Los Angeles County · Zoning setbacks
Unincorporated Los Angeles County setback requirements
Lekua resolves a parcel’s jurisdiction and zone, then draws this envelope on the base plan, offset from the county’s parcel line, with its citation. Yards are measured from the surveyed line, so confirm against a survey before siting anything near them.
The envelope
What the numbers below make on the ground. Shown for the first district in the table; the rest follow the same geometry at their own dimensions.
Zone R-1 — the envelope Lekua draws on the plan.
- Front
- 20′
- Side
- 5′
- Rear
- 15′
The hatched band is the yard — ground the code gives up. Drawn not to scale: the yards are proportional to each other, so the deepest one fills the band and the rest follow. The dimensions carry the real numbers, and the export draws them on the actual parcel outline.
Unincorporated Los Angeles County setbacks by district
Every row is produced by the same function the exporter calls, so this page cannot drift from what the drawing gets. The citation under each row is what prints on the sheet.
Corner lots: 10′ on the secondary street frontage.
LA County R-1/R-2/R-A/A-1/A-2: front 20, side 5, rear 15. Title 22 Table 22.18.040-A (R-A, R-1, R-2) and Table 22.16.050-A (A-1, A-2). Corner side 5 ft, or 10 ft on a reversed corner lot; drawn at 10 ft because the neighbouring frontages were not checked. Height 35 ft (§22.18.040 D.1; §22.16.050 B). Adopted Title 22 Ch. 22.110 (General Site Regulations): a lot under 50 ft wide may take interior side yards of 10% of its average width, at least 3 ft, and a lot under 75 ft deep a rear yard of 20% of its average depth, at least 10 ft (§22.110.080 C.2, D); the standard yards draw (conservative). On a partly built block the front may be the average of the two adjoining fronts, and on a frontage rising 10 ft within 50 ft (or a 20% slope) it need not exceed half the zone's depth (§22.110.080 B). On corner, flag and irregular lots the Director determines which yard is which (§22.110.080 A); a flag lot's yards sit on its main portion, and a uniform 10 ft from every lot line may be used instead (§22.110.170). Along a limited secondary highway an added 8 ft yard applies (§22.110.080 E; not checked for this lot). Eaves may project 2.5 ft into any yard, no closer than 2.5 ft to a lot line (§22.110.090). Fences, walls and hedges: 3.5 ft in a front yard, 6 ft in interior side and rear yards, 3.5 ft within 5 ft of the highway line in a corner side yard; retaining walls 6 ft (§22.110.070). A lot in a Front Yard Setback District takes the front set by that district's ordinance of adoption, which supersedes these yards (Ch. 22.72, Table 22.72.020-A). In a Hillside Management Area (natural slopes of 25% or more) development needs a Conditional Use Permit unless it is on a single lot grading no more than 15,000 cu yd of cut plus fill, or less where a Community Standards District says so (§22.104.030 A); the chapter sets no yards, and its Hillside Design Guidelines govern siting and landscaping. Community Standards Districts (Title 22 Volume II) may modify these yards. Verify the zone on LA County DRP's GIS-NET and the yards with LA County DRP.
Corner lots: 10′ on the secondary street frontage.
LA County R-1/R-2/R-A/A-1/A-2: front 20, side 5, rear 15. Title 22 Table 22.18.040-A (R-A, R-1, R-2) and Table 22.16.050-A (A-1, A-2). Corner side 5 ft, or 10 ft on a reversed corner lot; drawn at 10 ft because the neighbouring frontages were not checked. Height 35 ft (§22.18.040 D.1; §22.16.050 B). Adopted Title 22 Ch. 22.110 (General Site Regulations): a lot under 50 ft wide may take interior side yards of 10% of its average width, at least 3 ft, and a lot under 75 ft deep a rear yard of 20% of its average depth, at least 10 ft (§22.110.080 C.2, D); the standard yards draw (conservative). On a partly built block the front may be the average of the two adjoining fronts, and on a frontage rising 10 ft within 50 ft (or a 20% slope) it need not exceed half the zone's depth (§22.110.080 B). On corner, flag and irregular lots the Director determines which yard is which (§22.110.080 A); a flag lot's yards sit on its main portion, and a uniform 10 ft from every lot line may be used instead (§22.110.170). Along a limited secondary highway an added 8 ft yard applies (§22.110.080 E; not checked for this lot). Eaves may project 2.5 ft into any yard, no closer than 2.5 ft to a lot line (§22.110.090). Fences, walls and hedges: 3.5 ft in a front yard, 6 ft in interior side and rear yards, 3.5 ft within 5 ft of the highway line in a corner side yard; retaining walls 6 ft (§22.110.070). A lot in a Front Yard Setback District takes the front set by that district's ordinance of adoption, which supersedes these yards (Ch. 22.72, Table 22.72.020-A). In a Hillside Management Area (natural slopes of 25% or more) development needs a Conditional Use Permit unless it is on a single lot grading no more than 15,000 cu yd of cut plus fill, or less where a Community Standards District says so (§22.104.030 A); the chapter sets no yards, and its Hillside Design Guidelines govern siting and landscaping. Community Standards Districts (Title 22 Volume II) may modify these yards. Verify the zone on LA County DRP's GIS-NET and the yards with LA County DRP.
