Bolthole Index

Los Angeles County, California

Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Cerritos, California

Cerritos, California adopts and administers its own zoning, so the city's municipal code, not Los Angeles County's Title 22, sets the rules for a lot inside city limits1. Property improvements need city approval and permits before construction starts, handled by the Department of Community Development2. We could not confirm who handles septic permits inside Cerritos; ask the city before you plan any onsite system.

At a glance

Zoning
City of Cerritos adopts and administers its own zoning1
Building permit
City approval and permits required before construction starts2
Single-family zone (RS)
Maximum building height 35 feet; front setback at least 20 feet34
Walls and fences
Building permit required over 30 inches high in the RS zone5
Manufactured homes
Limited: federally certified and subject to a precise plan for development in the RS zone6
Septic
Not confirmed inside city limits; the county health department covers unincorporated areas and contracted cities, so ask the city7
RV living
State rule generally limits RV occupancy to mobilehome or special occupancy parks unless a local ordinance allows more; the city's own rule is unconfirmed8

Who to call

Building permits

City of Cerritos Department of Community Development

Planning approvals, building and safety permits and zoning questions inside Cerritos city limits

(562) 916-1201

18125 Bloomfield Avenue, Cerritos, CA 90703

Online permits →

Building permits

City of Cerritos Building & Safety Services Division (inspections)

Scheduling building and safety inspections for permitted work in Cerritos

(562) 916-1209

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

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Does Cerritos, California have zoning?

Yes. Cerritos adopts and administers its own zoning inside city limits, so Los Angeles County's Title 22 does not apply to a Cerritos lot19. The city's zoning map, municipal code and online GIS mapping tool show which zone a property sits in; the Department of Community Development answers zoning questions at (562) 916-12012.

The single-family RS zone, which we reviewed, allows one single-family dwelling per legally constituted lot10. Within it, the building height limit is 35 feet3. Setbacks are at least 20 feet in front, 10 feet in the rear and 5 feet on a side between two residences; a side yard that abuts a street needs 10 feet on the first floor and 15 feet on the second4. Building coverage is capped at 40 percent of the lot, rising to 45 percent on some RS-5000 lots that meet the code's criteria11. In a subdivision, the average lot must be at least 5,000 square feet in RS-5000 and 6,500 square feet in RS-650012. We did not review Cerritos's other zones.

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

Yes. Property improvements in Cerritos require city approval and issuance of permits before construction starts2. The City of Cerritos, not Los Angeles County Public Works, handles them: the county issues building permits for unincorporated land only13.

In the RS zone, any new or replacement wall or decorative fence taller than 30 inches needs a building permit from the Department of Community Development before construction5. Applications now run through the Cerritos Permit Hub at www.permits.cerritos.gov2. Inspections are scheduled with the Building & Safety Services Division at (562) 916-120914.

California's 2025 Building Standards Code applies to permit applications filed on or after January 1, 202615. Which local amendments Cerritos adds, its fee schedule and its exact review steps we could not confirm; the Department of Community Development can say.

How do septic permits work inside Cerritos?

We could not confirm who reviews septic permits inside Cerritos city limits. Los Angeles County Public Health reviews and approves onsite wastewater systems for unincorporated areas and contracted cities under its Local Agency Management Program7, but whether Cerritos is covered by that arrangement was not verified. Ask the Cerritos Department of Community Development at (562) 916-1201 first2, then confirm with the county's Environmental Health program.

Before buying, find out whether a public sewer line already serves the lot. In unincorporated Los Angeles County, the Director will not issue a permit for a new onsite system when a public sewer is available within 200 feet of the building16; that rule is the county's for unincorporated land, and the city's own sewer rules were not confirmed.

Can you live in an RV, tiny home or manufactured home in Cerritos?

The city's own RV and tiny-home occupancy rules were not confirmed. California's statewide guidance says RVs are not intended as permanent dwellings and, unless a local ordinance allows otherwise, generally may be occupied only in mobilehome parks or special occupancy parks8. Before parking an RV on a Cerritos lot to live in, ask the Department of Community Development at (562) 916-12012.

Manufactured homes are limited in the RS zone: one counts as a single-family dwelling only if it was certified under the federal national mobile home construction and safety standards act and is subject to a precise plan for development, and mobile home parks are not permitted there6. Do not apply Los Angeles County's rules on double-wide homes or RVs to a Cerritos lot; those cover unincorporated land only17.

