Bolthole Index

Ventura County, California

Building permits, zoning and septic rules in Fillmore, California

The City of Fillmore, California issues its own building permits through Building & Safety1, and zoning inside city limits is set by the city's municipal code2. Septic permits inside Fillmore also go through the city's building department, not Ventura County Environmental Health3. Ventura County's rules cover only unincorporated land outside the city.

At a glance

Building permit
Required inside city limits; issued by the City of Fillmore, with some work exempt1
Zoning
City zoning districts apply (RPD-R, RPD-L, RPD-M and others)4
Septic
City building department, not the county, inside city limits3
Owner-builder
City permits go to owner/builders and licensed contractors5
Accessory dwelling units
Allowed in the city's residential districts6
Manufactured homes
Development Permit in residential districts; barred in alluvial-fan hazard areas7
Online permits
GovWell portal8

Who to call

Building permits

City of Fillmore Building & Safety

Building permits, plan check and building inspections inside Fillmore city limits

805-524-3701

250 Central Avenue, Fillmore, CA 93015

Online permits →

Zoning

City of Fillmore Planning & Community Development

Zoning questions and planning applications inside Fillmore city limits

805-946-1846

250 Central Avenue, Fillmore, CA 93015

Online permits →

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

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Does Fillmore, California have zoning, and what does it mean for lot size and homes?

Yes. The City of Fillmore, in Ventura County, applies its own zoning districts inside city limits, and its residential standards cover density, lot area, setbacks, parcel coverage and height2. The published residential districts are RPD-R, RPD-L, RPD-M, RPD-M/H, RPD-M/H2, RPD-H and HO4.

Standards differ by district, so find your parcel's district first. Minimum lot area is 1 acre in RPD-R and 6,000 square feet in both RPD-L and RPD-M, and the RPD-M/H and RPD-H districts start at 14,000 square feet9. Main buildings are limited to 35 feet or 2 stories in RPD-R, RPD-L, RPD-M and RPD-M/H, and to 40 feet or 3 stories in RPD-H10.

Accessory dwelling units and junior ADUs are permitted in every residential district6. Short-term vacation rentals in single-unit homes need a conditional use permit11. Ask Fillmore Planning12 to confirm your district before you buy.

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

Yes, construction inside Fillmore city limits generally needs a building permit, though some work may be exempt, so contact Building & Safety before you start1. Fillmore adopted the State Building Standards Code, with local amendments13. Any work that requires a permit also requires inspections14.

The City of Fillmore, not Ventura County, issues these permits: the city's Building & Safety page describes the permit, inspection and plan-check process15. Ventura County Building and Safety handles unincorporated land only16, so the county counter is the wrong office for a lot inside the city.

Permits go only to owner/builders and licensed contractors5. California's owner-builder exemption covers contractor licensing, not permits or inspections17.

Who is the Fillmore building department and how do you reach it?

Building & Safety at Fillmore City Hall, 250 Central Avenue, is the city's building department; reach the city at 805-524-370115. Applications, document uploads and permit tracking run through the city's GovWell portal8.

The city publishes Fee Schedule A, a Standard Valuation Sheet and a Valuation Permit Plan on its Building & Safety page, but we could not confirm the dollar amounts, so ask the department for a fee estimate18. For zoning questions, call Planning & Community Development at 805-946-184612.

How do septic permits work inside Fillmore?

Septic systems inside Fillmore city limits are handled by the city, not by Ventura County. The county's Environmental Health Division states that its authority covers unincorporated Ventura County only and sends city-limit systems to the city building department3.

Fillmore will not issue a permit for a septic system that uses subsurface soil absorption on a lot smaller than 15,000 square feet19. Where a public sewer runs in the street or an easement serving the property, the building must connect to it20. We could not confirm how the city inspects septic systems; ask Building & Safety15.

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

We could not confirm a Fillmore rule on living in an RV on a residential lot, and the city's code we reviewed does not address tiny homes specifically. Ask Planning & Community Development before you plan on either12. Ventura County's temporary-RV rules for construction apply to unincorporated land, not to lots inside the city21.

Two options the city does spell out: accessory dwelling units are permitted in its residential districts6, and manufactured homes are allowed in the residential districts with a Development Permit7. Manufactured homes are prohibited in identified alluvial-fan hazard areas except existing parks or subdivisions22.

Building a home in Fillmore: the steps, in order

  1. Confirm your parcel's zoning district and its lot-size, height and coverage limits with Planning12.
  2. Check whether the parcel lies in a flood-hazard or alluvial-fan area, which adds elevation and anchoring requirements22.
  3. Apply through the city's GovWell portal; the administrative-clearance form needs planning and building endorsements and a current title report8.
  4. Take the permit as an owner/builder or through a licensed contractor5.
  5. Request inspections by 5 p.m. on the prior business day, with the address and permit number14.
  6. Sort out sewer or septic with the city before you design the site3.

