The Zoning Ordinance -- more commonly called the Zoning Code -- is Title 20 of the San José Municipal Code. It is an evolving set of regulations that promote and protect the public peace, health, safety, and general welfare by:

• Guiding, controlling, and regulating future growth and development in the City in a sound and orderly manner, and promoting the achievement of the goals and purposes of the Envision San José 2040 General Plan.
• Protecting the character and economic and social stability of agricultural, residential, commercial, industrial, and other areas in the City.
• Providing light, air, and privacy to property.
• Preserving and providing open space and preventing overcrowding of the land
• Appropriately regulating the concentration of population.
• Providing access to property and preventing undue interference with and hazards to traffic on public rights-of-way.
• Preventing unwarranted deterioration of the environment and promoting a balanced ecology.

APPROVED AMENDMENTS TO the Zoning Code

A major update of the Zoning Code took effect on February 19, 2001. Copies of these ordinances can be obtained from the City Clerk's Office Records Database.

Additionally, you may find it helpful to review recently approved amendments.

Find Your Property's Zoning

To determine your property's zoning, use one of these four methods:

• Go to www.sjpermits.org and enter the property address or Assessor's Parcel Number (APN).
• View the Zoning Map.
• Download the Zoning Map in a spatial data format for display using Google Earth or Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
• Call the Development Services Permit Center for help at 408-535-3555.

New development and land uses must conform to the Land Use/Transportation Diagram and the Land Use goals and policies in the Envision San José 2040 General Plan. In addition to the Zoning Ordinance, please check the General Plan to confirm that a proposed use is allowed under the land use designation for the project site. Applicants may be required to rezone their property if it does not currently conform with the General Plan.

Use the map below to search for a property's existing Zoning District. See the Land Use Zoning Map at fullscreen.