Bolthole Index

Tulare County, California

Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Farmersville, California

In Farmersville (Tulare County, California), a building permit starts with an application and site plan at Farmersville City Hall, then the plans go to the Tulare County RMA for review and approval1. The city sets its own zoning2, and Tulare County's Environmental Health Division handles septic and well permits34.

At a glance

Building permit
City application and site plan first, then Tulare County RMA plan review1
Plan check and inspection
The city contracts with the Tulare County Building Department5
Zoning
City zoning by district (U-R, O-S, R-1, R-M)26
Minimum lot (R-1)
6,000 square feet7
Septic
Tulare County Environmental Health Division and RMA3
Well permit
Required anywhere in Tulare County4
Flood zones
City development permit before any construction8

Who to call

Building permits

City of Farmersville Planning & Development (building permits)

First-step building permit application and site plan review inside Farmersville city limits

559-747-0458

909 W. Visalia Road, Farmersville, CA 93223

Building permits

Tulare County Building Department

Building plan check and inspection under contract for the City of Farmersville

559-624-7000

Zoning

City of Farmersville Planning & Zoning

Zoning and subdivision applications inside Farmersville city limits

559-747-0458

909 W Visalia Rd, Farmersville, CA 93223

Septic permits

Tulare County Environmental Health Division

Septic (onsite wastewater) permits and water-well permits for Tulare County

559-624-7400

5957 S. Mooney Blvd, Visalia, CA 93277

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 10, 2026.

Off-grid gear

Going off-grid in Farmersville means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

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Does Farmersville have zoning, and what does it mean for lot size?

The City of Farmersville has its own zoning code for land inside city limits, with residential uses assigned by district in a land-use table2. The table's residential columns are U-R, O-S, R-1 and R-M6.

In the R-1 single-family zone, corner and interior lots each need at least 6,000 square feet7. In the R-M multiple-family zone, buildings and parking may cover up to 70 percent of the lot9. The Planning & Zoning division reviews zoning and subdivision applications10. We could not confirm city rules on RVs or tiny homes on a private lot; ask Planning & Zoning.

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

Farmersville uses a two-step process. First, an application and site plan go to the City of Farmersville for review1. After city approval, the site plan and construction plans go to the Tulare County RMA for review and approval1. The city contracts with the Tulare County Building Department for building plan check and inspection5.

The city issues permits through its MyGov web platform, where applicants sign up for an account and apply11. Sewer connections need a city encroachment permit12. Fees follow the city's comprehensive fee schedule13. We could not confirm which building-code edition the city enforces or whether owner-builders have a special exemption.

How do septic permits work in Farmersville?

Septic permits in Tulare County come from the county, not the city. The County RMA and the Environmental Health Division are the regulatory agencies for onsite wastewater treatment systems, and the Environmental Health Division regulates these elements within the county's cities3. Most onsite system construction, installation and repair work requires a permit14.

We could not confirm a Farmersville-specific septic rule, and a lot connected to the city sewer needs a city encroachment permit rather than a septic permit12. Call Tulare County Environmental Health at 559-624-7400 to check before you buy15. Only about 6.4% of soils in Tulare County lack severe limits for a conventional drain field16.

Building a home in Farmersville: the steps, in order

  1. Confirm the lot's zoning with Planning & Zoning106.
  2. If the lot is in a flood hazard area, get the city development permit before any construction8.
  3. Submit the application and site plan to the City of Farmersville1.
  4. After city approval, submit construction plans to the Tulare County RMA1.
  5. Get a city encroachment permit for the sewer connection12.
  6. Schedule inspections through the Tulare County Building Department5.

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

Tulare County handles building plan check and inspection under contract5, septic permits14, and well permits: a permit is required for well construction, destruction and inactivation anywhere in Tulare County4. Well work must be done by a contractor with a valid C-57 license4.

Tulare County's effective property tax rate is 0.7%17. The nearest city of 100,000 or more is about 31 miles from the county center18.

Watch-outs

  • Search results often show Tulare County Resource Management Agency pages for unincorporated land; inside Farmersville the city application comes first1.
  • We could not confirm a certificate-of-occupancy rule or the adopted building-code edition for Farmersville; ask the city at 559-747-04581.

