Bolthole Index

Los Angeles County, California

Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Covina, California

The City of Covina, California adopts its own zoning code and has its own Building & Safety division for plan review and inspection, so Los Angeles County's unincorporated-area rules do not apply inside city limits12. In the R-1-7500 single-family zone, lots need at least 7,500 square feet3. We could not confirm who issues septic permits inside Covina, so ask the county's Onsite Wastewater Treatment Program.

At a glance

Zoning
Covina's own zoning code (Title 17); agricultural, estate, residential, commercial and light manufacturing zones14
Building permits
Issued by the City of Covina Building & Safety division25
Building code
2025 California Building Code with Covina amendments (the city's chapter states it covers non-residential buildings)6
R-1-7500 minimum lot
7,500 square feet3
R-1-7500 minimum home size
1,100 square feet of ground floor, site-built or manufactured7
Accessory dwelling unit
One ADU per R-1-7500 lot, with the primary home8
Septic
Not confirmed inside city limits; county Onsite Wastewater Treatment Program is the office to ask9
RV living
State rule: generally only in mobilehome or special occupancy parks unless a local ordinance allows otherwise; Covina's own rule not confirmed10

Who to call

Building permits

City of Covina Community Development, Building & Safety Division

Building plan review, permits and inspections inside Covina city limits

(626) 384-5460

[email protected]

125 E. College Street Covina, CA 91723

Zoning

City of Covina Community Development, Planning Division

Zoning, site plan reviews, use permits, variances, subdivisions and accessory dwelling unit applications inside Covina city limits

(626) 384-5450

[email protected]

125 E. College Street Covina, CA 91723

Septic permits

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

Septic (onsite wastewater treatment) plan review for Los Angeles County; the office to ask whether it covers an address inside Covina

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

These are affiliate links — we may earn a commission, at no cost to you. As an Amazon Associate, Bolthole Index earns from qualifying purchases.

Does Covina, California have zoning, and what does it mean for lot size and setbacks?

Yes. The City of Covina adopts and administers its own zoning in Title 17 of the Covina Municipal Code, and the zone list runs from agricultural and estate zones through single-family, commercial and light manufacturing14. Rules differ by zone, so find your parcel's zone with the Planning Division first11.

In the R-1-7500 single-family zone, each lot needs at least 7,500 square feet3. Main buildings need a front yard of at least 25 feet and an interior side yard of at least 5 feet, with 12.5 feet on the street side of a corner lot12. All buildings together may cover no more than 35 percent of the lot13, and a main building may be no taller than 35 feet or two and one-half stories, whichever is less14. Other zones have their own standards, which we did not confirm.

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

California law bars building, altering, repairing or demolishing a structure without a permit from the local building official5. Inside Covina, the City's Building & Safety division provides plan review and inspection, so building permits come from the city rather than from Los Angeles County Public Works2. The county's building permit office serves unincorporated land only15.

Covina adopted the 2025 California Building Code with local amendments, though the city's chapter describes its scope as non-residential buildings, and we could not confirm the residential code adoption6. Ask Building & Safety which code applies to your project and what the permit fee will be.

Who handles building permits and zoning in Covina, and how do you reach them?

Covina's Building & Safety division handles building plan review, permits and inspections at (626) 384-5460 or [email protected]2. The Planning Division handles zoning, site plan reviews, use permits, variances and subdivisions at (626) 384-5450 or [email protected]11. Both sit at 125 E. College Street at City Hall211.

Do not send a Covina address to the Los Angeles County Planning counter. LA County Planning is the planning department for areas outside a city, and Covina is a city16. Subdivisions inside Covina fall under Title 16 of the city's code17.

How do septic permits work inside Covina?

We could not confirm who issues septic permits inside Covina city limits. California's statewide policy lets local agencies, such as county environmental health departments, issue septic permits18. Los Angeles County's Department of Public Health reviews and approves septic systems under its Local Agency Management Program for unincorporated areas and contracted cities19.

