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California combines a detailed rulebook with fast ADU approvals, and at the same time a number of counties allow containers only for storage. The most detailed document we found is a bulletin from the City of Los Angeles that spells out what the engineer must do.
This page collects what we could confirm from state agencies, statutes and city and county documents. For costs, layouts and the build itself, see our guide to shipping container homes, and for the comparison with other states see which states allow shipping container homes.
The 2025 California Building Standards Code, Title 24, took effect on January 1, 2026. The 2025 California Building Code is based on the 2024 International Building Code, and the 2025 California Residential Code is based on the 2024 International Residential Code. According to the ICC’s online copy, which we used only as a pointer to the adopted text, the building code contains Section 3114 on intermodal shipping containers, which applies to containers repurposed as buildings. It requires construction documents that verify the container’s dimensions and the properties of the steel and wood floor, and an existing ISO 6346 data plate verified by an approved agency. The residential code has Section R301.1.4, which requires a repurposed container to be designed under Section 3114 of the building code. We read this in the ICC copy and the state’s rulemaking documents, so check the section text with your building department before you rely on it.
California also carries an amendment by the Department of Housing and Community Development, shown in the 2022 code as Section 3115. It says that shipping containers constructed or converted off site that qualify as factory-built housing or as commercial modulars must be approved by HCD. The 2025 code renumbers the container section 3114, and we could not confirm whether the amendment text is unchanged. The 2025 Energy Code applies to permit applications filed on or after January 1, 2026, and expands the use of heat pumps in newly constructed homes. For a steel-framed wall, look at the prescriptive tables of the Energy Code with your designer, since we did not find steel-framed wall values in the part of the compliance manual we could read. The 2025 CALGreen code, part of Title 24, is also effective January 1, 2026.
The Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety publishes Information Bulletin P/BC 2023-145, Cargo Container Conversion to Building Modules. It limits conversions to two stories, requires the structural engineer of record to stamp the as-built drawings, and requires continuous deputy inspection of all field welding. The containers must be general-purpose containers conforming to ISO 1496-1 and ISO 6346 with a CSC placard, verified undamaged by a licensed marine surveyor, and manufactured within 24 months of the department’s approval of the site-specific drawings. Each unmodified container needs a condition assessment under ASCE 41-17 with non-destructive weld testing, paid for by the owner, and a written report sealed by a California-licensed engineer.
The corrugated siding and the steel frame of the container are not counted toward lateral resistance, and steel moment frames are not considered suitable for container conversions. Foundations must be permanent, with at least 18 inches between the underside of the plywood floor and exposed soil unless the plywood is pressure treated. Wood floor decking that contains toxic chemicals must be removed and replaced, and the structure must be tested for lead-based paint. Electrical, mechanical and plumbing permits are separate, and the energy code and the LA Green Code apply. The department accepts containers already approved by HCD as factory-built housing or commercial modular, while zoning and building-location review still apply. A container used only as incidental storage is a different category, with one container per lot and a maximum of 400 square feet per 5,000 square feet of lot, no stacking and no joining.
San Diego’s Information Bulletin 149, dated March 2024, requires a building permit to install cargo containers and says containers on the plans must be specified by a California-licensed design professional because they are not conventional construction. Containers not approved by HCD may be used for residential occupancy only as single level, unstacked containers on grade. Stacked containers need a permanent foundation. The bulletin requires an automatic sprinkler system in containers used for residential occupancy, unless exempted, and an in situ load test when the container construction is altered. HCD-approved containers are accepted for their stated occupancy.
| Place | What we found |
|---|---|
| Los Angeles | Dedicated conversion bulletin, two stories at most, engineer stamp, weld testing, deputy inspection. |
| San Diego | Residential use allowed if single level and unstacked, or HCD approved. Sprinklers required unless exempt. |
| San Francisco | ADUs allowed citywide in zoning districts that permit residential use. The planning page does not mention containers. |
| Sacramento (city) | Detached ADU up to 1,200 square feet. The handout does not mention containers. |
| San Bernardino County | Unincorporated area: storage containers need an accessory structure permit and may not be used for human occupancy. |
| Riverside County | Unincorporated area: metal shipping containers only as an accessory storage use, not as habitable space. The standards do not apply in the A-2, A-P and A-D zones. |
| Atascadero | Cargo containers may not be used for permanent or temporary occupancy. |
| Modoc County | Policy M-006 covers containers for residential storage only: up to 400 square feet each, no stacking, no connecting. |
Read the last four rows with care. In unincorporated San Bernardino and Riverside counties and in Atascadero, containers may not be used for habitation, and Modoc County’s policy covers storage only, so ask the planning department whether any route to a container home exists there.
California’s ADU statutes were renumbered by SB 477 effective March 25, 2024. Under Government Code 66323 a city must approve a detached new-construction ADU of up to 800 square feet with side and rear setbacks of no more than four feet. Under Government Code 66314 a local ordinance may allow a detached ADU of up to 1,200 square feet. Local standards may not include a minimum lot size. A city must process a qualifying ADU ministerially, without a discretionary hearing, and approve or deny a complete application within 60 days. It cannot set a height limit for a detached ADU below 16 feet, cannot impose owner occupancy on an ADU, apart from one sold separately to a qualified buyer, and cannot require fire sprinklers in an ADU if the main home does not need them. An ADU of 750 square feet or less is exempt from impact fees. A local agency may require that an ADU approved under Government Code 66323 be rented for a term longer than 30 days.
None of this relaxes the building code. HCD states that every ADU must still comply with the building code and health and safety requirements for dwellings, so a container ADU must meet the full dwelling code. HCD’s handbook gives no separate permit process for container modules and refers questions to its Division of Codes and Standards. Several bills, including AB 1154, SB 9 of 2025, SB 543, AB 462 and AB 130, changed ADU law with effective dates through January 1, 2026, and HCD updated its ADU Handbook in March 2026. SB 9 of 2021 requires ministerial approval of two-unit developments on eligible single-family lots.
