Building permits, zoning and land rules in Sacramento County, California

At a glance

Building permit

Required in unincorporated Sacramento County for most construction, alteration, repair, and demolition⁶

Zoning

Yes, countywide zoning ordinance for the unincorporated area; incorporated cities zone separately²⁷

Septic permits

Sacramento County Environmental Management Department (EMD) Liquid Waste Program⁵

Owner-builder

Allowed under the state Business & Professions Code 7044 exemption; county permits and inspections still required⁸⁹

RV living

Not permitted as a dwelling unit outside a licensed mobile home park¹⁰

Tiny home living

A dwelling must be on a permanent foundation and meet residential code¹¹

Minimum dwelling size

ADUs and junior ADUs must have at least 150 square feet of habitable area; this does not establish a minimum for a primary home¹²

Well permit

Required from EMD before construction unless specifically exempted by county code¹³

Who to call

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

Do you need a building permit in Sacramento County, California?

Yes. Sacramento County requires a permit before construction, enlargement, alteration, repair, movement, demolition, an occupancy change, or regulated electrical, gas, mechanical, or plumbing work begins¹. Work exempted under California Building Code or California Residential Code Section 105.2 may not need a permit, so confirm the scope with Building Permits & Inspection before construction¹⁴¹⁵. Permit applications submitted on or after January 1, 2026 must comply with the 2025 California Building Standards Code¹⁶¹⁷. California's owner-builder exemption lets an owner build or improve a structure on their own property without a contractor license, but it does not remove county permit and inspection requirements⁹. An owner who personally performs the work must not intend to sell the improvements, and a homeowner improving a principal residence must have lived there for the 12 months before completion⁹.

Who is the Sacramento County building department, and how do you reach them?

The Sacramento County Building Permits & Inspection Division handles permit applications, plan review, and inspections for unincorporated Sacramento County¹⁵. The Building Assistance Center is at 9800 Goethe Road, Sacramento, CA 95827, and its public phone number is 916-875-5296¹⁵. The division accepts electronic plan submittals and reviews through the county's online permitting process¹⁸¹⁵. Inside Citrus Heights, the city's own building official issues building permits instead³. All work performed under a Sacramento County building permit requires one or more inspections, and an inspection request must be filed at least one working day before the requested inspection¹⁹. Call for an inspection before placing concrete or covering any aspect of construction; no inspection happens without a valid, issued building permit on the project site²⁰. After final approval, the signed job card serves as the Certificate of Occupancy for a residential project; a commercial project receives an actual Certificate of Occupancy after inspections and record keeping are complete²¹²². A Temporary Certificate of Occupancy is typically valid for 30 days, needs a deposit, and requires sign-off from each field inspection discipline and the Fire department²³.

Does Sacramento County have zoning?

Yes. The Planning & Environmental Review Division administers the General Plan and Zoning Ordinance and manages development in unincorporated Sacramento County²²⁴. The zoning district boundaries are drawn on the Comprehensive Zoning Plan, which is kept on file in the office of the Planning Director; planned development ordinances, special planning areas, specific plans and corridor plans add further standards²⁵. If a parcel is inside an incorporated city, that city's planning department administers the applicable land-use rules instead⁷. Citrus Heights and Isleton each administer their own zoning code⁴²⁶. In applicable low-density residential districts, the standard front setback is 20 feet without a projecting unenclosed porch feature and 24 feet with one; the interior side setback is 5 feet for a one- or two-story building²⁷. Maximum height in those districts is 30 feet for one- or two-story construction and 40 feet for three-story construction²⁸. In the agricultural districts, the minimum lot size is 160 acres in AG-160, 80 acres in AG-80, 40 acres in AG-40 and 20 acres in AG-20²⁹. Special Planning Areas, Specific Plans, Planned Unit Developments, and other parcel-specific standards can change the result, so verify the zoning and overlays with Planning before designing the site⁷³⁰. Any lot split is subject to the state Subdivision Map Act and needs a Tentative Parcel Map or Tentative Subdivision Map, and every new parcel must meet the zoning district's minimum lot size and width³¹.

How do septic permits work in Sacramento County?