What stays with Ventura County, and what to check before you buy in Fillmore

Ventura County's building, zoning and septic rules apply to unincorporated land; for land outside Fillmore, see the Ventura County page. Property tax and soil figures are county-level: Ventura County's effective property tax rate is 0.7%23.

We could not confirm several items inside the city: domestic well permits, driveway access, subdivision of land, and agricultural exemptions. Ask Building & Safety or Planning before you commit15.

Watch-outs

  • Do not take a Fillmore lot to the Ventura County permit counter: the county's septic authority ends at the city limit3.
  • Parts of Fillmore sit in alluvial-fan flood-hazard areas, where manufactured homes are prohibited and new construction must be elevated and anchored22.
  • We could not confirm a certificate-of-occupancy requirement, city septic inspection rules, or well-permit authority inside Fillmore; ask Building & Safety15.

Sources

  1. Building & Safety | Fillmore, CA (Fillmore), quoted and re-checked
  2. 6.04.0415 - Zoning district development standards (Fillmore), quoted and re-checked
  3. Septic Systems / Wastewater Disposal (Fillmore), quoted and re-checked
  4. 6.04.0415 - Zoning district development standards (Fillmore), quoted and re-checked
  5. Building & Safety | Fillmore, CA (Fillmore), quoted and re-checked
  6. 6.04.0410 - Permitted, Development Permitted and Conditionally Permitted Uses (Fillmore), quoted and re-checked
  7. 6.04.0410 - Permitted, Development Permitted and Conditionally Permitted Uses (Fillmore), quoted and re-checked
  8. Building & Safety | Fillmore, CA (Fillmore), quoted and re-checked
  9. 6.04.0415 - Zoning district development standards (Fillmore), quoted and re-checked
  10. 6.04.0415 - Zoning district development standards (Fillmore), quoted and re-checked
  11. 6.04.0410 - Permitted, Development Permitted and Conditionally Permitted Uses (Fillmore), quoted and re-checked
  12. City of Fillmore Planning & Community Development (fillmoreca.gov)
  13. 5.01.010 - Adopted by reference (Fillmore), quoted and re-checked
  14. Inspection Request | Fillmore, CA (Fillmore), quoted and re-checked
  15. City of Fillmore Building & Safety (fillmoreca.gov)
  16. Building Permit Information, quoted and re-checked
  17. Building Officials - Owner-Builder Overview, quoted and re-checked
  18. Building & Safety | Fillmore, CA (Fillmore), quoted and re-checked
  19. library.municode.com (Fillmore), quoted and re-checked
  20. 12.08.040 - Separate sewers (Fillmore), quoted and re-checked
  21. Ventura County Non-Coastal Zoning Ordinance (9-16-2025 edition), quoted and re-checked
  22. 6.16.190 - Standards for manufactured homes (Fillmore), quoted and re-checked
  23. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data

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.

Answers from the rulebook for Fillmore

Fillmore’s own rules

  • Building permitRequired

    Construction and regulated work inside Fillmore city limits.

    • Contact Building & Safety before proceeding with construction work.
    • Some work may be exempt under applicable code provisions.
    “This is accomplished through the issuance of building permits, building inspections, and plan check.”
  • Owner-builder exemptionAvailable (with conditions)

    Building permit applicants inside Fillmore city limits.

    • Permits can only be issued to owner/builders and licensed contractors.
    • A permit cannot be issued to a future property owner without written consent of the current property owner.
    “Notice: Building permits can only be issued to owner/builders and licensed contractors.”
  • Building code adoptedAdopted

    Construction inside Fillmore city limits.

    • The adopted state codes are subject to the city's listed local amendments.
    “the State Building Standards Code (the "State Code") and other regulations adopted pursuant to Health and Safety Code Section 17922, are hereby referred to, adopted, and made a part here of as if fully set out in this chapter”
  • InspectionsRequired

    Any permitted work inside Fillmore city limits.

    • Inspection requests must be made by 5 p.m. on the prior business day.
    • The job address, permit number, inspection type, and building type are required when requesting inspection.
    “Any work which requires a permit will require inspections.”
  • Local zoningPresent

    Fillmore city zoning districts and land inside city limits.