Building a home in Cerritos: the steps, in order

Cerritos lots are built-out city lots, so most projects are remodels, additions or replacements rather than raw-land builds. A sensible order:

  • Find the lot's zone using the city's zoning map or GIS tool, and check the height, setback and coverage limits above42.
  • Call the Department of Community Development at (562) 916-1201 to confirm the approvals your project needs2.
  • Create an account and apply through the Cerritos Permit Hub2.
  • Confirm septic or sewer service with the city before any design work; this was not verified for Cerritos7.
  • Schedule inspections with the Building & Safety Services Division at (562) 916-120914.

California lets owners act as their own builder under conditions, but owner-builders remain responsible for obtaining building permits and passing inspections18.

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

For land outside Cerritos city limits, the county's rules apply; see the Los Angeles County page for unincorporated areas.

Countywide figures are context only. Los Angeles County's typical home value is about $888,00019, and its effective property tax rate is 0.7 percent20. USDA rates only 6.6 percent of the county's soils as not limited for a conventional septic drain field, so a lot without sewer service would likely need a site evaluation or an engineered system21.

Before buying, confirm the lot's zone, whether the city requires a precise plan for the structure you want, and how sewer service is provided. The Department of Community Development at (562) 916-1201 can answer the first two2.

Watch-outs

  • Cerritos launches a new full-service online permitting system on October 26, 2026, and permitting and approvals were unavailable from October 19 to October 23, 2026, so expect early delays or changed procedures14.
  • Septic authority, RV and tiny-home occupancy, accessory dwelling units, fees and local building-code amendments inside Cerritos were not confirmed; call the Department of Community Development at (562) 916-12012.
  • Los Angeles County's Title 22 zoning and county building permits apply only to unincorporated land, not to lots inside Cerritos9.

Sources

  1. Chapter 22.22: RS - City of Cerritos, CA (eCode360) (Cerritos), quoted and re-checked
  2. City of Cerritos Department of Community Development (cerritos.gov)
  3. Chapter 22.22: RS - City of Cerritos, CA (eCode360) (Cerritos), quoted and re-checked
  4. Chapter 22.22: RS - City of Cerritos, CA (eCode360) (Cerritos), quoted and re-checked
  5. Chapter 22.22: RS - City of Cerritos, CA (eCode360) (Cerritos), quoted and re-checked
  6. Chapter 22.22: RS - City of Cerritos, CA (eCode360) (Cerritos), quoted and re-checked
  7. Local Agency Management Program (LAMP), quoted and re-checked
  8. hcd.ca.gov (California statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  9. Los Angeles County Code Title 22: Planning and Zoning, quoted and re-checked
  10. Chapter 22.22: RS - City of Cerritos, CA (eCode360) (Cerritos), quoted and re-checked
  11. Chapter 22.22: RS - City of Cerritos, CA (eCode360) (Cerritos), quoted and re-checked
  12. Chapter 22.22: RS - City of Cerritos, CA (eCode360) (Cerritos), quoted and re-checked
  13. Building and Safety - LA County Public Works Permits, quoted and re-checked
  14. City of Cerritos Building & Safety Services Division (inspections) (cerritos.gov)
  15. Approved Building Standards (California statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  16. New Ordinance Adopted - Local Agency Management Program, quoted and re-checked
  17. FAQs - LA County Planning, quoted and re-checked
  18. Building Officials - Owner-Builder Overview, quoted and re-checked
  19. Typical home value (Zillow): Bolthole Index county data
  20. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
  21. 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

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 Cerritos

Cerritos’s own rules

  • Building permitRequired

    New or replacement walls and decorative fences over 30 inches high in the RS zone inside Cerritos city limits (not general construction).

    • Applies only to walls and decorative fences; other construction is not covered by this claim.
    • Construction proceeds only after the building permit issues.

    wall height threshold: > 30 inches

    “(c) building permit requirement. any construction of a new or replacement wall, including block walls and decorative fences, greater than the height of thirty inches shall require the issuance of a building permit from the department of community development prior to construction.”
  • Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

    Land inside Cerritos city limits; Cerritos adopts and administers its own zoning, shown here by the RS single-family zone in Chapter 22.22.

    • Uses and development are limited by the district standards for each zone, including RS-5000 and RS-6500 in Chapter 22.22.
    “on any parcel of land within the rs zone, the following intensity standards shall prevail”
  • Zoning districtsPartial

    Zoning districts in Cerritos city limits; only the RS single-family zone (RS-5000 and RS-6500) was opened.

