Fence Regulations in San Benito County, CA (2026)
3 rules for unincorporated San Benito County, California.
Verified from official government sources
Fence Permit Requirements
Fences built to unincorporated San Benito County's standard height and material rules skip discretionary development review, but the Planning Division still requires a nondiscretionary zoning clearance before construction begins.
San Benito County Fence Permit Rules
Some RestrictionsSan Benito County Code § 25.02.001, Table 25.02-A (Development Plan Review Thresholds)
Fences and walls: • Retaining walls less than 36 inches in height. • Fences located on residential or agricultural property constructed in compliance with the standards of this section • Fences and walls required by a state or federal agency, or by the County for public safety.
Neighbor Fence Rules
San Benito County has no special county ordinance on shared boundary fences, so California's Good Neighbor Fence Act (Civil Code Section 841) controls. Adjoining owners are presumed equally responsible for the reasonable cost of building, maintaining, or replacing a dividing fence, and an owner planning the work must give neighbors 30 days written notice.
San Benito County Shared Fence and Neighbor Rules
Some RestrictionsCal. Civil Code Section 841 (Good Neighbor Fence Act)
(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, mainte...
Retaining Walls
In unincorporated San Benito County, retaining walls over four feet in height must be engineered and permitted under the grading ordinance, while shorter excavation for a retaining wall tied to a valid building permit is exempt from separate grading permit rules.
San Benito County Retaining Wall Permits
Some RestrictionsSan Benito County Code § 19.17.004(A)(2)
Any excavation below finished grade for basements and footings of a building, retaining wall or other structure authorized by a valid building permit. This shall not apply to the placement of any fill resulting in an unsupported height greater than five feet. All retaining walls over four feet in height shall be engineered and require a permit; (3) Cemetery graves; (4) Solid was...
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