Zoning, building permits and land rules in Montclair, California

At a glance

Zoning

City zoning code (Title 11) with R-1, R-2 and R-3 residential zones¹

Building permits

Issued by the Montclair Building Division²

Minimum lot, R-1

7,500 sq ft per dwelling unit⁵

R-1 height

Two stories, no more than 35 feet⁶

RV living

Not allowed on public streets; private-lot rules unconfirmed³

Accessory dwellings

Allowed in R-2 under Chapter 11.23⁷

Owner-builder

Owners doing their own work can get an owner-builder permit²

Septic

Not confirmed for the city; ask county Environmental Health⁸

Who to call

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 16, 2026.

Does Montclair, California have zoning, and what does it mean for RVs and tiny homes?

Yes. Montclair adopts its own zoning code, Title 11, with R-1, R-2 and R-3 residential zones¹. The Planning Division administers the city's zoning code⁹.

No RV living on streets: RVs parked on Montclair streets need a 72-hour or 7-day parking permit and may not be used for sleeping, cooking, camping or other residential purposes³. Camping for living accommodations is also banned on streets and public places, and on private property it needs the owner's express consent¹⁰. We did not confirm whether an RV may be lived in on a private lot, so ask the Planning Division before you plan on it. We also did not confirm any tiny-home rule; ask the same office.

Accessory dwelling units are a permitted use in the R-2 zone, subject to Chapter 11.23 of the city code⁷.

What are Montclair's lot size, setback and height rules?

The rules vary by district, so check your parcel's zone first.

In R-1, the minimum lot area is 7,500 square feet per dwelling unit⁵, buildings may cover no more than 35 percent of the lot¹¹, and height is capped at two stories and 35 feet⁶. The R-1 front yard must be at least 25 feet deep¹².

In R-2, lots need at least 7,500 square feet and 100 feet of depth¹³. In R-3, the net lot area must be at least one acre¹⁴, and buildings may reach 50 feet and four floors¹⁵. R-3 buildings of three stories or less need a 25-foot front yard¹⁶.

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

Inside Montclair city limits, the city's Building Division issues building permits, checks plans and inspects the work². Permits are issued Monday through Thursday, 7:00 to 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 to 5:30 p.m., and at other times by special appointment².

Property owners doing the work themselves can get an owner-builder permit, if they meet the city's conditions². California's 2025 building standards code applies to permit applications filed on or after January 1, 2026¹⁷.

San Bernardino County Building and Safety handles building permits only for unincorporated land, not for addresses inside Montclair⁴. We could not confirm the city's permit fees; ask the Building Division at (909) 625-9437².

How do septic permits work inside Montclair?

We could not confirm who issues septic permits for addresses inside Montclair, or whether any home there is on a septic system. State rules let local agencies run septic programs under the regional water boards¹⁸. San Bernardino County Environmental Health Services leads the county's program, and it is the office to ask⁸. Wells are also locally enforced, often by county environmental health¹⁹; we did not confirm a Montclair well rule.

Building a home in Montclair: the steps, in order

1. Confirm your parcel's zone with the Planning Division at (909) 625-9477⁹.
2. Check lot size, height and setbacks for that zone against the city code¹.
3. Ask the Building Division about plan submittal; new structures are by appointment only and require five complete sets of plans².
4. If the site is in a flood hazard area, expect the city's floodplain rules, such as manufactured homes elevated 2 feet above base flood elevation²⁰.
5. Apply for the building permit, as owner-builder or through a licensed contractor².
6. Ask the Building Division how to schedule inspections.

What stays with San Bernardino County, and what to check before you buy?

Land outside Montclair city limits falls under San Bernardino County's rules; see the San Bernardino County page for unincorporated land. Septic and wells are the topics to confirm with county Environmental Health Services⁸.

Typical home value in the county is about $553,855²¹, and the effective property tax rate is 0.7%²²; both are county-level figures. Before you buy, ask the Planning Division for the zone, check flood hazard status²⁰, and confirm any sewer connection requirement, which we did not find.

Watch-outs

• RVs on Montclair streets may not be used for sleeping or cooking³.
• The county's building permit rules cover unincorporated land only; inside Montclair, ask the city Building Division⁴.
• We could not confirm the city's permit fees, septic rules, well rules or tiny-home rules; the offices above can answer²⁸.

Sources

1. Montclair Code 11.18.040 R-1 Property development standards (Montclair), quoted and re-checked
2. City of Montclair Building Division (cityofmontclair.org)
3. Montclair Code 8.38.030 Temporary parking permit for recreational vehicles (Montclair), quoted and re-checked
4. Building and Safety Questions – Land Use Services, quoted and re-checked
5. Montclair Code 11.18.040 R-1 Property development standards (Montclair), quoted and re-checked
6. Montclair Code 11.18.040 R-1 Property development standards (Montclair), quoted and re-checked
7. Montclair Code 11.20.020 R-2 Uses permitted (Montclair), quoted and re-checked
8. San Bernardino County Environmental Health Services - Land Use & Wastewater Program (ehs.sbcounty.gov)
9. City of Montclair Planning Division (cityofmontclair.org)
10. Montclair Code 6.25.020 Camping prohibited (Montclair), quoted and re-checked
11. Montclair Code 11.18.040 R-1 Property development standards (Montclair), quoted and re-checked
12. Montclair Code 11.18.040 R-1 Property development standards (Montclair), quoted and re-checked
13. Montclair Code 11.20.040 R-2 Minimum lot size (Montclair), quoted and re-checked
14. Montclair Code 11.22.040 R-3 Property development standards (Montclair), quoted and re-checked
15. Montclair Code 11.22.040 R-3 Property development standards (Montclair), quoted and re-checked
16. Montclair Code 11.22.040 R-3 Property development standards (Montclair), quoted and re-checked
17. Approved Building Standards (California statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
18. Water Quality Control Policy for Siting, Design, Operation and Maintenance of Onsite Wastewater Treatment Systems (OWTS Policy) (California statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
19. Well Standards (California statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
20. Montclair Code 9.26.540 Standards for manufactured homes (Montclair), quoted and re-checked
21. Typical home value (Zillow): Bolthole Index county data
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.