Corner lots: 7.5′ on the secondary street frontage.
LA County R-3: front 15, side 5, rear 15. Title 22 Table 22.18.040-A. Corner side 5 ft, or 7.5 ft on a reversed corner lot; drawn at 7.5 ft because the neighbouring frontages were not checked. Height 35 ft (§22.18.040 D.1). Adopted Title 22 Ch. 22.110 (General Site Regulations): a lot under 50 ft wide may take interior side yards of 10% of its average width, at least 3 ft, and a lot under 75 ft deep a rear yard of 20% of its average depth, at least 10 ft (§22.110.080 C.2, D); the standard yards draw (conservative). On a partly built block the front may be the average of the two adjoining fronts, and on a frontage rising 10 ft within 50 ft (or a 20% slope) it need not exceed half the zone's depth (§22.110.080 B). On corner, flag and irregular lots the Director determines which yard is which (§22.110.080 A); a flag lot's yards sit on its main portion, and a uniform 10 ft from every lot line may be used instead (§22.110.170). Along a limited secondary highway an added 8 ft yard applies (§22.110.080 E; not checked for this lot). Eaves may project 2.5 ft into any yard, no closer than 2.5 ft to a lot line (§22.110.090). Fences, walls and hedges: 3.5 ft in a front yard, 6 ft in interior side and rear yards, 3.5 ft within 5 ft of the highway line in a corner side yard; retaining walls 6 ft (§22.110.070). A lot in a Front Yard Setback District takes the front set by that district's ordinance of adoption, which supersedes these yards (Ch. 22.72, Table 22.72.020-A). In a Hillside Management Area (natural slopes of 25% or more) development needs a Conditional Use Permit unless it is on a single lot grading no more than 15,000 cu yd of cut plus fill, or less where a Community Standards District says so (§22.104.030 A); the chapter sets no yards, and its Hillside Design Guidelines govern siting and landscaping. Community Standards Districts (Title 22 Volume II) may modify these yards. Verify the zone on LA County DRP's GIS-NET and the yards with LA County DRP.
Corner lots: 7.5′ on the secondary street frontage.
LA County R-4: front 15, side 5, rear 15. Title 22 Table 22.18.040-A. The interior side is 5 ft where no building exceeds two stories, plus 1 ft for each story over two, to at most 16 ft. Corner side 5 ft, or 7.5 ft on a reversed corner lot; drawn at 7.5 ft because the neighbouring frontages were not checked. Height: "13 times the buildable area" as §22.18.040 D.2 prints it; confirm the limit with LA County DRP. Adopted Title 22 Ch. 22.110 (General Site Regulations): a lot under 50 ft wide may take interior side yards of 10% of its average width, at least 3 ft, and a lot under 75 ft deep a rear yard of 20% of its average depth, at least 10 ft (§22.110.080 C.2, D); the standard yards draw (conservative). On a partly built block the front may be the average of the two adjoining fronts, and on a frontage rising 10 ft within 50 ft (or a 20% slope) it need not exceed half the zone's depth (§22.110.080 B). On corner, flag and irregular lots the Director determines which yard is which (§22.110.080 A); a flag lot's yards sit on its main portion, and a uniform 10 ft from every lot line may be used instead (§22.110.170). Along a limited secondary highway an added 8 ft yard applies (§22.110.080 E; not checked for this lot). Eaves may project 2.5 ft into any yard, no closer than 2.5 ft to a lot line (§22.110.090). Fences, walls and hedges: 3.5 ft in a front yard, 6 ft in interior side and rear yards, 3.5 ft within 5 ft of the highway line in a corner side yard; retaining walls 6 ft (§22.110.070). A lot in a Front Yard Setback District takes the front set by that district's ordinance of adoption, which supersedes these yards (Ch. 22.72, Table 22.72.020-A). In a Hillside Management Area (natural slopes of 25% or more) development needs a Conditional Use Permit unless it is on a single lot grading no more than 15,000 cu yd of cut plus fill, or less where a Community Standards District says so (§22.104.030 A); the chapter sets no yards, and its Hillside Design Guidelines govern siting and landscaping. Community Standards Districts (Title 22 Volume II) may modify these yards. Verify the zone on LA County DRP's GIS-NET and the yards with LA County DRP.
