property line unless a use permit approves a lesser setback.

    front yard: >= 20 ft (planning commission may vary setbacks by up to 3 ft; not less than 17 ft) · interior side yard: >= 6 ft · rear yard: >= 10 ft

    “each lot in the r-1 district shall have a front yard extending (except for access drives and walks) across the full width of the subject property of a depth of not less than twenty feet; provided, however, that the planning commission may require staggering of setbacks, with a variation of three feet from setback lines. in no case shall a setback of less than seventeen feet be allowed, except on cul-de-sacs, where the planning commission may approve a setback of fifteen feet”
  • Lot coverageSpecified

    Structures on R-1 single family residential building sites inside King City city limits

    • Swimming pools are not counted; covered patio structures used solely for general open use are not counted.
    • Rear yard coverage by covered patio or any structure may not exceed 30% of the required rear yard.
    • Applies unless optional design standards under § 17.12.110 are used.

    maximum structure coverage of lot: <= 40 percent of lot area (swimming pools and qualifying covered patios excluded)

    “the maximum coverage of a lot by all structures shall not exceed forty percent of the lot area”
  • Building heightSpecified

    Buildings in the R-1 single family residential district inside King City city limits

    • Accessory buildings are limited to 14 feet.

    main building height: <= 30 ft (main building not more than two stories) · accessory building height: <= 14 ft

    “the main building shall not be more than two stories and shall not exceed thirty feet in height. accessory buildings shall not exceed fourteen feet in height.”
  • Accessory dwellingsAllowed

    Accessory dwelling units and junior accessory dwelling units on R-1 single family residential parcels inside King City city limits

    • Must conform to the standards of Chapter 17.47 (not opened).
    • Applies under the R-1 district; the A district rule was not verified.
    “accessory dwelling units and junior accessory dwelling units, in conformance with the standards of chapter 17.47”
  • Mandatory utility hookupSewer (with conditions)

    Occupied houses and buildings inside King City city limits that abut a street with a city public sewer

    • Connection is required only if the public sewer is within two hundred feet of the nearest point of the building.
    • Connection is due within ninety days after official notice.
    • Connection is at the owner's expense, per § 15.13.050; the sewer chapters cross-referenced at 15.04 through 15.28 apply.
    • Water connection rules were not verified.

    distance to public sewer: <= 200 feet (measured from nearest point of building) · connection deadline: <= 90 days (after date of official notice)

    “the owner of any house, building or structure occupied by humans, situated within the city and abutting on any street in which there is or shall have then been located a public sewer of the city, is required at the owner’s expense to connect said building directly with the public sewer of the city, in accordance with the provisions of chapters 15.04 through 15.28, within ninety days after the date of official notice to do so, provided that said public sewer is within two hundred feet of the nearest point of building.”
  • Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

    Division of land inside King City city limits

    • Subdivision is governed by the city's Title 16 Subdivisions; vesting tentative map rules for residential subdivisions are in Title 16-A.
    “title 16-a vesting tentative maps for residential subdivisions”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask King City or Monterey County directly.

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder permit exemption inside King City city limits
  • Inspections — Construction inside King City city limits
  • Certificate of occupancy — Occupancy approval for new construction inside King City city limits
  • Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling floor area inside King City city limits
  • Living in an RV — Occupying an RV on private land inside King City city limits
13 more unanswered
  • Camping on your land
  • Tiny homes
  • Manufactured homes
  • Who permits septic
  • Septic permit
  • Septic inspection
  • Well permit
  • 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 King City publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Monterey County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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