    • Residential zoning standards apply to residential zoning districts.
    “The standards contained in Table II-1 (Zoning District Development Standards) relating to density, lot area and configuration, structure setbacks, structural parcel coverage and height, accessory structure height, distance between structures and common/private open space apply to all residential zoning districts”
  • Zoning districtsPublished

    Fillmore city residential zoning districts.

    • The published residential table identifies RPD-R, RPD-L, RPD-M, RPD-M/H, RPD-M/H2, RPD-H, and HO.
    “LAND USE ACTIVITY RPD R RPD L RPD M RPD M/H RPD M/H2 RPD H HO”
  • Minimum dwelling sizeDistrict specific (with conditions)

    Residential zoning districts RPD-M, RPD-M/H, RPD-M/H2, RPD-H, and HO inside Fillmore city limits.

    • Table II-1 supplies separate ground-floor and upper-floor unit minimums by district.

    RPD-M ground-floor unit minimum: >= 450 square feet · RPD-M upper-floor unit minimum: >= 200 square feet · RPD-M/H ground-floor unit minimum: >= 250 square feet · RPD-M/H upper-floor unit minimum: >= 200 square feet · RPD-M/H2 ground-floor unit minimum: >= 200 square feet · RPD-M/H2 upper-floor unit minimum: >= 100 square feet · RPD-H ground-floor unit minimum: >= 200 square feet · RPD-H upper-floor unit minimum: >= 150 square feet · HO ground-floor unit minimum: >= 150 square feet · HO upper-floor unit minimum: >= 80 square feet

    “Ground Floor Unit(min.) — — 450 250 200 200 150 Upper Floor Unit(min.) — — 200 200 100 150 80”
  • Minimum lot sizeDistrict specific (with conditions)

    Residential zoning districts RPD-R, RPD-L, RPD-M, RPD-M/H, RPD-M/H2, RPD-H, and HO inside Fillmore city limits.

    • Table II-1 lists lot area and lot area per dwelling unit separately.
    • The 5,000-square-foot alternative applies only if access to the parcel is provided by an alley and the parcel has a 50-foot minimum lot width.
    • Hillside Development Standards may apply.

    RPD-R lot area: >= 1 acre · RPD-L lot area: >= 6000 square feet · RPD-M lot area: >= 6000 square feet · RPD-M/H lot area: >= 14000 square feet · RPD-M/H2 lot area: >= 3000 square feet · RPD-H lot area: >= 14000 square feet

    “Lot Area (sq. ft.) 1.0 ac 2 6,000 6,000 14,000 1 3,000 14,000 N/A”
  • Lot coverageDistrict specific (with conditions)

    Residential zoning districts RPD-R, RPD-L, RPD-M, RPD-M/H, RPD-M/H2, RPD-H, and HO inside Fillmore city limits.

    • The table lists no maximum for RPD-R and 40%, 40%, 60%, 60%, 60%, and 60% for the remaining listed districts in column order.

    maximum structural parcel coverage: —,40%,40%,60%,60%,60%,60% percent by district-column order (RPD-R, RPD-L, RPD-M, RPD-M/H, RPD-M/H2, RPD-H, HO)

    “Structural Parcel Coverage (Maximum) — 2 40% 40% 60% 60% 60% 60%”
  • Building heightDistrict specific (with conditions)

    Main structures in Fillmore residential zoning districts.

    • RPD-R, RPD-L, RPD-M, and RPD-M/H are limited to 35 feet or 2 stories, whichever is less.
    • RPD-M/H2 and HO are limited to 35 feet or 3 stories, whichever is less.
    • RPD-H is limited to 40 feet or 3 stories, whichever is less.

    main structure height RPD-R/RPD-L/RPD-M/RPD-M/H: 35 feet or 2 stories, whichever is less · main structure height RPD-M/H2 and HO: 35 feet or 3 stories, whichever is less · main structure height RPD-H: 40 feet or 3 stories, whichever is less

    “Main Bldg./Structure Ht. (Maximum) 35 feet or 2 story whichever is less for RPD-R, L, M, M/H) 35 feet or 3 story, whichever is less for RPD-M/H2 and HO 40 feet or 3 stories, whichever is less for RPD-H only”
  • Manufactured homesAllowed (with conditions)

    Manufactured housing in Fillmore residential zoning districts RPD-R, RPD-L, RPD-M, RPD-M/H, RPD-M/H2, RPD-H, and HO.

    • Manufactured housing is marked D, requiring a Development Permit, in each listed residential district.
    • Flood-hazard standards separately require elevation and permanent-foundation anchoring; manufactured homes are prohibited in identified alluvial-fan hazard areas except existing manufactured-home parks or subdivisions.
    “All new and replacement manufactured homes and additions to manufactured homes shall: (a) Be elevated so that the lowest floor is at or above the base flood elevation; and (b) Be securely anchored to a permanent foundation system to resist flotation, collapse or lateral movement.”
  • Accessory dwellingsAllowed

    Accessory dwelling units and junior accessory dwelling units in Fillmore residential zoning districts.