The Environmental Management Department's Liquid Waste Program oversees septic systems, onsite wastewater treatment systems, and wastewater holding tanks throughout Sacramento County⁵³². Site geology affects the applicable requirements, so have EMD evaluate the parcel before assuming a conventional drain field will work³²³³. Only about 9% of Sacramento County soils are rated without severe limitations for a conventional septic drain field³⁴. If public sewer is available within 200 feet of the property line, connection may be required³⁵. A composting toilet is not a way around wastewater approval: county rules require permission and a permit from the building authority, an EMD operating permit, and either a compliant onsite wastewater system or a public-sewer connection³⁶. A new well also requires an EMD permit unless county code specifically exempts it¹³³⁷. A construction permit is generally required before installing, modifying, repairing, replacing or destroying an onsite wastewater treatment system, although pumping out a tank or de-rooting lines does not need one³⁸³⁹. EMD staff inspect the installation, and the permit is not finalized until the final inspection passes and an as-built drawing is accepted⁴⁰⁴¹. Laundry, wash and bathing graywater must be plumbed into the septic system, so a graywater-only setup is not confirmed as a substitute⁴².

Can you live in an RV or tiny home on your land in Sacramento County?

An RV cannot serve as a dwelling unit in unincorporated Sacramento County unless it is parked at a permitted mobile home park¹⁰. Outdoor short-term rentals are not allowed, and private campgrounds require Agricultural or Recreation zoning plus a Use Permit approved by the Zoning Administrator⁴³. A movable or undersized tiny home cannot serve as a dwelling unless it is placed on a permanent foundation and complies with residential building codes¹¹. Manufactured homes are allowed in most cases as a primary residence or accessory dwelling unit when they meet county zoning standards⁴⁴. On qualifying property already developed with a primary residence, an ADU or junior ADU must contain at least 150 square feet of habitable area; that threshold does not establish the minimum size for a primary dwelling¹². Accessory dwelling units are allowed on property that already has a primary residence, must sit on a permanent foundation, and cannot be short-term rentals unless legally permitted before 2020⁴⁵.

How do you build a home in Sacramento County?

1. Confirm the parcel is unincorporated Sacramento County, not inside a city, since city planning departments set their own rules⁷.
2. Contact the Planning & Environmental Review Division to confirm the zoning district and any Special Planning Area or Combining Zone standards that apply to the lot³⁰.
3. Arrange a septic or sewer evaluation with the EMD Liquid Waste Program, and a well permit if the property will use groundwater³³³⁷.
4. If the driveway crosses a county road right-of-way, apply for an encroachment permit through County Engineering's Site Improvement & Permit Section before starting site work⁴⁶.
5. Submit building plans through the county's online permitting process to the Building Permits & Inspection Division¹⁸.
6. Request every required inspection at least one working day ahead, and call before placing concrete or covering any stage of construction; all permitted work requires one or more inspections¹⁹²⁰.
7. Obtain final approval: the signed job card serves as the residential Certificate of Occupancy, while commercial work receives a separate Certificate of Occupancy after inspections and record keeping are complete²¹²².

What should you check before buying land in Sacramento County?

Confirm whether the parcel is in unincorporated Sacramento County or inside a city before relying on county rules⁷. Ask the Liquid Waste Program about the site's soil and septic history because only about 9% of county soils are rated without severe limitations for a conventional drain field³⁴³³. Nearly 90% of Sacramento County land has a slope of 15% or less, but a gentle parcel can still have difficult soils⁴⁷. Confirm public-sewer availability because connection may be required when sewer is within 200 feet of the property line³⁵. Verify legal road access and ask County Engineering whether a new or repaired driveway in the public right-of-way needs an encroachment permit⁴⁶. For carrying-cost context, the median annual property-tax bill is about $3,768 and the effective property-tax rate is about 0.8%⁴⁸⁴⁹. New construction, substantial improvements or other development, including alteration of land, inside a special flood hazard area needs a Floodplain Management Permit from the Floodplain Administrator before work begins⁵⁰.