Corner lots: 15′ on the secondary street frontage.
LA County R-5: front 5, side 15, rear 15. Title 22 Table 22.18.040-A: the side, corner side and rear yards are 15 ft where the lot adjoins R-1 or R-2 zoned land and 0 ft where a highway, street, alley or easement at least 15 ft wide separates it from that land; drawn at 15 ft because the neighbouring zones were not checked (conservative). Every required front yard is fully landscaped (§22.18.050 B). Height 65 ft, stepping back from a common lot line with R-1 or R-2 land: 45 ft at the wall facing it, then 1 ft back per added foot of height (§22.18.040 D.3). Adopted Title 22 Ch. 22.110 (General Site Regulations): a lot under 50 ft wide may take interior side yards of 10% of its average width, at least 3 ft, and a lot under 75 ft deep a rear yard of 20% of its average depth, at least 10 ft (§22.110.080 C.2, D); the standard yards draw (conservative). On a partly built block the front may be the average of the two adjoining fronts, and on a frontage rising 10 ft within 50 ft (or a 20% slope) it need not exceed half the zone's depth (§22.110.080 B). On corner, flag and irregular lots the Director determines which yard is which (§22.110.080 A); a flag lot's yards sit on its main portion, and a uniform 10 ft from every lot line may be used instead (§22.110.170). Along a limited secondary highway an added 8 ft yard applies (§22.110.080 E; not checked for this lot). Eaves may project 2.5 ft into any yard, no closer than 2.5 ft to a lot line (§22.110.090). Fences, walls and hedges: 3.5 ft in a front yard, 6 ft in interior side and rear yards, 3.5 ft within 5 ft of the highway line in a corner side yard; retaining walls 6 ft (§22.110.070). A lot in a Front Yard Setback District takes the front set by that district's ordinance of adoption, which supersedes these yards (Ch. 22.72, Table 22.72.020-A). In a Hillside Management Area (natural slopes of 25% or more) development needs a Conditional Use Permit unless it is on a single lot grading no more than 15,000 cu yd of cut plus fill, or less where a Community Standards District says so (§22.104.030 A); the chapter sets no yards, and its Hillside Design Guidelines govern siting and landscaping. Community Standards Districts (Title 22 Volume II) may modify these yards. Verify the zone on LA County DRP's GIS-NET and the yards with LA County DRP.
Corner lots: 10′ on the secondary street frontage.