    • The residential use table marks ADUs and junior ADUs P in all listed residential zoning districts.
    “A. Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs and Junior ADUs) P P P P P P P”
  • Who permits septicLocal (with conditions)

    OWTS and private sewage disposal systems inside Fillmore city limits.

    • Ventura County states its OWTS jurisdiction is limited to unincorporated county areas and directs systems within city limits to the city building department.
    • Fillmore's private sewage rules incorporate California Department of Public Health recommendations.
    “The Division is the authority with jurisdiction for OWTS in unincorporated Ventura County only. If your system is located within city limits, please contact the appropriate city building department for information on OWTS permits or to report a complaint related to an OWTS.”
  • Septic permitRequired

    Private sewage disposal systems inside Fillmore city limits.

    • No permit may issue for subsurface soil-absorption systems on lots smaller than 15,000 square feet.
    • The system may not discharge to a public sewer, stream, or watercourse.

    minimum lot area: >= 15000 square feet (private sewage disposal system employing subsurface soil absorption facilities)

    “No permit shall be issued for any private sewage disposal system employing subsurface soil absorption facilities where the area of the lot is less than fifteen thousand square feet.”
  • Mandatory utility hookupSewer (with conditions)

    Every building and industrial facility inside Fillmore city limits where a public sewer exists in the abutting street or a serving easement.

    • The requirement applies if a public sewer exists in the street upon which the property abuts or in an easement serving the property.
    • Buildings on one parcel under common ownership may share one side sewer during that ownership period.
    “Every building and industrial facility must be separately connected with a public sewer, if a public sewer exists in the street upon which the property abuts or in an easement which will serve the property.”
  • Building in a floodplainLimited

    Development and manufactured homes in designated flood-hazard areas inside Fillmore city limits.

    • Alluvial-fan areas require secure anchoring, elevation at or above the depth number, armored fill, and subdivision mitigation plans.
    • Manufactured homes are prohibited in identified alluvial-fan hazard areas except existing manufactured-home parks or subdivisions.
    • New and replacement manufactured homes must be elevated to or above base-flood elevation and anchored to a permanent foundation.
    “All manufactured homes shall be prohibited within the identified hazard area except within existing manufactured home parks or subdivisions.”
  • Short-term rentalsLimited

    Short-term vacation rentals in single-unit dwellings within residential zones inside Fillmore city limits.

    • A conditional use permit is required in the residential-use table.
    • Only one single-unit dwelling per lot may operate as a short-term vacation rental.
    • Hosted rentals limit transient occupants to two or fewer.
    • Non-hosted rentals limit occupancy to two persons per bedroom plus two additional persons.
    • Maximum occupancy by one transient is 30 consecutive days.
    • A business license and building-law compliance are required before operation.

    maximum transient stay: 30 consecutive days

    “the maximum number of days that a short-term vacation rental may be occupied by any one transient is thirty consecutive days.”
  • Permit feesPublished

    Fillmore city building-permit applicants.

    • The city's Building & Safety page links Fee Schedule A, a Standard Valuation Sheet, and a Valuation Permit Plan.
    • The reviewed page did not expose the numeric fee amounts in its text.
    “Fee Schedule A (PDF) Standard Valuation Sheet (PDF) Valuation Permit Plan (PDF)”
  • Permit processPublished

    Building-permit applications inside Fillmore city limits.

    • The city provides a GovWell portal for guidance, application submission, document upload, and status tracking.
    • The administrative-clearance form requires planning, building-and-safety, and other listed endorsements before permit issuance.
    • A current title report within one year is required for the administrative-clearance form.
    “Through GovWell, users can receive guidance, submit applications, upload documents, track permit status, and access helpful information in one convenient online location.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Fillmore or Ventura County directly.

  • Certificate of occupancy — Certificate-of-occupancy requirements inside Fillmore city limits.
  • Tiny homes — Tiny-home occupancy inside Fillmore city limits.
  • Septic inspection — OWTS inspection inside Fillmore city limits.
  • Well permit — Domestic water wells inside Fillmore city limits.
  • Agricultural exemption — Agricultural construction or land-use exemptions inside Fillmore city limits.
2 more unanswered
  • Subdividing land
  • Driveway access

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 Fillmore publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Ventura County’s page lists the county offices to call.

← All of Ventura County: county rules, score and offices