Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Perris, California

Perris’s own rules

• Building code adoptedAdopted

  Residential construction inside Perris city

  • Except as provided in the chapter (local amendments, e.g. residential fire sprinklers in all new buildings and ADUs, Class A/B roofs)

  “the California Residential Code, 2025 Edition, including Appendices, based on the 2024 International Residential Code as published by the International Code Council, shall become the Residential Code of the City”

• Local zoningPresent

  Land inside Perris city limits; city adopts Title 19 Zoning and a City of Perris Zoning Map

  “except as provided in this title, no building shall be erected, reconstructed or structurally altered, nor shall any building or land be used for any purpose other than is specifically permitted in the zone in which the building or land is located.”

• Minimum dwelling sizeSpecified

  R-20,000 single-family district inside Perris city

  • Other residential districts' minimum dwelling size not found in provided sections

  minimum primary building size: >= 1500 sq ft (excluding porches and garages)

  “minimum primary building size of 1,500 square feet, excluding porches and garages.”

• Minimum lot sizeSpecified

  R-10,000 district inside Perris city

  • Min width 70 ft (75 corner), depth 100 ft

  minimum lot size: >= 10000 sq ft

  “(1) minimum lot size: 10,000 square feet.”

  3 more reviewed findings on this topic

  • Specified — R-20,000 district inside Perris city

    “(1) minimum lot size: 20,000 square feet. (2) maximum lot size: none.”

  • Specified — R-8,400 district inside Perris city

    “(b) lot size. 8,400 square feet minimum.”

  • Specified — R-7,200 district inside Perris city

    “(b) lot size. 7,200 square feet minimum.”

• SetbacksSpecified

  R-10,000 district inside Perris city

  • Street side 10 ft; building separation 5 ft

  front yard: >= 25 ft · side yard: >= 10 ft · rear yard: >= 25 ft

  “(1) minimum front yard: 25 feet. (2) minimum side yard: 10 feet. (3) minimum street side yard: 10 feet. (4) minimum rear yard: 25 feet.”

  3 more reviewed findings on this topic

  • Specified — R-20,000 district inside Perris city

    “(1) minimum front yard: 25 feet. (2) maximum front yard: none. (3) minimum side yard: five feet for each story. (4) minimum street side yard: ten feet. (5) minimum rear yard: 25 feet”

  • Specified — R-8,400 district inside Perris city

    “(1) front yard, primary dwelling: 20 feet minimum. (2) front yard, garage: 20 feet minimum for side-entry garages; 25 feet minimum for front-entry garage.”

  • Specified — R-7,200 district inside Perris city

    “(1) front yard, primary dwelling: 20 feet minimum. (2) front yard, garage: 20 feet minimum for side-entry garages; 25 feet minimum for front-entry garage.”

• Lot coverageSpecified

  R-7,200 district inside Perris city

  • Depends on story count

  max coverage one-story: <= 60 percent · max coverage two-story: <= 40 percent

  “(1) one-story dwellings: 60 percent maximum. (2) two-story dwellings: 40 percent maximum.”

  3 more reviewed findings on this topic

  • Specified — R-20,000 district inside Perris city

    “(f) lot coverage. maximum lot coverage of 40 percent.”

  • Specified — R-10,000 district inside Perris city

    “(e) lot coverage. maximum lot coverage of 40 percent.”

  • Specified — R-8,400 district inside Perris city

    “(1) one-story dwellings: 60 percent maximum. (2) two-story dwellings: 40 percent maximum.”

• Building heightSpecified

  R-7,200 district inside Perris city

  • Measured to top of roof pitch

  max height: <= 30 ft

  “(f) building height. maximum height of 30 feet (measured to top of roof pitch).”

  3 more reviewed findings on this topic

  • Specified — R-20,000 district inside Perris city

    “(g) building height. maximum height of 35 feet.”

  • Specified — R-10,000 district inside Perris city

    “(f) building height. maximum height of 35 feet.”

  • Specified — R-8,400 district inside Perris city

    “(f) building height. maximum height of 35 feet (measured to top of roof pitch).”

• Living in an RVLimited

  RVs parked or stored in residential zones inside Perris city

  • Parking only for storage; side/rear yard at least 2 feet from lot line; front yard only if no side/rear access
  • No permanent sewer or water connection; electricity for charging allowed
  • Must be registered, insured and operational

  overnight sleeping: <= 30 days per calendar year (cooking not permitted at any time)

  “used for dwelling purposes, except for overnight sleeping for a maximum of 30 days in any one calendar year. Cooking is not permitted at any time.”

• Manufactured homesLimited

  Manufactured/mobile homes on residential lots inside Perris city

  • Compatible with neighborhood; wood or stucco siding; roof pitch at least 2:12 with 12-inch overhang; width at least 20 feet
  • Pre-June 15, 1976 units need certification documentation for building permit

  minimum width: >= 20 feet

  “a mobile home or manufactured home is permitted on a residential lot provided it meets the following criteria:”

• Accessory dwellingsAllowed (with conditions)

  ADUs/JADUs in zones permitting single-family residences inside Perris city

  • Max one primary dwelling, one detached ADU and one JADU
  • Detached ADU min 320 sq ft; max 850 sq ft (studio/1BR) or 1,200 sq ft/75% of primary; side/rear setback 4 feet; one parking space unless exempt under Sec. 19.81.120

  minimum ADU size: >= 320 sq ft (efficiency unit per Gov. Code 66321)

  “ADUs are allowed in any zoning district that permits a single-family residence.”

Still unanswered

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

• Building permit — Building permits inside Perris city
• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder permits inside Perris city
• Inspections — Building inspections inside Perris city
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificates of occupancy inside Perris city
• Tiny homes — Tiny homes inside Perris city

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.