Building permits, zoning and land rules in Sacramento County, California

Yes. Sacramento County requires a permit before construction, enlargement, alteration, repair, movement, demolition, an occupancy change, or regulated electrical, gas, mechanical, or plumbing work begins¹. Work exempted under California Building Code or California Residential Code Section 105.2 may not need a permit, so confirm the scope with Building Permits & Inspection before construction^1,13. Permit applications submitted on or after January 1, 2026 must comply with the 2025 California Building Standards Code^13,14. California's owner-builder exemption lets an owner build or improve a structure on their own property without a contractor license, but it does not remove county permit and inspection requirements⁸. An owner who personally performs the work must not intend to sell the improvements, and a homeowner improving a principal residence must have lived there for the 12 months before completion⁸.

The Sacramento County Building Permits & Inspection Division handles permit applications, plan review, and inspections for unincorporated Sacramento County¹³. The Building Assistance Center is at 9800 Goethe Road, Sacramento, CA 95827, and its public phone number is 916-875-5296¹³. The division accepts electronic plan submittals and reviews through the county's online permitting process¹³. Inside Citrus Heights, the city's own building official issues building permits instead³. All work performed under a Sacramento County building permit requires one or more inspections, and an inspection request must be filed at least one working day before the requested inspection¹⁵. Call for an inspection before placing concrete or covering any aspect of construction; no inspection happens without a valid, issued building permit on the project site¹. After final approval, the signed job card serves as the Certificate of Occupancy for a residential project; a commercial project receives an actual Certificate of Occupancy after inspections and record keeping are complete^1,15. A Temporary Certificate of Occupancy is typically valid for 30 days, needs a deposit, and requires sign-off from each field inspection discipline and the Fire department¹.

Yes. The Planning & Environmental Review Division administers the General Plan and Zoning Ordinance and manages development in unincorporated Sacramento County². The zoning district boundaries are drawn on the Comprehensive Zoning Plan, which is kept on file in the office of the Planning Director; planned development ordinances, special planning areas, specific plans and corridor plans add further standards¹⁶. If a parcel is inside an incorporated city, that city's planning department administers the applicable land-use rules instead⁶. Citrus Heights and Isleton each administer their own zoning code^4,17. In applicable low-density residential districts, the standard front setback is 20 feet without a projecting unenclosed porch feature and 24 feet with one; the interior side setback is 5 feet for a one- or two-story building¹¹. Maximum height in those districts is 30 feet for one- or two-story construction and 40 feet for three-story construction¹¹. In the agricultural districts, the minimum lot size is 160 acres in AG-160, 80 acres in AG-80, 40 acres in AG-40 and 20 acres in AG-20¹⁶. Special Planning Areas, Specific Plans, Planned Unit Developments, and other parcel-specific standards can change the result, so verify the zoning and overlays with Planning before designing the site^6,18. Any lot split is subject to the state Subdivision Map Act and needs a Tentative Parcel Map or Tentative Subdivision Map, and every new parcel must meet the zoning district's minimum lot size and width¹⁹.

The Environmental Management Department's Liquid Waste Program oversees septic systems, onsite wastewater treatment systems, and wastewater holding tanks throughout Sacramento County⁵. Site geology affects the applicable requirements, so have EMD evaluate the parcel before assuming a conventional drain field will work^5,20. Only about 9% of Sacramento County soils are rated without severe limitations for a conventional septic drain field²¹. If public sewer is available within 200 feet of the property line, connection may be required²². A composting toilet is not a way around wastewater approval: county rules require permission and a permit from the building authority, an EMD operating permit, and either a compliant onsite wastewater system or a public-sewer connection²³. A new well also requires an EMD permit unless county code specifically exempts it^12,20. A construction permit is generally required before installing, modifying, repairing, replacing or destroying an onsite wastewater treatment system, although pumping out a tank or de-rooting lines does not need one^22,24. EMD staff inspect the installation, and the permit is not finalized until the final inspection passes and an as-built drawing is accepted^5,24. Laundry, wash and bathing graywater must be plumbed into the septic system, so a graywater-only setup is not confirmed as a substitute²².

An RV cannot serve as a dwelling unit in unincorporated Sacramento County unless it is parked at a permitted mobile home park⁹. Outdoor short-term rentals are not allowed, and private campgrounds require Agricultural or Recreation zoning plus a Use Permit approved by the Zoning Administrator²⁵. A movable or undersized tiny home cannot serve as a dwelling unless it is placed on a permanent foundation and complies with residential building codes¹⁰. Manufactured homes are allowed in most cases as a primary residence or accessory dwelling unit when they meet county zoning standards¹⁰. On qualifying property already developed with a primary residence, an ADU or junior ADU must contain at least 150 square feet of habitable area; that threshold does not establish the minimum size for a primary dwelling¹¹. Accessory dwelling units are allowed on property that already has a primary residence, must sit on a permanent foundation, and cannot be short-term rentals unless legally permitted before 2020⁹.

1. Confirm the parcel is unincorporated Sacramento County, not inside a city, since city planning departments set their own rules⁶.
2. Contact the Planning & Environmental Review Division to confirm the zoning district and any Special Planning Area or Combining Zone standards that apply to the lot¹⁸.
3. Arrange a septic or sewer evaluation with the EMD Liquid Waste Program, and a well permit if the property will use groundwater²⁰.
4. If the driveway crosses a county road right-of-way, apply for an encroachment permit through County Engineering's Site Improvement & Permit Section before starting site work²⁶.
5. Submit building plans through the county's online permitting process to the Building Permits & Inspection Division¹³.
6. Request every required inspection at least one working day ahead, and call before placing concrete or covering any stage of construction; all permitted work requires one or more inspections^1,15.
7. Obtain final approval: the signed job card serves as the residential Certificate of Occupancy, while commercial work receives a separate Certificate of Occupancy after inspections and record keeping are complete^1,15.

Confirm whether the parcel is in unincorporated Sacramento County or inside a city before relying on county rules⁶. Ask the Liquid Waste Program about the site's soil and septic history because only about 9% of county soils are rated without severe limitations for a conventional drain field^20,21. Nearly 90% of Sacramento County land has a slope of 15% or less, but a gentle parcel can still have difficult soils²¹. Confirm public-sewer availability because connection may be required when sewer is within 200 feet of the property line²². Verify legal road access and ask County Engineering whether a new or repaired driveway in the public right-of-way needs an encroachment permit²⁶. For carrying-cost context, the median annual property-tax bill is about $3,768 and the effective property-tax rate is about 0.8%²¹. New construction, substantial improvements or other development, including alteration of land, inside a special flood hazard area needs a Floodplain Management Permit from the Floodplain Administrator before work begins²⁷.