LA County R-1/R-2/R-A/A-1/A-2: front 20, side 5, rear 15. Title 22 Table 22.18.040-A (R-A, R-1, R-2) and Table 22.16.050-A (A-1, A-2). Corner side 5 ft, or 10 ft on a reversed corner lot; drawn at 10 ft because the neighbouring frontages were not checked. Height 35 ft (§22.18.040 D.1; §22.16.050 B). Adopted Title 22 Ch. 22.110 (General Site Regulations): a lot under 50 ft wide may take interior side yards of 10% of its average width, at least 3 ft, and a lot under 75 ft deep a rear yard of 20% of its average depth, at least 10 ft (§22.110.080 C.2, D); the standard yards draw (conservative). On a partly built block the front may be the average of the two adjoining fronts, and on a frontage rising 10 ft within 50 ft (or a 20% slope) it need not exceed half the zone's depth (§22.110.080 B). On corner, flag and irregular lots the Director determines which yard is which (§22.110.080 A); a flag lot's yards sit on its main portion, and a uniform 10 ft from every lot line may be used instead (§22.110.170). Along a limited secondary highway an added 8 ft yard applies (§22.110.080 E; not checked for this lot). Eaves may project 2.5 ft into any yard, no closer than 2.5 ft to a lot line (§22.110.090). Fences, walls and hedges: 3.5 ft in a front yard, 6 ft in interior side and rear yards, 3.5 ft within 5 ft of the highway line in a corner side yard; retaining walls 6 ft (§22.110.070). A lot in a Front Yard Setback District takes the front set by that district's ordinance of adoption, which supersedes these yards (Ch. 22.72, Table 22.72.020-A). In a Hillside Management Area (natural slopes of 25% or more) development needs a Conditional Use Permit unless it is on a single lot grading no more than 15,000 cu yd of cut plus fill, or less where a Community Standards District says so (§22.104.030 A); the chapter sets no yards, and its Hillside Design Guidelines govern siting and landscaping. Community Standards Districts (Title 22 Volume II) may modify these yards. Verify the zone on LA County DRP's GIS-NET and the yards with LA County DRP.
Corner lots: 10′ on the secondary street frontage.
LA County R-1/R-2/R-A/A-1/A-2: front 20, side 5, rear 15. Title 22 Table 22.18.040-A (R-A, R-1, R-2) and Table 22.16.050-A (A-1, A-2). Corner side 5 ft, or 10 ft on a reversed corner lot; drawn at 10 ft because the neighbouring frontages were not checked. Height 35 ft (§22.18.040 D.1; §22.16.050 B). Adopted Title 22 Ch. 22.110 (General Site Regulations): a lot under 50 ft wide may take interior side yards of 10% of its average width, at least 3 ft, and a lot under 75 ft deep a rear yard of 20% of its average depth, at least 10 ft (§22.110.080 C.2, D); the standard yards draw (conservative). On a partly built block the front may be the average of the two adjoining fronts, and on a frontage rising 10 ft within 50 ft (or a 20% slope) it need not exceed half the zone's depth (§22.110.080 B). On corner, flag and irregular lots the Director determines which yard is which (§22.110.080 A); a flag lot's yards sit on its main portion, and a uniform 10 ft from every lot line may be used instead (§22.110.170). Along a limited secondary highway an added 8 ft yard applies (§22.110.080 E; not checked for this lot). Eaves may project 2.5 ft into any yard, no closer than 2.5 ft to a lot line (§22.110.090). Fences, walls and hedges: 3.5 ft in a front yard, 6 ft in interior side and rear yards, 3.5 ft within 5 ft of the highway line in a corner side yard; retaining walls 6 ft (§22.110.070). A lot in a Front Yard Setback District takes the front set by that district's ordinance of adoption, which supersedes these yards (Ch. 22.72, Table 22.72.020-A). In a Hillside Management Area (natural slopes of 25% or more) development needs a Conditional Use Permit unless it is on a single lot grading no more than 15,000 cu yd of cut plus fill, or less where a Community Standards District says so (§22.104.030 A); the chapter sets no yards, and its Hillside Design Guidelines govern siting and landscaping. Community Standards Districts (Title 22 Volume II) may modify these yards. Verify the zone on LA County DRP's GIS-NET and the yards with LA County DRP.
Corner lots: 10′ on the secondary street frontage.
