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

There is no single 'fence requirements' chapter in the Tehama County code; the rules come from several sources. The core dimensional rule is Section 17.08.030, which provides that 'in R districts fences in side and rear yards may not exceed six feet in height, and fences and hedges may not exceed three feet within the front yard setback.' This 3-foot front-yard limit, together with general visibility practice, helps keep clear sight lines at intersections and driveways. Outside residential districts the code does not fix a fence height, but the building code's 7-foot permit threshold still applies. Fences must not encroach into required road or utility easements, and on corner lots the shorter street frontage is treated as the front (Section 17.08.030). Where a fence serves as a swimming pool barrier, separate state pool-safety standards (the California Building Code pool-enclosure provisions and the Swimming Pool Safety Act) govern minimum barrier height, gate self-closing/self-latching hardware, and gap limits — these are stricter than ordinary fence rules. Agricultural fencing for livestock is common in rural zones and is generally not height-limited by zoning, though it must not obstruct roadway sight distance. Always verify a parcel's exact zoning and any recorded easements before installing a fence.