Because Covina is a city that runs its own building division, the safe step is to call the county's Onsite Wastewater Treatment Program at (626) 430-5380 and confirm whether it covers your address9. The city adopts the county's sanitary sewer code by reference, but we did not find whether a new home inside Covina must connect to public sewer, so ask Building & Safety as well2.

Can you build an accessory dwelling unit, manufactured home or tiny home in Covina?

In the R-1-7500 zone, one accessory dwelling unit may share a lot with the primary home within the density limit8. State law requires a local agency to approve ADU applications ministerially, with a completeness determination within 15 business days20. Covina's Planning Division takes ADU applications11.

Manufactured housing is allowed as a single-family dwelling in R-1-7500, with the same 1,100 square foot ground floor minimum as a site-built home217. For tiny homes, state rules require the unit to qualify as a code-compliant home, manufactured home, RV or similar category; we found no Covina-specific tiny home rule22.

Can you live in an RV on your land in Covina?

We could not confirm Covina's own rule on living in an RV on a lot. State guidance says RVs are not intended as permanent dwellings and, unless a local ordinance allows otherwise, may generally be occupied only in mobilehome parks or special occupancy parks10. Los Angeles County's RV rule covers unincorporated land only and does not decide the question inside Covina23. Ask the Covina Planning Division before parking an RV for living space11.

Building a home in Covina: the steps, in order

  1. Confirm your parcel's zone with the Covina Planning Division and read the standards for that zone11.
  2. Check lot size, setbacks and height against the zone; in R-1-7500 the minimum lot is 7,500 square feet3.
  3. Submit plans to Building & Safety for plan review and get a building permit before work starts25.
  4. Ask the county's Onsite Wastewater Treatment Program and Building & Safety how wastewater is handled at your address9.
  5. Request inspections from Building & Safety as work proceeds2.
  6. If you act as your own builder, you must pull all building permits and pass inspections24.

What to check before you buy property in Covina

Confirm the zone and its minimum lot size, setbacks and home size before you offer, because the standards in the R-1-7500 zone do not carry over to other zones311. Los Angeles County's typical home value is about $888,000 and its effective property tax rate is 0.7 percent, county-wide figures that do not describe a single Covina parcel2526. For land outside Covina's limits, the county's separate rules apply: see the Los Angeles County page for unincorporated land.

Watch-outs

  • Covina's own septic authority, sewer-connection requirement, permit fees and residential inspection rules were not confirmed; ask Building & Safety at (626) 384-54602.
  • The lot, setback and size figures here are for the R-1-7500 zone only; other Covina zones have different standards3.
  • Los Angeles County's unincorporated rules for RVs, building permits and zoning do not apply inside Covina city limits27.

Sources

  1. Chapter 17.06 Zones and Map, Covina municipal code (Covina), quoted and re-checked
  2. City of Covina Community Development, Building & Safety Division (covinaca.gov)
  3. Chapter 17.26 R-1-7500 Residential Zone (Single-Family), Covina municipal code (Covina), quoted and re-checked
  4. Chapter 17.06 Zones and Map, Covina municipal code (Covina), quoted and re-checked
  5. Do I need a building permit for my project? (California statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  6. Chapter 14.04 Building Code, Covina municipal code (Covina), quoted and re-checked
  7. Chapter 17.26 R-1-7500 Residential Zone (Single-Family), Covina municipal code (Covina), quoted and re-checked
  8. Chapter 17.26 R-1-7500 Residential Zone (Single-Family), Covina municipal code (Covina), quoted and re-checked
  9. LA County Department of Public Health, Environmental Health – Onsite Wastewater Treatment Program (admin.publichealth.lacounty.gov)
  10. hcd.ca.gov (California statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  11. City of Covina Community Development, Planning Division (covinaca.gov)
  12. Chapter 17.26 R-1-7500 Residential Zone (Single-Family), Covina municipal code (Covina), quoted and re-checked
  13. Chapter 17.26 R-1-7500 Residential Zone (Single-Family), Covina municipal code (Covina), quoted and re-checked
  14. Chapter 17.26 R-1-7500 Residential Zone (Single-Family), Covina municipal code (Covina), quoted and re-checked
  15. Building and Safety - LA County Public Works Permits, quoted and re-checked
  16. Los Angeles County Code Title 22: Planning and Zoning, quoted and re-checked
  17. City of Covina, CA eCode360 table of contents (Covina), quoted and re-checked
  18. Onsite Waste Water Treatment Systems (California statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  19. Local Agency Management Program (LAMP), quoted and re-checked
  20. Accessory Dwelling Unit Handbook March 2026 (California statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  21. Chapter 17.26 R-1-7500 Residential Zone (Single-Family), Covina municipal code (Covina), quoted and re-checked
  22. Information Bulletin 2016-01: Tiny Homes (California statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  23. Common Zoning Violations - LA County Planning, quoted and re-checked
  24. Owner-Builder Responsibilities (California statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  25. Typical home value (Zillow): Bolthole Index county data
  26. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
  27. Los Angeles County Code Title 22: Planning and Zoning, 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 Covina

