Bolthole Index

Madera County, California

Building permits, zoning and RV rules in Chowchilla, California

Chowchilla, California requires a city building permit for building work, plumbing, electrical and gas1. The city runs its own zoning under Title 182. Living in an RV on a lot inside city limits is unlawful outside a licensed park3. We could not confirm who handles septic inside the city, so ask Madera County Environmental Health4.

At a glance

Building permit
Required from the city's building official for buildings, plumbing, electrical and gas work1
Zoning
City-adopted Title 18 zoning code with residential zones25
RV living
Prohibited outside a state-licensed mobilehome or travel trailer park3
Camping on private land
Generally unlawful; guests of the owner may stay up to 3 consecutive nights6
Manufactured homes
Allowed outside parks only with city site standards, a permanent foundation and a certification of occupancy78
Minimum lot, R-L zone
20,000 square feet, with a smaller urban-lot-split exception9
Septic
Unconfirmed inside city limits; Madera County Environmental Health runs the county septic program10

Who to call

Building permits

City of Chowchilla Building Division

Building permits, plan review and inspections inside Chowchilla city limits

559-665-8615

[email protected]

130 S 2nd Street, Chowchilla, CA 93610

Zoning

City of Chowchilla Planning Division

Zoning questions, planning applications and parcel map waiver applications inside Chowchilla city limits

559-665-8615

130 S 2nd Street, Chowchilla, CA 93610

Septic permits

Madera County Environmental Health Division

County septic (OWTS) and private well permitting; ask here whether it applies to your Chowchilla address

559-675-7823

200 W 4th Street, 3rd Floor Madera, CA 93637

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

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Does Chowchilla have zoning, and what does it mean for RVs, tiny homes and lot size?

Yes. The City of Chowchilla has its own zoning code, Title 18 of the city code, with residential zones including low, medium, medium-high and high density5. Zoning applies to land inside city limits; unincorporated Madera County land outside the city follows the county's rules instead, which you can read on the Madera County page.

Lot size depends on the district. In the R-L Low Density Residential zone, the minimum lot area is 20,000 square feet, except urban lot splits under state law, which allow 1,200 square feet per parcel9. In the R-M-5 Medium Density zone, lots under 5,000 square feet have a 30-foot maximum building height11.

RVs are the big limit. Chowchilla prohibits using or occupying a house trailer, mobilehome or recreational vehicle for living purposes on any tract of land in the city, unless it sits in a state-licensed mobilehome park or travel trailer park zoned for that use3. Tiny-home rules were not confirmed; the code sections we read do not treat tiny homes as a separate category, so ask the Planning Division before you buy12.

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

Yes. Chowchilla's code says no one may erect, construct, enlarge, alter, repair, move or demolish a building or structure, or do plumbing, electrical or gas work, without a separate permit for each undertaking from the building official1. The City of Chowchilla issues these permits itself; they do not come from the Madera County building office, which serves only unincorporated land13.

According to the city's Building page, a building permit application can be returned by email, regular mail or in person at City Hall, and the city's Building Division takes inspection requests by phone at 559-665-8615, extension 78714. Fees are set by the City Council and listed in the city's master fee schedule14.

We could not confirm whether Chowchilla offers an owner-builder exemption, so ask the Building Division before you plan on doing the work yourself.

How do septic permits work inside Chowchilla?

We could not confirm who issues septic permits for addresses inside Chowchilla city limits. Madera County Environmental Health runs the county's onsite wastewater treatment (septic) permitting program, under a plan approved by the Central Valley Regional Water Board10. Septic systems there require a permit15.

The county program does not authorize a new septic system where public sewer is available within 200 feet16. Whether a Chowchilla lot must connect to city sewer is unconfirmed; the city controls public-sewer connections, so ask the Building Division and Madera County Environmental Health4.

National soil data rates only 2% of Madera County's soils as not limited for a conventional drain field, so expect a site evaluation and possibly an engineered system if you are ever outside sewer service17. Those soil figures are for the whole county.

Can you live in an RV or manufactured home in Chowchilla?

RV living on a private lot is not allowed. Chowchilla makes it unlawful to use or maintain a recreational vehicle for living purposes anywhere in the city except inside a state-licensed mobilehome park or travel trailer park zoned for that use3. Camping on private property is generally unlawful too; friends, family or guests of the owner may camp overnight with the owner's consent for no more than 3 consecutive nights6.

Manufactured homes outside an approved mobile home park are possible but regulated. The city applies site and architectural standards, and a certification of occupancy must be issued by the building official after you apply for a building permit and before you move in78. Living in the home while you build is the part to clear with the Building Division first.

Building a home in Chowchilla: the steps, in order

  1. Confirm the zoning district and lot size with the Planning Division, including any minimum lot area for your zone912.
  2. If you plan to split a lot, know that no development may start before, during or after an urban lot split unless a valid building permit for an accessory dwelling unit has been issued18.
  3. Apply for a building permit with the city building official; email the application and a full set of plans to the Building Division114.
  4. Ask Madera County Environmental Health about septic and wells for your address4.
  5. Schedule inspections through the Building Division at 559-665-8615, extension 78714.
  6. For a manufactured home, get the certification of occupancy before moving in8.

