Bolthole Index

San Mateo County, California

Zoning, building permits and septic rules in the Town of Woodside, California

The Town of Woodside, California runs its own zoning under Chapter 153 of its municipal code1, and its Building and Planning departments handle building permits2. Septic work needs review by the Town's Planning and Engineering departments and by San Mateo County Environmental Health2. Land outside town limits follows the county's rules instead.

At a glance

Building permit
Required for any new structure or improvement; issued by the Town of Woodside2
Zoning
Town zoning code, Chapter 153 of the Woodside Municipal Code1
Septic
Town Planning and Engineering review plus San Mateo County Environmental Health review2
Accessory dwellings
Allowed, with ministerial review by the Planning Director3
RV or tiny home living
Not confirmed; ask Woodside Planning4
Owner-builder
State licensing exemption exists; it does not remove the permit requirement5

Who to call

Building permits

Town of Woodside Building and Planning Departments

Building permits, planning and zoning approvals, encroachment permits and Town review of septic work inside Woodside

650-851-6790

2955 Woodside Road, Woodside, CA 94062

Septic permits

San Mateo County Environmental Health Services

Septic (OWTS) permits, site evaluations and water-well drilling permits across San Mateo County

(650) 372-6200

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

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Does Woodside have zoning, and what does it mean for lots, setbacks and accessory dwellings?

Yes. The Town of Woodside adopts its own zoning in Chapter 153 of its municipal code, and a use that is not listed in the use table is not permitted unless the Planning Commission finds it similar to a listed use1. The Town zones land into SCP, RR, SR, R-1, CC, MF, MF-20, MFRZ and OS districts, with use tables in Sec. 153.1076.

Lot size depends on the district. To subdivide in R-1, a lot needs at least 20,000 square feet and an average width of 80 feet7. In SR the minimum is 1 acre with a 100-foot width, and in RR it is 3 acres with a 175-foot width8. No lot may be reduced below the minimum for its district9.

Setbacks come from Table H of Sec. 153.207(A), which varies by district and height, and taller portions need extra setback outside R-110. Accessory dwelling units are allowed, and the Planning Director decides complete applications through ministerial review within 60 days3.

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

Yes. The Town of Woodside states that a building permit is required to construct any new structure or improve existing buildings and other structures2. The Town, not San Mateo County, issues building permits inside Woodside: its Building Department reviews and issues permits for compliance with the California Building Code and the Woodside Municipal Code2.

The statewide 2025 California Building Standards Code applies to buildings with a permit application date on or after January 1, 202611. Work in the public right of way, such as a driveway approach, also needs a Town encroachment permit2.

California's owner-builder rule exempts qualifying owners from contractor licensing, but it does not itself remove the building-permit requirement5. Reach the Town at Woodside Town Hall, 2955 Woodside Road, or 650-851-67902.

How do septic permits work inside Woodside?

Septic work in Woodside goes through two reviews. The Town says septic repairs, upgrades, new septic systems and percolation tests require review by its Planning and Engineering departments, plus a building permit if the connection between the structure and the tank changes2. The Town also states that San Mateo County Environmental Health must review the same work2.

Countywide, anyone who installs an individual sewage disposal system must hold a permit from Environmental Health, and staff observe and approve installation, repair, alteration or destruction1213. Where no municipal sewer exists, the county says the only approved system is a septic system14. Call Environmental Health at (650) 372-620015.

Soils matter: USDA rates only about 16% of San Mateo County soils as not limited for a conventional drain field, so expect a site evaluation and possibly an engineered system16.

Can you live in an RV or tiny home on your land in Woodside?

We could not confirm whether Woodside's zoning allows living in an RV, travel trailer or tiny home on a lot, so ask Woodside Planning before you plan on it. California's general rule is that 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 parks4.

San Mateo County's allowance for a trailer during home construction is written for the county's own zoning chapter and does not establish a rule for incorporated towns17. A detached accessory dwelling unit is the route the Town's code expressly provides for a second home on a lot3.

Building a home in Woodside: the steps, in order

  1. Confirm the zoning district and lot-size, setback and use rules in Chapter 153 of the Woodside Municipal Code6.
  2. Ask the Town's Planning Department whether your project needs Planning Commission or design review before a building permit2.
  3. If you need a septic system, start septic review with the Town's Planning and Engineering departments and with County Environmental Health2.
  4. Apply for the building permit from the Town of Woodside Building Department2.
  5. Obtain an encroachment permit for any work in the public right of way, such as a driveway approach2.
  6. If you need a well, a drilling permit comes from County Environmental Health18.

What stays with San Mateo County, and what to check before you buy in Woodside

San Mateo County's building, planning and zoning counters serve unincorporated land, not parcels inside Woodside; the county says zoning information is not provided for properties within city limits19. For land outside town limits, see the San Mateo County page.

Septic and well permits stay with County Environmental Health1218. The county's typical home value is about $1,595,76420, and its median property tax bill is about $9,167 per year21. Before buying, check your lot's district, whether a septic evaluation is feasible, and your driveway access.

