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Fence Regulations in Tulare, CA (2026)

5 verified fence regulations for Tulare, California, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.

Verified from official government sources

Height Limits

Tulare Municipal Code § 10.16.160 caps fences at 4 feet in the required front yard (and street-side yard of corner lots) and 7 feet in side/rear yards. Walls taller than 7 feet require Planning Commission approval, typically only granted to mitigate noise impacts identified in the Tulare General Plan.

Fence height limits in Tulare

Some Restrictions

Neighbor Fence Rules

Tulare does not have a city-level shared-fence ordinance — California Civil Code § 841 (the Good Neighbor Fence Act) governs. Adjoining owners are presumed to share equally in the reasonable cost of building, maintaining, or replacing a boundary fence, after 30 days' written notice.

Shared boundary fences and neighbor disputes

Some Restrictions

Retaining Walls

Tulare follows the California Building Code: retaining walls 4 feet or less in height (measured from the bottom of the footing to the top of the wall) are exempt from a building permit — unless they support a surcharge or impound Class I, II, or III-A liquids. Walls over 4 feet require engineered plans and a building permit.

Retaining wall permit thresholds

Some Restrictions

Pool Barriers

Tulare Municipal Code § 10.16.160 sets a 5-foot minimum pool fence height; California Health & Safety Code § 115922 (Swimming Pool Safety Act) imposes the stricter standard of a 60-inch barrier plus at least two of seven approved drowning-prevention safety features for any new or remodeled residential pool or spa.

Pool fence and barrier requirements

Heavy Restrictions

Approved Materials

Tulare Municipal Code § 10.16.160 specifies that front-yard fences must have a see-through top foot (wrought iron or similar). Masonry fences over 3 feet require engineered footings and a building permit; any fence over 7 feet requires engineered post footings and a permit regardless of material.

Fence materials and permit thresholds

Some Restrictions

Looking for Tulare County county-wide rules?

County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Tulare city rules.

Fence Regulations in Tulare County