Sources

  1. City of Farmersville Planning & Development (building permits) (cityoffarmersville-ca.gov)
  2. Farmersville Municipal Code § 17.40.020, Table 1—Permitted uses (Farmersville), quoted and re-checked
  3. Septic Systems, quoted and re-checked
  4. Water Wells, quoted and re-checked
  5. Tulare County Building Department (cityoffarmersville-ca.gov)
  6. Farmersville Municipal Code § 17.40.020, Table 1—Permitted uses (Farmersville), quoted and re-checked
  7. Farmersville Municipal Code § 17.24.040, Area, lot width and yard requirements (Farmersville), quoted and re-checked
  8. Farmersville Municipal Code § 18.04.150, Development permit (Farmersville), quoted and re-checked
  9. Farmersville Municipal Code § 17.32.040, Area, density, lot width and yard requirements (Farmersville), quoted and re-checked
  10. City of Farmersville Planning & Zoning (cityoffarmersville-ca.gov)
  11. Next Steps | Farmersville, CA (Farmersville), quoted and re-checked
  12. Farmersville Municipal Code Chapter 13.08, Sewers (Farmersville), quoted and re-checked
  13. Farmersville Municipal Code Chapter 13.08, Sewers (Farmersville), quoted and re-checked
  14. Liquid Waste (Septic System) FAQ's, quoted and re-checked
  15. Tulare County Environmental Health Division (tularecountyeh.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. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
  18. Straight-line distance from the county center to the nearest city of 100,000+ people: Bolthole Index county data

Written October 10, 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 Farmersville

Farmersville’s own rules

  • Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

    Land inside Farmersville city limits.

    • Uses are allowed only as shown by the applicable residential zoning-table column and any listed conditions.
    “To determine in which zone a specific use is allowed: A. Find the use in the left hand column. B. Read across the table until either a "letter" or an "x" appears in one of the columns.”
  • Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

    Residential zoning districts inside Farmersville city limits.

    • The table's listed residential columns are U-R, O-S, R-1, and R-M; overlay zones are excluded from the table.
    “TABLE 1—RESIDENTIAL LAND USES USES ZONE U-R O-S R-1 R-M”
  • Minimum lot sizeSpecified

    R-1 single-family residential zone inside Farmersville city limits.

    • Legally created lots not meeting the minimum may be occupied by a permitted use if yard-setback and minimum-dwelling-size requirements are met.

    minimum lot area: >= 6000 square feet (corner and interior single-family lots)

    “Corner Lot: Six thousand square feet, b. Interior Lot: Six thousand square feet”
  • Lot coverageSpecified

    R-M multiple-family residential zone inside Farmersville city limits.

    • Maximum coverage includes parking.

    maximum lot coverage: <= 70 percent (including parking)

    “Maximum Coverage: Seventy percent of lot area including parking.”
  • Mandatory utility hookupConditional

    Connections to the City sewerage system inside Farmersville city limits.

    • Sewer connection requires a City encroachment permit.
    • Private-property sewer-line permits follow the City plumbing code.
    • Permit fees are those in the comprehensive fee schedule.
    “Connection to the sewerage system shall be made only after securing an encroachment permit from the city.”
  • Subdividing landRegulated (with conditions)

    Subdivision of land inside Farmersville city limits.

    • The ordinance governs converting raw land into building sites and allows City control of internal subdivision design.
    “The Subdivision Ordinance governs the process”
  • Building in a floodplainRequired

    Construction or other development, including manufactured homes, in Farmersville special-flood-hazard areas.

    • A City development permit is required before construction or other development.
    • Application must use City forms and include the information specified in § 18.04.150.
    “A development permit shall be obtained before any construction or other development”
  • Permit feesVariable (with conditions)

    City sewer connection and private-property sewer-line permits inside Farmersville city limits.

    • Fees are set by the City's comprehensive fee schedule.
    “Fees for said permits shall be as provided for in the city's comprehensive fee schedule.”
  • Permit processPartial

    Permit applications for development and new business locations inside Farmersville city limits.

    • Applicants are directed to sign up for a MyGov account and apply for a permit.
    • The opened City page does not provide a complete construction-permit checklist or review timeline.
    “Sign up for an account today and apply for a permit.”

Still unanswered

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

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builders undertaking construction inside Farmersville city limits.
  • Building code adopted — Building-code adoption applicable inside Farmersville city limits.
  • Certificate of occupancy — Certificates of occupancy for buildings inside Farmersville city limits.
  • Camping on your land — Temporary camping on private land inside Farmersville city limits.
  • Tiny homes — Tiny-home occupancy inside Farmersville city limits.
8 more unanswered
  • Who permits septic
  • Septic permit
  • Septic inspection
  • Off-grid sanitation
  • Well permit
  • 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 Farmersville publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Tulare County’s page lists the county offices to call.

← All of Tulare County: county rules, score and offices