What stays with Madera County, and what to check before you buy

Chowchilla's rules cover land inside the city. For land outside city limits, Madera County's Building and Fire Safety Division administers building permits, and county zoning applies1920; see the Madera County page for that.

County-level matters worth a call: septic and private wells go through Madera County Environmental Health21. Before you buy, check the sewer and water connection at the lot, the zoning district, and flood status; we did not confirm Chowchilla's own driveway or floodplain rules. The Building Division is the best first call14.

Madera County's effective property tax rate is 0.7%22.

Watch-outs

  • RV living is unlawful inside Chowchilla outside licensed parks, so a lot in town is not a place to park an RV and live in it while you build3.
  • Septic authority inside city limits was not confirmed; call Madera County Environmental Health at 559-675-7823 before assuming a septic system is an option4.
  • Lot splits are tightly sequenced: no grading or other development before an urban lot split without a valid accessory dwelling unit building permit18.

Sources

  1. Chowchilla Code § 15.04.040, Building permit required for designated work (Chowchilla), quoted and re-checked
  2. Chowchilla Code § 18.10.030, Lot area (Chowchilla), quoted and re-checked
  3. Chowchilla Code § 15.28.010, Using certain vehicles for living purposes prohibited except in mobile home parks (Chowchilla), quoted and re-checked
  4. Madera County Environmental Health Division (maderacounty.com)
  5. Chowchilla Code § 18.10.030, Lot area (Chowchilla), quoted and re-checked
  6. Chowchilla Code § 9.05.030, Unlawful camping (Chowchilla), quoted and re-checked
  7. Chowchilla Code § 18.60.100, Manufactured housing (Chowchilla), quoted and re-checked
  8. Chowchilla Code § 18.60.100, Manufactured housing occupancy (Chowchilla), quoted and re-checked
  9. Chowchilla Code § 18.10.030, Lot area (Chowchilla), quoted and re-checked
  10. Environmental Health Division, quoted and re-checked
  11. Chowchilla Code § 18.12.100, Small-lot dimensions and setbacks (Chowchilla), quoted and re-checked
  12. City of Chowchilla Planning Division (cityofchowchilla.org)
  13. County of Madera Department: Building and Fire Safety, Budget Unit Detail Inspections 2025-26, quoted and re-checked
  14. City of Chowchilla Building Division (cityofchowchilla.org)
  15. Resolution R5-2017-0044 approving the Madera County Local Agency Management Program, quoted and re-checked
  16. Resolution R5-2017-0044 approving the Madera County Local Agency Management Program, quoted and re-checked
  17. 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
  18. Chowchilla Code § 17.26.040, Concurrent processing with other ministerial permits (Chowchilla), quoted and re-checked
  19. CED - Building and Fire Safety, quoted and re-checked
  20. maderacounty.com, quoted and re-checked
  21. Wells, quoted and re-checked
  22. 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 Chowchilla

Chowchilla’s own rules

  • Building permitRequired

    Buildings, structures, plumbing, electrical and gas work inside Chowchilla city limits.

    • A separate permit is required for each undertaking from the building official.
    • The section covers erecting, constructing, enlarging, altering, repairing, moving, improving, removing, converting or demolishing buildings or structures and specified plumbing, electrical and gas work.
    “No person shall erect, construct, enlarge, alter, repair, move, improve, remove, convert or demolish any building or structure, or install, repair or change any plumbing fixture or piping, or install any electrical wiring, devices, appliances or equipment, or make any alterations in such existing wiring, devices, appliances or equipment, or install any gas piping, appliances or equipment or make any alterations in such existing installation or cause the same to be done, without first obtaining a separate permit for each undertaking from the building official.”
  • Certificate of occupancyLimited

    Mobilehomes and manufactured homes on permanent foundations inside Chowchilla city limits.

    • A building permit must first be applied for.
    • The certification is issued before occupancy.
    • The building official issues it pursuant to California Health and Safety Code § 18551.
    “Subsequent to applying for a building permit, and prior to the occupancy of a mobilehome or manufactured home on a permanent foundation, a certification of occupancy is to be issued by the building official pursuant to Section 18551 of the State Health and Safety Code.”
  • Local zoningPresent

    Land inside Chowchilla city limits; the city has an adopted Title 18 Zoning code with residential zones and specific land-use standards.

    “The minimum lot area shall be twenty thousand square feet, except as provided for urban lot splits under the provisions of California Government Code Section 65852.21, which allows a minimum lot size of one thousand two hundred square feet per parcel.”
  • Zoning districtsPublished

    Zoning districts inside Chowchilla city limits, including R-L Low Density Residential, R-M-5 Medium Density Residential, R-MH Medium High Density Residential and R-H High Density Residential.

