Long Beach's Fence Regulations: The Rules That Matter

Every city handles fence regulations a little differently. In Long Beach, California, there are 5 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.

Fence Permit Requirements

A fence built of wood, chain-link or similar material up to 7 feet tall needs no building permit in Long Beach; masonry, concrete, brick or heavy-timber fences drop that threshold to 4 feet. Above those heights, or in violation of the zoning code, a building permit from the Building Official is mandatory.

Key details: Wood/chain-link fence exempt to: 7 feet above grade. Masonry/concrete/brick fence exempt to: 4 feet above grade. Governing section: LBMC § 18.04.020(B)(4). Zoning height limit cross-ref: LBMC § 21.46.020. Permitting authority: Building Official, Dept. of Community Development.

Building without a required permit is a Municipal Code violation under § 1.32.010: a misdemeanor punishable by up to $1,000 and six months in jail, or prosecuted as an infraction capped at $1,000, with each day of continuing violation a separate offense. The Building Official can issue a written stop-work order under § 18.03.020(H), and any unpermitted fence in violation of the Code is deemed a public nuisance the City may summarily abate.

Retaining Walls

A retaining wall or planter box in Long Beach needs no building permit if it's 4 feet or less from footing to top, doesn't hold back a surcharge or sloping earth, and doesn't retain flammable liquids. Any wall on a slope steeper than 1-in-5 (20%) needs a permit regardless of height.

Key details: Exempt height: 4 ft, footing to top of wall. Exemption voided by: surcharge, sloping earth, or slope >20%. Governing section: LBMC § 18.04.020(B)(5). Wood walls in Seismic Cat. D/E/F: prohibited, LBMC § 18.40.410. Local CBC amendment adopted: Ord. No. ORD-25-0019 (2025).

Building a retaining wall over 4 feet, on a steep slope, or in a wood-framed Seismic Design Category D/E/F assembly without the required permit is a Code violation under § 1.32.010, a misdemeanor (up to $1,000 and six months in jail) or infraction, each day a separate offense, and the Building Official may issue a written stop-work order under § 18.03.020(H) until it is corrected.

Neighbor Fence Rules

Boundary fences in Long Beach follow CA Civil Code §841 (Good Neighbor Fence Act) requiring shared cost. Spite fences over 10 ft built to annoy neighbors are a private nuisance under CA Civil Code §841.4.

Key details: Shared Cost: CA Civil Code §841. Spite Fences: Over 10 ft = private nuisance. State Law: CA Civil Code §841.4. Disputes: Civil matter between neighbors.

Building a fence on or over a property line without proper consent or survey may result in code enforcement action and potential civil liability. Disputes may be resolved through the Good Neighbor Fence Act (Civil Code 841) mediation process.

Material Restrictions

LBMC § 22.30.130(B) prohibits barbed wire 'or similar fencing with sharp, protruding objects capable of cutting or puncturing a person' on any fence or wall in the city's RMU, MU, and C zones, while expressly exempting decorative wrought iron from the ban.

Key details: Governing section: LBMC § 22.30.130(B). Prohibited: Barbed wire / sharp protruding-object fencing. Exception: Decorative wrought iron is allowed. Zones covered: RMU, MU, and C zones. Adopting ordinance: ORD-24-0015 (2024).

Installing barbed wire or similar sharp-object fencing in violation of § 22.30.130(B) is a zoning violation subject to § 21.10.080 (applied via § 22.10.010): a misdemeanor punishable by up to a $500 fine, up to six months' imprisonment, or both, with each day the prohibited material remains after a notice of violation from the Department of Planning and Building counted as a separate offense.

Height Limits

Long Beach caps a residential front yard fence at 3 ft., any other required yard area at 6 ft. 6 in., and anything outside the required yard area at 10 ft. Commercial and industrial lots get 3 ft. inside the street frontage setback and 12 ft. in other yards. Table 43-1 in Municipal Code § 21.43.020 sets every figure, and the section also fixes where height is measured from.

Key details: Residential front yard: 3 ft. maximum. Residential other yard area: 6 ft. 6 in. maximum. Residential outside required yard area: 10 ft. maximum. Commercial and industrial other yard: 12 ft. maximum. Corner cutoff area (all zones): 3 ft. maximum.

Chapter 21.43 prints no fine schedule of its own, so a fence built above its Table 43-1 cap is simply out of compliance with Section 21.43.020 and has to be cut down or approved under one of the table's footnoted routes. Section 21.43.030 separately bans barbed wire and similar fencing with sharp, protruding objects capable of cutting or puncturing a person in every zone, except atop a fence more than six feet in height in the IM, IG and IP Zones. Decorative wrought iron is excluded from that ban.

The Bottom Line

Long Beach'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 Long Beach is broadly strict or permissive.

These rules come from Long Beach's publicly available municipal code. For complete penalty schedules, exemption details, and answers to common questions, see the individual ordinance pages throughout this guide.