Fence Regulations in San Rafael, CA

If you live in San Rafael or are thinking about moving there, fence regulations are one of those things you probably won't think about until they affect you directly. San Rafael has 4 specific rules on the books covering different aspects of fence regulations, and some of them might surprise you.

Fence Permit Requirements

San Rafael lets homeowners build a 4-foot fence in front and street-side yards and a 7-foot fence in rear and interior side yards without a building permit. A building permit is required once a fence tops 7 feet or a retaining wall exceeds 4 feet, per San Rafael Municipal Code Section 14.16.140.

Key details: Front/street-side limit: 4 feet, no permit. Rear/interior side limit: 7 feet, no permit. Permit trigger: Fence over 7 ft or wall over 4 ft. Max with exception: 9 ft rear/side on sloped lots. Excluded area: Downtown Mixed Use district.

Building or replacing a fence above the permit-triggering heights without first securing a building permit, or without the required administrative design review and exception for a taller fence, is a zoning violation the community development or building division can cite. Under the citywide penalty provision, San Rafael Municipal Code Section 1.42.010, a code violation may be charged as an infraction or misdemeanor, each punishable by a fine of up to $500, and a misdemeanor conviction can also carry up to 6 months in the Marin County jail.

Material Restrictions

San Rafael bans concertina wire, razor wire, broken glass and electrified fences in every district, and bars barbed wire wherever it would abut a residential use. Chain link and wire mesh fences are also barred from any residential yard that fronts a street, right-of-way or waterway.

Key details: Banned everywhere: Concertina wire, razor wire, broken glass, electrified. Barbed wire: Banned where abutting residential use. Chain link/wire mesh: Banned in street-facing residential yards. Exception: Chain link allowed as environmental mitigation. Governing section: SRMC § 14.16.140.C.4.

Installing a prohibited fence material, such as barbed wire against a residential property line, an electrified fence, or a street-facing chain link fence without a qualifying mitigation basis, is a zoning code violation subject to code enforcement action. Under the citywide penalty provision, San Rafael Municipal Code Section 1.42.010, the violation may be prosecuted as an infraction or misdemeanor, each carrying a fine of up to $500, with a misdemeanor also punishable by up to 6 months in the Marin County jail; the city can additionally require removal or replacement of the noncompliant fence.

Height Limits

San Rafael caps residential fences at four feet in front and street-side yards but allows up to seven feet in rear and interior side yards for privacy, with a further increase to nine feet possible through administrative design review.

Key details: Front/street-side limit: 4 feet by right. Rear/interior-side limit: 7 feet by right. Maximum with review: 9 feet, admin design review. Sight-distance rule: Must meet § 14.16.295.

A privacy fence built taller than the permitted four-foot front-yard or seven-foot rear-yard limit without an approved design review exception is a zoning violation and can be ordered removed or reduced by the city.

Retaining Walls

San Rafael caps retaining walls at four feet in required rear and interior side yards; taller retaining walls on hillside parcels with 25%+ slope need environmental and design review to minimize grading and tree removal impacts.

Key details: By-right height: 4 feet in rear/side yards. Hillside threshold: 25%+ slope needs design review. Permit trigger: Building permit over 4 feet. Review body: Community development director.

Building a retaining wall over four feet without the required design review and building permit is a zoning and building code violation, subject to stop-work orders and code enforcement action by the city.

The Bottom Line

San Rafael'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 San Rafael is broadly strict or permissive.

All of the above reflects San Rafael's municipal code as of our last review. If you need specifics on fines, exemptions, or filing requirements, the detailed ordinance pages linked above have the full breakdown.