    • District-specific standards vary by zone and by lot area.
    • The cited code also contains specific land-use standards for mobilehomes, ADUs and other uses.
    “The minimum lot area shall be twenty thousand square feet, except as provided for urban lot splits under the provisions of California Government Code Section 65852.21, which allows a minimum lot size of one thousand two hundred square feet per parcel.”
  • Living in an RVProhibited

    Using or occupying an RV for living purposes on land inside Chowchilla city limits.

    • The prohibition has an exception under § 18.66.010(F)(3).
    • A house trailer, mobilehome or recreational vehicle must otherwise be within a state-licensed mobilehome park or travel trailer park zoned for that use.
    • The code separately permits limited street parking under § 10.28.215.
    “Except as provided under Section 18.66.0l0(F)(3) of this code, it is unlawful for any person to use, occupy or maintain for living purposes any house trailer, or mobilehome as those terms are defined in the Health and Safety Code of this state, or any recreational vehicle as defined in Title 18 of this code, on any area or tract of land within the city, unless such house trailer, mobilehome or recreational vehicle is located upon and within a state licensed mobilehome park or travel trailer park zoned for such use by the city.”
  • Camping on your landLimited

    Camping on private property inside Chowchilla city limits.

    • Camping on private property is generally unlawful.
    • Overnight camping by friends, family or guests is allowed only with owner consent and for no more than three consecutive nights.
    • The city administrator may issue a temporary special-event permit.
    • The section also applies to public property.

    maximum overnight camping duration: <= 3 consecutive nights (friends, family or guests on private residential property with owner consent)

    “It is unlawful and a public nuisance for any person to camp, occupy camp facilities, or use camp paraphernalia in the following areas: 1. Any public property; or 2. Any private property. B. It is not intended by this section to prohibit overnight camping on private residential property by friends, family, or guests of the property owner, so long as the owner consents and the overnight camping is limited to not more than three consecutive nights.”
  • Manufactured homesLimited

    Manufactured-home occupancy inside Chowchilla city limits, including manufactured homes outside approved mobilehome parks.

    • For manufactured homes outside an approved mobilehome park, the city imposes site and architectural standards.
    • Permanent utility connections and a permanent foundation are required by the cited standards.
    • A certification of occupancy must be issued before occupancy on a permanent foundation.
    • The separate house-trailer provision generally restricts mobilehome living outside licensed parks except for stated exceptions.
    “The provisions of this section shall apply to all manufactured homes not located in an approved mobile home park:”
  • Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

    Urban lot splits and development on lots inside Chowchilla city limits.

    • No development, including grading or vegetation removal, may commence before, concurrently with, or after an urban lot split unless a valid ADU or JADU building permit has been issued.
    • A building permit generally cannot issue on a parcel with a proposed urban lot split until the Madera County map is accepted and recorded, subject to the code's stated conformity exception.
    “No development, including but not limited to grading or vegetation removal, shall commence on any lot, prior to, concurrent, or subsequent to an urban lot split, unless a valid building permit has been issued for the construction of an accessory dwelling unit or junior accessory dwelling unit;”
  • Permit processPublished (with conditions)

    Building and ADU permit processing inside Chowchilla city limits.

    • General building work requires a separate permit for each undertaking from the building official.
    • ADU applications are ministerial and subject to the code's sixty-day decision rule and exceptions.

    ADU decision period: 60 days (subject to the code's concurrent-permit and applicant-delay exceptions)

    “The city shall approve or deny an application to create an ADU within sixty days from the date the city receives a complete application.”

Rules another office applies inside Chowchilla

Chowchilla does not set these itself; the county, a health district or the state does, and they apply to every address inside its limits.

  • Minimum lot sizeSpecified

    R-L Low Density Residential Zone inside Chowchilla city limits.

    • The code provides an exception for urban lot splits under California Government Code § 65852.21.
    • The urban-lot-split exception allows 1,200 square feet per parcel.

    minimum lot area: 20000 square feet (urban lot splits may allow 1,200 square feet per parcel)

    “The minimum lot area shall be twenty thousand square feet, except as provided for urban lot splits under the provisions of California Government Code Section 65852.21, which allows a minimum lot size of one thousand two hundred square feet per parcel.”
  • Building heightSpecified

    R-M-5 Medium Density Residential Zone lots under 5,000 square feet inside Chowchilla city limits.

    • The cited maximum applies to lots having less than 5,000 square feet.

    maximum building height: 30 feet

    “The maximum building height shall be thirty feet.”

Still unanswered

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

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builders performing construction inside Chowchilla city limits.
  • Inspections — Building inspections inside Chowchilla city limits.
  • Minimum dwelling size — Minimum dwelling size for ordinary residential dwellings inside Chowchilla city limits.
  • Lot coverage — Lot coverage inside Chowchilla city limits.
  • Tiny homes — Tiny-home occupancy inside Chowchilla city limits.
9 more unanswered
  • Who permits septic
  • Septic permit
  • Septic inspection
  • Off-grid sanitation
  • Well permit
  • Mandatory utility hookup
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Driveway access
  • Short-term rentals

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

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