Anaheim's Fence Regulations: The Rules That Matter

Every city handles fence regulations a little differently. In Anaheim, California, there are 4 distinct rules that residents and property owners should be aware of. Some are stricter than what neighboring cities enforce, and others are more relaxed. Here is what you need to know.

Height Limits

Anaheim caps fences, walls and hedges at 3 feet in any required front yard, and applies that same 3-foot limit to the street side setback of a corner lot. Side and rear yards allow up to 8 feet under Municipal Code Section 18.46.110, but any fence or wall over 7 feet needs a building permit, and tall hedges near a corner right-of-way need a sightline check first.

Key details: Front yard fence height: 3 feet maximum, § 18.46.110.060. Side/rear fence height: 8 feet maximum per Table 46-B. Building permit threshold: Required over 7 feet high. Corner lot rule: Street side setback treated as front yard. Hedge visibility rule: No hedge over 3 ft within 7 ft of ROW.

Anaheim's Planning Department enforces these limits; a fence, wall, hedge or berm built above the applicable height or without required visibility review is a zoning violation that Code Enforcement can require the owner to lower, modify or remove. Fences and walls exceeding 7 feet also need a Building Division permit before installation; building without one can trigger a stop-work order and after-the-fact permitting with inspection before the structure may remain in place.

Fence Permit Requirements

Anaheim caps front-yard fences at 3 feet, but a single-family lot backing a major arterial with alley access can get a 6-foot sound attenuation fence through Administrative Review approval under Municipal Code Sec. 18.46.110.060.0604.

Key details: Base front-yard fence limit: 3 feet, citywide. Sound wall exception height: Up to 6 feet. Eligible lots: Single-family, arterial-adjacent, alley access only. Permit required: Administrative Review, Chapter 18.62. Excluded zone: RM-1 Zone.

Constructing a sound attenuation fence above the three-foot front-yard limit without first obtaining Administrative Review approval under Chapter 18.62 is a zoning violation. Code Enforcement can order removal or reduction of an unpermitted wall to the base three-foot height, and the Planning Department can deny or revoke approval for a project that fails the required traffic line-of-sight review or omits the mandatory landscaped buffer and vine screening.

This is one of the stricter rules in Anaheim's municipal code. If you are unsure whether your situation complies, it is worth checking with the city before proceeding.

Retaining Walls

Anaheim caps crib and retaining wall height under Municipal Code Section 18.46.110.120: six feet where the wall is visible from a public right-of-way, trail or street, steppable to twelve feet total with terracing, and fourteen feet where it is not visible. These zoning standards override the hillside grading chapter's flat ten-foot limit whenever the two conflict.

Key details: Max height, visible to street/ROW: 6 feet (up to 12 feet if stepped). Max height, not visible to street/ROW: 14 feet. Governing section: AMC 18.46.110.120. Conflict rule: Prevails over Chapter 17.06 hillside grading. Landscape plan: Planning Dept approval before grading permit.

Building or altering a retaining wall without Planning Department landscape-plan approval or without a Chief Building Inspector permit exposes the property owner to code enforcement action, including a stop-work order until the violation is corrected. Because Title 18 does not set its own penalty for this section, the citywide default in Section 1.01.370 applies: a misdemeanor punishable by up to a $1,000 fine, up to six months in jail, or both, with each day the noncompliant wall remains a separate offense.

Material Restrictions

Anaheim's zoning code bans visible chain link fencing from the public right-of-way, prohibits barbed wire on residential and commercial properties, and limits electric fencing to industrial zones where it cannot be seen from the street. Table 46-B of the Municipal Code sets these material limits zone by zone.

Key details: Chain link visible from street: Prohibited (§ 18.46.110.050.0501). Barbed wire, residential/commercial: Not permitted (Table 46-B). Barbed wire, Industrial zone: Only if not visible from ROW. Electric fencing: Industrial zone only, not visible from ROW. Front setback fence height: 3 ft (6 ft in RH-1/RH-2).

A fence that violates the chain link, barbed wire or electric fence limits is a Municipal Code violation. Under Section 1.01.370, unless another penalty is specified, violating any mandatory Code requirement is a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to $1,000, up to six months in the city or county jail, or both, with each day the noncompliant fence remains a separate offense. The Planning and Building Department or Community Preservation enforces fence standards and typically issues a correction notice before pursuing citation.

The Bottom Line

Anaheim's fence regulations rules are a mixed bag. Some areas are strict, others are relaxed, and the details matter. The best approach is to check the specific rule that applies to your situation rather than assuming Anaheim is broadly strict or permissive.

This guide is based on Anaheim's current municipal code. Local rules can and do change, so check the individual ordinance pages for the latest details, penalties, and FAQs.