Watch-outs

• A composting toilet still requires building-authority approval, a building permit, an EMD operating permit, and either a compliant onsite wastewater system or a public-sewer connection³⁶.
• The setback and height figures above apply only to specified low-density residential districts; confirm the parcel's zoning and any special local standards before finalizing a site plan²⁷²⁸³⁰.
• Single-family homes in unincorporated Sacramento County are generally limited to 30 feet for one- and two-story buildings and 40 feet for three stories, and a third story in AG, AR and RD-1 through RD-7 zones needs a Special Development Permit⁵¹.

Sources

1. Building Permits & Inspection Division Frequently Asked Questions, quoted and re-checked
2. About the Planning & Environmental Review Division (2026 county census)
3. Citrus Heights: Applicant Responsibility for Obtaining Building Permits, Scheduling and Completing Inspections (Sacramento County), quoted and re-checked
4. Citrus Heights: Zoning Code (Sacramento County), quoted and re-checked
5. Liquid Waste Program (2026 county census)
6. Building Permits & Inspection Division Frequently Asked Questions (2026 county census)
7. Planning & Environmental Review Frequently Asked Questions, quoted and re-checked
8. Sacramento County Building - Homeowner/Contractor (2026 county census)
9. California Business and Professions Code Section 7044, quoted and re-checked
10. Sacramento County Zoning Standards for Accessory Dwelling Units and Junior Accessory Dwelling Units, quoted and re-checked
11. Sacramento County Zoning Standards for Accessory Dwelling Units and Junior Accessory Dwelling Units, quoted and re-checked
12. Chapter 5: Development Standards, quoted and re-checked
13. Well Program, quoted and re-checked
14. development.saccounty.gov, quoted and re-checked
15. Sacramento County Building Permits & Inspection Division (development.saccounty.gov)
16. Building Permits & Inspection Division, quoted and re-checked
17. Approved Building Standards (California statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
18. Building Permits & Inspection Division, quoted and re-checked
19. AP-14 Production Home Building Permit Application, quoted and re-checked
20. development.saccounty.gov, quoted and re-checked
21. Building Permits & Inspection Division Frequently Asked Questions, quoted and re-checked
22. AP-14 Production Home Building Permit Application, quoted and re-checked
23. development.saccounty.gov, quoted and re-checked
24. About the Planning & Environmental Review Division, quoted and re-checked
25. Chapter 2: Zoning Districts, quoted and re-checked
26. Isleton: Isleton Zoning Code Sec. 604 R district property development standards (Sacramento County), quoted and re-checked
27. Chapter 5: Development Standards, quoted and re-checked
28. Chapter 5: Development Standards, quoted and re-checked
29. Chapter 2: Zoning Districts, quoted and re-checked
30. Sacramento County Planning & Environmental Review Division (planning.saccounty.gov)
31. planning.saccounty.gov, quoted and re-checked
32. Liquid Waste Program, quoted and re-checked
33. Sacramento County Environmental Management Department, Liquid Waste Program (emd.saccounty.gov)
34. 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
35. Liquid Waste - Septic Systems, quoted and re-checked
36. Liquid Waste Program, quoted and re-checked
37. Sacramento County Environmental Management Department, Well Program (emd.saccounty.gov)
38. Septic System Permit Process, quoted and re-checked
39. Liquid Waste - Septic Systems, quoted and re-checked
40. Liquid Waste Program, quoted and re-checked
41. Article 3: On-Site Wastewater Treatment Systems - Sacramento County, CA, quoted and re-checked
42. Liquid Waste - Septic Systems: Frequently Asked Questions, quoted and re-checked
43. Short-Term Rental Permits, quoted and re-checked
44. Sacramento County Planning and Environmental Review Frequently Asked Questions, quoted and re-checked
45. Sacramento County Zoning Standards for Accessory Dwelling Units and Junior Accessory Dwelling Units, quoted and re-checked
46. Sacramento County Engineering, Site Improvement & Permit Section (SIPS) (development.saccounty.gov)
47. Share of land at 15% slope or less: Bolthole Index county data
48. Median property tax bill: Bolthole Index county data
49. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
50. Title IX: Floodplain Management Ordinance, quoted and re-checked
51. Chapter 5: Development Standards, quoted and re-checked

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.