SB 9 is the California law that lets owners of qualifying single-family lots split them in two and build on the new one. Here's how it works, who qualifies, and how to turn the yard you don't use into cash.
$0No realtor fees when you sell the new lotSB 9 took effect January 1, 2022. It added two sections to California's Government Code: one lets a homeowner build two homes on a single-family lot (§65852.21), and the other lets them split that lot into two separate parcels (§66411.7). Used together, a lot that holds one house today can hold up to four homes, two on each lot.
The big change is how the city handles it. An SB 9 split is approved ministerially, which means the city checks it against written, objective standards and says yes or no. No public hearing, no neighbors voting on it.
The city still has rules, but SB 9 limits them. It can't ask for more than 4 foot side and rear setbacks for the new homes, can't require more than one parking space per home (and none near major transit), and can't use its standards to block two homes of at least 800 square feet.
Very high fire hazard zones, FEMA flood zones and earthquake fault zones don't automatically rule a lot out, but they add conditions. In the Coastal Zone SB 9 still applies, and the Coastal Act does too, so a coastal permit or exemption is also needed. Homes built under SB 9 can't be rented for less than 30 days at a time. Sources: Cal. Gov. Code §§65852.21, 66411.7.
You don't list the lot, stage anything or wait for buyers. You sell the new lot direct to the buyer, and the price you agree on is what you get, without an agent's commission coming out of it.
Grant Thiem is a licensed California real estate broker (DRE #01984787).
Type your address on our home page. In about 30 seconds you'll see whether it looks like it splits.
We meet you there, look at the lot by hand, and draw exactly where the line and the new home go.
A plan for the new lot, a timeline and a price, with no realtor fees.
You're paid when the new lot sale closes. You keep your house and a smaller yard.
State law sets the floor. Each city adds its own objective standards on top, and our lot check reads them.
Much of the city is in the Coastal Zone, so many splits also need a coastal permit. Flag lots need a 20 ft strip, owned or a recorded easement.
Flag lot strips are 20 ft wide and up to 150 ft long, with a 14 ft paved driveway.
No separate SB 9 ordinance; the city applies state law plus its zoning code. Many lots are large rural residential parcels.
Vista adopted its own SB 9 rules in its development and municipal codes.
The city maps parcels as permitted, constrained or prohibited for SB 9. Flag strips are 30 ft wide.
Both have local SB 9 rules. All of Solana Beach's coastal permits for these go through the Coastal Commission.
No. You sell direct to the buyer. There's no listing and no realtor commission coming out of your price.
For an SB 9 lot split, the owner signs a statement that they intend to live in one of the homes for three years after the split.
Usually yes. Splitting the lot changes the property that secures your loan, so the lender has to sign off on releasing the new lot. We work through that with you.
Usually. Once the new lot is sold, your remaining parcel is assessed on its own. The county assessor sets the actual number.
Yes, but the Coastal Act still applies, so you also need a coastal development permit or an exemption. That adds time.
It depends on the city and the lot. The split itself typically takes many months from first plans to the new parcel being recorded.
Free check in about 30 seconds. No signup to see your answer, and no realtor fees when you sell the new lot.
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