Your local zoning & permit reference

About Home Code Guide

What We Do

Home Code Guide is a free reference that translates dense municipal zoning codes and building permit requirements into plain English. We currently cover 7 cities across 15 regulation topics — from fence heights and setback rules to ADU regulations and demolition permits.

Our goal is simple: help homeowners understand what they can and cannot build on their property before they start a project, hire a contractor, or visit the planning department.

Our Methodology

Every data point on Home Code Guide follows a structured extraction and verification process:

1

Source Identification

We identify official municipal code sources for each city — primarily Municode, American Legal Publishing, and direct city government websites. Only official, publicly-available legal code is used as source material.

2

Data Extraction

Regulation data is extracted using a two-stage AI pipeline. The first stage pulls raw data points: specific measurements, zone classifications, code section numbers, permit thresholds, and fee amounts. The second stage writes plain-English explanations and FAQ content based on the extracted data.

3

Source Verification

Every regulation entry includes a citation to the specific municipal code section it was derived from. Source URLs are programmatically constructed to link directly to the official code text — we never use AI-generated URLs.

4

Quality Gates

Pages must meet minimum data quality thresholds before being fully published. We check for sufficient data points, source citations, permit information completeness, and FAQ coverage. Pages that don't meet the bar display a warning to users.

Important Limitations

  • Not legal advice. Home Code Guide provides informational summaries only. We are not attorneys, architects, or licensed professionals.
  • Codes change. Municipal codes are amended regularly. While we work to keep data current, always verify requirements with your local planning department before starting any project.
  • AI-assisted extraction. Our data pipeline uses AI to extract and summarize regulations from official sources. While we implement quality checks, AI extraction can occasionally misinterpret complex legal language.
  • Not comprehensive. We cover the most common residential regulation topics. Specialized zoning (commercial, industrial, historic district overlays) may not be included.

Report an Error

If you find incorrect information on any page, use the "Report an Error" link at the bottom of that page. We review all reports and update data as needed.

Contact

For questions, corrections, or partnership inquiries, reach us through the error reporting form on any regulation page, or visit our homepage to browse available cities.