Watch-outs

  • We could not confirm Woodside's building-code adoption chapter, permit fees, or rules on lot coverage and building height, so ask the Town's Building and Planning departments at 650-851-6790 before you design2.
  • Septic work is reviewed by both the Town and San Mateo County Environmental Health, so budget time for two sets of reviews2.
  • The lot-size minimums listed here apply to subdividing; building-site rules in each district may differ, so confirm with Woodside Planning7.

Sources

  1. Woodside Municipal Code 153.107 Residential and commercial zoning districts: permitted, conditional, and accessory uses (Town of Woodside), quoted and re-checked
  2. Town of Woodside Building and Planning Departments (woodsidetown.org)
  3. Woodside Municipal Code 153.211(A) Accessory dwelling units (Town of Woodside), quoted and re-checked
  4. hcd.ca.gov (California statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  5. Owner-Builder Overview, quoted and re-checked
  6. Woodside Municipal Code 153.107 Residential and commercial zoning districts: permitted, conditional, and accessory uses (Town of Woodside), quoted and re-checked
  7. Woodside Municipal Code 153.205(A) Lot area requirements (Town of Woodside), quoted and re-checked
  8. Woodside Municipal Code 153.205(A) Lot area requirements (Town of Woodside), quoted and re-checked
  9. Woodside Municipal Code 153.205(A) Lot area requirements (Town of Woodside), quoted and re-checked
  10. Woodside Municipal Code 153.207(A) Setback requirements (Town of Woodside), quoted and re-checked
  11. Approved Building Standards (California statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  12. Land Use, Septic & Wells, quoted and re-checked
  13. Land Use, Septic & Wells, quoted and re-checked
  14. Land Use, Septic & Wells, quoted and re-checked
  15. San Mateo County Environmental Health Services (smcgov.org)
  16. 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
  17. San Mateo County Zoning Regulations, quoted and re-checked
  18. Land Use, Septic & Wells, quoted and re-checked
  19. Get Zoning Information, quoted and re-checked
  20. Typical home value (Zillow): Bolthole Index county data
  21. Median property tax bill: 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 Town of Woodside

Town of Woodside’s own rules

  • Local zoningPresent

    Land inside Woodside town limits

    • Zoning is Chapter 153 of the Woodside Municipal Code.
    “Uses not listed in the table under any case category, shall not be permitted under this chapter unless the Planning Commission determines that the use is similar to the uses listed in the table.”
  • Zoning districtsPublished

    Woodside town zoning districts (SCP, RR, SR, R-1, CC, MF, MF-20, MFRZ, OS districts)

    • Use tables are in Sec. 153.107.
    “TABLE A-1: Permitted Uses and Structures in Residential and Commercial Zoning Districts”
  • Minimum lot sizeDistrict specific (with conditions)

    RR (rural residential) district inside Woodside town; SR is 1 acre/100 ft width

    • Minimum area required for subdivision.

    RR minimum lot area: >= 3 acres (average width 175 feet) · SR minimum lot area: >= 1 acres (average width 100 feet)

    “Required for Subdivision R-1 20,000 square feet 80 feet SR 1 acre 100 feet RR 3 acres 175 feet”
    One more reviewed finding on this topic
  • SetbacksDistrict specific (with conditions)

    All Woodside zoning districts (R-1, SR, RR, SCP, OS, CC); Table H varies by district and height

    • Taller portions need extra setback outside R-1
    • Special Glens R-1 setbacks
    • Discretionary review for reduced setbacks
    • ADU exceptions in 153.211

    Table H: See Sec. 153.207(A) Table H for district front/rear/side setbacks

    “Table H sets forth the basic setback requirements which apply to all zoning districts.”
  • Accessory dwellingsAllowed (with conditions)

    Accessory dwelling units inside Woodside town

    • Ministerial review within 60 days
    • Parking, setback, height and floor area rules apply with ADU exceptions
    • Septic subject to Title V ch. 51
    “All plans for accessory dwelling units shall be subject to ministerial review and approval or denial by the Planning Director within 60 days of receiving a complete application.”
  • Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

    Lot division inside Woodside town

    • Minimum lot areas by district per Table D
    “No lot shall be reduced in any manner below the minimum area required for subdivision prescribed for the district in which the lot is located”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Town of Woodside or San Mateo County directly.

  • Building permit — Woodside town
  • Owner-builder exemption — Woodside town
  • Building code adopted — Woodside town
  • Inspections — Woodside town
  • Certificate of occupancy — Woodside town
18 more unanswered
  • Minimum dwelling size
  • Lot coverage
  • Building height
  • Living in an RV
  • Camping on your land
  • Tiny homes
  • Manufactured homes
  • Who permits septic
  • Septic permit
  • Septic inspection
  • Off-grid sanitation
  • Well permit
  • Mandatory utility hookup
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Driveway access
  • 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 Town of Woodside publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. San Mateo County’s page lists the county offices to call.

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