Pre-Submission Review · Free
San Jose, California
Additions are where setback and height violations happen most often. Your existing house was built compliant — but adding square footage changes the math on lot coverage, FAR, and setbacks. What was legal before may not be legal after the addition. A second-story addition, for example, can trigger increased side setback requirements in many California cities.
Additions are where setback and lot coverage violations happen most often. Your existing house was compliant when built — but adding square footage changes the math on lot coverage, FAR, setbacks, and parking. What was legal before may not be legal after an addition.
Critical checks for additions in San Jose:
Enter your combined dimensions (existing + proposed) in the form above. We'll check the total project against San Jose's current codes so you know where you stand before hiring an architect.
Fill in the form above with your lot size, setbacks, building height, and other dimensions — the same numbers on your architectural plans.
Your project is compared against San Jose's specific zoning requirements — setbacks, height limits, lot coverage, parking ratios, and FAR limits for your zone.
Critical violations, warnings, and advisory items — ranked by what a San Jose plan checker will flag first. Fix issues before you submit and save weeks of correction cycles.
| Zone | Front | Side | Rear | Height | Coverage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| R-1-8 — Single-Family Residential | 25' | 5' | 20' | 35' | 45% |
| R-2 — Two-Family Residential | 25' | 5' | 20' | 35' | 50% |
San Jose requires a 25' front setback, 5' side setback, and 20' rear setback in the most common residential zone. Specific requirements vary by zone — enter your zone code above for exact numbers.
Initial plan review in San Jose typically takes 4-8 weeks. If corrections are required, each resubmission adds another 2-4 weeks. Running a pre-check before submitting can eliminate the most common correction items and save one or more review cycles.
The most common residential zone in San Jose allows a maximum height of 35 feet. Height measurement methods vary — some cities measure to the highest ridge, others to the midpoint of the roof. Check the specific zone requirements for your property.
Yes. Create a free account to run unlimited plan checks against San Jose's building codes. The tool checks setbacks, height limits, lot coverage, parking requirements, and flags common issues that San Jose plan reviewers look for.
The most frequently flagged items in San Jose include: Heritage tree removal not addressed — permit required; Front setback is 25 feet (not 15 or 20 like many CA cities); Lot coverage calculation errors — San Jose uses 45% for R-1-8. Our tool checks for all of these automatically.