Tulare County, CA Fence Regulations: Fence Requirements (2026)

Most residential fences in unincorporated Tulare County are simply governed by the height and placement limits in Section 15 of Ordinance No. 352 (6 feet along side/rear lot lines; 3.5 feet in a required front yard). The Zoning Ordinance also sets situation-specific fencing requirements. Section 15.A.5.b requires that any off-street parking area be 'paved and a solid fence or wall, six (6) feet high ... constructed along each boundary of such area abutting upon property classified in the R-A, R-O, R-1, R-2 or R-3 Zones; provided, however, that said wall or fence shall be four (4) feet high along the side of the required front yard.' Separately, the adopted California Building Code (Ordinance Code Chapter 7-15) requires swimming pools to be surrounded by a barrier - 'a fence, wall, building wall or a combination thereof' - that obstructs access, and it sets technical standards such as a maximum 2-inch mesh for chain-link barriers and placement of horizontal members on the pool side where rails are closer than 45 inches apart. Agricultural and rural-residential (R-A) parcels have additional separation rules, such as a 40-foot minimum distance between a dwelling and livestock structures. Confirm any specialized fencing requirement with the Tulare County RMA before building.