California’s Factory-Built Housing Law covers residential buildings wholly or substantially manufactured off site and assembled on site, and excludes mobilehomes. HCD’s handbook says design approval is done by a third-party design approval agency that HCD certifies and monitors, that an insignia of approval must be affixed before shipment, that the local building department inspects assembly and installation on site, and that the unit must sit on a foundation designed to comply with Title 24. The handbook does not mention shipping containers by name. If you plan to order a finished module, ask HCD’s Division of Codes and Standards whether your supplier is approved.
The 2025 edition of Title 24 includes Part 7, the California Wildland-Urban Interface Code, which adds requirements for new buildings in any Fire Hazard Severity Zone or WUI Fire Area. The State Fire Marshal classifies lands in State Responsibility Areas into moderate, high and very high zones. The Board of Forestry’s Zone 0 rule for the first five feet around a structure was still not final when we checked on October 20, 2026. Under the Alquist-Priolo Earthquake Fault Zoning Act a structure for human occupancy cannot be placed over an active fault, and cities and counties require a geologic investigation by a licensed geologist before permitting new projects in fault zones.
Septic systems follow the State Water Board’s OWTS Policy, amended on April 18, 2023, and local agencies such as county environmental health departments permit onsite systems under it. Under the state OWTS policy, new and replacement systems need minimum setbacks of 100 feet from water wells and springs and 200 feet from lakes, ponds and wetlands, with site-specific exceptions. For an ADU on septic, a local agency may require a percolation test completed within the last five years. Design values vary by place. Los Angeles County asks for a minimum ground snow load of 20 psf where the building elevation is 2,000 feet or higher, while Sacramento County’s design criteria sheet, which refers to the 2022 code, says snow loads are not required.
Under Business and Professions Code 7044 the contractors license law does not apply to an owner who builds on their own property if none of the improvements are intended or offered for sale and the owner does the work personally or with employees paid only wages. An owner may also contract directly with licensed contractors for each trade. A sale or offer for sale within one year after completion creates a rebuttable presumption that the structure was built for sale. Property owners cannot perform well drilling under the C-57 classification. Our build guide and foundation guide cover the order of work and the foundation.
These are median depot prices from our October 2026 price index. Delivery is not included, and transport cost depends on distance from the port or depot.
| Metro | Used 20ft | Used 40ft high cube | New 20ft |
|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles and Long Beach | $1,298 | $1,515 | $2,450 |
| Oakland and San Francisco | $1,700 | $2,050 | $2,700 |
Listings
Most container homes start with high cube containers, new or in premium used condition. Starting prices come from current inventory at US depots. Pick a container and vetted local suppliers send delivered quotes for your ZIP code.
Depot prices updated October 2026As-new high cube with clean paint and floors. The first choice for container homes, offices and long term use.
One foot taller inside. The usual base for tiny homes, workshops and tall equipment.
Higher grade used high cube with fewer dents. A smart pick for conversions on a budget.
Extra foot of height for racking and bulky goods, at used container prices.
Starting prices at the depot, based on current inventory at major US container depots. Delivery, sales tax and local fees are extra and depend on your ZIP code. Your supplier confirms the final price in your quote.
See all containers and pricesListing prices above are US-wide depot prices from our supplier network. For California metros, use the median table further up.
Planning a build in another state? See our guides for Arizona, Washington and New York.
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FAQs
Yes in some places, under conditions. Los Angeles has a dedicated bulletin for converting containers to buildings, and San Diego allows containers for residential use under conditions. Several counties go the other way: unincorporated San Bernardino and Riverside allow containers only for storage, not for habitation. Always check the local rule before you buy.
The 2025 California Building Standards Code took effect on January 1, 2026. The 2025 California Building Code is based on the 2024 International Building Code, and the 2025 Residential Code on the 2024 International Residential Code. According to the ICC’s copy of the 2025 code, the container provisions sit in Section 3114 of the building code and R301.1.4 of the residential code.
Possibly, because state law requires ministerial approval of qualifying ADUs within 60 days and limits what cities can require. A city must approve a detached new-construction ADU of up to 800 square feet with side and rear setbacks of no more than four feet, cannot require owner occupancy for a standard ADU, and cannot require a minimum lot size. The container still has to meet the full dwelling code. If you build in Los Angeles or San Diego, the city’s container rules apply as well, and the LADBS bulletin does not mention ADUs, so ask the department how it treats a container ADU.
In the 2022 code, containers constructed or converted off site that qualify as factory-built housing or as commercial modulars had to be approved by the Department of Housing and Community Development; confirm the 2025 wording with HCD. HCD works through third-party design approval agencies and requires an insignia of approval before shipment. The local building department inspects the on-site assembly and installation.
The contractors license law does not apply to an owner who builds on their own property if none of the improvements are intended or offered for sale and the owner does the work personally or with employees paid only wages. A sale or offer for sale within one year after completion creates a presumption that it was built for sale. The exemption does not waive permits or the building code.
In the October 2026 price index, the Los Angeles and Long Beach median depot price was $1,298 for a used 20ft container and $2,450 for a new 20ft. Oakland and San Francisco were $1,700 used and $2,700 new. Delivery is extra.
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Andreas Atrott is the founder of CUBX - shipping-containers.com and its sister sites shipping-containers.com.au in Australia and containerbasis.de in Germany. He has spent more than 15 years in the container industry, across sales, modifications, and custom builds, and shares what he has learned on his YouTube channel, Andy Knows Containers. That practical experience shapes how the platform helps US buyers match the right container to their project.
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