Covina’s own rules

  • Building code adoptedAdopted

    Non-residential buildings and structures inside Covina city limits, per the chapter's own scope statement.

    • The chapter says the code regulates all non-residential buildings and/or structures in the city; the residential code adoption was not verified.
    • Adopted by ord. 25-13 dated 12/2/2025 as stated in the code history; no separate effective date was stated.
    • Adopted as the Covina Building Code with local amendments in §§ 14.04.030 to 14.04.220.

    adopted code edition: 2025 California Building Code (with Covina amendments)

    “the city adopts the 2025 edition of the california building code, volumes 1 and 2, including appendices a, b, d, f, i, j, n, o and p together with the amendments provided in this chapter”
  • Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

    Land inside Covina city limits; Covina city adopts and administers its own zoning title (Title 17 Zoning).

    • Zoning districts and development standards are set by Covina Municipal Code Title 17; the R-1-7500 standards are cited in separate claims.
    • Zone list in § 17.06.010 includes agricultural, estate, residential, commercial and manufacturing zones.
    “for the purposes related to the orderly development of the city and in order to carry out the provisions of this title, the city is divided into the following zones:”
  • Zoning districtsPublished

    Zone designations inside Covina city limits.

    • Official zoning map is incorporated by § 17.06.020 and was not opened in this pass.
    • Zones listed in § 17.06.010 include A-1 and A-2 agricultural and residential (single-family), E-1/2 estate residential, R-1 single-family zones, RD, RR residential recreation, commercial C-P, C-2, C-3, C-3a, C-4, C-5, C-R and light manufacturing M-1.
    “r-1-7500 residential zone (single-family) 7,500 square feet minimum lot area”
  • Minimum dwelling sizeDistrict specific (with conditions)

    Single-family dwellings in the R-1-7500 Residential Zone inside Covina city limits.

    • Area excludes open porches, garages, carports, balconies, patios and terraces.
    • Applies to site-built homes and manufactured housing alike.

    minimum ground floor area of single-family dwelling: >= 1100 square feet (excludes open porches, garages, carports, balconies, patios and terraces)

    “the minimum ground floor area of single-family dwellings, including site-built homes and manufactured housing, exclusive of open porches, garages, carports, balconies, patios and terraces, shall be not less than 1,100 square feet.”
  • Minimum lot sizeDistrict specific (with conditions)

    Land in the R-1-7500 Residential Zone (single-family) inside Covina city limits.

    • Lot dimension standards in § 17.26.070 also apply: interior lots minimum width 60 feet, corner lots minimum width 67.5 feet, lots facing on local streets minimum depth 100 feet.
    • Substandard lots of record may be used subject to other standards (§ 17.26.050).
    • Population density: minimum 7,500 square feet of lot area for each dwelling unit; one accessory dwelling unit may share the lot (§ 17.26.080).

    minimum lot area: >= 7500 square feet

    “each lot shall have a minimum area of 7,500 square feet.”
  • SetbacksDistrict specific (with conditions)

    Main buildings in the R-1-7500 Residential Zone (single-family) inside Covina city limits.

