Fence Regulations in Milpitas, CA (2026)
7 verified fence regulations for Milpitas, California, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Height Limits
On the valley floor, Milpitas Zoning Ordinance Section C.2.040 caps fences and walls at 42 inches within a required front setback, 42 inches within 10 feet of a street side property line (six feet beyond 10 feet), and six feet within interior side and rear setbacks. Corner-lot visibility-triangle fences may not exceed three feet.
Milpitas Fence Height Limits
Some RestrictionsPermit Requirements
Milpitas Building and Safety follows the California Building and Residential Codes: fences not over seven feet high are exempt from a building permit. Fences taller than seven feet, and retaining walls over four feet measured from the bottom of the footing, do require a permit. A separate zoning review still applies to height and placement under Section C.2.040.
Milpitas Fence Permits
Few RestrictionsNeighbor Fence Rules
Milpitas has no special shared-fence cost ordinance, so California's Good Neighbor Fence Law, Civil Code Section 841, controls: adjoining owners are presumed to share equally in the cost of a boundary fence, and a 30-day written notice is required before incurring costs. Locally, raising a rear or side fence to eight feet requires written consent of adjoining owners.
Milpitas Shared Fence / Neighbor Rules
Some RestrictionsRetaining Walls
In Milpitas, a retaining wall not over four feet measured from the bottom of the footing to the top of the wall is exempt from a building permit, unless it supports a surcharge or impounds liquids; taller or loaded walls require a permit. Combined wall-plus-fence height counts toward the zoning fence limits in Section C.2.040.
Milpitas Retaining Walls
Some RestrictionsFence Requirements
Milpitas Zoning Ordinance Section C.2.040 requires fences and walls in all zones to meet design and safety standards: concrete block must be stucco-finished or decorative split-faced and capped, plain block is barred, corner-lot fences in the visibility triangle are capped at three feet, and all fences must be built and maintained so they do not create a hazard.
Milpitas Fence Requirements
Some RestrictionsMaterial Restrictions
Milpitas Zoning Ordinance Section C.2.040 prohibits barbed wire within four feet of a public sidewalk, electrically charged or hazardous fences (unless required by law), and chain-link fencing except for sports courts or certain screened commercial/industrial uses. Plain concrete block is also banned. Hillside fences must be openwork wood.
Milpitas Fence Material Restrictions
Some RestrictionsApproved Materials
Milpitas Zoning Ordinance Section C.2.040 favors finished, neighborhood-appropriate materials. Concrete block must be stucco-finished or decorative split-faced and capped (plain block barred), while barbed wire near sidewalks, electric fences, and most chain link are prohibited. Hillside-district fences must use wood posts and framework and be openwork.
Milpitas Approved Fence Materials
Some RestrictionsLooking for Santa Clara County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Milpitas city rules.
Fence Regulations in Santa Clara County →