Fence Regulations in Visalia, CA (2026)
4 verified fence regulations for Visalia, California, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Height Limits
Visalia Municipal Code Chapter 17.36 caps residential fences, walls, and hedges at 7 feet in height in side and rear yards. Within a required front yard or street-side yard on a corner or cul-de-sac lot, the limit drops to 3 feet (or 4 feet if the top foot is at least 50% open in R-A zones).
7 ft max in side/rear, 3 ft in front yards
Some RestrictionsVisalia Municipal Code § 17.36.015
The height of a fence or wall shall be measured from the adjacent finished grade, excluding raised planters or berms, to the top of the fence, wall or hedge.
Fence Permit Requirements
Visalia Municipal Code section 15.40.020 requires a 'no fee' permit from the City Building Department before any fence is erected, altered, or moved. The Fence Ordinance applies to all fences in the city that are six feet or less in height; taller walls and fences are regulated under the California Building Code.
No-fee fence permit required for fences 6 ft or shorter
Some RestrictionsVisalia Municipal Code § 15.40.020
No person, firm, or corporation shall erect, construct, alter, or move a fence in the city, or cause the same to be done, without first obtaining a no fee permit from the city building department. This Fence Ordinance is applicable to all fences in the city which are six feet or less in height. The purpose of this section is to control location and height of fences as may be required by city la...
Neighbor Fence Rules
Visalia requires commercial and mixed-use properties that border residential neighborhoods to build a 7-foot concrete block masonry wall on the shared property line. If the commercial use is across a street or alley from residential and is considered unsightly, a 6-foot masonry wall is required on that side.
Fences: Neighbor Rules
Some RestrictionsVisalia Municipal Code § 17.36.050(A)–(B)
17.36.050 A. Where a site in the C-N, C-R, C-S, C-MU, or D-MU zone adjoins an R-S or R-M zone, either a concrete block masonry wall not less than seven feet in height shall be located on the property line except in a required front yard and suitably maintained or a landscaped buffer be provided as approved by the planning commission. A fence, wall, or hedge height greater than seven feet may be...
Material Restrictions
Visalia Municipal Code Chapter 17.36 allows fences to be built of any generally acceptable material in residential zones, but barbed wire and electrically charged fences are specifically prohibited in R-A, R-1, and R-M zones. Commercial frontage fences and required buffer walls have additional material standards.
Barbed wire and electric fences prohibited in residential zones
Heavy RestrictionsVisalia Municipal Code Chapter 17.36 (Residential Fence Requirements summary)
Fences may be constructed of any generally acceptable material except that barbed wire and electric charged fences are specifically prohibited in any Residential zone (R-A, R-1, or R-M).
Looking for Tulare County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Visalia city rules.
Fence Regulations in Tulare County →