8 county-level rules, plus city-specific rules for 10 cities in Sacramento County, California.
Verified from official government sources
In unincorporated Sacramento County, front-yard fences are capped by material: solid walls 3 feet, semi-open or chain link 4 feet, and open wrought iron up to 7 feet. Side-street and interior-yard fences may reach 7 feet. AG and AR zone fences may be 7 feet at all property lines.
A building permit is not required for a fence 7 feet or less in unincorporated Sacramento County under the California Building Code. Fences taller than the County's zoning limits, or those using barbed wire, concertina wire, or electric fencing, may require a Minor Use Permit or Special Development Permit.
Sacramento County's Zoning Code does not assign cost between neighbors. Shared boundary fences are governed by California's Good Neighbor Fence Law (Civil Code Section 841), which presumes adjoining owners share construction and maintenance costs equally and requires 30 days' written notice before incurring shared costs.
California Civil Code § 841
(a) Adjoining landowners shall share equally in the responsibility for maintaining the boundaries and monuments between them. (b) (1) Adjoining landowners are presumed to share an equal benefit from any fence dividing their properties and, unless otherwise agreed to by the parties in a written agreement, shall be presumed to be equally responsible for the reasonable costs of construction, maint...
In unincorporated Sacramento County, an interior-yard fence may sit on a retaining wall up to 4 feet under Zoning Code Section 5.2.5.B.4. Taller retaining walls, and retaining-wall-plus-fence combinations, can be subject to additional zoning approval, and retaining walls over 4 feet typically require a building permit and engineering.
Pools in Sacramento County must have a 5-foot barrier and meet 2 of 7 safety features under California Health and Safety Code 115922. Pool fence permits issued with the pool permit.
Beyond height, Sacramento County requires fences near intersections and driveways to meet visibility requirements of the County Improvement Standards, and certain commercial, industrial, and multifamily uses adjacent to residential property must screen with a solid fence or masonry wall at least 6 feet tall.
Sacramento County prohibits temporary or makeshift fence materials such as plywood, particle board, paper, and plastic tarps, and requires a Minor Use Permit for barbed wire, concertina wire, or electric fencing, with limited agricultural and industrial exceptions.
Sacramento County recognizes solid walls, semi-open picket, open chain link or woven wire, and open ornamental wrought iron as fence types, each with its own front-yard height. Required screening walls for non-residential uses must be solid wood or masonry; makeshift materials are prohibited.
10 cities in Sacramento County have their own fence regulations rules. Each link goes to that city's dedicated page with code citations.
7 verified rules • Fence Requirements, Height Limits
6 verified rules • Fence Requirements, Height Limits
6 verified rules • Fence Requirements, Height Limits
6 verified rules • Fence Requirements, Height Limits
4 verified rules • Height Limits, Permit Requirements
6 verified rules • Fence Requirements, Height Limits
4 verified rules • Height Limits, Permit Requirements
4 verified rules • Height Limits, Permit Requirements
6 verified rules • Fence Requirements, Height Limits
6 verified rules • Fence Requirements, Height Limits
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