Codes and Regulations

2025 California Building Code Adoption

On January 1, 2026, the 2025 California Building code will go into effect in the County of Orange. All submittals made from this date forward will be subject to the 2025 Building Codes. To be considered for grandfathering permit applications under 2022 Building codes, applications shall be submitted and plan review fee paid by December 31, 2025. However, due to the high volume of anticipated submittals, permit applications for grandfathering are to be submitted by December 15, 2025 to ensure the applications are deemed complete and plan check fees are paid by the 31st.  Otherwise, new submittals shall be updated to comply with the 2025 California Building Code.

Acoustical Consultant Certification

• 2021-2026 Acoustical Consultants list

Archaeological/Paleontological Principal Investigator List

• 2026 Archaeological/Paleontological Principal Investigator List

General Plan

• The County of Orange General Plan
• General Plan Land Use Element Map - 2015 picture_as_pdf
• Orange County Housing Opportunities Manual - 2024 picture_as_pdf
• Land Use/Noise Compatibility Manual - Amended 1993 picture_as_pdf

Land Records

• The Zoning Information has been added to the Land Records picture_as_pdf

Subdivision Code

• Subdivision Code picture_as_pdf
• Subdivision Manual picture_as_pdf

Zoning Code

• Adopted Orange County Zoning Code 12-04-2025
• County of Orange Codified Ordinance (Zoning Code - Title 7, Division 9 picture_as_pdf
• County of Orange Zoning Map - 2016 picture_as_pdf
• County of Orange Landscape Irrigation Code picture_as_pdf
• Guidelines for Implementation of Landscape Irrigation Code picture_as_pdf
• WUCOLS 2000 - Guide to Estimating Irrigations Water Needs picture_as_pdf

Orange County Local CEQA Procedures Manual

• Orange County Local CEQA Procedures Manual – 2020picture_as_pdf

Transportation Implementation Manual

• Transportation Implementation Manual – 2021 picture_as_pdf
• Orange County - VMT Screening Applicationexplore

Building Codes

• Building Code – California Building Code 2025 Edition, California Residential Code 2025 Edition, Energy Code- California Energy Code 2025 Edition and California Green Building Standards Code 2025 Edition, California Historical Building Code 2025 Edition, California existing Building Code 2025 Edition, adopted and amended by Ordinance No. 25-018 on November 4, 2025
• Plumbing Code - CPC 2025 Edition, adopted and amended by Ordinance No. 25-019 on November 4, 2025.
• Mechanical Code – California Mechanical Code 2025 Edition, adopted and amended by Ordinance No. 25-020 on November 4, 2025.
• Electrical Code – California Electrical Code 2025 Edition,  adopted and amended by Ordinance No. 25-021 on November 4, 2025 .
• Fire Code – California Fire Code 2025 Edition, adopted and amended by Ordinance No. 25-022 on November 4, 2025.

Fire Hazard Severity Zone Map

• Orange County Fire Hazard Severity Zone Map picture_as_pdf

Grading Code

• Grading and Excavation Code - 2015 Edition (Effective 3/27/2015) picture_as_pdf
• Grading Manual- 2017 Edition picture_as_pdf

NPDES Water Quality Regulations

• Santa Ana Region Fourth Term NPDES Stormwater Permit picture_as_pdf
• San Diego Region Fifth Term NPDES Stormwater Permit
• 2003 Drainage Area Management Plan (DAMP)
• BMP Design Manual picture_as_pdf
• Best Management Practices (BMPs): New Development/Significant Redevelopment, Construction, Industrial/Commercial, Residential

Wireless Communications Facilities Ordinances

• Private Property - Ordinance 15-019picture_as_pdf
• County Highways - Ordinance 15-020picture_as_pdf

Other Codes, Ordinances and Regulations

• Sand and Gravel Code and Mineral Extraction Codepicture_as_pdf
• Oil Drilling and Production Regulationspicture_as_pdf
• Codified Ordinances County Of Orange, Californiapicture_as_pdf
• Noise Control picture_as_pdf(OCCO 4-6-1 through 4-6-16)
• Property Maintenance picture_as_pdf(OCCO 3-13-1 through 3-13-12)
• Nuisancespicture_as_pdf(OCCO 3-14-1 through 3-14-103)
• Development Fees Resolution No. 20-089 picture_as_pdf

If there are any questions regarding the details of a document, or to obtain a hard copy or other alternative formats of the original document, or to have a document read to you, please contact the OC Development Services office, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. PST, by email at ocpcustomercare@ocpw.ocgov.com or by phone at (714) 667-8888.

In order to view the documents, please select the appropriate link above by clicking on the title. The documents can be viewed using Adobe Acrobat.

Previous Building Codes

• Building Code – California Building Code 2022 Edition, California Residential Code 2022 Edition, Energy Code- California Energy Code 2022 Edition and California Green Building Standards Code 2022 Edition, California Historical Building Code 2022 Edition, California existing Building Code 2022 Edition, adopted and amended by Ordinance No. 22-004 on December 6, 2022
• Plumbing Code - CPC 2022 Edition, adopted and amended by Ordinance No. 22-005 on December 6, 2022 .
• Mechanical Code – California Mechanical Code 2022 Edition, adopted and amended by Ordinance No. 22-006 on December 6, 2022 .
• Electrical Code – California Electrical Code 2022 Edition,  adopted and amended by Ordinance No. 22-007 on December 6, 2022 .
• Fire Code – California Fire Code 2022 Edition, adopted and amended by Ordinance No. 22-008 on December 6, 2022 .
• Permitting Procedures for Small Residential Solar Energy Systems: Ordinance No. 15-012

• Building Code – California Building Code 2019 Edition, California Residential Code 2019 Edition, Energy Code- California Energy Code 2019 Edition and California Green Building Standards Code 2019 Edition, California Historical Building Code 2019 Edition, California existing Building Code 2019 Edition, adopted and amended by Ordinance No. 19-006 on November 5, 2019
• Plumbing Code - CPC 2019 Edition, adopted and amended by Ordinance No. 19-007 on November 5, 2019 .
• Mechanical Code – California Mechanical Code 2019 Edition, adopted and amended by Ordinance No. 19-008 on November 5, 2019 .
• Electrical Code – California Electrical Code 2019 Edition,  adopted and amended by Ordinance No. 19-009 on November 5, 2019.

• Fire Code – California Fire Code 2019 Edition, adopted and amended by Ordinance No. 19-010 on November 5, 2019 .
• Building Code – California Building Code 2016, California Residential Code 2016, Energy Code- California Energy Code 2016 and California Green Building Standards Code 2016, Adopted and amended by Ordinance No. 13-010 picture_as_pdfon November 22, 2016
• Plumbing Code - CPC 2016 Adopted and amended by Ordinance No. 16-019 picture_as_pdfon November 22, 2016 .
• Mechanical Code – California Mechanical Code 2016 Adopted and amended by Ordinance No. 16-020 picture_as_pdfon November 22, 2016 .
• Electrical Code – California Electrical Code 2016 Adopted and amended by Ordinance No. 16-021 picture_as_pdfon November 22, 2016 .
• Fire Code – California Fire Code 2016 Adopted and amended by Ordinance No. 16-022 picture_as_pdfon November 22, 2016 .
• Grading Manual picture_as_pdf- 1993 Edition.
• Grading and Excavation Code picture_as_pdf- 1993 Edition.