Building Code Quick Reference
Fresno County · Fresno Municipal Code (FMC), Chapter 15 — Development Code
Everything you need to know about building in Fresno, CA — setback distances, height limits, lot coverage, FAR, parking requirements, and the issues that Fresno plan checkers flag most often. Use this as a quick reference before designing or submitting plans.
Values shown for the most common residential zone. See full zone table below for all zones.
Each zone in Fresno has different development standards. The table below shows setbacks (the minimum distance your building must be from each property line), maximum height, number of stories, lot coverage percentage, and Floor Area Ratio (FAR) for each residential zone.
| Zone | Front | Side | Rear | Height | Stories | Coverage | FAR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RM — Residential Multi-Family | 15' | 5' | 20' | 40' | 3 | 50% | — |
| Multi-family zone. Density varies by lot size. | |||||||
| RS-3 — Residential Single-Family (3,000 sf) | 10' | 5' | 15' | 35' | 2 | 60% | — |
| Small-lot SF zone for urban infill. | |||||||
| RS-5 — Residential Single-Family (5,000 sf) | 15' | 5' | 20' | 35' | 2 | 50% | — |
| Most common SF zone. Corner lots: 10' street-side setback. | |||||||
Parking is one of the most common plan check flags. Fresno requires the following parking ratios for residential projects — make sure your site plan accounts for these before submitting.
Covered/enclosed required
Waived near transit
Standard residential
2 spaces per SFR (1 covered). ADU: 0 spaces per state law.
→ Use our Parking Calculator to calculate your exact requirement.
Beyond zoning, Fresno has general building requirements that apply to all residential construction. These are commonly referenced during plan check.
These are the issues that Fresno plan reviewers flag most frequently on residential submissions. Addressing these before you submit can save one or more correction cycles (each adding 2–4 weeks to your timeline).
Check Fresno's planning department website for their zoning map, or search your address on our parcel search tool. Your zone code (R1, R2, etc.) determines which row in the table above applies to your property. You can also call Fresno's planning counter for a quick zoning verification.
Initial plan review in Fresno typically takes 4–8 weeks. If corrections are required (which is common), each resubmission adds another 2–4 weeks. Running a pre-submission plan check can eliminate the most common correction items and save one or more review cycles.
ADU rules in Fresno depend on your state and local zoning code. State laws may guarantee ADU rights or leave it to local regulation. Use our Fresno ADU Eligibility Checker to see what you can build on your lot.
The top reasons are setback violations (measuring from the wrong reference point), height calculation errors (using the wrong grade measurement method), lot coverage exceeding the zone limit, insufficient parking, and missing energy code (Title 24) compliance. See the "Common Plan Check Flags" section above for Fresno-specific issues.
The zoning standards above apply to standard residential projects. Specific overlays (historic districts, hillside areas, coastal zones) may have additional restrictions. Commercial and mixed-use zones have different standards. Always verify your specific zone and any applicable overlays with Fresno's planning department.
Enter your project dimensions and we'll compare them against Fresno's building codes. Catch setback violations, height issues, and parking shortfalls before they become correction letters.
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