7 county-level rules, plus city-specific rules for 4 cities in Sonoma County, California.
Verified from official government sources
In unincorporated Sonoma County's residential and K districts, fences are limited to 3 feet in required front yards (and within 15 feet of a street corner) and 6 feet in required side and rear yards without a use permit. Updated objective standards (Ord. 6547, 2025) let many fences go taller by-right with open or lattice tops.
Sonoma County Code, Chapter 26 (Zoning Regulations), Article 88, Sec. 26-88-030(a)
Sec. 26-88-030. - General height regulations and exceptions. (a) In an AR, RR, R1, R2, R3 or K district, no fence shall hereinafter be constructed to exceed six feet (6) in height within any required side yard to the rear of the front line of any dwelling, or along any rear property line, nor to exceed three feet (3) in height within any required front yard nor within fifteen feet (15) of the s...
Many fences in unincorporated Sonoma County need no permit, but a building permit is required for solid wood/concrete/metal/masonry fences over 7 feet and for any fence over 10 feet. Taller or solid fences in required yards may also need administrative design review, design review, or a use permit under the 2025 objective standards.
Permit Sonoma BPC-023 Fence Requirements (Sonoma County Code Chapter 26)
A building permit is required for all solid wood, concrete and masonry fences exceeding seven (7) feet in height, and all fences, regardless of construction, exceeding ten (10) feet in height. Fences exceeding eight (8) feet in height must be designed by an architect or engineer.
Sonoma County's Zoning Code (Ch. 26) governs fence height and placement, but cost-sharing for a shared boundary fence is set by California Civil Code 841, the 'Good Neighbor Fence Law.' Adjoining owners are presumed to share equally in the cost of a division fence, and a landowner must give 30 days' written notice before building or replacing one.
California Civil Code Sections 841 and 841.4
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, ...
A fence built on top of a retaining wall in unincorporated Sonoma County cannot exceed the allowable fence height when the wall and fence are combined. Fence height is measured from the lowest existing grade to the topmost point, so a wall counts toward the limit. Structural retaining walls require a separate building permit.
Permit Sonoma BPC-005, When Is a Building Permit Not Required? (05/26/2023)
The following are exempt from a building permit. (Measured from the lowest grade to the top of the fence): Open fence (such as wood lattice or wire mesh) that is 10 feet or less in height; Solid fence (such as solid wood, concrete, or masonry) that is 7 feet or less in height; 7 feet or less solid fence topped with 3 feet or less of open fence (that is 10 feet or less in combined height); Retai...
Fences in unincorporated Sonoma County must meet zoning height limits by yard, sit at least 6 inches outside public rights-of-way and easements, and be measured from the lowest existing grade. No fencing is allowed in a designated floodway (F1), and riparian-corridor fences are limited to about 4 feet of wildlife-friendly open fencing.
Under the 2025 objective standards, residential and K-district fences in unincorporated Sonoma County must use allowed materials such as wood, naturalistic composite wood, stone/masonry, stucco, and non-reflective woven metal or wire. Glass, exposed bunker blocks, razor wire, reflective metal, and barbed wire are prohibited (except qualifying agricultural fences).
Permit Sonoma PJR-133 Fence Guidelines (implementing Sonoma County Code Chapter 26 as amended by Ordinance No. 6547)
Permitted materials: wood, composite wood, stone/masonry, stucco/plaster, woven metal (chain link, hog wire), non-reflective metal, concrete masonry units (if covered). Prohibited materials: glass, bunker blocks, exposed concrete masonry units, razor wire, reflective metal finishes, barbed wire.
Residential and K-district fences in unincorporated Sonoma County may use wood, naturalistic composite wood, stone or masonry, stucco/plaster, woven metal or wire (chain link, hog wire), and non-reflective metal. Agricultural fences in AR/RR districts may use split-rail, pipe, post-and-wire, and barbed wire. Approved standard designs cover fences up to 8 feet.
4 cities in Sonoma County have their own fence regulations rules. Each link goes to that city's dedicated page with code citations.
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