    • Other zones (development areas, open space, commercial, industrial) were not reviewed.
    “premises in the rs zone may be used for the following permitted uses: one single-family dwelling unit per legally constituted lot.”
  • Minimum lot sizeSpecified

    RS-5000 district lots in a subdivision inside Cerritos city limits

    • Applies to lots in a subdivision; the rule text is in the subdivision standards list of Chapter 22.22 as printed (section number not confirmed).
    • Average lot area of all lots in a subdivision must be at least 5,000 sq ft for RS-5000 (item (3)).

    minimum lot area: >= 5000 sq ft (Applies to lots in a subdivision)

    “(4) lot area, minimum: the lot area of any lot in a subdivision shall be no less than: (a) rs-5000: five thousand square feet, (b) rs-6500: six thousand square feet;”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
    • Specified — RS-6500 district lots in a subdivision inside Cerritos city limits
      “(b) rs-6500: six thousand square feet; provided, that no more than twenty percent of the lots in a subdivision shall be less than six thousand five hundred square feet;”
  • SetbacksSpecified

    RS-5000 and RS-6500 districts (RS zone) inside Cerritos city limits

    • Front yard: minimum 20 ft; in a subdivision an average front yard setback of no less than 20 ft applies, and reduced setbacks are allowed by the subdivision rules as printed.
    • Rear: 10 ft minimum; when the rear property line abuts a street, the second story setback is 20 ft.
    • Side yard between two residences: 5 ft minimum from the property line.
    • Side yard abutting a street: 10 ft first floor and 15 ft second floor from the property line, subject to architectural encroachment rules as printed.
    • Items sit in the development standards list of Chapter 22.22 as printed; the section number was not confirmed.

    front yard setback: >= 20 ft (Average-based rule applies in subdivisions) · rear yard setback: >= 10 ft (Second story 20 ft where rear line abuts a street) · side yard setback between residences: >= 5 ft · side yard setback abutting street, first floor: >= 10 ft · side yard setback abutting street, second floor: >= 15 ft

    “(8) side yard setback, minimum. (a) for a side yard between two residences, there shall be a minimum five-foot setback from the property line; (b) for a side yard abutting a street, there shall be a minimum ten-foot setback for the first floor and a fifteen-foot setback for the second floor from the property line,”
  • Lot coverageSpecified

    RS-5000 and RS-6500 districts (RS zone) inside Cerritos city limits

    • Building coverage may be increased to 45% for RS-5000 lots if the criteria in Chapter 22.22 are met.
    • Coverage includes eaves, roof extensions, balconies and other extensions beyond 30 inches.
    • Floor area ratio may not exceed 0.70 for RS-5000 and RS-6500 lots.

    building coverage: <= 40 percent of lot area (Up to 45% on RS-5000 lots meeting the criteria)

    “(a) building coverage shall be no greater than forty percent of the lot area; provided, however, that the total may be increased to forty-five percent if the following criteria are met: (i) if the lot is zoned rs-5000,”
  • Building heightSpecified

    RS-5000 and RS-6500 districts (RS zone) inside Cerritos city limits

    • Architectural features may project into required yards subject to limits as printed in Chapter 22.22.

    building height: <= 35 ft

    “(10) building height. the building height shall be no greater than thirty-five feet;”
  • Manufactured homesLimited

    Manufactured homes as the single-family dwelling in the RS zone inside Cerritos city limits

    • Counts as a single-family dwelling unit only if manufactured and certified under the national mobile home construction and safety standards act of 1974 (as cited in the code).
    • Must be subject to a precise plan for development.
    • Chapter 22.22 also has foundation, exterior covering, and sloped-roof requirements (item (20)); those were not quoted here.
    • Mobile home parks are not permitted in the RS zone.
    ““single-family dwelling unit” shall also include manufactured housing as provided in section 22.22.700(20), manufactured and certified under the national mobile home construction and safety standards act of 1974 subject to a precise plan for development.”
  • Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

    Subdivisions in the RS-5000 and RS-6500 districts inside Cerritos city limits

    • Average lot width and average lot area standards also apply in subdivisions (RS-5000: 50 ft and 5,000 sq ft; RS-6500: 60 ft and 6,500 sq ft).
    • Title 17 (subdivisions) is listed on the eCode360 index but was not opened.
    “(3) lot area, average: the average lot area of all lots in a subdivision shall be no less than: (a) rs-5000: five thousand square feet, (b) rs-6500: six thousand five hundred square feet;”

Still unanswered

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

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder permit exemption inside Cerritos city limits
  • Building code adopted — Building codes inside Cerritos city limits
  • Inspections — Building inspections inside Cerritos city limits
  • Certificate of occupancy — Certificate of occupancy for new homes inside Cerritos city limits
  • Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling size inside Cerritos city limits
16 more unanswered
  • Living in an RV
  • Camping on your land
  • Tiny 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 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 Cerritos 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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