LA County R-1/R-2/R-A/A-1/A-2: front 20, side 5, rear 15. Title 22 Table 22.18.040-A (R-A, R-1, R-2) and Table 22.16.050-A (A-1, A-2). Corner side 5 ft, or 10 ft on a reversed corner lot; drawn at 10 ft because the neighbouring frontages were not checked. Height 35 ft (§22.18.040 D.1; §22.16.050 B). Adopted Title 22 Ch. 22.110 (General Site Regulations): a lot under 50 ft wide may take interior side yards of 10% of its average width, at least 3 ft, and a lot under 75 ft deep a rear yard of 20% of its average depth, at least 10 ft (§22.110.080 C.2, D); the standard yards draw (conservative). On a partly built block the front may be the average of the two adjoining fronts, and on a frontage rising 10 ft within 50 ft (or a 20% slope) it need not exceed half the zone's depth (§22.110.080 B). On corner, flag and irregular lots the Director determines which yard is which (§22.110.080 A); a flag lot's yards sit on its main portion, and a uniform 10 ft from every lot line may be used instead (§22.110.170). Along a limited secondary highway an added 8 ft yard applies (§22.110.080 E; not checked for this lot). Eaves may project 2.5 ft into any yard, no closer than 2.5 ft to a lot line (§22.110.090). Fences, walls and hedges: 3.5 ft in a front yard, 6 ft in interior side and rear yards, 3.5 ft within 5 ft of the highway line in a corner side yard; retaining walls 6 ft (§22.110.070). A lot in a Front Yard Setback District takes the front set by that district's ordinance of adoption, which supersedes these yards (Ch. 22.72, Table 22.72.020-A). In a Hillside Management Area (natural slopes of 25% or more) development needs a Conditional Use Permit unless it is on a single lot grading no more than 15,000 cu yd of cut plus fill, or less where a Community Standards District says so (§22.104.030 A); the chapter sets no yards, and its Hillside Design Guidelines govern siting and landscaping. Community Standards Districts (Title 22 Volume II) may modify these yards. Verify the zone on LA County DRP's GIS-NET and the yards with LA County DRP.
What the export says about this table
Unincorporated Los Angeles County reviewed 2026-10-18 against Title 22 Tables 22.18.040-A and 22.16.050-A and Chapter 22.110, checked on R-1 lots (interior, corner and irregular), R-2, R-3, R-4, R-5, R-A and A-1 lots, and lots in a Front Yard Setback District and a Community Standards District. On a corner lot the street side is 5 ft, or more on a reversed corner lot (10 ft in R-1, R-2, R-A and A-1; 7.5 ft in R-3 and R-4); the larger figure is drawn. In R-4 the side setback grows 1 ft for each story over two, to 16 ft; that is not drawn. In R-5 the side and rear setbacks are 15 ft next to R-1 or R-2 land and 0 ft across a street or easement at least 15 ft wide; 15 ft is drawn. Narrow lots, shallow lots and steep frontages may take smaller side, rear and front yards (Section 22.110.080); the standard yards are drawn. A lot in a Front Yard Setback District or a Community Standards District takes that district's standards, so no yards are drawn there. Development on natural slopes of 25 percent or more may need a hillside permit. A-2 lots, lots under 50 ft wide, Santa Monica Mountains coastal lots, frontages on limited secondary highways, creek-adjacent lots and fire-hazard areas are not yet reviewed.
Printed verbatim on every Unincorporated Los Angeles County export — the same words the reviewer signed off, not a summary of them.
Setbacks are one layer of a Unincorporated Los Angeles County base plan
The same address search returns the parcel boundary, 1–2 ft contours, building footprints, CAL FIRE defensible-space zones, the soil profile, four-season sun, and a native plant palette matched to the site. See everything Lekua resolves in Los Angeles County →
Unincorporated Los Angeles County setback FAQ
What are the residential setbacks in Unincorporated Los Angeles County?
In R-1 the code sets a 20 ft front yard, 5 ft sides, and a 15 ft rear yard. The full table is below, transcribed from LA County R-1/R-2/R-A/A-1/A-2 with the citation attached to every row. This table has passed independent review, so Lekua draws the setback envelope on the base plan for a Unincorporated Los Angeles County parcel.
Does Lekua draw the setback envelope for Unincorporated Los Angeles County?
Yes. Unincorporated Los Angeles County is one of the jurisdictions whose table has passed review, most recently on 2026-10-18, so the envelope is drawn on the DXF and PDF base plan, with its citation.
Where do these Unincorporated Los Angeles County setback numbers come from?
They are transcribed from the adopted code — LA County R-1/R-2/R-A/A-1/A-2 — and this page renders them by calling the same function the exporter calls, so what you see here is what the drawing gets. Zoning changes; verify against the current code and with the planning department before submittal.
Can I get a CAD base map for a Unincorporated Los Angeles County parcel?
Yes. Enter any Unincorporated Los Angeles County address and Lekua returns a layered DXF base plan and a PDF site report — county parcel lines, fine contours (1–2 ft on demand, or the county’s own where it publishes them), building footprints, CAL FIRE defensible-space zones, soil, seasonal sun, and a native plant palette matched to the parcel, alongside zoning. See what else resolves in Los Angeles County.
Start with a Unincorporated Los Angeles County address
Free to search. The zone resolves from the parcel, not from the mailing address.