    • Front yard is reduced only under the block-average and key-lot rules in § 17.26.120(b) through (d) (average of existing front yards not less than 15 nor more than 40 feet).
    • Rear yard requirement and accessory building setbacks are in §§ 17.26.140 to 17.26.160 and were not verified in this pass.
    • Swimming pools may not be located in a required front yard nor closer than five feet from side or rear property lines (§ 17.26.110(a)).

    front yard minimum: >= 25 feet (block-average or key-lot exceptions in § 17.26.120(b)-(d)) · interior side yard minimum: >= 5 feet (hillside slope exceptions in § 17.26.130(b)) · street-side corner yard minimum: >= 12.5 feet (reversed corner lots require 15 feet under § 17.26.130(d))

    “each lot shall have a front yard of not less than 25 feet extending across the full width of the lot, except for special conditions provided for in subsections (b), (c) and (d) of this section.”
  • Lot coverageSpecified

    All buildings on a lot in the R-1-7500 Residential Zone inside Covina city limits.

    • Patio in required rear yard may not occupy more than 35 percent of the required rear yard area (§ 17.26.160(i)).
    • Accessory buildings may not cover more than 35 percent of any required rear yard in R-1 zones (§ 17.26.140(c)(6)).

    maximum land coverage of all buildings: <= 35 percent of total land or parcel area

    “the maximum land coverage of all buildings shall not exceed 35 percent of the total land or parcel area.”
  • Building heightSpecified

    Main buildings in the R-1-7500 Residential Zone inside Covina city limits.

    • Accessory buildings may not exceed one story or 15 feet, except a nonhabitable storage room above a detached garage up to two and one-half stories or 35 feet (§ 17.26.090).
    • Roof projection exceptions in § 17.26.100 require commission approval.

    maximum height of main building: <= 35 feet (two and one-half stories, whichever is less)

    “no main building or structure erected in this zone shall have a height greater than two and one-half stories or 35 feet, whichever is less.”
  • Manufactured homesAllowed (with conditions)

    Manufactured housing used as a single-family dwelling in the R-1-7500 Residential Zone inside Covina city limits.

    • Must meet the 1,100 square foot minimum ground floor area that applies to single-family dwellings (§ 17.26.105).
    “single-family dwelling, including site-built homes and manufactured housing, not more than one dwelling per lot”
  • Accessory dwellingsLimited

    One accessory dwelling unit on a lot with a primary dwelling in the R-1-7500 Residential Zone inside Covina city limits.

    • Permitted only as the ADU authorized by Title 17; detailed ADU standards (size, setbacks, parking) were not opened in this pass.
    • Detached ADU rear and side setbacks noted in a 2022 ordinance excerpt were not verified on an official code page and are not relied on here.

    accessory dwelling units per lot: 1 units (subject to the title's ADU authorization and the density limit)

    “one accessory dwelling unit authorized by this title may be located upon the same lot as the primary dwelling unit without exceeding the density limitations prescribed herein.”
  • Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

    Land divisions inside Covina city limits.

    • Chapter contents of Title 16 Subdivisions (§§ 16.02.010 to 16.34.030) were not opened; procedures and standards are not established here.
    “title 16 subdivisions (§ 16.02.010 &ndash; § 16.34.030)”

Still unanswered

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

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder permit eligibility inside Covina city limits.
  • Inspections — Inspections of construction inside Covina city limits.
  • Certificate of occupancy — Certificate of occupancy for new buildings inside Covina city limits.
  • Camping on your land — Temporary camping on private land inside Covina city limits.
  • Tiny homes — Tiny-home occupancy inside Covina city limits.
12 more unanswered
  • 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 Covina publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Los Angeles County’s page lists the county offices to call.

← All of Los Angeles County: county rules, score and offices